Food, Discovery, and Wakeboarding in Rockford

The Go Rockford Convention & Visitors Bureau set me up with a full schedule of things to do in Rockford. Fortunately, I had Brittany and Amanda to help me out.

One of the facts we were learning about Rockford is about the large Norwegian and Swedish population that came here. There was a direct link from Ellis Island to Rockford, Illinois, because of the industry here and many of those immigrants established  themselves and remained in the area.

 

Our breakfast was at The Norwegian, known for authentic food, homemade jams, and even their own mocha sauce (delicious in a mocha latte). They also have a stage for music. 

We had our first taste of Æbleskiver, Danish pancake balls. They were quite good, as was the omelet and steak & eggs.

 

After breakfast we drove to Riverfront Museum Campus. We started at the Discover Center Museum. It’s a great family outing as the exhibits appeal to all ages. 

There are also plenty of hands-on activities to keep kids busy, such as a two-story maze and rope climbing.

The Discover Center Museum also honors Astronaut Janice Voss, a Rockford native, and has learning experiences about hospitals and agriculture.

I set Brittany and Amanda to explore the Burpee Museum of Natural History. They are most known for their dinosaur exhibits, some of which were created by skeletons found by the museum’s own researchers.

Rockford’s Museum Campus also has an Art Museum, but we didn’t have time to go there.

Our next stop was the most anticipated of the day: West Rock Wake Park. I had never heard of wake boarding in Central Illinois and this place has it organized for all ages and skills.

The activity is best described as a combination of water skiing, surfing, and ziplining, as you are holding on to a rope as you balance on a board in the water. 

According to my companions, it is easier than it sounds, and I have to agree with their assessment since they were up riding within a short time of their lessons.

Both loved it and definitely want to do it again.  After taking lessons and mastering the ability to stand up on your own, you can by a season pass at West Rock Wake Park and come as often as you’d like. You do not need to buy any equipment as passholders can use the boards, vests, and helmets at the park.

I was impressed with the attention to those with special needs here, as told to me by a mother who  brings her autistic son regularly for lessons. She said he has thrived since the regular wakeboarding.

After showers and rest time back at the Radisson Hotel and Conference Center, we had dinner at Lino’s. The family-owned restaurant, which has been in Rockford over 40 years, gave us an amazing, authentic Italian meal, something I don’t get a lot of in the Midwest (unless I cook it).

We started with a liter of their house Chablis and Lino's salad, which included Italian sausage, along with garlic bread. Brittany and Amanda raved over the Shrimp Dejonghe Appetizer, followed by spaghetti and meatballs and chicken parmigiana. I thought the lasagna was wonderful.

It was another full and fun day in Rockford, and we were looking forward to another one coming up.  

Niagara Falls – Not Just for Honeymooners

Niagara Falls is certainly a romantic place, but it’s been a long time since it was known as “the” spot just for honeymoons.  Activities and accommodations now exist for everyone and I found it to be an especially good place for a getaway with my friend Lynn.

We arrived early afternoon from Buffalo, only a short half hour away. Our check-in at The Giacomo was quick and we soon learned that this restored U.S. Post Office building had a location was perfectly centered in the middle of everything.

Michelle Blackley of Niagara USA met us in front of the building and we took a short walk the Culinary Institute of Niagara, where we were eating at their Savor restaurant. I had the homemade gnocchi and it was quite good, slow cooked in Bolognese sauce with fresh burrata cheese. For dessert, I enjoyed the Apple Caramel Pie. Lynn decided to go for a dessert sampler of small bites so she didn’t have to make up her mind.

Before we left the Culinary Institute we stopped in their wine shop. It was filled with wines from New York, many from the Finger Lakes and Niagara. We had a few samples and I was really impressed with the McGregor Seyval Blanc, citrusy and refreshing on what turned out to be an especially hot day.

We then drove to Niagara Falls State Park to meet Angela Berti for our private golf cart tour of the oldest state park in the United States. I had no idea how big the park was and didn’t remember (it had been many years since I visited) that there are actually three different falls – American, Bridal Veil and Horseshoe.

If you have never been to Niagara Falls, it’s hard to describe the beauty and uniqueness of each of the falls. The park offers a number of ways for guided tours if you don’t want to explore on your own. There’s the Cave of the Winds Tour, Maid of the Mist boat ride and the Niagara Scenic Trolley. You can also visit the Discovery Center to learn about the park and the falls, or hike Niagara Gorge.

Before we left we were actually able to see a rainbow over the falls by the Canadian bridge (yes, the park is that close to the border) that was quite spectacular.

After the park, I had the ultimate relaxation at Seneca Niagara Casino & Hotel, where I spent an hour enjoying the spa facilities. I was able to indulge in their Mango-Passion Fruit Yogurt wrap, which made my skin soft and bright. Lynn, in the meantime, managed to win a few dollars at the casino.

We were hungry after a long day and headed straight to Wine on Third. The food and drink menus were both quite unique and I was glad it was small plates so we could try a few different things.

I couldn’t possibly say no to a Cheesecake Martini and it really did taste like my favorite cake, though it was made with vanilla vodka, cranberry and pineapple juices. The Havarti Macaroni and Cheese was also quite good, but the hit of the night was the Saganaki.

It was made right at the table where kasseri cheese is melted over hot lava rocks and flamed with cognac!  We ate the Saganaki with rosemary olive oil, basil pesto and tomato pesto sauces and it was excellent.

Michelle dropped us back at The Giacomo hotel. Since it wasn’t too late, we relaxed a bit in the bar and talked about what was still too come -- which included checking out the wines of Niagara -- over a chilled glass of sauvignon blanc.