Popular Midwest Resort Launches Summer with Family Vacation Homes Ready to Host Guests By Brian Weis

Popular Midwest Resort Launches Summer with Family Vacation Homes Ready to Host Guests

Private Homes and Villas at Eagle Ridge Resort & Spa Offer Ultimate Vacation Destination on 6,800 Acres

By Brian Weis

With Midwest vacation homes booked solid, Eagle Ridge Resort & Spa in Galena, Illinois, is ready for summer with nearly 150 villas and homes from one to eight bedrooms, ideal for couples, families or small groups to take in a beautiful change of scenery without getting on a plane or sacrificing safety or open space. Eagle Ridge Resort & Spa is located in Northwest Illinois on more than 6,800 acres in the magnificent Galena Territory, which is a short drive from most Midwest cities including Chicago, Ill, Dubuque, Iowa, and Madison, Wis.

"We're the original 'socially distant' vacation destination thanks to our family vacation homes," said Colin Sanderson, director of sales and marketing. "Guests of Eagle Ridge Resort & Spa have miles of nature to hike, bike, golf, fish, zip line, kayak, canoe, horseback ride, and even take a hot air balloon ride. They can order in pizza or anything from our restaurants, and enjoy the great outdoors without worrying about coming into contact with others."

Homes can be booked directly at www.eagleridge.com and families can bring pets, celebrate family events together, or even spend some mid-week time e-learning and working while being close to nature and all the activities the resort has to offer. In addition to the private homes, Eagle Ridge Resort & Spa guests can stay in the Inn, as well as enjoy a wide variety of open-air dining options. The Highlands Restaurant and Lounge 289 are both open seven days a week and feature a cantilevered deck that seats 45. Overlooking the 10th fairway and the 18th green of the premier General golf course, the deck also offers panoramic views of The Galena Territory. Lounge 289 has upper and lower lounge areas with four glass garage doors that can be opened for relaxing and dining al fresco.

Eagle Ridge's summer line - up of family-friendly events includes:

Memorial Day Weekend
* May 28 through May 31 is the unofficial summer launch with special packages for the long getaway weekend, horseback riding, fishing, and boating. Eagle Ridge is extending a Memorial Day Weekend Package, which includes staying Friday and Saturday night and getting Sunday night half off.

Summer
* June 18, 19 and 20 are the dates for the annual Great Galena Balloon Race, which takes place on the grounds of Eagle Ridge Resort and Spa. The three-day adventure over Father's Day weekend includes multiple balloon races, balloon rides, live music, wine and beer sampling events, and fun for the whole family.

* The Antique Town Rods Show (July 17) is set on the banks of the Galena River, overlooking beautiful Galena. this car show features some of the most beautiful vehicles. This is a great opportunity for guests to see how cars have changed over the years and to hear their owners stories.

*The Midwest Garlic Fest (Aug 28) takes place in Elizabeth, Il and features vendors, music, local growers and more. The fest is fun for the whole family and a short drive from the resort.

Fourth of July Weekend
* Shenandoah Rodeo. It's "Freedom Reigns" at the annual Pro Rodeo July 3 and 4 with the toughest broncs and wildest bulls. The Shenandoah Riding Center goes out west for two nights featuring bareback riding, steer wrestling, team roping, saddle bronc riding, calf roping, bull riding, and women's barrel racing. The evening ends with a firework spectacular.

* Eagle Ridge guests also have access to horseback riding with miles of riding trails. The resort's Fourth of July overnight special is stay Friday and Saturday night and get Sunday night half off.

Fall
* Labor Day Weekend is the unofficial end of summer and is celebrated with packages and specials.

* Galena Cellars celebrates the end of the grape harvest with the 11th Annual Fall Harvest & Art Festival (Sept 25) featuring family friendly activities including a lively grape stomp and live music by the Fever River String Band.

Recreational Activities
* Throughout the summer, couples and families can enjoy a number of on-property recreational fun with activities including taking a dip in the pool, horseback riding at the Shenandoah Riding Center, zip lining at Long Hollow Canopy Tours, bird watching, balloon rides, boating and fishing, hiking, biking and much more.

* For a relaxing break, Eagle Ridge's Stonedrift Spa is open and available for guests to enjoy safely, with monthly and daily specials.

All activities, packages, and rooms can be viewed at www.eagleridge.com, or guests can call 800-892-2269 with questions and to make a reservation.

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Revised: 05/17/2021 - Article Viewed 4,373 Times - View Course Profile

About: Brian Weis

Brian Weis is the mastermind behind GolfTrips.com, a vast network of golf travel and directory sites covering everything from the rolling fairways of Wisconsin to the sunbaked desert layouts of Arizona. If there’s a golf destination worth visiting, chances are, Brian has written about it, played it, or at the very least, found a way to justify a "business trip" there.

As a card-carrying member of the Golf Writers Association of America (GWAA), International Network of Golf (ING), Golf Travel Writers of America (GTWA), International Golf Travel Writers Association (IGTWA), and The Society of Hickory Golfers (SoHG), Brian has the credentials to prove that talking about golf is his full-time job. In 2016, his peers even handed him The Shaheen Cup, a prestigious award in golf travel writing—essentially the Masters green jacket for guys who don’t hit the range but still know where the best 19th holes are.

Brian’s love for golf goes way back. As a kid, he competed in junior and high school golf, only to realize that his dreams of a college golf scholarship had about the same odds as a 30-handicap making a hole-in-one. Instead, he took the more practical route—working on the West Bend Country Club grounds crew to fund his University of Wisconsin education. Little did he know that mowing greens and fixing divots would one day lead to a career writing about the best courses on the planet.

In 2004, Brian turned his golf passion into a business, launching GolfWisconsin.com. Three years later, he expanded his vision, and GolfTrips.com was born—a one-stop shop for golf travel junkies looking for their next tee time. Today, his empire spans all 50 states, and 20+ international destinations.

On the course, Brian is a weekend warrior who oscillates between a 5 and 9 handicap, depending on how much he's been traveling (or how generous he’s feeling with his scorecard). His signature move" A high, soft fade that his playing partners affectionately (or not-so-affectionately) call "The Weis Slice." But when he catches one clean, his 300+ yard drives remind everyone that while he may write about golf for a living, he can still send a ball into the next zip code with the best of them.

Whether he’s hunting down the best public courses, digging up hidden gems, or simply outdriving his buddies, Brian Weis is living proof that golf is more than a game—it’s a way of life.