
While driving through Boone County you may see cornfields at first, but look closer and you will see it is home to many unique shops, pottery and art studios, wine cellars, hair salons, body spas and furniture merchants, along with quaint downtown districts.
With more than eight major shopping areas in Belvidere alone, a newer mall area is growing in Poplar Grove and many more are just minutes away in Rockford. Don’t forget to hunt for those well-kept secrets scattered throughout the region such as antiques, crafts, bookstores and tearooms.
Dining options in Boone County range from fast-food establishments to finer sit-down restaurants, and from homestyle cooking to a wide and diverse range of ethnic restaurants including Asian, Thai, authentic Mexican and Italian. And for dessert, you may be thinking of ice cream, soda fountains or the sweet delight of the old- fashioned candy store!
After all that shopping and dining, relax in one of a number of lodging facilities in Boone County or within 10 miles of the area. Facilities range from the economical local motel to one of seven larger hotel chains. Bed and breakfast inns and campgrounds are also local options for travelers.