Northwest Illinois
Whiteside County
Sterling, Rock Falls, Morrison, Fulton & beyond — where small towns and two rivers lead you all the way to the Mississippi.
Roll the Windows Down
Whiteside County is made for the unhurried road trip. Follow the Rock River through the twin cities of Sterling and Rock Falls, where Centennial Park offers a lake, paddle boats, and access to the Hennepin Canal trail. Step back in time at the Dillon Home Museum in Sterling — an 1858 home that retains all its original furnishings — or catch a movie under the stars at the retro Midway Drive-In Theater.
In Fulton, the Dutch heritage is alive and turning: the De Immigrant Windmill, an authentic, fully functioning Dutch windmill nearly 100 feet tall, grinds grain above the Mississippi, with the Windmill Cultural Center nearby. Wander Wierenga's Heritage Canyon, a recreated 19th-century village tucked into an old limestone quarry, then refuel with pastries at Krumpets Restaurant & Bakery.
Prefer the quiet? Morrison Rockwood State Park serves up fishing on Lake Carlton, hiking, birding, and camping in a picture-perfect setting.
By the numbers
What’s Waiting Here
Fuel the day
Eat & Drink
Air Play Espresso & Bakery
The Air Play Coffee Shop and Micro-Bakery provides our community with fresh, premium coffee, espresso and bakery items. We are currently offering INSIDE DINING We opened with our first cup of coffee on December 1, 2010. We quickly became locally famous for our fresh-baked scones. In 11 years, we have sold over 140,000 of these delicious treats. We are a full-service coffeeshop, we feature the finest Espresso and Lattes. We have been voted #1 favorite Place for Coffee in the Sauk Valley area for 6 years. Think of us when you are ready for some great caffeine and fresh-baked pastries. We are a great meeting place for friends or business. Coffee groups, book clubs, and we are great with children, including a changing station in our clean bathroom. ENJOY our DRIVE-THRU access from the alley on the corner at 202-4th Avenue, one block east of the city offices. Make Air Play Espresso your favorite place, too. Join our frequent customer program to earn free beverages. Link to us on Facebook, Twitter and SnapChat to stay up to date on what's cooking for the day or for our upcoming events. See you soon.
Rock FallsAna's Diner
Ana’s Café is a beloved local spot in Rock Falls known for its hearty, home-style American fare and welcoming, family-friendly atmosphere. Open daily from 6 a.m. to 3 p.m., it’s a favorite stop for breakfast and lunch lovers alike. The menu features all the classics—omelets, skillets, burgers, sandwiches, and daily specials. Popular picks include the House Omelet, Corned Beef Hash Skillet, and Chicken Fried Steak. Every dish is made from scratch with fresh ingredients, ensuring a satisfying, flavorful meal every time. Conveniently located in the heart of Rock Falls, Ana’s Café is easy to reach whether you’re a local regular or just passing through.
SterlingAngelo’s II Pizzeria - Sterling
Family-friendly: pizza, salad bar, hot sandwiches. Dine-in/takeout. Lounge with TVs. Hours may vary—call to verify.
SterlingAngelo’s Pizzeria - Delivery
Angelo’s Sterling delivery location serves pizza, pasta, Italian dishes and signature sandwiches. Delivery and takeout are available daily, with late-night hours on Friday and Saturday.
Out and about
Things to Do
A.V. Sieglinger Memorial Park
Seventeen-acre Rock Falls park with four enclosed baseball diamonds, T-ball facilities, concessions, restrooms, parking, horseshoe courts, and a family picnic shelter.
AlbanyAlbany Marina
Boat launching and marina services. Public use boat ramp that offers access to Pool 14, known for largemouth bass and smallmouth bass fishing. A convenient location for those accessing the Mississippi River.
AlbanyAlbany Mounds State Historic Site
Albany Indian Mounds State Historic Site in Albany, Illinois consists of 205 acres of tree covered hills, valleys and surrounding prairie which is ideal for a walk, bike ride or just sitting and observing the wildlife from deer to eagles that call the park home. The Indian Mounds is now an Illinois State Historic Site. Laying neglected for hundreds of years it is now a natural park open for the public. The Albany Indian Mounds Foundation sees the site as an interpretive center for the history of the Hopewellian culture of more than 2000 years ago. Located at the south end of the village, there is a parking lot at the entrance, at the southwest end of Cherry Street. Nearby is a covered picnic shelter with tables and electricity outlets, water fountain, rest rooms and interpretive signs. The parking lot is also the north entrance of the asphalt-covered Great River Recreation Trail. Here the trail runs for nearly a mile to the south to Bunker Hill and Meredosia roads. Across Meredosia Road to the south is another 15 acres that once was a village site owned by the Illinois Historic Preservation Agency. The Natives who lived here as early as 500 BC were part of the Hopewell culture, so named because their existence was first learned of on the Hopewell farm in Ohio, where similar mounds had been built. It is not known what the people called themselves or what language they spoke. It is believed that their culture declined sometime around 350 A.D. The site was well-suited to the Hopewell culture, which was not an Indian tribe but rather a term referring to the period in American Indian prehistory marked by trade, communication, and the sharing of ideas throughout a huge area of the continent. They preferred to build their villages at the base of bluffs along the floodplains of major rivers, such as the Mississippi, that offered transportation. At Albany, with the adjacent Meredosia Slough, which served as flood drainage for the Mississippi and Rock rivers, there was an abundant source of food and water. The waters, forests, and prairie provided food and fuel for the Hopewell. Open dawn until dusk. The site also includes a parking lot, picnic shelter, walking trails, and interpretive signs along a bike trail. The Friends of the Albany Indian Mounds Foundation is dedicated to the preservation and interpretation of the site. Accessibility Information The following are available for the visitor to the site: The parking lot is blacktop. There are no spaces marked accessible. There are no sidewalks or ramps. There are no buildings or an office at this site. There are no water fountains at this site, but there is a pit toilet, which isn't marked accessible. The site has a one-mile blacktop bike trail.
FultonAlfred and Sylvia Den Besten Memorial Park
Riverfront green space near De Immigrant Windmill and the Windmill Cultural Center, with picnic tables, restrooms and a Great River Road Scenic Byway interpretive kiosk. The Great River Bike Trail passes the area, making the park a convenient stop for cyclists and Mississippi River visitors.
Home base
Stay the Night
All Seasons Motel
31 deluxe rooms with controlled A/C and heating, some with Jacuzzis, refrigerators, and microwaves. Restaurants close by. WiFi available.
FultonAmericInn Hotel & Suites Fulton
Cozy 51-room hotel, one mile from the Mississippi River and downtown Fulton. Spacious rooms and suites, complimentary hot breakfast, heated indoor pool, and whirlpool spa.
SterlingCrow Valley Campground
Open April 15-Oct 15. Nothing beats a relaxing stay along the Rock River at Crow Valley Campground in Sterling, Illinois. Located just off Interstate 88 and surrounded by nature, this family-friendly campground offers a peaceful setting for RV and tent campers alike, as well as anyone looking to spend more time outdoors. Visitors can fish along the river, cool off in the swimming pool, enjoy a campfire, or simply unwind beneath the trees. The campground features electric and water hookup sites, primitive tent camping, free Wi-Fi, a game room, playgrounds, basketball and volleyball courts, hiking trails, and a pavilion for gatherings. Holiday weekends often include family activities and campground games, making it a fun option for both weekend getaways and longer summer stays. Its location near Sterling and Rock Falls also makes it easy to explore local restaurants, shopping, biking trails, and river recreation throughout the Sauk Valley area.
Rock FallsCrystal Lake Recreation & RV Park
Rock Falls. Man-made lake (swimming), go-karts, aqua-golf, RV/campground (no tents), 68 full-hookup sites, Wi-Fi, meeting room, laundry, arcade, 6 family bathrooms, 350’ sandy beach, snack bar, boat/kayak rental. Year-round.
Main streets worth the stop
Towns to Explore
Ready when you are
Plan Your Whiteside County Days
Browse every place to eat, stay, and explore — or let the 2026 Expedition Guide ride shotgun.