getaways

Couples can break the old routine with a bed and breakfast getaway. And you don’t have to travel far to slip into a cozy new environment that matches your taste.

“It’s a step back in time,” says Nina Heymann, co-owner of The Oscar Swan, a 21-year-old bed and breakfast set in a 1902 mansion on eight acres in Geneva. While it draws fans of the vintage architecture and antique-filled décor, modern amenities are plentiful, such as private baths in the guest rooms, each with satellite TV and WiFi.

Fans of B&B stays, Jacqueline and Rich Quantz of Sheridan say they enjoyed exploring an Italianate Victorian home in Dixon, complete with library.