SUMMER FRIDAYS

HOW MUCH FUN CAN YOU PACK INTO A THREE-DAY WEEKEND? OUR EDITORS AND THEIR FAMILIES TRAVELED TO ILLINOIS TO FIND OUT.

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Kylee Krizmanie with her daughter, Gwen, and mom, Debbie Welling, strolling along Main Street.

GALENA

MULTI-GEN GETAWAY

THE ART OF A SMALL TOWN

WRITER KYLEE KRIZMANIC

PHOTOGRAPHER STARBOARD AND PORT

I’d never considered Galena for a family vacation, but the town’s mix of shopping, interactive activities, and approachable restaurants gave us exactly what we craved—connection across generations.

OUR STORY

A few weeks ago, somewhere between a full calendar and the pull of daily life, I carved out a few days for a girls’ trip with my mom and younger daughter in the historic town of Galena in northwest Illinois’ scenic Driftless Area. Our top agenda item? Together time.

SWEET STAY

Situated right in the rhythm of downtown, Ulysses Suites gave us room to spread out, with a beautifully appointed two-bedroom suite. (My daughter was smitten, and immediately started sketching ideas for her own bedroom.) We picked up snacks—including popcorn you can eat right off the cob—at Galena River Wine and Cheese and spent the evening playing Scrabble around the coffee table. Perfection.

FROM STUDIOS TO SADDLES

While Galena is known for shopping—and we did plenty of that—I also wanted us to make lasting memories in more tangible, hands-on ways, by sharing some of my favorite pastimes. At Scent Workshop, we blended our own custom candles and perfumes, and at