Beloit, Wisconsin is a city of 36,888 people and has a good amount of things to do, especially around the Rock River. As a sophomore at Beloit College with no car, I began compiling a mental list during my freshman year of a few of my favorite places and events that are within walking distance of my dorm or the campus itself. Have a look!

1. Beloit Farmer's Market: The Beloit farmer's market is open on Saturdays in the warmer months of the year, fall and spring, and takes up a couple blocks of downtown Beloit. The market has fresh produce, baked goods, food trucks, and various handmade goods. Definitely a fun place to visit with your family if they visit or with your friends on the weekend.

2. Folk n' Blues Festival: This is a bit more Beloit College-specific, but it is amazing. The festival is two nights of folk and blues bands from all over the country that play in a tent in front of Pearsons. It's a whole lot of fun and there are free tshirts for those who show up early.

3. Tin Dog Records: A small, pretty new record shop that opened on the same street as Bushel and Peck's. It has a nice selection and has discounted tapes and cassettes. A great place to go if you want to support local businesses or if you want a cool place to go on a weekend.

4. Cafe Fromage: This small cafe connected to the cheese and wine shop Cheese People is a great spot to do homework or grab a bite to eat. They have a great selection of tea, coffee, and baked goods with fantastic employees.

5. The Rock River: There are paths and a couple parks along the river that are within walking distance of campus. These spots are especially great during the fall and spring months, and if you walk along the river in the direction of Downtown, there are a bunch of restaurants.

6. The Angel Museum: I have actually never visited this museum, only heard of it. It contains 11,000 angel figurines, including 600 black angel figurines donated by Oprah Winfrey which were gifts from her fans. If you would like to see this Beloit treasure with me, let me know.

7. Salvation Army: Although not a Beloit-specific place, the store, which is very close to campus, is a great place to get eclectic knick-knacks or a new outfit for a good price.

8. The Beloit Public Library: While this locale is over a mile away from campus, you can walk along the river to get there. Although the college library has a lot of resources, the Beloit Public Library has many as well.

9. Bushel & Peck's: This restaurant, located in downtown Beloit, is known for its organic and delicious food. The restaurant is also a small store, that has grocery items and books. B&P's is a great place to get Sunday dinner as well.

10. Horace White Park: Just past the equally peaceful Poetry Garden, Horace White Park is a small playground and grassy area on a hill. It's a nice place to go relax on a nice fall or spring afternoon, or to go swing if you need to release some stress.

These are just ten of my favorite places in Beloit, Wisconsin, and by no means should this be considered an exhaustive list -- I have a lot left to explore. Nonetheless, I hope this is a good starting place for those who will be joining our community this fall, and you are all welcome to come explore with me!