Route 66 Illinois
Illinois
Our visits: So far 1 visit in May 2017
Joliet
Description: Joliet, the fifth largest city in Illinois offered the first highlights along Route 66 for us after we left Chicago. Since Route 66 no longer exists as a continuous route, it was not always easy to find everything right away, but the search was worth it.
Right when you reach the place you will find the ice cream parlor Rich & Creamy (For the GPS: 920 N Broadway St, Joliet, IL 60435) on the left and just across the street Dick´s on 66 (For the GPS: 911 N Broadway St, Joliet, IL 60435). Both nicely restored stores from the days when Route 66 was a busy street.
In addition, you will find a great Route 66 Museum in Joliet, which also serves as a Visitor Center (For the GPS: 204 N Ottawa St, Joliet, IL 60432). If you want to see everything in detail, you can certainly plan an hour for this. If you are interested in old houses, you will surely like the Jacob Henry Mansion. (For the GPS: 20 S Eastern Ave, Joliet, IL 60433). This can also be visited. Everything worth knowing about it can be found on the official webpage.
For us, however, the old Joliet prison (For the GPS: 1125 Collins St, Joliet, IL 60432) is the No.1 highlight, as it is used for the opening sequence of Gerd's favorite movie Blues Brother . In the meantime, even tours through the old prison are offered. Everything worth knowing about it can be found on the official webpage.
Our rating: We really enjoyed the highlights of Joliet on the old Route 66. You can easily plan half a day for the city.
Wilmington
Description: In Wilmington we meet our first Muffler Man. These can be found again and again, mostly in front of stores or restaurants. In the past they were used for advertising purposes, today they are mostly just road side attractions. The astronaut is standing in front of the Launching Pad Restaurant in Wilmington. The diner is unfortunately no longer in operation (May 2017), but has probably been sold and should soon shine again in its old glory. Until then, only a photo through the window is left. For the GPS: 810 E Baltimore St, Wilmington, IL 60481.
The Launching Pad Drive In has been open again since spring 2019..... and closed again in 2024. The Gemini Giant has also been removed and is set to find a new home elsewhere.
Our rating: As you can see, there is probably nothing for eternity.
Polk-A-Dot Drive inn, Braidwood
Description: The Polk-A-Dot Dirive Inn in Braidwood is a typical historic diner from the golden days of Route 66. There are all sorts of knickknacks to admire. There are also some fiberglass figures of famous people around the restaurant, such as Elvis and Marilyn Monroe.
For the GPS: 222 N Front St, Braidwood, IL 60408
Our rating: A very nice historic diner that is definitely worth a stop. We took a lunch break here to enjoy the delicious food. You can discover a lot and there are also a few pretty photo motifs.
Gardner und Dwight
Description: The next stop is in Gardner at the Two Cell Jail and the Street Car Diner next to it. The sign in front of the Diner is still from the old Riviera Restaurant that was here, but burned down completely in 2010. The Street Car Diner is an original Route 66 diner that was restored and then moved here.
For the GPS: 400 E Mazon St, Gardner, IL 60424
The drive continues towards Dwight where you will find two quite nicely restored historic gas stations.
For the GPS: Historic U.S. 66, Dwight, IL 60420 (Amber´s Texaco), 209 S Old Rte 66, Dwight, IL 60420 (Route 66 Tire and Auto).
Our rating: There is not much to see in Gardner. The place is tiny and after 20 minutes we got our photos and moved on.
Exactly the same in Dwight, because unfortunately the gas stations were closed during our visit. So there remained only a short photo from the outside.
Lexington and Towanda
Description: Near Lexington, Memory Lane is a short stretch of the original Route 66, but unfortunately the road is not always open. We were lucky and could drive the short piece with our car.
At our next stop in Towanda, there is also an original piece of the old Route 66. Here, however, it is no longer possible to drive on it, in order to preserve as much of the original road as possible. The road here is painted with a USA map on which the entire route of Route 66 is painted.
Our rating: Two very nice stops along the road. Somehow we liked the fact that there are still really original pieces of this legendary road left. For us, these were among the highlights of our trip along Route 66.
Springfield
Description: Our next stop on Route 66 was the Cozy Dog Drive In. (For the GPS: 2935 S 6th St, Springfield, IL 62703). An original diner, home of the corn dog. These are hot dogs in a deep-fried coating of cornmeal dough.
The Sugar Creek Covered Bridge is not directly on the original Route 66, but it is a nice road side attraction. (For the GPS: 769 Covered Bridge Rd #587, Glenarm, IL 62536).
In Auburn there is another special feature to discover. Here is where a short stretch of Route 66 is paved with bricks dating back to 1932. (For the GPS: 4995-4790 Snell Rd, Auburn, IL 62615)
Our rating: If you drive along the original Route 66, you will inevitably pass all the attractions. Depending on your interests, you can decide where it's worth stopping or not. We can recommend the three small attractions south of Springfield. All do not cost much time and are worth a small stop.
Oh yes and the corn dogs were delicious.
Old Chain of Rocks Bridge
Description: Over the Mississippi River and through St. Louis, several courses of Route 66 existed over time, one of which was over the Old Chain of Rocks Bridge. The bridge with a bend. (For the GPS: 10820 Riverview Dr, St. Louis, MO 63137). Finding the bridge is not so easy, because by now the location is very remote.
However, there is a relatively large parking lot and once you have found it, you can make the 1mi walk (oneway) across the bridge. The bridge is only open for pedestrians and cyclists. Directly on the bridge is the border between Illinois and Missouri.
Our rating: For all Route 66 pilgrims, the bridge is a must see. We especially liked the Mississippi River, which you have under your feet almost the whole time you cross it. We can recommend a trip here to the Old Chain of Rocks Bridge.
