Galena is located in Northwest Illinois and just a 3 hour drive from Chicago. I have friends who occasionally slip away for a romantic weekend there, but I had never been there myself. Nor had I any idea just how much Galena had to offer. I had heard about fantastic dining, cozy cabins and an incredible Main Street shopping in a quaint little town. That wasn't even 10% of the story!
We all met at 10am in the Visitors & Information Center. I personally think they should change the name to the Super-Duper-Extremely Welcoming and Helpful Visitor and Must Know Town Tips & Information Center.
We started on our walking tour up and down
As we walked the streets between stops, there was a level of friendliness and hospitality that you just can't fake. The Old Blacksmith Shop (a real working shop, how often do you see one of those?) was not yet open for the season, yet when we peaked through the windows, the volunteer gentleman(whose name that I forget- pretty sure it was Rich) that was preparing for this coming weekends opening waved and came to open the door spontaneously. He invited us in unannounced, before he even knew that we were not just there for a girls weekend. We took pictures and he showed us what he was making and how it was done and let us know that the shop is non-profit and volunteer run. Every penny they make from the sale of their wares, from childrens puzzles, to door knockers, goes back into keeping the shop up and running.
We laughed and enjoyed the town and each others company nonstop as we enjoyed lunch at the family friendly priced Cannova's on Main Street. By happenstance last weekend was the celebration of President Grant's birthday. Poor Dorian and Celestino had to pick up their chins off the table when all 8 of us women made a sprint for the door after spotting Civil War re-en actors walking down the street and
Continuing our walking tour we were greeted at the Galena History Museum for an amazing experience
And were walking, and were walking.... We continued our scenic walk and blogger bonding time as we headed for The Seal House. A private home of historic value,
We moved onto Galena Cellars Vineyard and Winery for a tasting and even more laughs as we had a chance to relax and enjoy numerous wines and have some time off of our feet. After sampling 10 different wines
The Eagle Ridge Resort has accommodations of every style and budget. As a group we stayed in 2 beautiful luxury homes
Off to dinner we went. Fried Green Tomatoes was a delectable culinary experience with an Italian menu. Whouda thunk it? The food was superb. The fried green tomatoes appetizer were incredible as was everything else, including the Naked Filet. Our company was equally as enjoyable as we ran into Roth and Brad on their way out and our way in and were joined for dinner by Mike Scholz (interim CVB board director) and his lovely wife Linda and later on spotted and joined by the Farrows (remember them from the welcome center?) after they had enjoyed their own dinner.
The next morning we were up bright and early
Soon thereafter we headed out to a working alpaca farm/log cabin getaway where we had the opportunity to walk and feed the alpacas. Seriously, how many places do you know that offer alpaca interaction. Galena has it all.
After bonding with our mammal friends we headed for the premier skiing destination in Illinois, The Chestnut Mountain Resort for a tour of their property and facilities along with lunch in their restaurant. Sitting alongside the Mighty Mississippi River, with breathtaking views, numerous activities such as hiking and biking in the off season and family friendly pricing for large, comfortable rooms ($89/nt,-off season- including breakfast & sleeps 6), you can't go wrong.
Galena basically has not just something for everyone, but lots for everyone to enjoy. Whether a romantic getaway, a girls weekend trip or a family vacation for all ages, it's there. There are beautiful parks along the Galena River for picnic lunches, the sculpture park with kid friendly sculptures for climbing, shopping, vineyards (complete with private vacation cabins), delectable restaurants in every price range, overnight accommodations in every form and price range from hotels, cabins, B&Bs, to resorts and luxury homes.
I apologize if I got a little bit long winded on this one folks. I'm just that excited about it. Oh and by the way, we did manage to hit the main street shopping that I had heard friends raving about, on our way out of town. It was chuck full of lovely shops with a wonderful feel and great pricing to boot. I enjoyed it and bought a few gifts for the Weasels and the Mr, but when thinking about what Galena has to offer, it's just the tip of the iceberg.