Galena Getaway for Two (2017)

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If you love exploring quaint, small towns, then you must get to Galena!

Galena, Illinios is located about 5 1/2 hours from Indianapolis (where we live), and is just across the border from Dubuque, Iowa.

In early 2017, my husband, Brent, was surfing the internet looking up potential vacation spots. This is one of his favorite activities after a long day of work!

Both my birthday and Valentine’s day fall in February, so we wanted to take a romantic getaway, just the two of us. His internet searching landed him on an article about 40 charming American towns you’ve never heard of.  And that’s when we first learned of Galena, Illinois.  #3 on the list, and within driving distance.

Perfect for a romantic weekend.

Where We Stayed

After a bit more internet searching, we came across the Cloran Mansion Bed and Breakfast.  Based on their website, we felt this would be the perfect lodging for our celebratory weekend in a quaint town. And the Cloran Mansion absolutely lived up to the online description…and then some!

Brent and I had never stayed at a bed and breakfast together so we were not sure exactly what to expect. The owners at the time, Cheryl & Carmine, were extremely hospitable and made us feel like family.

We stayed in Ann’s room and found it to be comfortable and inviting. The room included a sitting area as well as a gas fireplace.  Perfect for the cool February nights and for creating some romantic ambiance. Two fluffy white robes hung in the closet and the bathroom boasted a large tub, big enough for two. I made a mental note to pick up a bottle of wine in town to enjoy while soaking in the tub!

Cloran Mansion has 6 bedrooms, each with their own unique layout and design. Since we arrived before most of the other guests, Cheryl let us peak into a few of the other rooms.  The Tower Suite is especially charming!

We stayed two nights, which meant we got to enjoy two gourmet breakfasts, prepared and served by our hosts. Eggs cooked to order, raspberry pancakes, fresh fruit, and more, served on fine china. The breakfast spread deserved to be photographed for Home & Garden magazine!

While leisurely dining, we enjoyed pleasant conversation and got to know our hosts as well as the other guests. We could have lingered at the Mansion all day, but we took our full bellies and headed into town to see what Galena had to offer, armed with several suggestions from Cheryl & Carmine.

Shopping, Wine Tasting and Strolling Main Street

North Main Street in Galena is the quintessential American street. This cobblestone street boasts six blocks of quaint shops, unique eateries, and several spots to enjoy your favorite adult beverage.

So yes, that means they have wine tasting in Galena!

Some of our favorite spots and activities included:

• Sampling dips, sauces, and jellies at the Galena Canning Company (great souvenir shopping!)
• Wine tasting at Massbach Ridge Winery, Galena Cellars, and Galena River Wine and Cheese
• Checking out Rootbeer Revelry, who knew there were so many varieties of root beer!
• Sampling chocolates in several specialty sweet shops, we even tried chocolate-covered bacon!
• Sampling popcorn at Great American Popcorn (I’m starting to think we eat and drink too much!)
• Browsing through numerous unique shops filled with home decor (several with a distinct Joanna Gaines influence), clothing, gadgets, and specialty foods.

There was plenty to do just on Main Street to fill our two days of exploring!

Our Romantic Italian Dinner

After our large breakfast and snacking through town, we didn’t need much for lunch. But we did enjoy a wonderful Italian dinner at Vinny Vanucchi’s.

I don’t recall exactly what we ordered, but I know there was good wine, crusty bread, and delicious pasta. And the atmosphere was exquisitely Italian, complete with red-checked tablecloths and Tuscan decor. I highly recommend a leisurely dinner at Vinny Vanucchi’s after a busy day of shopping.

We may not have been in Italy, but Vinny Vanucchi’s was the next best thing!

Our time in Galena was short, but it was definitely memorable! There were several things we did not get to see or experience due to time and the cool weather, but that just means we need to make a return trip.

We recently learned that Cheryl and Carmine sold the Cloran Mansion.  We look forward to returning to Galena and meeting the new owners, Paul and Janet.

We loved our time in Galena and our first Bed and Breakfast experience so much that Brent and I spent much of the drive home researching BnB ownership and inns for sale. But in the end, I think it’s best if we continue to travel and maintain our role as the gracious guests!

And according to the article about 40 charming American towns you’ve never heard of, we still have 39 towns to visit!  Next on the list is Granville, Ohio!

Wherever the road takes you, make it a joyous journey,
Traveling Tanya

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