McEwen Reviews It: Eagle Ridge Resort in Galena, Illinois

McEwen Reviews It On Location! Eagle Ridge Resort

Golfers love golf trips. But sometimes it’s much easier said than done. Often times it means leaving behind our significant others, our kids, and even our pets for an extended period of time. My cameraman Josh and I tend to go away quite often to play golf, including just about every Saturday and Sunday during the golf season in Chicago.

Golfers love golf trips.

However, our significant others may not love them quite as much.

While a bit more one-sided for one of the parties, it does mean sacrifice from both sides. Yes, it’s great to get away with your golf pals and do nothing but chase that little, white (or yellow, or matte red, or…well, you get the point) up and down a golf course for a few days, but it also means leaving your wife or husband, girlfriend or boyfriend, behind to tend to life’s other demands. Which, in many cases, can be a lot to ask and a tough sell.

Josh, my cameraman and usual golf companion, and I ask this quite often of our wives. Basically, from March to November, the two of us are either on a golf course every Saturday or Sunday and we take at least three golf trips a year.

So, whenever we can, we try to include them in at least one of said trips. This past Memorial Day weekend, we decided to kick-off the summer by heading about three hours northwest of Chicago to Eagle Ridge Resort in a small town called Galena, Illinois.

Over the past several years, Galena has re-defined itself as a destination town. With a restored downtown highlighting the history of the town, the people that once lived there, and the architecture that lines Main Street, Galena has a little something for everyone.

For us, it meant a chance to getaway with our wives (and dogs), play a couple rounds of golf, spoil our wives, and enjoy some meals together in downtown Galena. It doesn’t get much better than that.

Both Galena and the resort have something for everyone. If you happen to be on a golf-specific trip with some buddies, you have a multitude of course options. Eagle Ridge has four of them, alone. But if you do want to bring the family along, the resort can host everyone just as easily. With a full spa at the ready for the wives or girlfriends, pools and playgrounds for the kids, and Lake Galena at the ready if want to get out on the water.

And at the same time, the town itself is equally adept at hosting any type of outing. If it’s a night-life with bars and live music you’re looking for, it has it. Or, as in our case, if your looking for a great meal as couples, Galena definitely has several options. The meal we shared at Log Cabin, kicked-off with a smooth Manhattan using the local distillery’s bourbon, was one of the best we’ve had in or out of Chicago.

While the girls were getting pampered, Josh and I were able to play a pair of Eagle Ridge’s golf courses, beginning with their crown jewel, The General. Featuring 250 feet of elevation change throughout the course, it was a challenging course with some incredible views of the surrounding area. The featured hole on the course, number 14, literally provides views of three states, Iowa, Wisconsin, and Illinois. It’s a course that will certainly challenge you due to those elevation changes, but will provide plenty of options to score if you can keep the ball in play.

The other course we played is the North Course. While it also has some elevation changes, it’s a much more traditional course, as well as one you can walk. Although, there are some longer green to tee walks and a few walks from tee to fairway that are indirect. Otherwise, it’s your somewhat typical fair and playable parkland style course. The signature par-3, 7th hole will give you a beautiful view of the lake while on the tee box.

Overall, it doesn’t get much better than Eagle Ridge Resort. The trifecta of golf, spa, and downtown Galena made it a difficult place to ultimately leave. And one the four of us (and the dogs) can’t wait to visit again.