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Galena vacation rentals

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Top-rated vacation rentals in Galena

Guests agree: these vacation rentals are highly rated for location, cleanliness, and more.

Superhost
Condo in Galena
Spacious 1 Bedroom, Sunny, Main St Views, Parking.
Nestled in the heart of historical downtown Galena, our quiet and private apartment suite is only steps away from shopping, dining, entertainment and everything Galena has to offer. Wake up to a full tea and coffee bar and make yourself at home as you wind down at the end of the day. As you walk out and down the stone stairway, you will find yourself in the middle of Main Street! A reserved, off street, parking space is included with your stay. We fully clean and disinfect between stays.
$137 per night
Superhost
Apartment in Galena
Ulysses Suites, Suite 202
Ulysses Suites has just been completed inside the historic J. G. Schmohl building in the heart of downtown Galena, located at 213-217 S. Main Street. The location is walking distance to all the best restaurants and shops. We have 7 suites and a beautiful lobby that are modern and luxurious, with lots of historical character and texture as a nod to its previous existence as the Grant Hotel from 1895 to 1933. Suite 202 is a gorgeous studio with a huge window seat looking over Main Street.
$228 per night
Superhost
Home in Galena
Beautiful Miner's Cottage in a Garden
This 1840's miner's cottage in the heart of Galena is only 3 blocks from beautiful, historic and fun Downtown Galena Main Street, but is far enough to have quiet times in the quarter acre yard of perennial gardens as well the expansive 2 story front porch, and 3rd porch off the kitchen, with gas grill. The house sits on a corner lot in the Galena National Historic District. The bathroom and kitchen are newly remodeled and the entire house is designer decorated. Beautiful!
$115 per night

Stay near Galena's top sights

DeSoto House Hotel7 locals recommend
Vinny Vanucchi's20 locals recommend
Blaum Bros. Distilling Co.28 locals recommend
Grant Park11 locals recommend
Durty Gurt's13 locals recommend
Walmart Supercenter7 locals recommend

Galena home rentals

Superhost
Home in Galena
1842 Bavarian Brew House
$150 per night
Superhost
Home in Galena
Newly Renovated. Gorgeous Retreat!
$176 per night
Superhost
Home in Galena
Beautiful Private Wooded Lot, Fireplace, Whirlpool
$219 per night
Superhost
Home in Elizabeth
Galena Country Getaway
$118 per night
Superhost
Home in East Dubuque
Lakefront Home w/ 2 Bedrooms Deck, Dock & Boats
$66 per night
Superhost
Home in Galena
Cozy Galena Retreat - Eagle Ridge territories
$180 per night
Superhost
Home in Galena
Fever River View Suites Downtown Galena
$214 per night
Superhost
Home in Galena
Getaway Galena Home walking distance to downtown
$231 per night
Superhost
Home in Dubuque
Mississippi River Views: Historic w/Modern Comfort
$99 per night
Superhost
Home in Galena
Peaceful, Cozy Home w/ Club Amenities in Galena.
$158 per night
Superhost
Home in Galena
Stagecoach Valley Getaway
$175 per night
Superhost
Home in Galena
30+Days*pking*Pet friendly*W/D*one blk to Main St
$117 per night

Your guide to Galena

Welcome to Galena

With a history as rich as the mineral deposits for which it’s named, Galena is a charming small-town getaway in the heart of the Midwest and the county seat of Jo Daviess County. Though it seems unimaginable now, Galena once rivaled Chicago in population. Back in the late 1820s, thousands flocked here to mine its namesake ore, which had long been used by Native Americans for burial rituals and trading. Even an American president has called Galena home: Ulysses S. Grant’s mansion, presented to him by the townspeople in the 1860s, is one of the town’s most popular tourist destinations. Many Chicagoans call Galena their second home. Galena’s main street, sometimes called the Helluva Half Mile (riffing on Chicago’s Magnificent Mile), is lined with Victorian-era storefronts and eateries. The rolling hills along the horizon draw visitors for skiing in the winter and hot-air ballooning during the warmer months.


The best time to stay in a vacation rental in Galena

Galena rolls with the Midwestern weather patterns, which is good news for visitors. Perhaps the most beautiful times of year to visit are late spring, when the surrounding hills are in bloom, or autumn, during leaf-peeping season. Summertime in Galena is marked with outdoor bistro seating on Main Street, live music and festivals on the weekends, and strolling families wielding ice cream cones. Though winter is a little quieter (and can be quite cold), it has its own draws. Area resorts tucked into the hills host downhill skiers and snowboarders, and cross-country ski trails criss-cross through nearby nature preserves and Apple River Canyon State Park.


Top things to do in Galena

Great Galena Balloon Race

One of Galena’s best-known tourist attractions is also one of its most magnificent. Every third full weekend in June, weather pending, thousands come to marvel at a series of colorful balloon races across the prairie. The pros race at dusk on Friday night and at dawn on Saturday and Sunday. Meanwhile, amateurs can enjoy leisurely hot-air balloon rides with on-site rental companies.

Galena Grant Park

Toward the south end of bustling Main Street, a pedestrian bridge stretches across Galena River to this stately Victorian-era park. True to the period design, the park’s paths lead under decorative arbors to the town’s Civil War monument and gazebo, and the formal fountain stands out as a landmark.

West Street Sculpture Park

On the funkier side of Galena’s tourist attractions is this 2-acre park featuring metal sculptures of various scales. Ranging from rusted-out can contraptions to impressive postmodern art statements, the dozens of sculptures here are spread all over the park (including some in its trees), exposed to the elements, and open to visitors year round.

Destinations to explore

  1. Airbnb
  2. United States
  3. Illinois
  4. Jo Daviess County
  5. Galena