Historic downtown Rockford is a popular destination point for Michigan tourists looking for a pleasant day trip or wishing to connect with its fifteen miles of paved trails along the scenic Rogue River. Whether you're interested in shopping the quaint stores, roaming the farmers' market, attending the summer Blues Series, taking in the Celtic festival or an art show, enjoying the White Pine Trail or you just want to picnic at the dam, the charm of downtown Rockford is undeniable. But in a wheelchair quaint little towns like Rockford can be a challenge if you don't know where to find the restaurants that are wheelchair friendly. This restaurant guide can help with that and more.
Parking and Restrooms
Handicap Parking - Downtown Rockford is small and once you find parking you can wheel or walk to any of the restaurants listed below plus you can connect with the White Pine Trail or get on the dam overlook without moving your car from place to place. Most of the tourist draws are built around a square block flanked by Courtland, Squires, Bridge and Main Streets. Seven handicap parking spaces are scattered along these streets. Two more handicap spaces are located in a small lot at the corner of Courtland and Squires, one space is available in a tiny lot by the dam overlook and two more are on the other side of Bridge Street in the Promenade Building lot. Eight additional handicap spaces can be found in a large city lot that can be accessed via two driveways, one located by Young Insurance at 39 S. Main Street and the other driveway is by Vitale's Pizza at 42 E. Bridge Street.
Handicap Restrooms - The city provides accessible restrooms right in the center of downtown Rockford. They are located in the Welcome Center on Squires Street. Look for the flag pole standing next to an old fashioned clock set on an ornate post.
Restaurants of Downtown Rockford
Reds on The River - With a fantastic view overlooking the Rogue River, this is the most elegant, pricy and wheelchair accessible restaurant in downtown Rockford. There is both inside and outside table seating and spacious handicapped bathrooms. Reservations are required for the evening hours. Reds is located at 2 E. Bridge Street in the Rockford Promenade Building.
The Corner Bar - Don't even attempt going in this landmark restaurant/bar of downtown Rockford with a wheelchair unless you have three extra people with you---one to push the chair and two to hold the doors. The entryway has two narrow doorways connected by a short, narrow hall and to enter the chair needs to turn in the hallway. There is a ramp by the first door that is only a few feet long and it's very difficult for one person pushing a chair to keep that door open while maneuvering up the ramp. Once you get in that first doorway then it's impossible for the person pushing the chair to get around it to swing the next door open into the hall to pass through it. They do have a window on the street where they serve their classic hot dogs. Located at the corner of Courtland Street and Main.
Frenz Coffee House - If you're looking for a cup of gourmet coffee and a pastry or a light lunch of soup or a wrap, Frenz has an easy, flat entrance way for wheelchairs. They have tables both inside and outside on the promenade that overlooks the Rogue River. The quarters are close when they are busy, but it's a do-able stop to make in a wheelchair when they are in between rushes. Frenz is located at 4 E. Bridge Street in the Rockford Promenade Building.
Dam Dogs - Dam Dogs is a take-out restaurant specializing in to-die-for gourmet hot dogs. Their Squires Street entrance has two tables outside but this entryway is not wheelchair accessible. Their entryway on the dam side of the building is accessible by a long ramp. It's best, though, to let an able-bodied person in your party place the order inside while the disabled person waits outside. It's a tiny place and seating inside is limited to one table and a few bar stools along a wall. Enjoy your hot dogs at one of the tables in the near-by Rockford Dam Overlook. No public restroom. 17 Squires Street.
Custard by The Dam - This shop is legendary in downtown Rockford for their frozen custard but they also serve hard pack ice cream. You'll find them accessible from their Squires Street entrance but not from their entryway on the dam side of the building. Inside seating is limited to four tables and there are park benches outside along Squires where you can enjoy your cones. No public restroom. 25 Squires Street.
Arnie's Bakery and Restaurant - This is a full service, quality restaurant located at the corner of Squires and Courtland. The ramp going up to the restaurant is long and slightly steep but it levels out to a landing at the top making it very do-able with only one able-bodied person's help. The entryway has double doors but they aren't close together or awkward to manage. Seating inside is all tables but it can get crowded and congested during peak hours. If you time it right, easy wheelchair seating is not a problem. A public restroom is available and accessible but it's not the nicest or easiest one you'll find in town.
Rocky's - Rocky's is a hard and soft ice cream shop with a service window at 110 N. Main Street, near the corner of Courtland. No inside or outside seating is available.
Marinade's Pizza Bistro - Dine in at one of their seven tables, most of which are easy pull ups for a wheelchair or you can dine outside at one of their three tables on the sidewalk. You can also get your pizza, sandwich or wrap to go and take it to the dam overlook a block away. The entryway has a slight grade but it's not too hard do in a wheelchair with the help from one person pushing the chair and a kind strange to hold the door open. No public restroom. 109 Courtland Street.
Rogue River Tavern & Steakhouse - Forget this place if you are looking for a wheelchair accessible place to eat. Their entryway is a step up. 4 N. Main Street.
Sam's Joint - Another full service, quality restaurant and bar, Sam's is famous for their ribs. They are wheelchair accessible from Main Street where they have two entryways, one that is designated only for wheelchairs. It's a little awkward with a short ramp and a door you'll need a help with but it's very do-able and the food is worth the effort. The bathrooms, however, are very small and impossible to use for someone using a wheelchair. 19 N. Main Street.
Epic Coffee Shop- This coffee shop is located at 9 N. Main Street but you'll need to send an able bodied person inside to for your coffee or muffin and enjoy them outside at one of their tables or a nearby park bench. This place has a step at the entryway and is not wheelchair accessible.
The Peppermill Grill - This restaurant serves breakfasts and lunches and closes in the early afternoon. Their north side entrance is not wheelchair accessible but the entry at the city parking lot side, on the south, is a do-able entryway for a wheelchair though it is a bit awkward. It requires a quick turn after entering the door and depending on how busy they are you might have to ask someone sitting at the counter to move so you can get into the dining area. Both tables and booths are available but when they are busy it's best to send an able-bodied person in first to check out the seating. Not all of the tables are easy pull ups for a wheelchair when they are crowded. Their bathrooms are accessible. The Peppermill Grill is located at 8 S. Squires Street.
Vitale's Pizza of Downtown Rockford - Technically this place is accessible but in reality it's nearly impossible to get up their ramp. It's short, steep and at the top and the bottom of the ramp there are 1 to 1 1/2 inch "steps" in the levels that you have to jockey the wheelchair over. Plus there is no landing at the top of the ramp, making this an extremely difficult and scary maneuver in a wheelchair unless you have several strong people along to help. 42 E. Bridge Street.
Grill One Eleven - Opening soon, this restaurant at 111 Courtland Drive will be wheelchair accessible at both the front and the back of the building. The back side may be the better choice because the front entry will require the wheelchair to pass through a very long and somewhat narrow hallway to get to the dining area.
Sidewalks of Downtown Rockford
Curb cut-outs for wheelchairs are in all the right places so you won't have any trouble moving about. Most of the sidewalks in downtown Rockford are flat with the exception of those along Courtland Street but even those two are gentle grades and it's not hard to take a wheelchair up, even without someone pushing. The sidewalk cement slabs, however, are a three on a scale of five---not the worst you'd find in a historic town but not completely smooth like you'd find in a modern shopping center. They are very do-able in a wheelchair but expect a few rough spots here and there where there are minor jumps in levels of the slabs. Behind the Dam Dogs there is a grade in the asphalt getting down to the dam overlook but you can go around the other side of the museum where it's a flat run, if the other way is too much for you to manage.
Downtown Rockford is a friendly place and a great location for people watching. During fishing season, the dam is a popular place for anglers and The White Pine Trail attracts a lot of runners, walkers, skaters and cyclists who all have to pass along side of the Garden Club Park at the dam. The summer Blue Concert Series and other annual events take place in that same park and the Saturday farmers' markets is held at one end of the city parking lot. Pick a sunny day and take a day trip to historic downtown Rockford, Michigan. Typical of all historical districts every where, you won't be able to get into all the stores and restaurants with a wheelchair but you'll still have a good time. ©
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