Things To See & Do

Guests to the Quad-City area are always amazed at our full calendar of events. Nearly every weekend offers some exciting and unique festival or concert, activity or sporting event. Our many attractions and museums bring in more than one million tourists every year.

We invite you to take advantage of all there is to see and do in Davenport and the Quad Cities!

Museums
Designed by famed international architect David Chipperfield, the Figge Art Museum in downtown Davenport holds more than 3,500 paintings, sculptures and works on paper from the 16th century to the present in its permanent collection. Ample educational spaces provide opportunities for children and adults alike in every art medium.

One of the first museums founded west of the Mississippi, the Putnam Museum of History and Natural Science features more than 160,000 specimens and artifacts – including Egyptian mummies – in five exhibit halls.“ Guests can discover the past and present habitats of the Quad-City region and learn about various mammals through a variety of means in the Putnam’s permanent exhibits. The museum also features a rotation of changing exhibits. Their IMAX theater completes the offering.

Across town, you will find the vibrant Family Museum in Bettendorf, featuring hands-on, interactive exhibits for children of all ages. And, across the river, the Rock Island Hauberg Indian Museum offers a peek at Native American life as it was lived in our area hundreds of years ago.

Festival of Trees
The Festival of Trees annual holiday parade kicks off the season with Macy’s-like helium balloons and floats winding through the streets of downtown Davenport. Inside Davenport’s RiverCenter, hundreds of Christmas trees, wreaths, gingerbread houses and other decorations offer visitors a place of beauty and inspiration for their own holiday decorating.

Mississippi River Skybridge
Completed in 2004, the 50-foot high Skybridge stretches over 600 feet to link downtown Davenport with the waterfront. Panoramic views blend memorably with an interior light and music show visible to passing traffic. The architects, Holabird & Root, received the 2005 Excellence in Structural Engineering Award from the National Council of Structural Engineers Association for their work on the Skybridge.

Sports
Home to minor league baseball, arena football and hockey teams, the Quad-City area will satisfy many sports enthusiasts. The John Deere Classic PGA Tournament gives spectators a chance to see top golfers, while the nearby Cordova Dragway is the place to see the annual World Series of Drag Racing!

The annual Bix 7 Run has been called a “good speed tune-up for the Olympics” by the elite international runners who compete here. There’s room for amateurs, too: 15,000 people line up at the starting gate to run, walk and stroll this hilly course every year.

John Deere Pavilion
The John Deere Pavilion in downtown Moline was created as a celebration of the past, present and future of agribusiness. It has attracted guests from all corners of the globe and is recognized as the world's most comprehensive agricultural exhibit. John Deere World Headquarters is located in Moline.

Rock Island Arsenal
The Rock Island Arsenal is located on a 946-acre island in the Mississippi River. It is the nation’s largest government owned and operated arsenal and the Quad Cities’ largest employer. There are multiple historic monuments on the island, Confederate and Union cemeteries, and a museum that’s well-known for its significant weapons collections. The island also provides a great vantage point to learn about the locks and dam system on the Mississippi River operated by the US Army Corps of Engineers. There is no admission charged to access the island. Visitors must show identification.

Quad City Botanical Center
The Quad City Botanical Center offers residents and visitors stunning garden sceneries with each change in season – from colorful flowers in the summer to rainbows of hardy mums in the fall and tropical blooms and twinkling lights in the winter. Guests can also enjoy a wide variety of changing art exhibitions, including nature-inspired watercolors, oil paintings, photographs and sculptures, by local, regional and world-renowned artists.

Riverboats and Gaming
If you want to try your luck, visit our three popular casinos: the riverboats Isle of Capri in Bettendorf and Lady Luck Casino in Davenport, and Jumer’s Casino & Hotel in Rock Island. For leisurely lunch and dinner cruises in a non-gaming environment, enjoy a trip aboard the beautiful Celebration Belle in Moline. The Belle’s 100-mile day cruises are another popular option.

Niabi Zoo
For an old-fashioned day at the zoo, you can’t beat Niabi. Home to more than 900 animals and 160 species - including our new African Primate exhibit – Niabi attracts approximately 250,000 visitors annually. Train rides, picnic areas, concession stands and a playground guarantee day-long fun for the young and young at heart!

Bucktown Center for the Arts
In addition to offerings at the Figge Art Museum, Bucktown’s monthly Final Friday Arts Parties are a great place to gather with friends and browse the latest offerings from your favorite local artists! Couture, jewelry, watercolors and sculpture fill the beautifully restored spaces on the first three floors, while private lofts occupy the top floors.

Arts Festivals
Juried art fairs and festivals take place throughout the year, from Davenport’s Beaux Arts Fair and Riverssance, to Moline’s West Bank Art League and Rock Island’s Gallery Hop.

Theater Performances
The beautifully restored 2,400-seat Adler Theatre in downtown Davenport hosts a full lineup of Broadway shows, celebrity headliners, dance and symphony performances throughout the year. Across the river, Rock Island’s Circa 21 Dinner Playhouse also surrounds patrons with restored elegance and charm from its home in the historic Fort Armstrong Theatre. The Genesius Guild offers a unique classical theatre experience with performances of Shakespeare, Greek dramas and comedy and ballet throughout the summer. Many other university, community, children’s and experimental theater venues and opportunities await you here in the Quad Cities.