Galena Girls’ Getaway

After visiting Galena, Illinois, several years ago, I already knew I loved this small Midwest town. So I was confident it would be the perfect setting for a fun girls’ getaway to celebrate my birthday.

And all I can say is…you gotta get to Galena!

Ok, maybe I have a bit more to share!

I hopped into the car with my fabulously fun friends Debbie and Jennie, and we made the 5+ hour drive to Northwest Illinois.

Here are the highlights of our Galena Girl’s Getaway!

Where We Stayed

There are tons of great BnBs in the Galena area, but for this trip we opted to stay at The Desoto House Hotel and it was definitely the right decision!

The Desoto house is in the center of all the action on Main Street. That allowed us to park our car and enjoy all the activities lining the 1/2 mile block of downtown Galena on foot.  (Trust me…there is a TON packed into this 1/2 mile…but more on that later.)

The Desoto House is a gorgeous historical hotel, but with all the modern amenities you desire at an affordable rate.  It definitely checked all our boxes for this girls’ trip!

Operating since 1855, The Desoto House is the oldest hotel in Illinois, providing rest for many famous dignitaries over the years, including Abraham Lincoln and Ulysses S. Grant. In fact, Lincoln gave a speech from the hotel’s balcony back in 1856.

From the massive staircase in the main lobby to the balcony out front, this place is dripping with history and artifacts.  It is fun to just wander around the hotel to take it all in. You can even pick up a guide for a walking tour that points out each historical element.

Many renovations and updates have been done over the years, The hotel currently boasts 55 guest rooms, each named after a historical figure with a tie to Galena.

We stayed in the Eugene Field room (I’ll let you google that one if you don’t know who he is). Our room was on the fourth floor overlooking the atrium, and we found it to be quite comfortable and spacious, which came in handy after exploring Main Street all day.

The Desoto House also includes 3 different restaurants from casual to fine dining, which means you don’t even have to leave the hotel. But that would be a big mistake since there is so much to explore in Galena!

What We Ate

So let’s talk food! We did venture outside of the hotel, and with so many restaurants to choose from, we couldn’t possibly explore them all in one weekend.

After the long drive, our first stop was the Galena Brewing Company.  We were all hungry and in the mood for casual pub fare, and this spot fit the bill.

I enjoyed a very tasty wrap and some of the best french fries I have had in ages. Not being a huge beer fan myself but ready for an adult beverage, I opted for an electric lemonade, which was quite refreshing. (Since adult beverages were a highlight of this trip, I’ve got a whole section devoted to the various libations we consumed, so more on that in a bit!)

For our first breakfast, we wandered across the street from our hotel to Bread & Vine. Not only is this a fun breakfast spot, it also serves as a bakery, lunch/dinner option, and a full-service bar, so you could pop in here any time of day.

The breakfast sandwiches as well as the pastries were quite delicious. And I couldn’t resist buying some macarons to take home!

Later that day, between shopping and cocktails, we were ready for a snack and thoroughly enjoyed sharing this charcuterie board at Champagne on Main.

Hungry for a bit more sustenance later that afternoon (and needing something to soak up the wine and cocktails we were enjoying), we popped into the Paradise Bar & Grill.

I did enjoy my food and the meal fulfilled its purpose, but this wasn’t a restaurant I would rave about (and I forgot to even take photos). Also, be prepared that they only accept cash, so we had to make a stop at the ATM or end of washing dishes!

Much later that evening, we were happy to have made a reservation and avoid the wait at Cucina Bella. An Italian feast was the perfect way to wrap up the day’s culinary journey.

Jennie loved Nonna’s Lasagna (with an unexpected, but tasty special ingredient…peas) and the portion size was ample.

Debbie and I split the Tortellini Paglia Fino and still managed to have leftovers.  It was AH-Mazing!

On day two, before bidding Galena adieu, we decided to partake in the all-you-can-eat brunch buffet at the Courtyard Restaurant in the atrium of The Desoto House. I tried not to completely stuff myself…but I’ll just say, the biscuits and gravy as well as the bread pudding should not be missed!

What We Drank

In addition to all the yummy food we consumed in Galena, we also took in plenty of calories as we worked our way through numerous locations featuring a variety of adult beverages!

First up for Debbie, the only true beer fan in our crew, was a beer flight at Galena Brewing Company.

Just down the street at Miss Kitty’s Grape Escape, we each found a variety of drinks we loved. So much so that we popped into this establishment on both nights of our trip!

With plenty of options to choose from, all with intriguing names, my favorite drink was The 28th Day.  This chocolate, peanut butter martini pairs well with a girl’s trip! The Dirty Girl Scout is also a fun option for anyone who likes minty libations.  Or if you want to warm up, they offer several warm cocktails, including an adult chai tea latte (that had my name written all over it).

A fun spot for day-drinking in Galena is Jamie’s Wine Studio.  While this upscale bar does feature a wide array of wine options, none of us could resist their tempting cocktails.

Vying for the top spot on my favorite adult beverage list for this trip was this beautiful and delicious Pineapple Upside Down Cake martini. It looked like a sunset in a glass and went down way too easy!

But I managed to have some self-control and stopped at just one…we had more fun watering holes in our future!

Next stop was Champagne on Main. I already mentioned the fabulous charcuterie, but its the champagne flights that take center stage at this classy location.

Debbie and Jennie each indulged in a bubbly flight as we toasted to friendship.

I decided to be different and ordered a bubbly cocktail. The Pink Drink was spectacular and full of sparkle. If Barbie herself had a signature drink, this would definitely be it!

Alcoholic beverages weren’t the only drinks to cross our lips in Galena. We also managed to squeeze in a few coffee shops, including Kaladi’s Coffee Bar and Galena Roasters.

Both offered cool vibes and catered to our 3 different caffeine needs: Jennie, the coffee purest; Debbie, the iced coffee aficionado; and Me, the chai tea latte fanatic.

What We Did

From the two previous sections, you can already tell we spent a good deal of our time eating and drinking in Galena. Sounds like vacation to me!

But there is even more to explore in downtown Galena, namely shopping!

Galena boasts over 125 shops along this charming strip on Main Street. Forget the cookie-cutter chain stores or tacky souvenir shops of other touristy vacation hotspots. These are one-of-a-kind boutiques and specialty shops, guaranteed to appeal to even the pickiest of shoppers.

You will find unique clothing, home decor, and toy stores as well as plenty of unique food shops.  Pasta Perfecta, Root Beer Revelry, and Chocolat’ 229 are not to be missed and offer great souvenir options.

I also recommend popping in to the Galena Canning Company and Galena River Wine & Cheese.  The latter offers both cheese and wine/spirit tasting…need I say more?!

Speaking of wine…is it really a girls’ getaway without some wine tasting? In additional to all the fun bars and cocktail lounges already mentioned, there are two wine tasting rooms on Galena’s Main Street…and we visited them both.

Galena Cellars’ second floor tasting room was bustling with activity and won top billing as our favorite wine tasting experience for this trip.

The Massback Ridge Winery tasting room offered a more laid-back vibe, which was perfect for a casual wine tasting experience and a chance to rest our feet for a bit.

While I already mentioned the unique libations offered at Miss Kitty’s Grape Escape, I would be remiss if I didn’t also discuss the inviting atmosphere and entertainment options that had us lingering in this hotspot on both Friday and Saturday night.

We had a wonderful time listening to live music with plenty of sing-a-long tunes that spanned a diverse genre of music. And the people watching was epic!

The three of us opted to take it all in from our seats. But we enjoyed watching a group of girls celebrating a 21st birthday to a more “mature” but noticeably rowdier group of ladies celebrating a 60th birthday to a big party that had clearly been imbibing all day long.

The Grape Escape appeals to a wide audience and should definitely be on your Galena itinerary!

For a bit of extra fun, I even had my caricature drawn by a local artist.  The fact that the drawing hardly looks anything like me made it all the more memorable!

What We Missed

We packed in a lot of fun in on this girls’ getaway, and I’m confident I’ll be visiting Galena again!

I would be happy to repeat all the same activities, but there is even more we didn’t have time to do.  In warmer weather I would love to take one of the trolley tours and learn more about Galena’s history.  The town also offers a variety of ghost tours that are sure to be fun.

Believe it or not, we even missed one of the popular drinking establishments, so a return visit must include a stop at Blaum Bros’ Distilling Co. If you want to drive away from downtown a bit, there are also a few more wineries to check out.

A tour of the Belvedere Mansion is also on my radar, and I’m just scratching the surface of all there is to do in and around Galena, Illinois.

Take it from Traveling Tanya…you gotta get to Galena!

Cheers and Happy Travels!

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

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