We all know about the famous Rockford Illinois libraries, including the Shedd Aquarium, The Rockford Historical Society, and the Rockford City Museum. Rockford is located on the southern shores of Lake Michigan, so there’s plenty to do and see within a half-hour of downtown Rockford. You’ll love the North Shore Trail that runs along the shoreline. It winds around the north end of the beach and then turns left when you reach the end of the trail. There are also public restrooms, a water tower, and an observation deck. Other popular activities near the libraries include the Rockford Art Association, the Rockford Fish Center, Lincoln Park, and more.

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There are some great attractions close to the libraries as well. Lincoln Park provides activities like fishing, hiking, canoeing, swimming, and other great outdoor activities. Lincoln Park also is home to the Rockford Fish Center, so this is a great place to pick up some fresh fish. Of course, no visit to Rockford would be complete without at least one stop at the Shedd Aquarium, where you can get a closer look at the animals housed there. It’s also worth a stop to see the beautiful botanical gardens, which were built in partnership with the Rockford Botanical Gardens.

There are many other things to do at the Rockford libraries, including plenty of free things to see and do. The O’Hare Library has two floors and houses almost three hundred books, plus many magazines and maps. It’s a great place to go for a cultural walk or to just have some quiet time. If you love to cook, you’ll love the Kitchen & Garden Theater, which offers free shows throughout the year and feature local restaurants, DJs, and performers. The O’Hare Library also hosts an annual farmer’s market, where you can buy fresh local produce and goods for your kitchen and garden.

Two other nearby libraries are the Illinois Historical Society and the Illinois Science and Technology Museum. Both of these great museums have several different floor plans so that you can easily find the section that suits your needs. If you love to collect things, the Science and Technology Museum will have something new and interesting to interest you every single day. And if you’re a lover of history, the Historical Society’s exhibits will bring you back time and again for fascinating tales from the past.

Rockford is a small town, and all the libraries are conveniently located close to everything. You can ride in the elevator to every floor of the libraries to enjoy a leisurely walk around. You can even ride the commuter rail into the city, which is a great way to get to all of the attractions in town. You can also drive to nearby Champaign and Urbana to enjoy the beautiful Illinois Farm Research Center, which houses two museums and several laboratories.

In case you don’t have a lot of cash to burn, or simply don’t want to pay a hefty parking fee, you could always take public transportation to Rockford. There are several options, including the Chicago Brown Route and the Rockford Metra. Buses and trains are available to take you throughout the entire city of Rockford. One thing that you should note before leaving town is that there are free attractions all around you. You won’t have any trouble finding things to do while you’re in town, and you may even discover a few things that you didn’t know about.

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