Quad Cities: What to see and do

Julie, a 20-year Isabel Bloom artisan, puts the final touches on a sculpture before it is sent off for its final coating and signature.  Isabel Bloom handcrafted concrete casted sculptures are designed by Donna Young using the techniques developed by Isabel Bloom.  Donna Young worked under Isabel Bloom since earning her art degree and became the sole designer in 1995.The U.S. Corps of Engineers offers tours of the clock tower on the Rock Island Arsenal during winter eagle watching season, as well as occasionally in the spring and fall.  The clock tower was the first building on the arsenal, originally used as a warehouse.  Today the clock tower building houses the offices for the U.S. Corps of Engineers Rock Island District.  The clock tower is within walking distance of the Mississippi River Visitor Center, from where you can view Lock and Dam #14.Have a seat in one of the original mahogany booths at Lagomarcino’s in Moline.  Order a sandwich on their homemade light rye bread, and order a Green River or a Lago, a fruit-flavored soda developed by Charlie Lagomarcino in the 1930s.  For dessert order a hot fudge sundae.  They still make the hot fudge sauce in small batches and serve it on the side in a small pitcher, so you can pour it on as you like.  Before leaving, be sure to purchase some rich handmade chocolates to go.  View the list »
The John Deere Pavilion in Moline, Illinois, reopened in February 2012 following a major renovation.  Climb into the cab of a combine and other farm implements.  See the earliest models of John Deere tractors, as well as prototypes of futuristic equipment.  Afterwards, go next door to the John Deere store, where you can purchase John Deere logo items from caps to shower curtains.

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Take a nostalgic trip through memory lane in a vaudeville theater restored to its original glamour or in an old-fashioned soda shop that hasn’t changed much in a hundred years. If you prefer modern day technology, you can check out a prototype unmanned farm tractor or a museum space exhibit. If nature is your thing, you can eagle watch in the winter or tour a lock and dam in the summer. Gaming? You have your choice of three casinos. You’ll find all of this and more just two-and-a-half hours west of Chicago in the Quad Cities, off of Interstate 80, straddling the Mississippi River on the Illinois-Iowa border.

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  • The wait staff at the Circa ’21 Dinner Playhouse in Rock Island double as entertainers during the preshow revue in this ornate former vaudeville theater turned dinner theater. Shows change every six to eight weeks, and occasional special attractions and children’s shows are added into the schedule.
  • For more nostalgia, stop at Lagomarcino’s, a soda fountain and confectionary in Moline, with a second location in Davenport. Lagomarcino’s has been run by the same family, now in the fourth generation, since 1908.
  • For a different take on ground beef, try Maid-Rite, an old-fashioned diner known for their loose meat sandwiches. The first Maid-Rite opened in Muscatine in 1926. Today franchises are scattered throughout Iowa, including several in the Quad Cities.
  • As with most river towns, the Quad Cities attracted industry in the 1800s, including John Deere, still a major manufacturer in the area, with its headquarters in Moline. See tractors and other farm implements on display at the John Deere Pavilion, from the original model to combines used on farms today.
  • Take a tour of Isabel Bloom, creators of handcrafted sculptures, in Davenport. Your guides will take you through the step-by-step process used to produce the designs of Donna Young, who follows in the footsteps of her mentor, the late Isabel Bloom.
  • No matter the time of year, there is plenty to see at the Rock Island Arsenal on Arsenal Island. In the winter, watch for eagles that gather near the running waters of Lock and Dam #14. Tours of a historic clock tower are offered at various times throughout the year, or visit the Rock Island Arsenal Museum or cemeteries dating back to the Civil War.
  • Davenport’s Putnam Museum, one of the first museums established west of the Mississippi River, is home to 170,000 artifacts. As a Smithsonian affiliate, the Putnam museum often hosts exhibits on loan from the Smithsonian.
  • Iowa was the first state to allow riverboat gambling. In 1991 the boats had to navigate the waters, so you would embark at certain times and had to remain on the boat for the entire trip. Today those restrictions are gone, so you can come and go as you please. The Isle of Capri Casino in Bettendorf and the Rhythm City Casino are both still aboard riverboats. Jumer’s Casino in Rock Island isn’t a boat, but it is a floating structure, as required by law.
Rock Island, illinois
41.467350006104 ; -90.567413330078

For more ideas on things to do in the Quad Cities, visit the Quad Cities Convention and Visitors Bureau web site.

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  • The John Deere Pavilion in Moline, Illinois, reopened in February 2012 following a major renovation.  Climb into the cab of a combine and other farm implements.  See the earliest models of John Deere tractors, as well as prototypes of futuristic equipment.  Afterwards, go next door to the John Deere store, where you can purchase John Deere logo items from caps to shower curtains.
  • Have a seat in one of the original mahogany booths at Lagomarcino’s in Moline.  Order a sandwich on their homemade light rye bread, and order a Green River or a Lago, a fruit-flavored soda developed by Charlie Lagomarcino in the 1930s.  For dessert order a hot fudge sundae.  They still make the hot fudge sauce in small batches and serve it on the side in a small pitcher, so you can pour it on as you like.  Before leaving, be sure to purchase some rich handmade chocolates to go.  
  • The U.S. Corps of Engineers offers tours of the clock tower on the Rock Island Arsenal during winter eagle watching season, as well as occasionally in the spring and fall.  The clock tower was the first building on the arsenal, originally used as a warehouse.  Today the clock tower building houses the offices for the U.S. Corps of Engineers Rock Island District.  The clock tower is within walking distance of the Mississippi River Visitor Center, from where you can view Lock and Dam #14.
  • Julie, a 20-year Isabel Bloom artisan, puts the final touches on a sculpture before it is sent off for its final coating and signature.  Isabel Bloom handcrafted concrete casted sculptures are designed by Donna Young using the techniques developed by Isabel Bloom.  Donna Young worked under Isabel Bloom since earning her art degree and became the sole designer in 1995.
  • Jumer’s Casino and Hotel has been operating in its current location since 2008, when it moved from a riverboat to the 43,000 square foot one-level casino and built the adjoining hotel.  The complex features an events center, sports bar, nightclub and four restaurants.  The extensive dinner buffet (think prime rib, crab legs, and sometimes lobster) is only $15.99, less if you have a players card.
  • Maid-Rite was started in 1926 in Muscatine, Iowa, by butcher Fred Angell.  Similar in looks to a sloppy joe with loose ground beef, the Maid-Rite sandwich does not have a tomato base like a sloppy joe.  Instead it’s a blend of spices that gives it a flavor all its own.  Maid-Rite restaurants have the look and atmosphere of an old-fashioned diner, complete with white Formica table tops and red vinyl and chrome chairs.
  • One of two riverboat casinos on the Iowa side of the Quad Cities, Isle of Capri offers 24-hour gaming, a restaurant, buffet and a coffee shop.  The weekday breakfast buffet is only $5.99 and includes a wide array of breakfast foods, including made-to-order omelets.  The hotel offers standard rooms in the south tower or deluxe rooms in the north tower.  Suites and pet-friendly rooms are available, too.
  • This coral reef exhibit is on loan to the Putnam Museum from the Smithsonian.  The museum is split into two main areas: culture and natural history and combines permanent exhibits with temporary or traveling exhibits.  With 170,000 artifacts in its possession, and new items added regularly, the museum continually adds exhibit space by repurposing space.  The museum is moving toward a focus on stem (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics), and encourages hands-on interactivity.  The Putnam Museum is just one of a handful of National Geographic giant screen theaters.
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, Chicago Travel Examiner

Connie Reed, a lifelong Chicago area resident, was born with the wanderlust bug, always eager to explore. She has been published in Travel Post Monthly and is a Top Contributor to Trip Advisor. Contact Connie at reedcs@hotmail.com.

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