Centerstage - Chicago's Original City Guide

Articles Sections >> Arts + Words Bars + Clubs Dating Festivals Fitness Food Lifestyle Music Theater Travel + Tourism Who's Who > View All Campus Road Trips Chicago Guides Day Tripping Untrapping Tourism

A Galena Getaway

A trip to the historic town begins with winery-hopping and ends with a steakhouse.

Monday Oct 01, 2007.     By Nola Akiwowo

Travel + Tourism Feed

Fresh off her honeymoon in Galena, a friend of mine couldn't stop talking about the town's history and romantic tranquility. This quaint little spot offers attractions like the home-turned-museum of Ulysses S. Grant and gave the world Kraft Cheese. But after a little research, I had another reason to check it out: the wineries of Jo Davies County.

I grabbed a friend who loves fermented grape juice as much as I do, hopped into my Honda on a beautiful autumn morning and cruised west on I-90. Over two hours later, we were maneuvering through winding hills flanked by grazing cows and cornfields to get to Massbach Ridge Winery, our first destination.

Eight years ago, Peggy and Greg Harmston bought a piece of land in the picturesque town Elizabeth, with hopes of crafting wines that would appeal to connoisseurs and novices alike. Today, the hilltop vineyard boasts an award-winning collection of 16 wines. Picnicking tourists relax outside the small red and white shop that triples as a wine press and bottling room. Sitting in a lazy stupor under the shaded lanai, they sip on glasses of St. Pepin white wine or Fingerlakes Double Award Gold winner Cherry Rose. We tasted the red, oak-aged Massbach Reserve and medium-bodied Ridge Red, and then parted ways with the winery.

Next we stopped at the 20-year-old Galena Cellars Vineyard, also located in Elizabeth. We paid $5 for a friendly guide to lead us on a tour of the barns housing each step of the wine-making process. To sweeten the deal, our gracious hostess treated all the guests to glasses of the award-winning Illinois Traminette and a nice sip of the chocolaty Frontenac Port. Galena Cellars Vineyard is only open from June until November, but during winter months, wine enthusiasts can head to downtown Galena's Tasting Room to enjoy the vineyard's rhubarb or peach wines. And if you forget buy bottles before leaving Elizabeth or Galena, you can still find a few varietals in gas stations along Highway 20.

Having had our fill of vino, we headed to Galena to spend the evening strolling down Main Street, a stretch lined with century-old architecture, vivid storefronts and restaurants. The name of almost every business here begins with "Galena," as in Galena Beads, Galena Candle and Bath Co., Galena Gallery—and the list goes on. Window shoppers can feast their eyes on bright, unique clothing or hand-crafted home decor items. With so many locally focused stores, I was surprise to stumble upon a gallery named Chicago Contemporary Art. Formerly based in Chicago, this space features the modern work of the owners, Kathleen Patrick and Joseph Catanzaro. The two use the gallery as a studio space as well, and I enjoyed watching Patrick paint a rendition of the Windy City skyline.

It's impossible to leave Galena without stopping by one of the dozens of restaurants on Main Street. We selected Log Cabin Greek Steakhouse, serving hand-cut Angus beef. For a pair of Chicagoans who enjoy eating out, it was nice to see how far our money could stretch outside of the big city. For $80, we feasted on flaming saganaki, prime rib, a pork chop plate and an eight-ounce filet, with a bottle Ravenswood Cabernet Sauvignon, a snifter of Tia Maria and a cup of coffee tackling our thirst. Driving home, my friend and I realized we'd done so much in a day, and yet Galena had way more to offer, with historical tours, haunted hay rides and flamboyant boutiques, not to mention the always-exciting Kraft Cheese Exhibit. We wouldn't want to cut back on our vineyard-hopping, so next time, we'll make it at least a weekend-long getaway.