Turns Out This Illinois Town Isn’t Just ‘A Place You Drive Through’

When you live in a town for so long you start to see the good, the bad, and the ugly.  In Belvidere, Illinois, many believe it's just "a place to drive through", but I beg to differ.

I have lived in Rockford, Illinois my entire life and sometimes I really think I have exhausted all my options of entertainment here, but I probably haven't even scratched the surface yet.

When you ask locals for recommendations on things to do in Rockford, they most likely will say, "leave" or "you'll get shot before you get to enjoy anything here".  At least that's the typical response, which is really sad if you think about it.

Read More: 10 Things You Should Never Say Or Do In Rockford, Illinois 

It's not like that everywhere, though!  I don't spend a lot of time in Belvidere just because I have everything I need in Rockford, but next time I head out that way I want to have an idea of fun things to do.  Who knew you could stop in Belvidere and actually make a day of it?!  Let's get into the best restaurants, parks, and entertainment you can find in this town with a population of just 25,000.

Turns Out This Illinois Town Isn't Just 'A Place You Drive Through'

According to locals on Facebook, here's what they suggested you do when you're a first-time visitor searching for things to do in Belvidere.  Y'all didn't disappoint!

• Visit Spencer Park
• Grab ice cream at Sips and Sprinkles
• Enjoy breakfast at Uncle John’s
• Eat at El Molcajete
• Get a souvenir at Uniquely 815 Gifts & More 
• Try Johnny Pamcakes' new location
• See a show at The Apollo Theater
• Join Paint on State in the summer
• Eat at Coach's Corner
• Visit the Belvidere Township Park District
• Find events at the Belvidere Area Chamber of Commerce
• Meet wildlife at Summerfield Zoo
• Sweet corn & watermelon from T-J's Farm Market in the summer
• Check out Big Jon's unique food truck
• Visit the Boone County Museum of History
• A walking tour of all the murals
• Make a stop at Dari Ripple for ice cream

Related: 5 Things to Love About Belvidere, One of America’s Creepiest Towns

This is just a short list we compiled, but it's a great start to an adventure in Belvidere!  See, if we just take out all the negatives and focus on what the city DOES have to offer, it makes life way more enjoyable.

What else should we add to the list?