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The Golden Girl

Chicago Fashion and Lifestyle Blog

June 4, 2018

Our Quick Getaway in Galena, IL!

Getaway in Galena with Jess and Neil

Denim Jacket: J.Crew, White button down: also J.Crew (it’s a mens XS–it’s the perfect oversized shirt!), Jeans: Abercrombie (a couple of you guys have told me American Eagle has an amazing similar pair of mom jeans, since I was talking about my Abercrombie and now American Eagle kick on Instagram stories the other day ?) they run TTS!  Shoes: Sam Edelman Katy Mules (run TTS and also come in black!) Bag: AMAZON! Haha! It’s so cheap and so cute. (I mean, you also get what you pay for. Not the quality of a $200 bag, but for a vacation purse, it’s everything you want!) Sunnies: Ray Ban (these are the 53mm, they also come in a smaller 50mm size)

A few weeks back, Neal and I did a little mini getaway to Galena, IL for the weekend! It was SO much fun and the perfect escape from the city. It’s only about 3 hours (sometimes less, depending on traffic!) from the city. It’s a town rich in U.S. history (home to Ulysses S. Grant!) and even more charm, so if you’re looking for a break from the hustle and bustle, I can’t recommend it enough!

We first discovered Galena a few years ago when we drove through it to get to our friends’ Jeremiah and Ashley’s wedding in Dubuque, Iowa–we thought it was so cute and vowed to go back! Then I became friends with Meg a couple years back and learned she was planning her wedding in Galena, too! (You can stalk her wedding here on Style Me Pretty. It was perfect–I actually got a lot of ideas for our own wedding from Meg!) Galena just kept popping up everywhere, but we had yet to go back!

Then I got an email from Visit Galena asking if we’d like to come for a stay and if I could write an article and take some photos for their own website, and we were both like, YES!! (Obviously I had to share our experience with you guys too, even though that wasn’t part of the deal! ?)

Here’s a little sneak peak of our trip and some recommendations if you decide to plan your own! (I hope you do!)

Galena - The Golden Girl Blog

Where to Stay: Farmer’s Guest House

I CANNOT say enough good things about Farmer’s Guest House!

I’ve stayed in a lot of B&B’s and this is by far the best one I’ve ever experienced. (Which makes sense that they’ve been ranked among the best B&B’s in North America!)

Everything about it was just adorable, and the location is perfect, too–just a quick walk to downtown! The Innkeepers, Susan and Don, really go out of their way to make sure every detail of your stay is perfect. The building has been an inn since it was built in 1867, and they’ve done a great job of striking the perfect balance of vintage charm with modern touches and amenities–like the smart thermostats in each room (so you can control your own temperature) and having the most comfortable bed I’ve slept in other than my own! I have no idea what kind of mattresses they use, but they beat out even the fanciest 5 star establishments ?

We had so much fun getting to chat with Susan and Don–they have a 5pm happy hour with complimentary wine and snacks, and in the mornings Susan serves up a complimentary breakfast from scratch. When were there, we had the BEST french toast I have ever tasted. (Which makes sense, as she’s won tons of awards for her breakfast, and was even on Food Network’s Holiday Baking Championship!) If you’re like us and love meeting new people and making new friends on vacation, you’ll really love staying here!

Also, side note, if you happen to not be able to get a room here and you’re still on the hunt for somewhere to stay (the good spots book up really quickly especially during busy season) you should still reach out to Susan, because her daughter owns and runs a couple Air B&B’s in Galena as well!

Neil in Galena

Hotel in Galena

lunch in Galena - The Golden Girl Blog

lunch in Galena - The Golden Girl Blog

Susan and Jess in Galena

Above: Susan and I! She’s so much fun and we loved getting to know her (and talk to her about her cooking secrets! She is a whiz!)

What to do:

Jess in Galena

Galena is unique in that it’s a very small town, but their Main street is actually very long and has a TON of shops, restaurants, and some really cute and fun bars! The best plan is honestly, to not have one! Just make your way from one end to the other!

One of the biggest highlights was stumbling into Galena Canning Company which happens to be the second largest hot sauce store in the world?! If you love hot sauce, or any type of sauce really, you have GOT to go in here. It’s really amazing! They sell tons of varieties and also make their own!

There are so many other cute stores too–just wander as you please and you’ll find your own favorites! The one cool thing is that no two stores are alike–you’ll find gift shops, culinary stores, clothing, jewelry, home decor, apothecary goods, and pretty much any lovely thing you can think of to buy–one of their stores has it!

VEW Club in Galena

Whenever we go on vacation, we always like to make several beverage break stops to check out the local bar scene ? this dive bar was our favorite. Perhaps the best divey-ist (is that a word?) dive of them all–you’ve got to stop into VFW. 

Another favorite we stopped at was Gold Room–which is another greaaattt dive bar. We played a couple rounds of shuffleboard before heading dinner next door at Cannovas! (More on that below!)

Another (non divey) place we loved that had a really fun patio was Gobbie’s Sports Bar. It was the perfect place to stop and have a midday beverage. Their food looked really good too, so it would also be an ideal spot for lunch!

Gobbie's Sport Bar in Galena

Then there was dinner at Cannova’s–the cutest little Italian restaurant. It’s one of those spots you can tell is a local favorite–the service was great as was the wine list! We split pizza and a pasta and it was the perfect amount of food. If you can, snag one of the romantic tables in the window! Our friends also told us about Log Cabin, famous for serving up gigantic steaks–which we definitely wished we had paid a visit to–oh well, next time! Fritz and Frites also looks absolutely adorable and was on our list, but sadly, we didn’t have time to get to! 

Cannova's in Galena

Otto's Place in Galena

One more spot you can’t miss is Otto’s Place. It’s an adorable homey restaurant where you can tell everything is made from scratch and with lot’s of love. They’re famous for the breakfast and lunch, but what you REALLY can’t miss is their bloody mary! It comes with HOT CHEETOS. Amazing. We sat at the bar/counter and loved our experience here!

Neil and Jess in Galena - The Golden Girl Blog

Thanks Galena for having us and for such a wonderful experience! Have you ever been to Galena? Would love to hear what spots are your favorites! 

Filed Under: Lifestyle, Midwest Road Trips, Travel

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Comments

  1. Allie says

    June 4, 2018 at 8:58 am

    This spot looks positively darling! Spots like this are my favorite place for a romantic weekend getaway. Especially with with good wine! Happy Monday, xAllie
    http://www.theallthatglittersblog.com

    Reply
  2. Maureen says

    June 4, 2018 at 1:04 pm

    It is a cute place for a great weekend away from the city.
    We went for my birthday weekend a few years ago.
    Getting away just even a few hours is always nice.

    Reply
  3. Melissa Imbrogno says

    June 5, 2018 at 10:28 am

    I love Galena! It’s so cute and quaint. I’ve been a couple of times and my fiance and I are hoping to go back for a little getaway after our wedding at the end of this month before our honeymoon in September :))

    Reply
  4. Melanie says

    June 5, 2018 at 9:17 pm

    Your B&B review totally sold me on this getaway. #Ilovefrenchtoast How many nights did you stay?

    Reply
  5. Christina Eisbach says

    July 29, 2019 at 2:47 pm

    Jess,
    So glad you enjoyed Galena! It has been home to me since birth! I wanted to let you know of a cool activity for next time you are in our area. We offer guided treks with goats through native prairies and forest. Check out our web site and facebook page. Hope to get back to Galena soon.
    Best Regards,
    Christina

    Reply
  6. Christina Eisbach says

    July 29, 2019 at 2:48 pm

    Jess,
    So glad you enjoyed Galena! It has been home to me since birth! I wanted to let you know of a cool activity for next time you are in our area. We offer guided treks with goats through native prairies and forest. Check out our web site and facebook page. Hope to get back to Galena soon. HoofItGalena.com
    Christina

    Reply

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