Rockford travel guide

Rockford Tourism | Rockford Guide

You're Going to Love Rockford

With a population of 152,871, Rockford is a must-see destination in Illinois, United States. It is among the most popular tourist destinations in the country. Rockford deserves at least 2 full days for you to see its main sights.

Activities & attractions in Rockford

Where to Eat in Rockford

If you’re looking for affordable options, The Norwegian (1402 N Main St) and GreenFire Restaurant Bar & Bakery (6795 East Riverside Blvd.) are great picks.

When to visit Rockford

Rockford in January
Estimated hotel price
$96
1 night at 3-star hotel
Rockford in January
Estimated hotel price
$96
1 night at 3-star hotel

Looking for warm weather? Then head to Rockford in July, when the average temperature is 75.2 °F, and the highest can go up to 86 °F. The coldest month, on the other hand, is January, when it can get as cold as 14 °F, with an average temperature of 23 °F. You’re likely to see more rain in June, when precipitation is around 4.1″. In contrast, February is usually the driest month of the year in Rockford, with an average rainfall of 1.6″.

Data provided by weatherbase
Temperatures
Temperatures
Data provided by weatherbase

How to Get to Rockford

Plane

When flying to Rockford, you’ll arrive at Chicago Greater Rockford (RFD), which is located 5 miles from the city center.

Car

Another option to get to Rockford is to pick up a car rental from Chicago, which is about 80 miles from Rockford. You’ll find branches of Kyte and Routes Car & Truck Rentals, among others, in Chicago.

Bus

The most popular bus station is Rockford Van Galder Bus Station, located 7 miles from downtown Rockford. Rockford Van Galder is also a commonly used station, and is 0.6 miles from the city center.

Plane

When flying to Rockford, you’ll arrive at Chicago Greater Rockford (RFD), which is located 5 miles from the city center.

Car

Another option to get to Rockford is to pick up a car rental from Chicago, which is about 80 miles from Rockford. You’ll find branches of Kyte and Routes Car & Truck Rentals, among others, in Chicago.

Bus

The most popular bus station is Rockford Van Galder Bus Station, located 7 miles from downtown Rockford. Rockford Van Galder is also a commonly used station, and is 0.6 miles from the city center.

Airports near Rockford

Airlines serving Rockford

Lufthansa
Good (4,692 reviews)
KLM
Good (848 reviews)
British Airways
Good (4,558 reviews)
Delta
Good (4,611 reviews)
Air France
Good (981 reviews)
Iberia
Good (1,595 reviews)
United Airlines
Good (4,952 reviews)
Emirates
Excellent (2,122 reviews)
Qatar Airways
Good (2,454 reviews)
Air Canada
Good (5,897 reviews)
Finnair
Good (868 reviews)
Alaska Airlines
Excellent (5,686 reviews)
Etihad Airways
Good (832 reviews)
JetBlue
Good (1,603 reviews)
Spirit Airlines
Good (4,542 reviews)
Frontier
Okay (1,355 reviews)
Aer Lingus
Good (766 reviews)
Korean Air
Excellent (773 reviews)
ANA
Excellent (480 reviews)
Avianca
Good (1,327 reviews)
Show more

Where to stay in popular areas of Rockford

Most booked hotels in Rockford

Home2 Suites by Hilton Loves Park Rockford
3 stars
Excellent (9.2, 149 reviews)
$134+
Embassy Suites by Hilton Rockford Riverfront
3 stars
Excellent (9.1, 378 reviews)
$171+
Baymont by Wyndham Rockford
2 stars
Excellent (8.4, 912 reviews)
$75+
Holiday Inn Express Hotel & Suites Rockford-Loves Park, An IHG Hotel
2 stars
Excellent (8.4, 211 reviews)
$109+
Holiday Inn Rockford, An IHG Hotel
3 stars
Excellent (8.3, 518 reviews)
$100+
Quality Inn and Suites Loves Park near Rockford
2 stars
Good (7.4, 81 reviews)
$81+

Renting a car in Rockford

Renting a car in Rockford costs $55 per day, on average, or $110 if you want to rent if for 2 days. Budget, Enterprise Rent-A-Car and Hertz are the agencies with the best reviews in the city. The most popular location to rent a car in Rockford is the Hertz branch at 7549 Walton Street, which is 6 miles from the city center.

You’re likely to save money by renting your car at the airport: locations in the city are, on average, 5% more expensive than at Chicago Greater Rockford.

Expect to pay $3.90 per gallon in Rockford (average price from the past 30 days). Depending on the size of your rental car, filling up the tank will cost between $46.79 and $62.38. Mini (Fiat 500 or similar) is the most popular car type to rent in Rockford, while also 61% cheaper than other types, on average.

Renting a car in Rockford costs $55 per day, on average, or $110 if you want to rent if for 2 days. Budget, Enterprise Rent-A-Car and Hertz are the agencies with the best reviews in the city. The most popular location to rent a car in Rockford is the Hertz branch at 7549 Walton Street, which is 6 miles from the city center.

You’re likely to save money by renting your car at the airport: locations in the city are, on average, 5% more expensive than at Chicago Greater Rockford.

Expect to pay $3.90 per gallon in Rockford (average price from the past 30 days). Depending on the size of your rental car, filling up the tank will cost between $46.79 and $62.38. Mini (Fiat 500 or similar) is the most popular car type to rent in Rockford, while also 61% cheaper than other types, on average.