Take A Beautiful Winter Couples Vacation At This Midwestern City

Winter is the perfect time to plan a couple's trip. Getting cozy with your partner while in a new location could be the antidote to the winter blues. Pack your car or book a plane ticket for a getaway in the small romantic town of Galena, Illinois.

You can hunker down in a hotel and stay tucked in underneath the covers while watching the snowfall, or you can venture outside and find cold weather activities like skiing and skating and more. The town of just over 3,200 is a delight in the wintertime and makes a great spot for a couple's getaway. The streets are filled with historic buildings, making for a beautiful, backdrop to your adventures. That beauty is found throughout the town, giving it a romantic feel as you wander about exploring the many shops, and engage in a variety of activities that are great for bonding as a couple. 

Pack a scarf and some gloves and head on out. Galena might just become a cute and memorable experience you'll cherish for years to come.

Many of us like to start our day off with a steaming cup of coffee. This simple pleasure becomes all the more meaningful when you're sharing it with a person you love. Start your day, or days, off in Galena with a coffee date. Trolley Depot & Tea Co. is a great spot that the town's official website suggests. It opens at 6:30 am every day but Sunday. If you want to start the day off with a brunch that consists of plates like biscuits and gravy and buttermilk pancakes, try Otto's Place. It's the highest-rated restaurant on Wanderlog. If you want to satisfy your sweet tooth with pastries, check out Galena Bakehouse.

Once you're caffeinated and full, you can tackle the rest of the day. Choose between a day of active dates and a day of slow-pace dates. If you're looking for adrenaline and movement, head to Chestnut Mountain Resort for skiing and snowboarding, or to the Eagle Ridge Resort and Spa, which received multiple awards for ice skating, snowshoeing, and sledding. Afterward, or instead of those things, you can take some time at their spa and unwind.

For a calmer day, in addition to the spa, you can take it easy by window shopping and visiting historic buildings. For example, you can visit local boutiques on Main Street and historic sites like the former president of the United States, Ulysses S. Grant's home.

It's hard to imagine a couple's trip without a dinner date — luckily, you have options on where to go for such an occasion in Galena. Log Cabin Steakhouse, which is placed within the top ten restaurants in Galena on Restaurant Guru, is great for a traditional date. Their menu offers a variety of steak and seafood, as well as drinks like wine, beer, and cocktails. For fine dining, there's the Goldmoor, which was selected as the fifth most romantic restaurant in the United States in 2022 via TripAdvisor. This elegant spot also has vegan and vegetarian options. If you're craving Italian, head to Vinny Vanucchi's for pasta and wine.

After you're full from dinner and tired from the day, you'll need a place to rest. If you want to add something fancy to your stay, Farmers Guest House, which has a 4.8-star rating on Google, has a Sweet and Bubbly Package that'll have a bottle of champagne and chocolates waiting for you in your room. The Goldmoor Inn has a charming and antique feel with modern amenities and a five-star rating on TripAdvisor.  The Jail Hill Inn also has aesthetic rooms, the option of champagne and chocolates for your room, and a five-star rating on Yelp.

If you're ready to have a change of scenery and cozy up with your partner, make plans to visit Galena, Illinois. Take in all its charm and create fond memories with your partner for your next winter getaway.