This is a very nicely kept park. Although owned by the park district, it really is a…read moreNeighborhood park due to no parking available. They have two sets of swings (one for younger kids and one for older), a small playground area, and a small shelter area with two picnic tables. Surrounding the park is a large green space that many of the local kids play sports on. This park does back up to houses and does not have any large shade trees.

Such a fun and small park! There is a great covered area with seating, and benches surrounding the…read moreplayground but far enough away that you're not in the action. The equipment on the playground is well maintained by the park district, and both my 2 and 4 year old can play fairly independently on most of it.

Me and my wife recently stopped here to go on a little walk in the area. This place is perfect for…read moreall sorts of outdoor activities since there's a beach nearby and plenty of trails though I recommend and not walk through them when it's wet outside because they are very muddy and nothing is paved. Plenty of dogs are running off leash as well which isn't an issue. Please check to make sure you know what time the park closes because they will close on you as well. Highly recommend stopping here

Decided to take a drive from Evanston on a beautiful Spring day (70 degrees in Evanston, but 80…read moredegrees in Rockford - it was balmy!) I had found this place searching online for nearby state parks that weren't TOO far of a drive and still had ample hiking trails. The park was easy to find, had plenty of parking and lots of paved and dirt trails for both hiking and biking. Picnic areas scattered throughout and a nice large lake for fishing/boating/canoeing (there were prices posted in the concessions area for renting a boat with motor for the day as well if you don't have your own to bring with you!) Small selection of snacks and beverages (non-alcoholic) were available for purchase, however they did not have any paper maps (there were boards posted by trail entrances and we did take photos of those). It looks like there is a restaurant next to the concessions area that opens after Memorial Day weekend for the season. We saw and heard many different birds while hiking and it was very peaceful (and not very crowded, as we were here on a Tuesday). My husband particularly enjoyed seeing the turkeys roaming around

The Forest Preserve Headquarters of Winnebago County is by far my favorite underrated park in the…read moreRockford area! Lots to explore and so many different, unique areas within the park. I love the view over the quarry in all seasons but it's especially beautiful in fall/winter. The walk through the woods and around the ponds and river on the other side of the forest preserve are gorgeous in spring with frogs and other small animals to find and lots of mossy pathways. It feels like a fairytale! (Photos by Figment Photography)

Great place to hangout and have a few beers and go on nature walks…read more I've never camped here, but I heard that its cool. There are a lot of nice shelters and a respectable playground. You can pick morel mushrooms here during the early-mid spring. There's a fair amount of wildlife (deer, turkey, woodpeckers, toads, etc.) as well. The conservation sheriff cruises through every once in a while to make sure no one's doing anything retarded. Its a popular hangout for delinquent kids during the day, so check your grills before you cook. There was piss on one of them once.

I say this about a lot of parks but, this is definitely one of the best parks I have ever been to…read more There are 6 areas for different sports, including: basketball, baseball, soccer, tennis, volleyball, and ping pong. In addition to the sports, there is a very nice playground, pavilion (with electricity and a grill), and a walking trail.

Beautiful area along the river in Rockford with a lot to do and look at. It should be on the list…read morefor anyone coming here to hang. Sinnissippi Park is one of the most visited places in town. For sure it's no surprise because there's so much in it. The Rockmen Guardians, Nicholas Conservatory, and the gardens are the biggest highlights but there's lots more to it to come do stuff. At the western end are the Rockmen Guardians. It's worth going along the riverfront path to get some pictures. The Conservatory is the grandest thing in the entire park though. Inside there's plenty of plant life including flowers and trees, as well as animal life, including butterflies, koi fish, and swans. They charge an admission though. Just north of this is the lagoon, where there's a rose garden. The east side of the park has a golf course, and there's also a Scandinavian cemetery if you're looking for history. Have to visit this park if you're seeing what's in the city. It's got a lot of the best stuff that's around here. This is great for getting some exercise or whatever.

Beautiful park in Rockford, Illinois. This is our first…read morevisit, thanks to a review I read on FB posted by Stateline Kids. The kids really enjoyed the park, with 2 playgrounds. One playground geared for older children and the other geared for kids 2-5. The younger kids playground is on Astro-turf and is sensory friendly. With some musical play equipment. I'm glad we stopped by! There is also a golf course near the younger kids and a large musical shell for entertainment as well along with some gorgeous gazebos and an asphalt path to explore. Parks done right for all ages! Sinississippi hits the mail on the head!!!

This is a nice place to take a break and relax. One wish is for dog owners to pick up after their…read moredogs. It would make for a much more pleasant experience on and off the bike/walk path. There is a botanical garden along the river front. We'll have to check it out next time.

Awesome spot for toddlers. My 1yo loved it! The slide was super easy for him to navigate and I was…read moreable to stay in a comfortable spot while being within arms reach.

Wow, after going to the Japanese Gardens in Portland I was excited to visit the Anderson Japanese…read moreGardens and it certainly did not disappoint. From the parking lot, this spot may not look that huge, but this spread out between 12 acres of well designed and maintained land. These gardens feature everything from waterfalls to streams to buildings to ponds to bridges that look amazing even in less than optimal weather. As someone who visits a good number of gardens per year, I was impressed with how intentionally the gardens are designed. That is, I can see that thought was put into the placement and direction of each plant in the garden, and approaching the same spot from different directions can yield a different experience. This is evident in how some plants are only visible from a certain direction, so that your experience in entering and entering the same garden can be different. I also enjoy a very circular theme across the gardens, where you can see different things like a waterfall or bridge from multiple different angles, each yielding a slightly different experience. The parking here is not too difficult, even when it's busier. Because of the size of the gardens, there's also a fairly good amount of space to spread out even on busier days. But if you want a more tranquil experience, you may want to come during less popular hours. Overall, worth a special visit if you live anywhere within 2 hours of Rockford. The gardens are impressive and well worth a visit.

Such a beautiful and relaxing experience coming to the Japanese Garden! My guy and I had the nicest…read moretime walking around and looking at everything they have to offer. We saw and fed lots of animals including koi fish, a crane, turtles, and a chipmunk (my guy's first time seeing one). I wish we had a chance to come during a tea ceremony because that would've been the icing on the cake here.

Six dedicated pickleball courts with fencing between each court. It is mostly an open field, so no…read morenatural wind barriers or shade. No restroom on site. Plenty of parking and a water fountain on site. Bring your own paddles, balls, and chairs.

On a dreary Sunday in January we came from the Chicago suburbs primarily to see the garden train…read moreexhibit inside the conservatory. Although kind of small, the greenhouse did not disappoint. It is very lush, packed with a lot of tropical plants, trees and flowers. It also has water features, ponds and streams that have fish (koi?) in them. The train displays are super nice. They have miniature Rockford landmarks scattered around and trestle bridges made from sticks and limbs. This place is peaceful, relaxing, and very photogenic. $10 admissions, a bit less for seniors and kids.

Check out this location and see the hidden treasure s. Easy parking and worth the price!read more

The garden in the name is a bit confusing as it's more about trees. Like 98% trees, 2% flowers…read more Keep in mind I visited in the 3rd week of may...there should be some more flowers. There was a bit of a flower arrangement by where they apparently hold weddings so that was something. But otherwise trees...trees and more trees. The paths are freshly paved and there are many more natural paths that branch off of the main paved paths. We walked around the perimeter of the garden staying on the paved paths. There wasn't much to view but I did see one wild turkey so I added a star for that. We also took one short dirt path just to see...but it was just a short dirt path through the trees. If this place was free...I'd of liked it more I think. But at $12 per person it seemed like paying to hike through a nicely maintained park. I ended up here because Anderson Japanese Gardens were overflowing with attendees. So I went here where there were like 4 cars worth total on same exact day. Anderson btw charges about the same price so...maybe it's an entertainment value for the dollar deal? I think so. If you are a manager here...everything was very well maintained...you just need to give people more color to see on the main paved paths.

Certainly it's not anything comparable to the big popular arboretums and botanical gardens those…read moremay think of, but for Rockford it's good. It's not a humongous one, but there's plenty of ground to cover and nature to see. Klehm Arboretum has a respectable collection of flowers, plants, and trees. A lot of family activities. There's often some kind of special event going on for children and family things. A lot of the gardens are specific toward one plant species or a family. It of course has better viewing in the spring and summer, but any time of the year has something to check out. The visitor's center is the first place most people come to. Get a map. You can find out where all the gardens are and which paths to go on. It has a pretty cool pond garden in front you should stop at. There's a Prehistoric Garden featuring a T-Rex. Also children will enjoy the Fountain Garden. This is a way to cool off in summer. Even though the programs say there's an admission charge, you can still usually get in free. It's not like there's anyone at the gate. This is best in the summer, but there's also later year activities like hay mazes and whatever.