Galena IL Day Trip

I had a couple of days off between jobs so my mom and sister were kind enough to take Friday off to go on an adventure with me. My mom proposed going to Galena, which is quick three hour drive from Chicago. Galena is a charming little town with lots of shopping, dining and history. Galena is along the river and on the border of Iowa, Illinois and Wisconsin.

We started the day off by going to Otto's Place for lunch. You immediately realize that you are in a small community focused town after setting foot in this place. The staff seem to be good friends and it is very relaxed. This restaurant is in a neighborhood setting versus on Main Street, which I think draws more of a local appeal. And they had the best sweet potato chips I've ever had. I can only imagine how wonderful this place must be on a warm sunny day, as it's right along the river.

After lunch we stopped in Joseph Layton, which is a high end home decor and furniture store. The owner of this shop has a phenomenal eye and has mastered mixing antiques with modern touches and bright pops of color. I have an antique cherry table that I can never quite figure out how to style, and this decorator nailed it using an almost identical version of the table I own. The shop is extremely pricey though, so don't come here looking for a bargain.

After Joseph Layton we headed over to Main Street and stopped in almost every shop. A favorite of mine was Ladybird, which had a plethora of amazing scarves. Now if only I needed more, I would have bought some.

After several hours of shopping (in which I actually purchased nothing), we decided to grab a little pick-me-up at Rootbeer Revelry. This shop had the nicest owner and exclusively sells rootbeer. They have endless varieties sold in bottles, and also have a few on tap. And the best part about this place is the rootbeer floats - one of my all time favorite treats!

After resting up at the hotel, we headed back into town for dinner at One Eleven Main. We were shocked to see what an active nightlife this town has! One Eleven Main was just what we needed - casual atmosphere with good service and yummy food. They also were playing Frank Sinatra-esque music, which makes me love a place almost as much as a fireplace does. 

We woke up Saturday and it was gray and rainy. We decided to skip out of town, but not before getting a bit of history first. We visited Ulysses E Grant's house that he lived in with his wife and children. The tour of the house was guided by a volunteer and was the perfect length for someone who doesn't have much tolerance for guided tours. And I must say, I think he had the best view in town on his piece of property.