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.

Absolutely delightful! It is rare to find a truly unique experience in these Midwestern getaway…read moretowns (charming as they are), but Hoof It certainly qualifies. "We took a hike with goats!" has become the leading highlight of all of our vacation stories. The hike itself is quite mild, relatively flat and mostly shaded. The guide will stop and talk for a minute or two, three or four times. It's very casual. The goats will walk among, around, and occasionally under you (if you're tall enough). They will nudge, brush, budge, and nuzzle you...and perhaps nibble, if the hem of your shirt or shorts is interesting enough. It's all totally harmless; they range between friendly and indifferent, a couple dozen of them in all sizes and colors. It was amazing to watch the larger ones "climb" a tree with their front legs to reach higher branches: stretched out like that, they seem enormous. They also do their business anywhere and everywhere, which our son dubbed "the poop and walk" and "the pee and walk". At the halfway point, there is a longer stop for photo opportunities, and everyone who wants to can hand-feed carrots to the goats. Primo experience and lifetime memories achieved. All thumbs up.

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.

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!

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 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!

Ya knowwww I question a lot of the facts from this tour but either way, it was very fun and…read moreinformative. I felt claustrophobic at 1 point but it just goes to show the progress in properties from 1800-now. Our tour guide was awesome, she was friendly and kept me focused on what she was saying the entire time. She gives off great energy and is perfect for this position. Well done! Tip - get the combo option as it saves you a few dollars. They do have a 4% service charge if using a CC.

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!

Cool historic home with lots of stories. Was built in Galena's peak as major, bustling town in the…read more1850s. Very well restored. The tour guides have a ton of history both about the town and the house to share. The items inside aren't original to the house, but everything together is quite a sizable collection of antiques with the house being part of the eclectic assortment. Our tour took just over an hour. We got the first tour of the day. Our tour guide clearly showed a passion for her work.

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.

Awesome spot everything about it rocks from the local scenery to the staff and amenities, I look…read moreforward to returning once the weather warms up

Spectacular piece of property. Retired golf pro on a golf trip. If you're a casual golfer you…read morewouldn't know, but to the avid golfer the courses are closer to muni conditioning than what you would expect at a resort. Exceptionally slow greens and bunker maintenance was lacking. Waited for grounds crew instead of them waiting for us..first time I experienced that at a resort! Left there thinking it was a grade below for the price. Would not recommend for the avid player.

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.

Was a good day to stop in! Jaime was generous and friendly. Drinks were cold and portions were…read moredelicious. As Jaime said, "I love this place!" She makes it always to agree with her.

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.