Local Food Favorites - Whitey's, Huckleberry's, Harris Pizza, Granite City. Outdoor/Indoor Recreation - Mississippi River (especially boating), Quad City Sports Center, riverfront bike paths, Credit Island, Palmer Hills golf course, Augustana College track and field (in honor of my dad).

Growing up in nearby Aledo, Illinois, I always loved to go to "The Cities." Nothing is like a walk along the Mississippi and I suggest you see the Quad City Symphony perform. The Adler Theatre is a beautiful, historic hall and a great place to see a production. There are plenty of terrific restaurants within walking distance or you could take in one of the cozy local pubs.

Happy Joe's - I've been all around the country and many places try to emulate Happy Joe's "Taco Pizza" but none of them have come close. Mississippi River - I enjoyed many summer days spending time on the Mississippi River boating and fishing. Those are great memories!

My family used to have picnics at Credit Island in Davenport. Fejervary Park and Vander Veer Botanical Park are favorites too. Bowling at Bowl-Mor Lanes on Brady Street in Davenport was a favorite. I also loved the Davenport Public Library on Main Street. When I come back to the area, I go running in Crow Creek Park in Bettendorf.

Anyone who knows me knows there are only two things I must have every time I come back to the Quad Cities - Happy Joe's Pizza and Whitey's Ice Cream. I have lived all over the U.S. (Boca Raton, FL; San Fran., CA; New Orleans, LA; Atlanta, GA; Chicago, IL) just to name some of best places to live and eat, but I've never had better pizza or ice cream yet. I've even had my mom send me ice cream packed in dry ice to where I was living at the time because I couldn't make it back to the Quad Cities for a couple of months.

One of my favorite places to go is the Redstone Room that is located inside the River Music Experience in downtown Davenport. I enjoy going to the Redstone Room because it is a great venue, they have an outrageous sound system, and they showcase a diverse range of music.

I'd have to say one of my favorite places in the Quad Cities is Scott County Park. As a kid in the 1970's, my mom took us there all the time. We got wonderfully lost on the trails, rough-housed on the playgrounds, had some very memorable family reunions and campfires in the pavilions, and spent so much time at the pool that I literally bled chlorine. I can't even count how many times I went on school field trips - where a surprising number of science experiments went awry. More recently, I've been there camping each summer with my son's cub scout pack (and survived, I might add) and used the luxury cabins as a writing retreat (read "fleeing for my sanity") to get away from things when I need to work on a book. We really are lucky to have such a place to get away from the city and relax. And I'm really lucky to have so many incredible memories of Scott County Park.

I really love the outdoors and the wide variety of parks in the Quad Cities. From the Ben Butterworth Parkway to the Vander Veer Botanical Center, this area is a great place to call home.

When the weather permits, I love golfing in the Quad Cities...and this area is great because you can golf at a different course every day of the week. All nice and affordable!

One of the many things I like about the Quad Cities is how "family friendly" it is. I love visiting the Family Museum with my kids, going for bike rides on the local trails, and taking in some great River Bandits baseball down by the river. My wife and daughter enjoy going to the performances of Ballet Quad Cities, and there's nothing like a high energy Steamwheelers arena football game to get my son excited. Overall, this area has all the perks of city life, with a great home town feel.

I enjoy taking my puppy for a walk along the Davenport Bike Path and getting out in the community.

I enjoy visiting the towns and communities that surround this area. When I'm around home, I enjoy biking the Great River Trail to Sunset Park.

I really enjoy visiting the variety of local breweries on both sides of the river. Places like the Front Street Brewery in Davenport and Blue Cat in the Rock Island District are really one of a kind.

I enjoy the sights and sounds of the Quad Cities. One of the most scenic is sitting along the Mississippi River at night watching the river and the lights reflect off the water. It always helps when there is a baseball game to go along with it. Take in a River Bandits game.

After living in Chicago for many years and moving away from the Midwest, I jumped at the opportunity to move back when I was offered a television meteorologist position in the Quad Cities. While I didn't know what to expect here, I am proud to say the area is much more progressive than I could have anticipated. The Quad Cities offer fine dining, a thriving nightlife in the District, art museums and festivals, and a beautiful riverfront to enjoy. I look forward to making my home here in the Quad Cities for years to come.

The Family Museum in Bettendorf is a great place to take my daughter. She loves music -- so that is probably her favorite part! But it's fun to watch her learn at all of the different stations just by playing.

Being happily married for over 10 years I make a constant effort to take my wife out on a date every other week. What better way to do that then some of the great eateries we have around town from great Italian dishes at Johnny's and Biaggi's, Asian food like Le Mekong Restaurant in downtown Moline to some good ole' fashion American food like you would get at TGI Fridays. Being an avid golfer, you also couldn't ask for a better location to check out the variety of golf courses in and around the Quad Cities. No matter what your handicap may be there's a golf course nearby to satisfy you. My preference is I like to play like the pros and head over to the TPC at Deere Run in Silvis. What's nice is 90% of these courses are all located within a 35 mile radius of the Quad Cities. During the winter, you can still keep your swing alive by heading over to the Big Bubble over on Brady Street in Davenport.

Wander the galleries of the Figge Art Museum and you quickly realize you are in for a world-class afternoon. The genius of Jackson Pollock, incredible Haitian art and the original works of Grant Wood will leave you wide eyed with wonder. Combine that with the latest release at the IMAX and a great restaurant like Johnny's and you have an experience unmatched in even many larger communities.

There is great golfing throughout the Quad Cities. Between the challenges of TPC at Deere Run and Glynn's Creek near the Scott County Park, there are courses like Byron Hills, Golfmohr, Palmer Hills, Duck Creek, Indian Bluff which are all great places for me to make the most of my slice. And, spring simply transforms the Quad Cities' riverfront. The bike and walking trails become great escapes for anyone at any time. And each of the cities has downtown festivals that are great times for families and friends to get together. My favorites are "Gumbo Ya Ya", the "Bix Street Fest", and "Ya Maka My Weekend".

I love taking walks in the gorgeous parks and along the bike paths. When I want a little spark to the night, I hit the music scene.

I like to sample the local beers from places like Bent River, Front Street and The Blue Cat. Check out local bands at many various bars, and more established bands at the Redstone Room. Weekend afternoons are a good time to walk along the river by the Lake Davenport Sailing Club and end up in the Village of East Davenport for coffee. Some cool places to eat and drink include 11th Street, Pat McGuire's and The Boathouse. For sports & recreation, it's the River Bandits, Steamwheelers and golf. And in the great outdoors, camping at West Lake can be fun, and a boat ride on Lake George at Loud Thunder Forest Preserve is pretty relaxing.

There's nothing better than sitting at Modern Woodmen Park -- a bag of peanuts and a soda, watching baseball with the best backdrop in the world -- The Mississippi River. You don't have a care in the world in such a setting. We're lucky to have what we have in our area, so many destinations, so many things to do, to see and be a part of, but nothing beats having a built-in backdrop like the Mississippi River.

The rolling, wooded Quad-Cities area is one of the most stunningly beautiful places in the Midwest. Rock Island has a state historic site within its borders. What city wouldn't love that? The Rock Island Arsenal is a living, working tribute to the history of the US Army back to before the Civil War and its museum tells that story. The Mississippi River draws people from all over the world to its powerful majesty which can be enjoyed from Rock Island's riverfront, Davenport's LeClaire Park and Moline's Ben Butterworth Parkway. If you haven't seen the hundreds of Bald Eagles that winter here, mark your calendar for January and February.

The Quad-Cities also offers amazing sporting opportunities, from the most beautiful minor league baseball park in the country, Modern Woodman Park, to the i wireless Center -- home of professional arena football to over 20 public golf Courses including TPC at Deere Run, host of the PGA's John Deere Classic. We also have great racing venues, and softball and baseball facilities that host national tournaments year after year. If you prefer the indoors, there are an amazing list of museums and such to choose from: John Deere Pavilion; The Figge Art Museum; Quad City Botanical Center; and, Family Museum in Bettendorf just to name a couple. Rock Island's Downtown Arts & Entertainment District features dinner theater, a comedy club, live music venues as well as great restaurants and an eclectic gathering of galleries featuring the work of great local artists. Each summer, it hosts exciting outdoor cultural and music festivals. Read the list and you will find attractions that any city would kill to have. We have them all.