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Stoney Creek Inn
3 reviews
Galena, IL
Category: Hotels
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Farmers' Guest House
5 reviewsGalena, IL
Category: Bed & Breakfast
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Main Street Inn
1 reviewGalena, IL
Category: Hotels
Chestnut Mountain Resort
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7 reviews for Chestnut Mountain Resort
Although I came to Chestnut Mountain Resort during the summer and didn't stay in the lodge (I recommend the Farmer's Guest House in downtown Galena), I did LOVE their tri-state view of the neighboring Mississippi River and surrounding hills.
Not only that but BE SURE to take a ride on their Alpine Slide. For $7 adults/$6 kids & elders you can ride a sled (don't worry you can control your own speed) down 2,050 feet of tailored slopes all the way to the banks of the Mississippi. A ticket also includes a leisurely ride back up the mountain on the ski lift. If you love the thrill as much as I did you can purchase a 5-ride book of tickets for $30/$25 or an unlimited day pass.
If you're still not sure what to expect, check out this video feed: http://www.youtube.com... (thanks to MrMike1818).
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This little excursion was enjoyed during a bender of a weekend so I was two sheets to the wind by the time I hit the slopes (not three sheets mind you). Just want to put that out there....
I hadn't boarded in *years* and we were just there for the afternoon so I spent most of my time getting tangled up and trying to stay out of everyone's way. That being said I have no valid opinion on the quality of the hills.
I will say that the check-in/check-out process was a cinch and I was pretty impressed.
And the bar was pretty sweet.
Okay that was a crappy review but what do you expect from a drunk?
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I'm not a snowboarder nor can I be mistaken for one. I'm a complete newb when it comes to this sport. You'd think my history w/ skating would help out some but it doesn't really. All it does, I think, is make the learning curve more frustrating.
What isn't frustrating, however, is this resort. It's very well laid out and they do a great job of moving people to where they need to be which I feel is a primary function of all ski resorts.
The check-in and rental process execute like clockwork and before you know it, you're already paid, measured out for your gear and on the slopes in no time.
I was afraid that since we arrived mid-day that all the snow would be compacted by the traffic but I found the snow rather to be pliable and soft which was a nice surprise.
Since I'm a beginner, I stuck to the bunny which provided endless entertainment watching first-timers get EATEN UP by the rope pull there. I admit I almost fell the first few times getting dragged by that Rope-Of-Death but there were other people who would spontaneously BITE IT mid-pull and you could hear everyone collectively groan bemoaning the latest victim to the rope pull.
N00bz beware - the rope pull on the bunny hill is a BEAST!
+1 for being a driving distance (~3 hours) from Chicago.
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This resort is pretty basic and it's nice for beginners like me. We had a group rate so we paid $61 for the ski rental, lift ticket and a lesson. We also got a $7 meal ticket.
They have a good amount of trails for beginners/intermediates (not sure for advanced) and I always have a good time. The resort isn't too packed so you don't run into people often =P
The rentals are not in the best condition and be sure you check everything over. I overheard that a lot of people were returning their snowboards because they were faulty.
We ate lunch in the cafeteria and it reminded me of food in junior high (which I love). The line moves fast and you can get up to $9 worth of food for only $7. I got a sloppy joe + fries, very yummy!
I would come here again and if you don't want to eat in the cafeteria, then there is a restaurant as well.
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This is a great place to go skiing outside the usual ski resorts in Wisconsin. It's about 3 hours from Chicago and in my opinion considerably more scenic than WI. We decided to make a little trip out of it and rented a cabin at Amber Creek vacation homes.
We arrived saturday morning w/ 16 of us which gave us a pretty measly $10 group discount on each rental/lift ticket, but included a free lesson w/ it. Weather was decent in the mid 20's and a bit overcast. I decide to play it safe and throw on a pair of ski's although now part of me feels like I should have snowboarded to take advantage of the free lesson.
Being an intermediate skier, I pretty much stuck to the green and blue trails. I'd say I went down Old Main (green) and Moser (Blue) for 90% of my runs as many of the other blue's were way too advanced for me. Don't let the 'Blue' designation fool you, some of them are pretty freakin steep!
The food for lunch was pretty mediocre, other than the chili which was deliciously hearty and chunky. The brat was just okay and nacho chips were stale.
Overall I had a great time. There seemed to be a pretty diverse mix of families and people in their mid to upper 20's and above. If you're an intermediate or beginner skier and want to go somewhere within driving distance from Chicago, this is the place to go. Don't forget to make a trip and stay in one of the cabins in Galena, they are amazing and a lot of fun w/ a big group.
NB: I only ate at the restaurant here and walked around the place. I did NOT ski or stay the night.
This place is up in the middle of nowhere. Its a nice drive up, and the view here and there is cool.
When we got to the lodge itself, I think I was expecting a little more.. at least a fireplace in the room where you first walk in. At least the couches are comfy.
The restaurant itself was okay. It opens for dinner at 5:00 which we did not know when we stopped by at 4:30 and were turned away rather brusquely. We returned at 4:57 and were again turned away, so we basically stood there with the employees and stared at the clock until 5:00 sharp.
The view from the restaurant of everyone out skiing was cool, and several of their tables are right in the window for a good view.
The service once you get passed the door beasts was friendly, but they could really stand to work on their timing. The entree should not be delivered at the same time as the appetizers, which were brought out two minutes after we got our salads. My fettuccine alfredo was more or less cold by the time I got to it. Temperature aside, I thought it was good. My boyfriend, on the other hand, was not impressed by his linguine with pesto cream sauce. He said it tasted like "something out of a box."
If I was in the area, I'd try somewhere else for dinner. But if you're already there skiing, its not a bad go.
Rooms... UGLY OLD AND OUT DATED! Skiiing AWSOME great slopes and awsome ski lift and pro shop!
