|
|||||||
|
|||||||
|
Rockford, Illinois USA… just an easy 60-minute drive from Chicago’s O’Hare Airport, the portal to America’s heartland. Illinois’ Rockford Region hosts international visitors every day, even though we don’t have Disney or the Grand Canyon. Our international visitors come to conduct business, to discover the “real” America and to visit friends and relatives. They enjoy the same things American visitors love about our area: gardens, golf, shopping, the arts, culture, friendly people and affordable prices. Nevertheless, there are a few special reasons international visitors choose the Rockford Area: an exciting collection of travel packages tailored for groups and individuals: • Farm & Agricultural Tours in America’s Heartland  Start in Chicago and enjoy big-city sights, plus the Board of Trade, where agricultural futures are traded and fortunes are made and lost every day. Continue on to Rockford, where Nancy Prill, a long-time agri-journalist and farmer’s wife, boards your motorcoach and takes you on a tour she has customized especially for your group. You can choose from a long list of farms and food processing plants in Illinois and Wisconsin, including a John Deere factory and a university experimental farm, plus time for shopping and fun. A popular highlight is a traditional Midwest whole-hog roast with corn-on-the-cob, watermelon, garden salad, fresh bread and “Black Cow” desserts, all served in a country setting. (Three to seven days, for groups.)
• Scandinavian Heritage in America’s Heartland  Illinois joins Minnesota, Wisconsin and Iowa to offer you an opportunity to trace the history of Scandinavian Immigration to the USA. Start in Chicago and enjoy big-city sights, plus the Swedish-American Museum Center in Andersonville, a Swedish neighborhood. Visit Rockford, where Småland and Skåne immigrants and their descendants continue to impact daily life, from industry and medicine to philanthropy and the arts. Tour Bishop Hill (once a Swedish utopian settlement), Decorah (with Vesterheim, a major Norwegian cultural center). Drive along the Mighty Mississippi River to Minneapolis/St. Paul and its many Scandinavian sites. Shop the famous Mall of America before your flight home. Or return to Chicago via Wisconsin and visit Mount Horeb (known as Little Norway) and Racine (famous for Danish Kringle). (Nine days, for groups and for individuals.)
• High-Tech Tours in Rockford, Illinois, USA  Following an international congress or convention in Chicago, Rockford is the perfect place to learn more about your profession and experience American life. As the second-largest city in Illinois, Rockford customizes behind-the-scenes tours of a wide variety of high-tech factories, hospitals, a medical college, food processing plants, supermarkets, newspapers, theaters, distribution centers, printing plants, etc. We can build in a little leisure time, too! (Three to five days, for groups.)
• Four Days of Fun Just Outside Chicago  After doing business in Chicago, bring your family of colleagues to Rockford for a little “rest and relaxation”. Just 60 minutes west of Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport, Rockford lets you experience the “real” America and take short day-trips to the Mississippi River, Wisconsin and Iowa. Golf, shop and dine. Tour gardens, forest preserves, museums. Enjoy concerts, auto races, waterparks and hiking trails. Chat with friendly residents. When it’s time to fly home…you’re a hassle-free 60 minutes from the airport. You can rent a car in Chicago…or ride the O’Hare shuttle to and from Rockford and rent a car. (Four days, for groups or individuals.)
• Fall Foliage in America’s Heartland  From mid-September through mid-November, America’s Midwest is a blazing palette of autumn colors: red, yellow, gold, orange, burgundy. See Chicago’s big-city attractions, then explore the countryside of Illinois and Wisconsin. Drive scenic highways along the Rock and Mississippi Rivers. Explore rural roads along lesser-known rivers named by Native American Indians: Kishwaukee, Sinnissippi, Menominee and Pecatonica. Visit farm markets, apple orchards, pumpkin patches, state parks, flea markets, harvest fests. Just as spectacular as the fall foliage tours of New England and the Great Lakes, but much easier to book and less expensive. (Seven to nine days, for groups and individuals.)
• Immigrants & Ingenuity in Northern Illinois  A great add-on to a Chicago trip. Discover why people from 24 different countries immigrated to America’s Midwest. Learn about their remarkable histories and lasting contributions. Enjoy their food, music, festivals, handicrafts and homes. Tour the prosperous cities and quaint villages from Chicago west to the Mississippi River. (Four days, for groups and individuals.)
To Book Rockford’s Tours: Lindsay Whale, International/Group Sales Manager Rockford Area Convention & Visitors Bureau 102 North Main Street Rockford, Illinois 61101 USA Phone: 815-489-1653 Fax: 815.963.0041 E-Mail: sales@gorockford.com Website: www.gorockford.com Helpful Information for International Visitors: O’Hare Shuttles: Two companies offer ground transportation between Chicago’s O’Hare the Rockford Region’s major hotels. Coach USA: 18 daily shuttles between the Rockford Region’s major hotels and O’Hare, four daily shuttles between Rockford and downtown Chicago, five daily shuttles between Rockford and Midway Airport. Average cost is $26-$28 per-person round trip. http://www.vangalderbus.com Car Rental: Generally, car rental rates in Rockford are lower than in Chicago. Take the O’Hare shuttle to pickup and return your car in Rockford. Avis: Greater Rockford Airport: - www.avis.com Tips & Gratuities: American tipping customs are very different from those in other countries, and are very subjective. Many entry-level hospitality employees receive less than minimum wage and rely upon tips. Here are some guidelines. Restaurant waiters/waitresses: 15% for good service, 20% for outstanding service. Credit Cards: The most commonly accepted credit cards in the American Midwest are MasterCard, Visa, Discover and American Express. Foreign Currency Exchanges:
International Phone Cards: May be purchased at most discount stores (such as Target, K-Mart, Wal-Mart) and many convenience stores (gasoline stations). |
|||||||
