Illinois Route 66

Chicago Attractions Chicagoland Attractions Joliet Region Attractions Pontiac Region Attractions Bloomington Region Attractions Lincoln Region Attractions Springfield Region Attractions Carlinville Region Attractions Litchfield Region Attractions East St. Louis Region Attractions

Historic & Modern Attractions

Oversized pink elephants. Muffler men. Giant neon-bedecked coffee pots. Dutch mills with rotating propellers. More Burma Shave signs than you can shake a razor at… Illinois Route 66 is home to more wonderful examples of commercial art than exists anywhere else on the Mother Road in the same distance. And, that’s not to mention a bevy of interesting museums and events, where you can while away the hours and imagine life Where the Mother Road Begins, when it began. And just think - all these well-preserved treasures exists thanks to all the all the highly polished chrome-bristling traffic Route 66 enjoyed in the good old days. Come be a part of today’s Illinois Route 66 and see for yourself.

Chicago Attractions

Castle Car Wash
This unique building started as a classic style filling station in 1925.

Chicagoland Attractions

Rainbow Route 66 Welcome Sign and Street Banners
Berwyn celebrates its Route 66 heritage with banners and a unique glass block welcome sign.

The Wishing Well Motel
Commemorated with an exhibit at the Route 66 Hall of Fame and Museum.

Joliet Region Attractions

Route 66 and Lincoln Highway Shared Route
Banners commemorate the shared route.

“Joliet Kicks on 66″ Tours
Driving and walking tours of Joliet sites.

“Route 66 Experience:” Joliet Area Historical Museum
A "must stop" for Route 66 tourists featuring Joliet history and Route 66 themes.

Route 66 Park, Joliet
Historic Joliet park with Route 66 connections.

First Dairy Queen
The first Dairy Queen in the country was located here.

Joliet Jackhammer Giant statue
This giant muffler man sports the Joliet Jackhammers baseball team colors and holds a jack hammer.

Launching Pad Drive-In and Gemini Giant statue
Founded in 1960, this friendly establishment has a full service menu and is home to a giant "muffler man" statue.

G&D Tire Company and Sinclair Dinosaur
A Sinclair Dinosaur statue sits atop the G&D Tire Company, housed in an old filling station.

Pontiac Region Attractions

Braidwood Historic Service Station
Formerly Lucenta Tire, this 1939 Art Deco service station veneered in white ceramic tile is now an automotive repair shop.

Burma Shave Signs
A series of classic Burma Shave advertising signs with catchy phrases.

Riviera Restaurant
Dating back to 1928, this Route 66 icon features many prohibition-era stories. Not currently in operation.

Historic Streetcar Diner
This monument to Route 66 diners was restored by the Illinois Route 66 Association and inducted into the Route 66 Hall of Fame in 2001.

Ambler-Becker Texaco Gas Station
This historic 1933 filling station is identified as the longest operating gas station along Route 66.

Standard-Sinclair/Odell Gas Station
On the National Register of Historic Places, this gas station was built in 1932 and served travelers until 1975.

Meramec Caverns Barn Advertisement (Cayuga)
A restored example of early highway advertising.

Route 66 Hall of Fame and Museum
The story of the people and places, and significant artifacts from Illinois Route 66.

Bloomington Region Attractions

Memory Lane
A one-mile stretch of original Route 66 that has been restored back to the 1940s era with vintage billboard and Burma Shave signs.

Lexington Neon Arrow Sign
Originally erected in the late 1940s on Route 66, the sign has recently been restored.

Lexington Route 66 Park
A small wayside park along Route 66 that provides information about historic Lexington.

“A Geographical Journey” Parkway
A 1.6 mile stretch of Route 66 with educational kiosks that interpret each state along the road.

Sprague Super Service Station
The largest gas station/restaurant on Historic Route 66.

First Steak’n Shake
Original restaurant location.

Funks Grove I-55 Rest Area
This modern rest area along I-55 features interior historical exhibits about Abraham Lincoln and Route 66.

Lincoln Region Attractions

Route 66 Park & Tourism Center, Atlanta
114 SW Arch St. Atlanta, IL 61723 This modern roadside park was built by Atlanta for Route 66 travelers to relax. An information booth is staffed seasonally to provide information about sites in Atlanta (once was a Ticket Office for the Atlanta Fair). It also includes the cornerstone of Atlanta High School (1909) and a memorial [...]

“Atlanta: Midway on Illinois’ Mother Road” Mural
The mural celebrates Atlanta's location approximately 150 miles from both Chicago and St. Louis.

Bunyon’s Statue Giant
A Route 66 landmark, this muffler man statue stands in downtown Atlanta, IL to welcome visitors.

Route 66 Chapel
This small log cabin chapel next to Route 66 is open for travelers.

The Mill Restaurant
Opened in 1929, the Dutch themed building with blue trim featured a revolving windmill and waitresses dressed in blue with white aprons who served the famous fried schnitzel.

Tropics Restaurant
The original neon sign with palm tree still stands from the restaurant named for the owner's time in Hawaii.

Railsplitter Covered Wagon
Recognized by the Guinness Book of World Records as the "World's Largest Covered Wagon."

Pig Hip Restaurant
An icon of Route 66, owned by Ernie Edwards, creator of the Pig Hip sandwich.

Pioneer’s Rest Motel
Was an expansion of the successful Pig Hip restaurant business.

Elkhart Gas Station
Formerly a 1940s era landmark of Route 66.

Springfield Region Attractions

Die Cast Auto Sales
A 1930s service station with vintage gas pumps and signs.

Pioneer Motel
The classic style and motel sign tower still greet guests.

Illinois State Police Heritage Foundation and Museum
Honors the men and women who have served on Illinois' highways since their establishment in 1922, including Route 66, or "Bloody 66" as it was called.

Lazy A Motel (Prairie Village Apartments)
A 1949 motel built with a Southwest Vernacular style—unusual for this part of the country.

Illinois State Fairgrounds/The Railsplitter Giant
"The Railsplitter" Abraham Lincoln giant statue was created in commemoration of the State of Illinois' 150th Anniversary of its statehood.

Shea’s Gas Station Museum
An internationally renowned, must-see Route 66 landmark filled with gas station and oil company collectibles.

Capitol City Motel
A classic motel that was active during the heyday of Route 66.

Ace Sign Company
Tours by appointment to view the collection of classic neon signs.

Lauterbach Giant
A patriotic fiberglass "muffler man" giant at the Lauterbach Tire and Auto Service center.

Carlinville Region Attractions

Zion Church Neon Cross
This church features a neon cross that is lit up at night.

Coliseum Ball Room
The dance hall has featured musicians from Tommy Dorsey, Fats Domino, Duke Ellington to the Everly Brothers. The building now serves as an antique mall.

Litchfield Region Attractions

Our Lady of the Highways Memorial
This shrine harks to an era when "Bloody 66" was a dangerous drive.

Belevidere Cafe and Motel
817 Old Route 66 (Sherman St.), Litchfield IL. The Belevidere Cafe and Motel was built by Lester and Edith Kranich in the mid-1930s. The motel was a plain clapboard building with a series of attached units, unusual in an era of roadside cabins. It was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in March, 2007. [...]

Soulsby’s Service Station
One of the oldest filling stations still standing on Route 66. Now maintained as a historical and educational attraction.

Henry’s Ra66it Ranch
This amusing and quirky attraction celebrates Route 66 and the people along the highway and offers all things about rabbits: Volkswagons or the furry kind.

Pink Elephant Antique Mall
Featuring quirky and amusing statues and sculpture from the early days of Route 66.

East St. Louis Region Attractions

Church of the Neon Cross
The large cross has historically signified safe travels for those driving Route 66.

Meramec Caverns Barn Advertisement (Hamel)
A restored example of early highway advertising.

Brooks Catsup Bottle Water Tower
The world's largest catsup bottle and a landmark roadside attraction. Restored to its original appearance and named to the National Register of Historic Places.

McKinley Bridge Roadside Park
Located on the east side of McKinley Bridge, this small roadside park includes an interpretive kiosk which describes the region's cities, transportation, geography, and industry.

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