Rotary Gardens Janesville WI: A Return Visit
Whenever Flower Chick is anywhere near Janesville WI, she makes it a point to stop at one of her favorite public gardens: Rotary Botanical Gardens. RBG (for short) is an award winning 20-acre, non-profit botanic showcase with 26 different garden styles and 4,000 varieties of plants. You can find my complete write up of this very special spot here: Wisconsin Gardens – Rotary Botanical Gardens
On this early Fall visit, I took some photos which I hope capture the beauty of this floral destination. After the virtual garden tour, scroll down for my “Top 20 Beloit & Janesville WI Favorites” including supper clubs, specialty stores, farmstands and more regional goodies …
The Visitor’s Center Entrance all aglow with colorful, seasonal displays of mums.
Picturesque gazebo overlooking the pond and Japanese bridge … a popular site for weddings.
A beautiful, sunny day to explore the gardens in late September. Love the reflection on the water!
Every year creative artwork peppers the grounds, this year’s theme was “Owls” At the end of the season the unique pieces are auctioned off in a fundraiser for the gardens.
The blue obelisks make the Italian Formal Gardens pop among the manicured hedges and sculptures.
One of my best-loved features of the gardens are these benches with nature inspired quotes.
Canna lilies lend a tropical vibe to the containers near the Sunken Gardens.
One of the show-stopping dahlias in the Seasonal Display Gardens – Dahlia Meteorite. There’s nothing like sunny yellow flowers to brighten a day!
Autumnal hues poking through the serene Japanese style garden – water lilies, reeds, maples, juniper and mosses add to the ambiance.
The StoryWalk in the Children’s Garden brings to life the book “The Owl and the Lemming” by Roselynn Akulukjuk. The StoryWalk program is an interactive display, which aims to promote literacy, reading, health, exercise, and movement specifically for children.
Cool off in the dappled shade of the Woodland Garden where grasses, ivy, hostas and ferns thrive.
Make sure to visit with the brightly colored koi fish by the Education Center – so peaceful and majestic.
Rotary Botanical Gardens is a must see when in the Janesville area. A lovely cavalcade of lush flowers and plants that has always been a pleasure to walk through time and time again. It’s constantly evolving from season to season and year to year. You can see the loving care put in by staff. A beautiful place!
FLOWER CHICK’S TOP 20 BELOIT & JANESVILLE WI FAVORITES
1. Bushel & Peck’s: Downtown Beloit’s unofficial gathering spot, this mainstay is bustling from morning until early evening. Located on State Street in the heart of town, Bushel & Peck’s is part specialty foods purveyor, part casual on the go restaurant, part get-your-coffee-here destination, and much more. You have to experience it to believe it! It’s always our first stop in downtown Beloit …
Check out their daily specials and displays of Made in Wisconsin products. This visit Flower Chick scored Wisconsin wine, pickled beets from Monroe, one of their famous house made hot sauces & jams, and more …
2. Northwoods Premium Confections: A few doors down from Bushel & Peck’s, Northwoods Premium Confections is your one-stop shop for all of your candy needs and cravings. They have nostalgic, retro candy and modern favorites, plus a variety of bagged popcorn. Be sure to pick up some of their dark chocolate creams … so good!
3. Chic & Unique: One of Flower Chick’s all-time favorite resale shops! Located in the same block as Bushel & Peck’s and Northwoods Premium Confections, Chic & Unique features a combination of brand new and repurposed fashions, furnishings, shoes, handbags, brand-new jewelry, accessories, and locally sourced gifts. A combination of old and new at great savings to you. Make sure to check out the wonderful throw pillows selection in the back of the store.
4. CheezHEAD Brewing: This fun local brewery is located in downtown Beloit directly across from the new Hotel Goodwin. A friendly place, they serve a rotating selection of house brewed beers (try the Vanilla Cream Ale) and as a bonus, turn out some pretty fantastic food specials too.
5. G5 Brewing: The east side of Beloit brings us this sparkling restaurant / brewery where the food stars equally alongside the beer. We love the Beloit Common, an Anchor Steam style beer that’s available in cans so you can enjoy it at home.
G5’s picturesque setting is said to be the highest point in Beloit! A lively place to quaff and dine both inside and outside on their attractive patio.
6. El Gordo Mexican Food Truck: We’ve never been really into the food truck craze, but Beloit’s El Gordo may have swayed our thinking. They turn out an impressive variety of Mexican standards, including hefty steak burritos that’ll have you coming back again and again. Find El Gordo starting at lunch hour on 4th Street just south of Tilley’s.
7. Tilley’s Pizza House: Where Beloit goes for pizza since 1955, Tilley’s also has a great reputation for broasted chicken. We like the attached Ballyhoo Tavern for a drink before dinner … a frosted mug with a Spotted Cow beer always hits the spot.
8. Rise and Grind Coffee Haus: This delightful local coffee & breakfast mobile coffee haus (next to The 615 Club) with a drive-thru and walk-up window serves tasty & healthy options to start your day out right. The staff is so nice and welcoming – you’ll leave with a smile on your face!
9. Gray Brewing Company: Thought to be Janesville’s oldest continually operating business, Gray’s has been churning out beer and now gourmet sodas since 1856.
Over the past few years, production emphasis seems to have shifted to Gray’s impressive lineup of gourmet sodas. We’re partial to their creamy, frothy root beer but are also fans of Gray’s cream soda and strawberry soda. We found them all for sale at the local Janesville Woodmans ..
10. Cozy Inn Chinese Restaurant: A beloved anchor restaurant in downtown Janesville, Cozy Inn is Wisconsin’s oldest Asian-American restaurant, dating back to 1922 …
You don’t survive 100+ years in the restaurant business unless you’re very good, and that’s an apt description for Cozy Inn. Stop in for one of their lunch specials or dinner next time you’re downtown. You’ll find Cozy Inn on Milwaukee Street, two blocks west of the Rock River …
11. Janesville Woodmans: Normally we don’t spotlight mass merchandisers, but we will make an exception here because Woodmans is where to go for all your Made in Wisconsin favorites. The photo below shows just some of what we bought including Bucky Badger dip and sauces, Koops mustard, and Sheboygan sausage. One stop shopping!
12. Threads Resale: This resale shop located in a strip mall in Janesville moved since my last visit. They now have more room to spread out and accept additional goods. Threads carries women’s clothing (size XXS-5X) and accessories including shoes, purses, jewelry and gloves/scarves. There’s also children’s clothes sizes 2T – 18/20. Stop by and discover great deals!
13. Skelly’s Farm Market: Located on the southwest side of Janesville, Skelly’s offers seasonal fun for the whole family! We stopped for their Fall baked goods which include apple cider and pumpkin donuts, apple crisp, apple pie, pumpkin bars, caramel apples, homemade sweet breads, homemade soft pretzels, and more. Yum!
14. The Apple Hut: Open seasonally, The Apple Hut is a beloved area destination. Part orchard and part farmstand the Apple Hut offers freshly picked apples, baked goods, cider and much more. You will find this gem just north of Beloit starting mid-August …
15. Hatley’s Pub: A newer addition to the downtown Beloit scene, Hatley’s is a casual and comfortable spot with great food and all you’d want in a bar and grill. Brought to you by the same owners of the 615 Club, Hatley’s serves a wonderful fish fry featuring cod and blue gill. This is the place to come if you are looking for a casual dinner or drinks with friends …
Wisconsin is proudly know as the Supper Club Capitol of America, as you cross the southern border of the state you’re within minutes of three of the finest supper clubs in southern Wisconsin.
16. The 615 Club: The first is one of our longtime favorites … the 615 Club in downtown Beloit. Slightly upscale but approachable, it is the protoypical supper club. Start with a drink before dinner (a Brandy Old Fashioned is calling me) then progress to dinner specials, and finally an ice cream drink to top it all off. Highly recommended!
17. Benedetti’s Supper Club: Located on Highway 51 north of Beloit, Benedetti’s is a casual and welcoming choice for dinner. They are particularly known for their Friday fish fry and salad bar, but are also known for steaks, chops, and other supper club favorites. Love their grasshoppers …
18. The Butterfly Club: Located east of town in a peaceful wooded setting, the Butterfly Club is a very special place. They have been serving patrons since 1924, and once you’ve experienced the Butterfly Club you will be back again and again.
Enter and have a drink at the congenial circular bar, you will be whisked to your table within minutes. We are enamored with their filet mignon and shrimp special, and as you might expect Butterfly Club also serves a fantastic fish fry.
When visiting the area, make it a point to visit one or all three of these wonderful supper clubs. It’s an experience you don’t want to miss …
19. Turtle Tap: Some may call it a dive bar, some a roadhouse, and some a local bar, but whatever label you choose, this Beloit mainstay is a special place, Located about 100 yards north of the state line. the Turtle Tap is a welcoming casual spot for everyone from 3rd shift workers to nighthawks to day drinkers just passing through …
We’re told Turtle Tap sells the 2nd most amount of Spotted Cow in Wisconsin, behind only the brewery itself in New Glarus. Stop in yourself and have one … no one will judge!
20. Beloit Farmers Market: This farmers market is the place to be on Saturday mornings in Beloit’s warmer months. Spread over 3+ blocks, it’s the 2nd largest farmers market in the state, next to Madison. There’s something for everyone here, from fresh produce to local honey to cut flowers to dog treats for your best friend. Enjoy!
We recognize these 20 only scratch the surface and that our list probably differs from yours. Tell us about your Janesville – Beloit favorites in the comments below.
