It was a bit later than usual, but my friends and I finally made our yearly trip to Galena, Illinois. About three hours west of Chicago, the quaint Galena is a great place for hiking, antique shopping and even ghost-hunting. While the women went antique treasure hunting, the men found real treasures at Root Beer Revelry, Mean Bean Roasters and the Galena Kandy Kitchen.

Billed as “coffee with attitude,” Mean Bean Roasters offers an incredible 216,000 custom flavor combinations. Although not a coffee drinker like my friends, I really enjoyed the aromas. From apricot to vanilla nut, Mean Bean has every flavor imaginable, including cheesecake.

As its name indicates, Root Beer Revelry is a celebration of root beer. They offer a wide variety of root beer in bottles, shipped from all over the country, and on tap. To really sweeten the deal, I suggest a root beer float, made with a gourmet flavor like black cherry.

Opened in 1974, the Galena Kandy Kitchen lives up to its billing as “the sweetest shop in downtown, historic Galena.” Owner George Paxton learned his candy-making skills from his father, Bill, the inventor of Chuckles. Famous for making hand-dipped chocolate in small batches, the Galena Kandy Kitchen keeps papa Bill’s old-fashioned formulas alive.

When the ladies finished shopping, we regrouped and went walking around Galena, soaking in the history and beauty. We avoided the usual trails, instead making our own route all over the area. After a few hours of meandering, we headed home.

We didn’t see any ghosts, but we weren’t exactly seeking out the spirits. I’m more into poltergeist pursuits than the others, but I hope to persuade them for a return trip to seek out the supernatural!

— John Wroblewski, online writer