Discover Galena Country Tourism
Nestled among the lush, rolling hills of Northwest Illinois, you will discover Galena Country, a charming riverside destination drenched in history and perfect for your next small market meeting or retreat. Whatever your passion, you’ll likely find it in this tiny but mighty town that’s situated on the Galena River just minutes from the borders of Iowa and Wisconsin. World-class cuisine, nature’s exquisite beauty, outdoor adventure, eclectic shopping, history-rich museums and architecture and captivating original experiences are just some of things that will make your time in Galena Country unforgettable and have you planning your next visit the moment you leave.
While Galena Country Tourism can host events up to 400 through their mix of 50 various meeting and event spaces, the more intimate meetings and retreats of 10-30 people is where the region truly shines with its micro events and original experiences.
Trekkin’ with Goats
Sure, everyone has heard of goat yoga, but have you ever been paired with a goat and gone wine tasting? You can “Hoof it and Sip it” by exploring the forest with a glass of vino and goat by your side. When you return it’s time for more wine tasting paired with, you guessed it, goat cheese.
Goats aren’t just great wine companions, they are also perfect for an evening trek as the sun sets on Jo Daviess County. After the sunset stroll you will return to a bonfire, smores and live music.
Coffee Cupping
Start your day with not just any cup of joe but an exploration of three delicious Galena Roasters single origin coffees that are roasted to custom profile right in Galena. Local roaster Earl Thompson guides you on a 60-minute “cupping” experience that includes a discussion of specialty coffee and coffee roasting along with an explanation of the coffee taster’s flavor wheel.
Spoon Carving Workshop
You will never look at your wooden spoons the same way after this 3-hour workshop that takes you back in time to carve your own spoons. You will learn how to select the best tree, break down logs and branches and get a lesson in axe and knife skills as you become one with nature and enjoy the therapeutic qualities of spoon carving.
Flower Farm Tours
If wood working isn’t your jam perhaps you will enjoy the rolling hills and colors and scents of the Driftless Region, as you take a guided farm tour through Clara Joyce Flowers. This flower farm specializes in high quality blooms, wedding and event floral design and wholesale flower production.
Candles & Bubbly
Two of Galena’s newest businesses have come together for a fabulous experience sure to delight the senses. Here you will enjoy two glasses of sparkling bubbles in your own Champagne on Main flute while creating a personal signature scent candle through a guided workshop. A truly perfect way to cap off a day on Main Street.
Galena’s historic Main Street has often been described as something straight out of a movie. Home to more than 125 independently owned businesses, the street still looks much like it did when President Ulysses Grant called the town home. More than 85% of Galena finds itself on the National Register of Historic Places and taking time to tour this history is another fun way to plan a trip. This three-day itinerary will take you through numerous iconic stops including the DeSoto Hotel, Ulysses S. Grant Home State Historic Site, the library where he received the telegraph announcing he had been elected the 18th President and Galena’s oldest home the Dowling House.
World class lodging is available throughout your stay at a variety of resorts including Eagle Ridge Resort and Spa which features four golf courses including its General Golf Course that has earned the honor as one of America’s Top 100 golf courses.
Chestnut Mountain Resort is often touted as the Midwest’s premier year-round resort offering something for everyone from ziplines to alpine slides, Segway tours and a Mississippi River cruise. In the winter you can ski and snowboard in and out of the resort’s Village Ski Center leaving you in disbelief that you are still technically in the Prairie State of Illinois and not the slopes of Colorado.
Along with the aforementioned wine tour, you and your group will be able to taste your way through Galena Country as it’s home to many alluring wineries, a distillery and craft breweries.
So, don’t just visit, make the most of the time you have with your group as you plan your next small market meeting or retreat and take advantage of all that Galena Country Tourism has to offer. And as they say in Galena, “We may be old, but we’re never the same old thing!”