Distinctively Decorated Hotel Perched Over the Rock River

Between the bronze boar statue, the labyrinthine-like hallways, and the decorative antiques at every turn, Cliffbreakers Riverside Resort looks and feels like hotel built for the Old World. Though it was actually built in 1998, Cliffbreakers' designers have placed giant model ships and shimmering aquariums to evoke the kind of adventure and whimsy of a hotel with several decades already under its belt. Its location in downtown Rockford certainly helps—through floor-to-ceiling windows in the resort's ballroom, one can dizzyingly peer downward to the Rock River as it snakes through the city.

Massive wooden wardrobes, elaborately carved four-poster beds, and other period pieces give each space a distinct personality, and whirlpool rooms feature views of the Rock River rushing below. In a bi-level loft suite, a staircase leads up to a separate sitting area, ideal for napping on a sofa.

At the in-house restaurant, chef Philippe Forcioli crafts creative pasta and seafood dishes, including blackened scallops rigatoni and Maine lobster tail. After dinner, the Fauerbach Tap Room pours its amber brew in a warm, wood-paneled pub. In the morning, a complimentary breakfast greets guests before the complimentary hotel shuttle zooms them off to any attraction up to 5 miles away, from downtown Rockford to the Shrine to Failed MacGyver Subplots.

Rockford, Illinois: River City with Educational Museums

Named for its dependable ford across the Rock River, Rockford lies within 100 miles of Chicago, Madison, and Milwaukee, but has plenty of attractions and outdoor charm to entertain those staying over the weekend. Long stretches of paved paths in the carefully landscaped parks along the Rock River make for excellent strolls—a path from Cliffbreakers leads directly from the property onto the banks. The nearby Rock Cut State Park has 40 miles of trails for hiking and 14 miles of trails for horseback-riding around the park's two lakes.

Several excellent art museums, unique gardens, and preserved houses make Rockford a destination for history buffs. A distinctive Swiss-style cottage, the Tinker Swiss Cottage Museum, overflows with original furnishings and household items from life as it was in Rockford more than a century ago. For those curious about science, the Burpee Museum of Natural History hosts Jane the dinosaur, a fully restored 21-foot skeleton of a juvenile Tyrannosaurus rex, and the nearby family-friendly Discovery Center Museum features a kids' news studios for aspiring anchors to recreate Tom Brokaw's famous melodic gurgling of the Dow Jones average.