Visiting Galena, Il

We had a GREAT November trip to Galena, Il in northwestern Illinois. Check out our video about the trip. Galena's first claim to fame was lead mining. At one point it was larger than Chicago.

This chair was in Grant's home when he lived there. He took it with him to the White House, then brought it back to Galena

Ulysses Grant lived there and his home, which we visited, is very much the way he left it. Most of the stuff in the house was there when he was there.

The Galena Masonic Lodge

The town is full of buildings on the historic register, and the architecture is very interesting.

Be aware that Galena's "season" ends in October, so some things aren't happening after that. For example the blacksmith shop we wanted to visit was closed. October is the town's busiest month, and we didn't mind missing the shoulder-to-shoulder crowds that month sees.

We had a great AirBNB downtown so were able to park the car for the weekend and walk everywhere. Kudos to Krista and her superpower of finding great places to stay. Parking in downtown Galena is a bit of a nightmare, so being able to park and walk was great.

Galena is a town of hills and steps. Take that into account as you plan your stay if you have mobility issues.

There are a lot of interesting shops downtown and plenty of places to eat and/or get a drink. You know how we are about coffee. :) No problem finding good coffee and a snack.

This was a great getaway weekend.