Rockford, Illinois

Back to Illinois! Where we’re from, where our family lives, and where we usually go at least once a year. While we were in the Chicago area, we took a day trip to the city of Rockford to visit its lovely Anderson Japanese Gardens with my parents.

The gardens were started in 1978 by John R. Anderson and Japanese architect Hoichi Korisu. Today, it’s a non-profit and it covers 12 acres in Rockford. It’s a great walk for the day in some truly pretty nature, and totally not the Rockford most people would have previously envisioned.

We also visited a brewery, because that’s what we do. :) So, enjoy some pictures of these beautiful gardens that we enjoyed with my folks for a day.

Baby geese! Goslings! Geeselets!

After a leisurely afternoon at the gardens, we headed over to Prairie Street Brewing Co. for some food and libations. Always a nice way to wrap up a day!

And that’s that!

Be sure to check out our other USA posts right here.

A very special and very big thanks to all the fine people at Anderson Japanese Gardens, to all the brewery folks who welcomed us, and to our family for always being so welcoming and loving.

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Have you ever been to Rockford or the gardens? If so, what’d you think? If not, what say ye? Let us know your thoughts in the comments!