You don’t have to travel far to find soothing spas, relaxing poolsides and destinations for a perfect getaway. Here are a few of our favorites.
Eagle Ridge Resort & Spa: Summertime Adventures Along Galena Lake
The Driftless Area of northwest Illinois is a land of breathtaking views – rolling hills and bluffs made possible by the absence of glacial drift.
This “Land that Glaciers Forgot” is also the home of Eagle Ridge Resort & Spa in Galena, a place that’s not easily forgotten by those who visit.
Sitting at the heart of nearly 6,800 aces of lush countryside, Eagle Ridge offers 80 luxurious guest rooms with more than 150 additional villas and homes. With so many offerings available to them, guests are sure to find the perfect home away from home during their stay.
After checking in, guests may want to wash away the travel day with a swim in the resort’s indoor heated pool or, for a truly relaxing and rejuvenating experience, head to the spa for some personalized pampering. Offering massage therapy, nail treatments, body exfoliation and facial therapies like Platinum HydraFacial and biodynamic lunar glow, a session in the Eagle Ridge spa sets the tone for individuals and couples alike.
Summers at the resort are filled with adventure. Located on the shore of Galena Lake, Eagle Ridge offers paddleboats, kayaks and canoes for guests who wish to head out on the water. Pontoon boats and fishing poles are also available for rental.
Eagle Ridge is a golfer’s heaven, with four stunning, award-winning courses – three 18-hole courses and one nine-hole course, together offering 63 holes of incredible golf for all ages and levels. Each course has been restored to its original architecture, giving golfers spectacular scenery along with challenging and rewarding games.
There are over 20 miles of wilderness and paved trails for hiking or biking and, with access to nearby ziplines and hot air balloon rides, guests can feed their inner adrenaline junkie or capture a gorgeous panorama from the sky.
In winter, hiking trails become cross-country ski or snowshoeing trails and golf courses become skating rinks and sled hills. Nearby Shenandoah Riding Center offers horseback riding year-round, with sleigh rides available in the winter months.
Year-round, the city of Galena is a shoppers’ haven for antiques, art, fashion, decor and dining.
No matter what your idea of relaxation and luxury look like, a stay Eagle Ridge Resort & Spa sets the standard.
Goldmoor Inn Sets the Tone for Galena
Nestled in the hills of Galena’s Driftless Area is a luxurious bed-and-breakfast that needs to be experienced to be believed.
Offering 18 exclusive suites, the Goldmoor Inn’s elegant, castle-like getaway in Galena, Ill., makes an immediate impression with visitors, setting the tone for the indulgent escape that awaits them during their stay.
Each suite is unique, from rustic log cabins to the cozy and graceful Mississippi Suite, to the Turret Suite, with its very own drawbridge. Each features plush amenities and private balconies to take in the breathtaking views of the Mississippi River valley. Add in details like fresh cookies and flowers that greet visitors in every suite, and a stay at Goldmoor seems like a page from a fairy tale.
Despite being only 6 miles from the town of Galena, the Goldmoor, located at 9001 W. Sand Hill Road, is a world all its own. In the winter months, it can feel like the inside of a snow globe and is a prime location to watch wintering eagles dive for their dinner along the Mississippi River. In warmer times, the sweeping landscape offers stunning vistas for a photograph, a social media post, or even just a quiet memory to tuck away for a rainy day. Bird lovers will want to watch the skies for a variety of birds. Binoculars are available at the front desk for anyone wanting a closer look. At sunset, the sky steals the show with breathtaking displays of color and dying light.
While landscape, decor and views offer a feast for the eyes, the fine-dining experience in the Goldmoor’s dining room provides one of a different kind. Executive chef Brandon Veitch concocts a lavish creation with each dish, elevating the food he serves with each meal. An upscale, yet cozy dining experience, Goldmoor Inn’s menu is not just for the stomach, but also for the soul.
More than just a getaway, Goldmoor Inn is also a much-loved location for weddings year-round. The outdoor pavilion, available from May through October, is perfect for ceremonies with up to 100 guests. Surrounded by gardens bursting with flowers, storybook architecture and rapturous landscapes, a wedding at Goldmoor Inn will be remembered by participants and spectators for decades to come. Indoor options for weddings are equally stunning, with venues like the Grand Hall and the Great Room that live up to their names.
Whatever the occasion, a stay at the Goldmoor Inn is a five-star experience unlike any other.
Lincoln Way: A Destination Inn
Consider Lincoln Way: A Destination Inn a love letter to Illinois’ Nachusa Grasslands, one of the largest and most biologically diverse grasslands in the state. The Inn, located in Franklin Grove, Ill., encompasses a historic home, an accompanying apple orchard, an apiary and a 110-acre prairie located just 3 miles away. Together, these exceptional properties reflect the passion owners Lisa Marie and John Ayres feel for the flora, fauna, land and the community surrounding the inn. Named after the Lincoln Highway, America’s first transcontinental automobile route, Lincoln Way is an idyllic stop for rest, relaxation and a return to nature.
With five suites in the modernized and restored 1912 property, and a private, second-floor king suite in the loft of the carriage house, this next-generation boutique inn should not be mistaken for a typical bed-and-breakfast. The meals aren’t scheduled around a communal table with fellow guests; and don’t bother searching for lace doilies. Guests are free to take their locally sourced, organic artisanal breakfast in the dining room, by a roaring fire on the patio, beside the water garden or served in their suite.
The modern farmhouse decor, accentuated with vintage touches, effortlessly blends with the inn’s pastoral surroundings, making Lincoln Way the epitome of indoor/outdoor living.
Amenities are of five-star quality and include a cedar sauna, a crackling outdoor fireplace, customized activity itineraries, and homemade, lovingly packed picnic lunches for excursions. Other add-on enhancements include ordering a special Welcome Bounty package to greet guests with a lavish foodie tray and mini fridge filled with locally sourced snacks, including honey from the inn’s apiary. A turndown service is another offering, featuring warm beverages, homemade treats, hand-cut flowers and luxurious bath salts.
The suites may tempt visitors to stay in and enjoy their charm, but outside there’s too much to do. Adventurous guests who wish to try their hand at beekeeping can reserve time to experience the magic of the hives while extracting and bottling honey, according to the season. A serene water garden beckons guests to watch mischievous koi or read a book to the sound of the gurgling pond and fountain.
Surrounding nature can be explored by hiking, biking or floating the Rock River. Franklin Grove and other nearby communities are also waiting to greet you, and they’re filled with dining and shopping options, breweries, taverns, music and art.
In addition to providing elegant accommodations for individual guests, Lincoln Way welcomes whole-house vacation rentals, weddings, corporate events and retreats of all kinds. For smaller events, the main floor accommodates up to 40 guests. For outdoor events, up to 125 guests can enjoy festivities on the covered pagoda patio, water garden and lawn. The Carriage House loft can also be converted into a small event venue on the second floor, suitable for up to 30 guests and downstairs for larger gatherings up to 100, seasonally. Franklin Grove and its surrounding communities offer a host of event vendors including caterers, photographers, bakers and florists to make your soiree memorable for years to come.
With exceptional rates, affordable package experiences, heated indoor parking, contactless check-in and a dedication to sustainable and organic products and services, Lincoln Way: A Destination Inn is an award-winning hospitality experience that’s begging to be discovered.