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Top 7 Places to Curve Your Winter Cabin Fever

Cozy, comfy and the perfect mix of relaxation and adventure. Illinois has everything you could hope for to celebrate the chilly season. Get ready to let your inner snow bird fly free in our Middle Wonderland.

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Jail Hill Inn, Galena

Situated within the confines of Galena’s old jail building, this gracious lodging is your perfect winter getaway. Each Jail Hill Inn Suite offers a luxurious king-size bed with fine linens and pillows, ornate gas fireplaces and bathrooms with either a steam shower or bubble massage tub. Enjoy a wonderful reception of wine and cheese upon your arrival, and in your suite, you will find chocolates and chilled champagne. After a great night’s rest, enjoy a 3-course, gourmet breakfast that can even be delivered to your room. Jail Hill Inn was also named the top bed and breakfast/inn by TripAdvisor’s Traveler’s Choice in 2019—ranking #1 out of 25 in the United States and #2 in the world.

The Inn at Irish Hollow, Galena

Called “deliciously rustic” by the New York Times, Irish Hollow is located on 500 rolling acres in the Galena countryside. The accommodations include rooms at the historic inn, as well as private English-style cottages with beautiful gardens. Indulge in a massage or hike the miles of trails that pass by a 1,300-acre nature preserve. Irish Hollow is known for its gourmet country breakfasts and dinners made with seasonal ingredients from its own organic gardens. While you're in the area, be sure to peruse the variety of shopping and dining on Galena's Main Street.

Chestnut Mountain, Galena

Pack your bags for a stay at Chestnut Mountain Resort, a ski-in, ski-out lodge, in Galena. This hotel invites you to warm up in the sauna, grab a bite to eat at the on-site restaurant, and beat the high score in the arcade game room. While you're visiting, venture outside and carve up the fresh powder on the slopes, which are just feet away from the lodge. Boasting the largest terrain park in the Midwest, the ski resort features more than 25 rails and 19 runs. Pull some tricks and get some air on the ramps or shred down the black diamond trails.

Starved Rock Lodge

Stay in the heart of the great outdoors with reservations at Starved Rock Lodge & Conference Center. Choose a room in the lodge or go for a cabin, and then sip hot cocoa at the Veranda with a view of the state park. The accommodation also features a café, lounge, and dining room, which are perfect for unwinding after exploring the local trails. During your visit, tap into your adventurous side, and ice climb the waterfalls in the state park. Climbers must sign in and out at the park maintenance building. See the full rules & regulations at the end of this article. If the conditions aren’t right for ice climbing, cross-country skiing in the picnic area, winter hike, or simply check out the frozen waterfalls.

Don’t let a little chill in the air keep you from venturing to Illinois this winter. You know what they say, “There’s no bad weather, just bad clothing,” so wrap up tight and get ready for a winter wonderland in the “Prairie State.”

Giant City Lodge, Makanda/Shawnee National Forest

Enjoy Southern Illinois' hospitality at its absolute best! The 34 lodgings offered at Giant City State Park include 12 one-room and duplex cabins nestled in the bluffs near the lodge, featuring a living room and deck overlooking the woods below. An outdoor swimming pool is on-site. Giant City Lodge's full-service restaurant features a popular all-you-can-eat chicken dinner.

Goldmoor Inn, Galena

As the only Galena bed and breakfast located high above the banks of the Mississippi River, the historic Goldmoor Inn is truly one of a kind. In addition to stunning views of the surrounding country, you can look forward to soaking in a whirlpool, warming up around a private fireplace, in-room gourmet breakfasts and a romantic dining experience.

The inn features a unique selection of beautifully decorated cabins, cottages and suites, all minutes from downtown Galena. Don’t forget to check out the Goldmoor Restaurant!

Ulysses Suites, Galena

When you stay at the Ulysses Suites, every room is a presidential suite. Housed within the historic J. G. Schmohl building in the heart of downtown Galena, you'll be within walking distance of all Galena's unique shops and fabulous restaurants, plus a variety of breweries, wineries and distilleries to choose from. Fun fact: Ulysses Suites was awarded the Galena Excellence in Historic Preservation Designation in 2020.

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*Ice Climbing is allowed at the park. Climbers must bring their own equipment and have experience ice climbing. Ice climbers climb at their own risk. It is up to the ice climbers to sign in at a self-check-in station located at the Park Maintenance building off the park road across from the Visitor Center. Sign-in sheets as well as rules and regulations are usually posted by January 1st dependent on winter weather conditions. The DNR does not test the ice or post the suitability for climbing, it is up to the climbers themselves. For safety reasons climbers must have a partner to climb. No one can climb alone. Ice climbing is only allowed between 7 a.m. and dusk at the park, all climbers must be off the trail before dark. Due to ongoing damage and creation of unauthorized trails, ice climbing will now be restricted to the following canyons/ice falls: Wildcat, LaSalle, and Ottawa Canyons. Climbing outside of these designated areas could result in a fine. The natural resources of the park canyons such as the fragile sandstone must be protected. Climbers cannot impact the sandstone with riggings, ice cleats, crampons, ice picks, rope, or other harmful climbing equipment. All equipment must touch the ice/ice falls only. No other type of rock climbing or scaling the rock walls or formations is allowed at either Starved Rock or Matthiessen State Parks. For more information please refer to the Illinois Department of National Resources.
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