MAGICAL! I don't know how this does not have a full 5 stars!…read more We signed up online, expectations were provided, as well as followup communication, and text reminders to complete online waivers. On site, there are punny signs that lead you up the road that say things like, Keep Goating. Once we pulled up, we were greeted by someone who helped us to park. There is a port-a-potty on site, as well as a water spigot for access to clean water. There is a trailer on site, as well with souvenirs, ice water, local root beer that uses the goats on the labels, as well as non-aerosols bug sprays, as the goats are sensitive to aerosol sprays. There was a large group during our time slot, so there were two waves who were taken out with separate goats. If you don't feel giddiness when goats run up beside you as you start hiking, I'm sorry. It was a chill and happy vibe throughout. Our guide, Jason, was welcoming, friendly, and incorporated humor. The trek had 3 stops. Jason would talk about the history of the property, the family, how it all came to be, and the goats as breeds, as well as some of them as individuals. There is a stop where you can have your picture taken with goats, as well as feed them carrots. (Who knew the big Boer goats would be so picky about carrots that have landed in dirt?!). This could almost (in my book it could) be counted as a therapeutic experience! The goats expect nothing but company, and appreciate a scratch, and carrot slice. They're just happy to be along snacking on their favorite greens and going for a little hike!

What a hoot! We did their wine and goat hoof it event after staying a few days in Galena…read more You start out trying out Illinois wines. These are from Fergetaboutit Vineyard, and to be blunt, they were the best wines we have tasted in Illinois. If you like wine and have tried wines from France, Spain, Italy or California, yes, I mean that. The "hoof it" part was fun. You get set up with a guide (don't forget to tip the guide) who lets around a dozen goats out of the pen, and you walk with them on a 1.2 mile hike. It's mostly shaded (so shaded that we didn't wear sunscreen, and I don't tan, I scorch, and got NOTHING, so it's pretty shaded. There is poision ivy on the trail, so if you see leaves of three, let them be. The goats are quite affable, but listen to the guide. At the end before they approach the pens (which the goats will run towards) they let you feed the goats with carrots and you have to show the goats you don't have carrots in your hands (two hands up, open) or they will jump on you to get "your carrots." They stop several times. The pace is best described as "sedate" - you'll have a hard time breaking a sweat. Our advice, stick to the path, don't go off into the weeds. Some other things: Pack in, Pack out - they don't have trash cans, so what you bring in, you carry out. You will get a glass for each person who signs up for the wine event (which has the logo on it) as a momento. We got out a little late. The goats all have names, but you don't have to remember them. But you will. Little stinkers. Another tip: Once they get let out of the pen, they have a tendancy to "dump and run" so watch your step, or you'll get some fresh goat crap on your shoes or feet or LEG.

I went to Linmar Gardens with my friend to see flowers, & to my surprise there were added features…read moresuch as waterfalls (which had a great history), & fantastic objects of art; this place was unbelievably beautiful! To add to this pleasurable experience was our guide BoB! He was really great & very knowledgeable. Thank you for a great experience! Highly recommended!!!!

This is a large private garden that the owner built up over time in a really rough and neglected…read morearea. Went in June and it is completely in the shade. Garden is beautiful and paths wander through the property and around some houses. Not difficult to walk unless stairs and uneven terrain are a challenge for you. Guide is nice and doesn't automatically tell you what the plants are unless you are interested. Not a professional botanical garden or scientific lecture but a relaxing way to enjoy flowers shade and waterfalls for an hour with a small town local feel.

Laid back place to get a unique cocktail and enjoy some music. Bartenders are friendly and have…read moregreat suggestions. Huge drink menu. Don't expect a quick (or common) drink here, plan on relaxing and enjoyable experience.

We had a blast at the Bloody Mary bar and listening to live music on St. Patty's day weekend! This…read moreWisco couple loves Galena!

Do not miss this unique experience! What in the wrong hands could have been a dull 15 minute tour…read morebecame a fascinating 1 hour history lesson led by the most enthusiastic, knowledgeable person! 64 year old guy, we forgot his name (Ted? Tim?), but he was AWESOME.

We had a very knowledgeable tour guide; I believe his name was Ted. My wife and I just by chance…read morearrived at 10:55 just before the first tour of the day started and paid and started right away. Several reviews say the tour is 30 minutes... but our tour group asked many questions - and Ted took the time to thoroughly answer - so we went over 45 minutes and kept engaged in the story the whole time. Gives a true sense for life in Galena's heyday as a major bustling city in the 1850s!

Beautiful Mansion and everything you want to learn about the history of the Belvedere. The tour had…read moregave plenty of history, why it was build, and the history it still contains inside. The Mansion itself is just so beautiful, feels a bit cramped and so much pieces and masterpieces that it contains. The tour guides were friendly and knew all the details and explained the story the correct way and very entertaining. After we left we had to google the history itself to learn more. This is such a hidden gem! Tip: To save some money buy the combo tours which include Belvedere mansion and the dowling house. Also bring cash for the tips at the end of the tour!

I love everything historical! This was a fun tour that gave plenty of history and details about how…read moreand when this mansion was built. I did feel pretty cramped, the layout is very choppy but it's built in the 1800s so what did I really expect? Lol. There is so much detail in this mansion and it is just so beautiful! The tour guides were friendly and on top of their game. I highly recommend doing as many tours as possible if you're in Galena, there is so much history. Tip: my fiancé and I did the combo tours which include Belvedere mansion and the dowling house. You save a few bucks. Also - they do have a 4% fee on using a credit/debit card. If you're able to bring cash I highly recommend that to save on that fee.

A visit to Council Hill Station is one of my most highly anticipated experiences. It's a uniquely…read morebeautiful and unusual experience. It's beyond my capabilities to adequately describe the place. It's a historic landmark with remarkable charm. But perhaps it's most unique and delightful feature is the proprietor, he is a most charming and charismatic person. He shares his many interesting stories of his musical career And he often will pick up a guitar, harmonica or sit at the piano and thrill you with amazing songs and his impressive musical skills. not to be missed.

We've been coming here a long time and I don't know of any place as significant and unique as…read moreCouncil Hill. We made it out there in the winter time because we were with friends who had never been there. We had to practically drag them away. The vibe and the patrons make it really special. Drop in musicians and impromptu jams in a groovy, historical place .... Nothing else like it.

The resort needs updates! The ceiling in our bedroom was repaired and painted in a small area,…read moreshowing how dingy the rest of it was. The bed had a mattress pad on top of it that bunched up during sleep. Staff are helpful and food was good. Although the grounds are beautiful, they also need attention. It's a mid level resort and overpriced.

We have been going to Galena for the last 25 years and we love staying at Eagle Ridge. We spent 3…read moredays hiking and birdwatching while photographing the beautiful scenery. Galena is part of the driftless area which was missed by the glaciers 10,000 years ago leaving limestone bluffs and rock outcrops that make it look like Montana. The wildlife is incredible there. We stayed in a villa that backed up to the woods with a huge variety of birds. The villa we stayed in was clean and tastefully decorated with local nature photos. The reception staff was very helpful and friendly during our stay. We did not try the food or lounges only because we had brought groceries with us. I attached a few pictures of the wildlife to illustrate the beauty of the area. We highly recommend Eagle Ridge!

This is a bar and wine/liquor store It is nice inside but…read moreinventory in boxes stacked on floor give a bit of a cluttered look, On the plus side. Staff had a fantastic knowledge about the wine and liquor they had Very friendly and welcoming. Nice place to stop to take a break or have an after dinner drink

Jamie, the owner, kicked us out of our table. It was a table for 2 & could fit 4. We were told to…read moresit anywhere and the only table open was the table we sat at which was an open 4 seater. Jamie started to grab our stuff, I told her we were sitting there, she said I need the table, I told her again we were sitting there. After a few minutes, we grabbed our stuff and moved. 10/10 would not recommend going there after the interaction with Jamie lol if she would've asked us to move that would've been completely different. Also, there were open boxes of wine all over the floors. All the staff members EXCEPT FOR JAMIE were great. If she's there I'd recommend leaving unfortunately. We were told by a distributor that's how Jamie is... very beautiful place minus all the clutter on the floor.

Great museum. We'd…read morevisited here last, about 20 years ago. Memory fades and it was time to revisit on this trip. All exhibits are housed inside on 2.5 floors. There is also a gift shop and restrooms. I found no elevator. We paid (senior rate saves $1 each) and went into a seating room where there used to be a video projection (no longer working). The staff member there today, Les, led everyone into this room to be seated. Les spoke about the rich history of Galena and he was quite detailed. We found this worthwhile. After the speech, we looked around this room at mostly US Grant artifacts, then we headed to a very large back room that has many displays, dioramas etc. on Galena. Lead mining had a rich history here for a few decades, so there was a lot of mining history on display. When we were done downstairs, we walked upstairs where there is a smallish room on the 2nd floor and a much larger room on what I'd call floor 2.5. Floor 2.5 had mostly wartime history while floor 2 had a variety of history on display. Note that the stairs are fairly steep. The first set also has a 90 degree turn near the top. There is a low, wooden banister-style handrail on one side. To access floor 2.5, there are another 6 or 8 steps to get up to it and there's a metal handrail for them. All in all - it's a pretty well done history museum for a small community and it was worth the time. I'd recommend this useful to anyone who wonders, "why does this town exist, how was it formed and what does its evolution look like". We enjoy museums like this.

What a great little museum! We didn't know what to expect, but I can honestly say we were blown…read moreaway! The ladies that welcomed us were so friendly and knowledgeable about the museum! There was so much packed in! It wasn't only about Grant but about the whole settling of Galena and all the way back to the ice age! I have to say this is a gem of a place and definitely a must see! It's clean and reasonably priced! We will definitely come back when we come to visit again.

What a historical place, and how the volunteers are all passionate about keeping this piece of…read moreGalena history alive! We were walking down Main Street at Galena, and stumbled upon this place. Turned out it was a live museum! There are volunteers blacksmithing while telling the significant history of the shop and blacksmiths at Galena. On top of that, they are 100% supported by the admission fee ($5 per person), and proceeds from the gift shops (many are items forged by the volunteering blacksmiths). We enjoyed our visit, and learned an interesting piece of history!

This was the most interesting thing we did in Galena! This is a real working blacksmith shop. The…read morestaff is very friendly and they volunteer their time. We got so much information on how things worked and the origin of the shop and its history. When you are there take a look at the picture of the original shop. It looks exactly the same. I disagree with the other yelper that said they need updated signs and that it looked like a "crappy old shack". It is historical and looks like a crappy old shack because that's what it would've looked like. As for cleaning the place, why would you clean a place that uses coal to fuel the fires? Take your children here and show them how things were. Make a donation or buy an item that was made there to keep them open. They have bottle openers, hooks, pokers, decorative lamp pulls, and meat turners for grilling. I think it just depends on the day you are there what has been made.