Illinois Route 66

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

Pontiac Region Attractions

Metro East Region Attractions

Litchfield Region Attractions

Carlinville Region Attractions

Lincoln Region Attractions

Bloomington Region Attractions

Springfield Region Attractions

Joliet Region Attractions

Chicagoland Attractions

Chicago Attractions

Weezy’s Route 66 Bar & Grill
This roadhouse at the intersection of old 66 and Ill. 140 has been serving travelers since the late 1930s.

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

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.

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.

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

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

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.

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

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. [...]

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

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.

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

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

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

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

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.

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

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.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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.

Riviera Restaurant
Dating back to 1928, this Route 66 icon features many prohibition-era stories. Destroyed by fire in June 2010.

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

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

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

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

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.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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.

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

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

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

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 [...]

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

First Steak’n Shake
Original restaurant location.

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

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

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

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

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.

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

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

Ernie Edwards – Pig Hip Restaurantad spacead space
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