Weekend in Galena
Galena is a small town in Illinois with a very notable history. We decided to spend our anniversary in this town from a recommendation from friends. It feels like you are stepping back in time when you visit this well preserved town.
While there are a variety of hotels and bed and breakfasts to stay at in Galena, we chose to spend our anniversary at the DeSoto House. This hotel is the oldest operating hotel in Illinois. It has 55 Victorian style rooms each featuring a different historical figures who have visited Galena. Abraham Lincoln was once a guest and gave a speech on the balcony of the DeSoto House. We stayed in Will Carleton’s room. Will Carleton was an American poet from Michigan. The rooms are oversized with extremely tall ceilings and they give you complimentary chocolates and water. Some say there are rooms that are haunted at the DeSoto House and that a Lady in Black appears through the halls. We slept well in our room and did not feel haunted but would love to hear if you had a haunted experience.
We arrived in the afternoon and walked through Grant Park and over to Frank O’Dowd’s Irish Pub. We love to walk so if something is walkable, we will walk it. There is plenty of parking if you prefer not to walk. We chose this restaurant as it offers live entertainment on the weekends. We enjoyed listening to an Irish band named Blame Not the Bard when we were there. They were extremely entertaining and put on a great show! We would highly recommend going to see this band if you get a chance. The food was moderately priced. I enjoyed the Pub Fish and Chips while my husband enjoyed the Modern Irish Corned Beef.
Listen to Blame the Bard’s Spotify playlist here.
The next day on our trip, we spent the day walking around the city. We visited many of the shops on the historic main street. My husband loved the frozen cheesecake on a stick at Galena’s Kandy Kitchen. We also brought back popcorn for the kids from the Great American Popcorn Company which allowed us to sample many flavors before picking which ones to buy. We loved the Butterfinger flavor the most. We also walked on the paths by the river and were able to view where the Galena River spills in the Mississippi River. This is a really long walk and you will be sore. They do offer massages at the hotel. We did not get one but we regretted not after our long walk.
On the final day, we drove to and visited Thunder Bay Falls and Horseshoe Mound before heading home.
Thunder Bay Falls is a waterfall that is basically right next to where you park. We did not spend very much time here but it is a nice waterfall to look at.
Next, we went over to Horseshoe Mounds where you can view areas of Illinois, Iowa, and Wisconsin. There are viewing scopes available to take in the views. There are also hiking trails to use.
Check out other destinations here.
How do you recommend spending your time in Galena? Share your ideas below.
Also, if you have stayed at the DeSoto House, what historical figure room did you stay in? Did you have a haunted experience? Share in the comments section.