Top 15 Attractions and Activities in Rock Island, Illinois

Situated along the renowned Mississippi River, Rock Island is a historically rich and culturally dynamic city that serves as the seat of Rock Island County.

This city is a vital part of the Quad Cities (Population: 400,000), which straddles the Mississippi River and the Illinois-Iowa border, and it encompasses Arsenal Island, an active U.S. Army installation that has functioned for over two centuries.

A tour of Arsenal Island is highly recommended, albeit it necessitates a verification process and a visitor pass due to its status as a military facility.

The downtown area of Rock Island also offers numerous attractions, including picturesque riverside parks and the Great River Trail, alongside decades of exquisite architecture and a vibrant nightlife and entertainment scene unmatched in the Quad Cities.

1. Rock Island Arsenal

The notable 950-acre Arsenal Island in the Mississippi is sure to capture your attention and it is the origin of the city’s name.

Currently referred to as Arsenal Island, this facility acts as the headquarters for the First Army and the U.S. Army’s Center of Excellence for Additive Manufacturing.

This island has had official ties for over 200 years and is recognized as the nation’s largest government-owned weapons manufacturing arsenal.

The original arsenal buildings have been designated as a National Historic Landmark, and there are several compelling reasons to visit.

In addition to the Rock Island Arsenal Museum, which will be discussed subsequently, visitors can explore the historic Colonel Davenport House (circa 1833), Memorial Park, a replica blockhouse from the original Fort Davenport, the Rock Island National Cemetery, a preserved Confederate Cemetery, and the Mississippi River Visitor Center, which will be elaborated upon later.

2. Rock Island Arsenal Museum

Originally opened in 1905, the museum located on Arsenal Island is the second-oldest U.S. Army Museum following that of West Point.

This site illuminates the extensive history of the island, encompassing its past as a summer encampment for the Sauk Native Americans, Fort Davenport, the establishment of the arsenal, and the island’s role as a Union prison camp during the Civil War.

Exhibits outside include an impressive collection of vehicles and artillery, featuring howitzers, an M65 Atomic Cannon, rocket launchers, and various anti-tank guns.

Inside, visitors can observe the second-largest collection of small arms in the U.S. Army, with over 1,200 pieces on permanent exhibition.

These displays elucidate the manufacturing processes utilized at Rock Island Arsenal and the variety of military equipment produced there.

3. Downtown Rock Island

Rock Island boasts a downtown area in excellent condition, featuring an array of restaurants, unique shops, pubs, comedy clubs, art galleries, nightclubs, live music venues, a microbrewery, a historic hotel, and an elegant Art Deco theatre.

With a resident population exceeding 1,000 and employing nearly 3,500 individuals, this area serves as the arts district of the Quad Cities, complemented by an event calendar that includes numerous festivals attracting thousands of visitors during the summer months.

The downtown area also delights visitors with its diverse architectural styles, ranging from the late 19th century to the mid-20th century.

Many of these captivating brick commercial structures have been repurposed into residential lofts, further invigorating the heart of the city.

4. Schwiebert Riverfront Park

Located slightly downstream from Arsenal Island, this waterfront park provides splendid views of the river, downtown Davenport, the western side of Arsenal Island, and Centennial Bridge.

Schwiebert Riverfront Park features a small promenade along the Mississippi, spacious lawns, various public art installations, a unique digital playground, and an interactive fountain that is particularly popular among children on warm summer days.

This setting is ideal for outdoor concerts during the warmer months, with a designated stage available for performances.

During winter, Schwiebert Park is a prime location for observing bald eagles that migrate to the Mississippi and Arsenal Island in search of fish.

5. Quad City Botanical Center

This significant botanical center is located near the riverside in Rock Island. Established in 1998, it features the remarkable Sun Garden conservatory.

This exquisite climate-controlled building includes an atrium with a 70-foot skylight, showcasing tropical fruit-bearing plants such as vanilla, coffee, coconut, cocoa, and bananas. Additionally, the interior boasts a koi pond, stream, and a stunning 14-foot waterfall.

Outside, the Children’s Garden is a favorite destination for families during summer, offering educational features and water elements. The center is also home to a vital collection of rare conifers, an 800-foot model railway, and seasonal gardens dedicated to perennials, prairie wildflowers, butterflies, and more.

6. Great River Trail

Rock Island’s Sunset Park marks the western trailhead for a 62-mile paved pathway that runs alongside the Mississippi.

Accessible to both walkers and cyclists, the Great River Trail serves as an excellent route for exploring the Quad Cities, passing by the John Deere Pavilion in Moline and providing access to the Channel Cat Water Taxi for a scenic crossing to Davenport.

This trail follows the right-of-way of an old spur of the Chicago, St. Paul, Milwaukee and Pacific Railroad, weaving through quaint riverside towns and along dedicated bike trails and waterfront levees all the way to Savanna.

7. The Karpeles Manuscript Library Museum

A striking landmark located in the Broadway Historic District is the First Church of Christ, Scientist (1896), constructed in the Palladian style with an impressive Doric portico.

This structure is one of 17 branches of the Karpeles Manuscript Library Museum, a national institution established in 1983 by the California real estate entrepreneurs David and Marsha Karpeles.

The Karpeles collection encompasses the world’s most extensive array of historic documents and manuscripts, presenting items such as Darwin’s Theory of Evolution, Descartes’ Treatise as the Father of Philosophy, Handel’s Messiah, the Bill of Rights, the first printing of the Ten Commandments from the Gutenberg Bible, and Einstein’s Theory of Relativity, among many others.

The collection is circulated between museums in rotating exhibitions, ensuring there is always something remarkable to view on every visit. Visitors will also be able to admire the building’s inner dome, adorned with 8,000 colored fish scale glass panes set on an intricate wooden structure.

8. Mississippi River Visitor Center

For more than 200 years, the United States Army Corps of Engineers has played a crucial role in maintaining the navigability of this segment of the Mississippi River.

Visitors can gain insight into this vital task at the Mississippi River Visitor Center located next to the river on Arsenal Island.

From April through December, guests can observe barges navigating the intricate system of locks and dams, and there is the opportunity to participate in guided tours for a deeper understanding.

During January to March, these locks and dams become essential feeding grounds for bald eagles, presenting another remarkable spectacle.

9. Black Hawk State Historic Site

In the early 19th century, a group of approximately 4,800 Native Americans from the Sauk Nation resided at this location, perched upon a 150-foot bluff that overlooks the Rock River.

Covering 208 acres, the Black Hawk State Historic Site is particularly honored as the birthplace of the leader Black Hawk (1767-1838), a significant figure in the War of 1812 and the Black Hawk War of 1838.

This site offers trails that meander over steep hills and along the riverbank, leading to a series of serene picnic areas.

Visitors should not miss the Hauberg Indian Museum, which provides additional context about the Sauk and Meskwaki Native Americans and their displacement, displaying artifacts, historical narratives, and a remarkable scale model of the village.

The museum also features exhibits on the Civilian Conservation Corps, which constructed the museum building and established the park’s trails during the Great Depression.

10. Broadway Historic District

A haven for enthusiasts of 19th-century architecture, this distinguished residential neighborhood situated southeast of downtown Rock Island is well-suited for a self-guided tour.

Offering a diverse range of architectural styles, including Greek Revival, Italianate, Queen Anne, Romanesque Revival, and Colonial Revival, the Broadway Historic District is home to an impressive collection of 550 Victorian houses.

This district has been included on the National Register of Historic Places since 1998 and is recognized for its innovative approaches to preserving its historical character.

Among these initiatives is a campaign aimed at removing artificial siding from historic homes. Visitors can access the district’s website to download a map for a self-guided tour, featuring clickable icons that provide intriguing information about the historically significant properties within Broadway.

11. Circa ‘21 Dinner Playhouse

A notable attraction that will draw your attention in downtown Rock Island is the historic Fort Armstrong Theatre, now known as the Circa ‘21 Dinner Playhouse.

Designed in an early Art Deco style, it opened in 1921 with the silent film Midsummer Madness, directed by William C. deMille, the elder brother of Cecil.

The film’s star, Lila Lee (1905-1973), made a personal appearance on that evening. The facade is remarkable for its polychrome terracotta panels, adorned with Illinois and Native American motifs.

These themes extend inside as well, where the proscenium arch features three large Native American heads at its edges.

Today, this venue operates as a dinner theater, showcasing lighthearted Broadway musicals, concerts by tribute artists, and children’s performances during the summer and winter school breaks.

The waitstaff, referred to as the Bootleggers, comprise one of only two performing waitstaff troupes in the nation.

12. Whitewater Junction Aquatic Center

Located in Longview Park south of the Broadway Historic District, this outdoor aquatic center operates during the summer months.

Whitewater Junction features a pool with zero-depth entry, accompanied by four water slides: Rocket (body slide), Zephyr (tube), Cannonball (drop), and Express (open drop).

The park includes various spray features for children’s enjoyment and a tumble bucket. Rock Island’s Parks & Recreation Department organizes swimming lessons and aquatic classes at this facility, alongside various packages available for parties and events.

13. Fryxell Geology Museum

For a unique experience, one can visit the Fryxell Geology Museum, which features one of the most extensive collections of minerals, rocks, and fossils in the Midwest, located in Augustana College’s Swenson Hall of Geosciences.

Named after Fritiof Melvin Fryxell (1900-1973), who dedicated 44 years as a geology professor at the college, the museum’s collection, which dates back to the late 1880s, has expanded to over 20,000 specimens, with 1,500 displayed at any given time.

This includes extraordinary exhibits such as the 22-foot skeleton of a Cryolophosaurus, a crested dinosaur discovered in Antarctica, an extensive wall of brilliant fluorescent rocks, and a cast of a Tyrannosaurus skull. The museum remains open throughout the academic year but closes during the summer.

14. Jumer’s Casino

Located just off Interstate 280 in the southwestern section of Rock Island, Jumer’s Casino and Hotel features a Las Vegas-style gaming experience with over 200 rooms, three restaurants, a nightclub, a sports bar, a spa, and 43,000 square feet of gaming space.

This establishment ranks among the largest land-based casinos in the state, offering a diverse selection of 1,000 slot machines, a live poker room, and 18 table games, including blackjack, craps, roulette, three-card poker, Mississippi stud, and Ultimate Texas Hold’em.

The signature restaurant, DJ’s Steakhouse, claims to serve the finest steaks in the Quad Cities, complemented by luxurious options such as scallops with smoked carrot aioli and sesame salmon in a jalapeño raspberry glaze.

15. Ya Maka My Weekend

Since 1992, downtown Rock Island has hosted a vibrant Reggae festival each August weekend.

Attracting attendees from all corners of the Midwest, Ya Maka My Weekend is a festive celebration of Caribbean culture, featuring palm trees, a tropical ambiance, delectable West Indian street cuisine, steel drum bands, and, of course, an abundance of Reggae music.

Past performers have included Pato Banton, Taj Weekes, Dubtroni Kru, Kenyatta Hill, and former members of the Wailers.