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.

Great place to stop if you are spending anytime in Galena! Staff was very knowledgeable and kindread more

One of many historical buildings associated with our 18th president, the Ulysses S. Grant home in…read moreGalena, IL, is a good stop for history buffs. Growing up in IL, I had learned about the town of Galena and this home from my school education, but never seemed to find a trip to take me there to check it out. So as my wife and I were heading down the Mississippi River road from Iowa/Wisconsin to Missouri, we made a slight detour to come to Galena to visit. There are two main parking areas (both free): one on the opposite side of the road and one next to the home. There is a large lawn to the left of the house, where one can wander while waiting for the next tour to start. The tours run continuously from 9:00 am to 4:45 pm, and multiple guides will lead multiple small groups of 16 or less through the home. One might need to wait outside for a maximum of 15 minutes, which is how long we ended up waiting. Admission is free, with a donation box (suggested $5 per person) at the end of the tour. This 3,300 square feet, brick home was built and fully furnished as a gift to General Grant and his wife, coming from the citizens of Galena, after the end of the Civil War. The Grant family did live here for a short period of time, before he moved to Washington after being elected president, though they maintained legal residence here for sixteen years. The Widow Grant maintained ownership until her passing in 1902. It was donated to the City of Galena, and then given to the State of Illinois in 1931, which manages it today. More than 90% of the items inside the house were originally owned/used by the Grants. It's a short tour, about 20 minutes in length. Our volunteer guide was good, answering our few questions and guiding us where we needed to move to. After the tour, he suggested we go next door to a replica of a general store during that time. One interesting display was a large diorama of each president and the pets that they had in the White House. There are a lot of open historical museums associated with President Grant: -- He was born (1822) in Point Pleasant, OH, in a small one bedroom cottage which is now a private museum. -- National Historic Site is in St. Louis, MO, in the estate where the Grants from 1854 - 1860. -- rented a small home in Galena from 1860 - 1861. Left to rejoin the army. -- returned to this home in 1865, until becoming president. -- National Landmark is found in Mount McGregor, New York and was his final home, where he finished his memoirs and died in 1885. -- National Memorial (Grant's Tomb) is found in Manhattan, NYC and where he and his wife are buried. -- Presidential library and museum is on the campus of Mississippi State University.

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!

This is a must tour when visiting Galena! They took us to 3 different wineries in the area that…read morelasted 3 hours. The tour guide, Randy, was very informative and friendly. The people on the tour were very nice too! I will definitely go back for another wine tour next time I visit Galena!

Gorgeous locations, great wine and value, such a nice time! And Randy the bus driver is the…read moreabsolute best!

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 tours meet inside the DeSoto Hotel lobby area and you must pay in cash for the tour. Our guide…read morefor the night was Steve. Steve works at the local library and helps patrons with historical research, so he gets to hear a lot of ghost stories. The tour is a walking tour that winds its way around several blocks in town and even goes up the hill slightly to Bench street, so be prepared to walk. Steve mixes the history of the town with assorted ghost sightings and stories. He will even show you areas that were used to film "Field of Dreams". To round off the tour you get to go back inside the DeSoto for a little building history and the ghost stories there. One story which I found to be very striking is the "lady in black" especially since the hole was found in the wall last year after the flood. That is very eerie as that the spot she always disappears into. Remember the show "If Walls Could Talk"? A final stop in a quiet dark room to sit around a table and talk about our experiences if you wish, and the importance of learning the history of places. All in all it was definitely worth the money for the history, ghost stories and the entertainment. It was a fun evening and I would do it again just to hear the stories.

With our kids being 9 and 12 years old, we were looking for something light and fun...something…read morewith a bit of history and mystery. Local library historian, Steve, more than delivered. He was enthusiastic, knowledgable, and a bit corny. He was perfect! We loved that the tour was on foot, that the price was reasonable ($15 per adult and kids free), and that the stories of "ghost-like experiences" were just right for our kids. A must 90 minutes after dinner on a gorgeous night in Galena.

My favorite place in the world. Breathtaking and beautiful! Full recharge place mentally.read more

This location has a beautiful scenic view of other states, bluffs and well manicured wide green…read moregrass walkways. Be sure to walk East from the main McKeague overlook (the one with with the Summer/Winter and true North/South markers), on the grassy path over to the next view of the Mississippi River and more flower, foliage and butterfly's.

The wine and food tour was amazing! We had so much fun and made friends with the rest of the people…read moreon the tour. Great wine, pizza, cheese, atmosphere, bus ride & tour guide. We will be coming back for more and telling everyone we know.

We reserved a date to have a wine tour. They never called to confirm. They said that they would…read morecall us the morning of and that we'd start at 11. So, we called around 10:30 and no one picked up. And when we left a voice-mail, they called us back saying that they called last night, which they didn't. That they told us the itinerary, which they didn't. The tour was supposed to start at 11, but they started at 10 and they had already started without us. On the website it says it starts at 11 on Sundays. Did I miss something? I am extremely disappointed. I really wish that they actually called us ahead of time and left a voicemail and informed us that it was canceled or that they decided to take another group, so that we had alternative plans for this weekend. We are disappointed that we missed out on other potential outings due to the lack of communication. We were really looking forward to the tour honestly. Instead, we feel like they are gaslighting us to believe that we are in the wrong by saying we never picked up and that we would've gone on the tour had we answered. Trust me, we would've picked up had we received a call. If we received an apology for the lack of communication, I would gladly rescind this review. It's a shame how they choose to approach their customers. I'm sure it would've been very fun to go, but based on my experience, I can't recommend.