Route 66 in Illinois – All the highlights!

Well, I’ve finally got to the final state from our epic Route 66 adventure across the United States! We drove the entire route from Los Angeles in California through to Chicago in Illinois, sticking to the original alignment as closely as we could for the whole journey, using this incredible book to help us stay on track.

I’ve created a post for each of the states in the series, and you can see our Route 66 highlights for each of the following states by clicking on their name: California, Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, Missouri & Illinois (this one!).

I also have many of these photos available for purchase in my online Route 66 photo gallery here if you’re interested in having a memory of your Route 66 trip to hang on your wall.

Illinois is where Route 66 begins (or ends, depending on your direction and your philosophy). It’s 301 miles of the Mother Road, from downtown Chicago through the suburbs and out into the flat farmland of central Illinois, past Springfield (Lincoln country) and down to the Chain of Rocks Bridge over the Mississippi, where Missouri takes over.

We drove it south to north, finishing in Chicago, and the whole thing took us a couple of days. You could rush it in a long day, but you’d miss too much. This stretch has some of the best-preserved gas stations on the entire route, classic diners that have been serving travellers since the 1940s, and enough giant statues to keep anyone with a camera very happy indeed.

Here’s what we found along the way, which we’ve ordered in the more traditional direction starting from Chicago heading south and west towards St. Louis.

Route 66 Highlights: Illinois

Route 66 in Illinois covers 301 miles from downtown Chicago to the Chain of Rocks Bridge over the Mississippi River. It was the first section of Route 66 to be fully paved, and today it’s one of the best-preserved stretches on the entire route. Here’s a quick overview of the main stops heading south from Chicago.

The route starts on East Adams Street in Chicago and heads southwest through the suburbs, passing Dell Rhea’s Chicken Basket in Willowbrook (about 20 miles out) before reaching Joliet at around 40 miles. Joliet has the Old Joliet Prison, the Rialto Square Theatre, and a Route 66 Welcome Center. From Joliet, it’s about 15 miles to the Polk-a-Dot Drive In in Braidwood, then another 10 miles to the Gemini Giant in Wilmington.

The stretch from Wilmington to Pontiac (about 50 miles) takes you through some of the finest historic gas stations on the whole route: Ambler’s Texaco in Dwight and the Standard Oil station in Odell, about 10 miles apart. Pontiac itself has the best Route 66 museum in the state, over 20 outdoor murals, and Bob Waldmire’s School Bus Road Yacht round the back.

South of Pontiac, the route passes through flat farmland to Funks Grove (about 40 miles), where the Funk family has been making maple sirup since the 1820s, then through Atlanta (another Muffler Man) and Lincoln (giant Abe on a giant wagon) before reaching Springfield at roughly the 200-mile mark. Springfield deserves half a day: Lincoln’s home and tomb, the Old State Capitol, the Cozy Dog Drive In, and a working drive-in theatre.

The final 100 miles from Springfield to the Mississippi cross takes you through Litchfield (home of the Ariston Cafe, one of the oldest restaurants on Route 66), Staunton, the Pink Elephant Antique Mall in Livingston, and past the World’s Largest Catsup Bottle in Collinsville before you reach the Chain of Rocks Bridge and cross into Missouri.

Here are our highlights from the drive, roughly in order from Chicago heading south.

 

The Route 66 End (or Start) Marker, Chicago

The famous “End” (or “Begin”, depending on your direction) sign for Route 66 is on East Adams Street at South Michigan Avenue. It’s, if I’m being honest, a slightly anticlimactic little sign half way up a lamp post. But you’ve got to pose for a photo anyway. We did.

 

Cicero and the Urban Route

One of the things that surprised us about driving Route 66 in Illinois was how urban the first stretch is. From the starting sign on Adams Street in downtown Chicago, the route heads southwest through the city streets and suburbs. It doesn’t feel like a cross-country highway for the first hour or so.

Cicero, a suburb just west of Chicago, still has original Route 66 signage and a bit of the old road’s character. It’s a nice early reminder that the Mother Road wasn’t always desert and diners.

 

Dell Rhea’s Chicken Basket, Willowbrook

Dell Rhea’s Chicken Basket has been serving fried chicken to Route 66 travellers since 1946, and it’s been on the National Register of Historic Places since 2006. The neon sign alone is worth pulling over for, and the fried chicken is the real deal. It’s one of those Route 66 dining experiences where you can feel the decades of history soaked into the walls.

 

Rialto Square Theatre, Joliet

Joliet is the first proper Route 66 town once you’re clear of the Chicago suburbs, and it has quite a lot going for it. The Rialto Square Theatre, built in 1926 (the same year Route 66 was commissioned, as it happens), is a gorgeous venue. Joliet is also home to the Old Joliet Prison, which operated from 1858 to 2002 and is now open for tours. You might recognise it from the Blues Brothers (Jake gets picked up here) or Prison Break. We cared about the Blues Brothers connection. We cared a lot.

 

Rich and Creamy, Joliet

Just down the road in Joliet, we found Rich and Creamy, and the ice cream was very much worth the stop. Route 66 and ice cream go together rather well, I’ve found.

 

Route 66 Gas Pump, Joliet

I never get tired of finding these old gas pumps along the route. This one’s in Joliet, and while it hasn’t dispensed petrol in a long time, it’s been well looked after.

 

Polk-a-Dot Drive In, Braidwood

The Polk-a-Dot Drive In in Braidwood has been going since 1956, and the whole setup is wonderfully over the top. Life-sized statues of Elvis, Marilyn Monroe, Betty Boop, James Dean, and the Blues Brothers are scattered around the exterior. The food is classic American drive-in fare (burgers, hot dogs, ice cream), and you can eat at a booth with its own miniature jukebox. Good fun.

 

The Gemini Giant, Wilmington

Illinois has a fine collection of “Muffler Men”, those 20-foot fibreglass giants that were built as advertising figures in the 1960s and have since become some of Route 66’s most photographed landmarks.

The Gemini Giant in Wilmington is one of the most famous, holding a rocket and sporting a space helmet. Thousands of these statues once lined American highways. The survivors on Route 66 are now properly beloved.

 

Nelly’s, Wilmington

Just down the road from the Gemini Giant, Wilmington has a few other reasons to stop, including Nelly’s. Route 66 towns are good at giving you reasons to linger a bit longer than you planned.

 

Route 66 Signage

As with many other sections of Route 66, the Illinois stretch followed different alignments across the decades. We always did our best to follow the original alignment, but that wasn’t always possible, as often it no longer exists. When you do find the signs though, it’s a good feeling.

 

Ambler’s Texaco Station and Route 66 Motorbike, Dwight

Illinois has some of the best-preserved historic gas stations on the entire length of Route 66. Ambler’s Texaco in Dwight (also known as the Ambler-Becker Texaco Station) is a beauty. Built in the 1930s in a domestic cottage style, it was restored and is now a visitor centre and photo stop.

When we visited, this motorbike was parked outside, and I couldn’t resist taking a photo. The whole scene looked like it had been staged for a film set, but it was just a regular afternoon on Route 66.

 

Standard Oil Gas Station, Odell

A few miles further south, Odell has another gorgeous old station. The Standard Oil station here has been restored to its 1930s appearance, and when we visited, we could poke around inside and see the original fittings. Between Dwight and Odell, you’ve got two of the finest historic gas stations on the whole of Route 66 within about 10 miles of each other.

 

Route 66 Hall of Fame and Museum, Pontiac

If you only visit one Route 66 museum in Illinois, make it this one. The Route 66 Hall of Fame and Museum in Pontiac is housed in the old firehouse, and it’s packed with memorabilia. Free admission (donations encouraged), and you could easily spend an hour or two here if you’re the type who reads every display. Which I am, unfortunately for Jess.

Round the back of the museum is this converted school bus, which belonged to the late Bob Waldmire, who was something of a Route 66 legend (he’s the artist behind many of the hand-drawn Route 66 maps you’ll see in shops along the route). His VW bus, also on display, was the inspiration for the character Fillmore in Pixar’s Cars. The school bus definitely gave me some ideas for transport options.

 

Route 66 Murals, Pontiac

Pontiac has over 20 outdoor murals scattered around its downtown, including the largest painted Route 66 shield in the world on the back wall of the museum. It’s worth taking a wander even if you’re not a museum person. The murals are a good way to figure out where you’ve been and where you’re going.

 

Towanda and the Geographic Journey

Between Pontiac and Bloomington, the route passes through some very flat, very agricultural Illinois countryside. Near Towanda, there’s a lovely stretch of old Route 66 pavement with these Geographic Journey markers that give you a sense of where you are on the broader route. It’s a peaceful bit of driving.

 

Funks Grove

About 12 miles south of Bloomington, Funks Grove has been producing pure maple sirup (they spell it “sirup”, and they’re quite particular about it) since the 1820s. The Funk family has been tapping the same grove of maple trees for seven generations. They produce about 2,000 gallons a year, and it usually sells out by August or September, so time your visit accordingly. It’s also roughly the midpoint of Route 66 in Illinois, which feels appropriate for a place that’s been here longer than the road itself.

 

Muffler Man, Atlanta

Atlanta, Illinois (not the one in Georgia) has another of those wonderful Muffler Men, this one brandishing an enormous hot dog. These statues crop up across the whole of Route 66, and spotting them became a bit of a game for us.

 

Route 66 in Atlanta

It’s always nice when Route 66 is this easy to follow. Atlanta has a pretty main street and the kind of small-town American charm that the road does so well.

 

Giant Abraham Lincoln and Wagon, Lincoln

The Muffler Men aren’t the only giants on Route 66 in Illinois. In Lincoln (the only town named for Abraham Lincoln before he became president, apparently), there’s a giant Abe perched on a giant covered wagon, reading a law book. As you do.

Lincoln also has a rather photogenic water tower, which I liked because I have a weakness for water towers. (Everyone needs a hobby.)

 

Route 66 Station, Williamsville

Between Lincoln and Springfield, the small town of Williamsville has this lovely old station. There are so many of these scattered along Route 66 in Illinois that you could build an entire road trip just around the gas stations. I wouldn’t judge you.

 

Springfield: Lincoln Country

Springfield is the capital of Illinois and was Abraham Lincoln’s hometown for about 17 years before he headed off to run the country. There’s a lot of Lincoln heritage here, and it’s also one of the best stops on Route 66 for food and classic Americana.

Old State Capitol, Springfield

The Old State Capitol in Springfield is where Lincoln served as a state legislator and where he delivered his famous “House Divided” speech in 1858. It’s been restored to its 1840s appearance and is free to visit. Springfield does Lincoln very well.

 

Lincoln Home National Historic Site, Springfield

We visited the Lincoln Home National Historic Site, where Lincoln lived for 17 years before becoming president. It’s the only home he ever owned, and it’s been preserved as a National Park Service site. The surrounding four blocks of the neighbourhood have also been maintained, which gives you a good sense of what life was like in 1860s Springfield.

 

Abraham Lincoln’s Tomb, Springfield

Springfield is also home to Lincoln’s tomb, in Oak Ridge Cemetery. The bronze bust at the entrance has a very shiny nose from all the visitors rubbing it for luck. I rubbed it too. Can’t hurt.

 

Cozy Dog Drive In, Springfield

Like many of the other states on Route 66, Illinois has some classic dining options that you simply have to try. The Cozy Dog Drive In in Springfield claims to be the birthplace of the corn dog (or “Cozy Dog” as they call it here), and it’s been going since 1949. You can even pose with the Cozy Dog mascots, as Jess did. She was quite pleased about that.

 

Route 66 Drive-In, Springfield

Illinois still has working drive-in theatres, and catching a film at one is a proper Route 66 experience. This one is just outside Springfield. If the timing works, I’d recommend it. There’s something about watching a film from your car that makes you feel like you’ve properly committed to the road trip lifestyle.

 

A Covered Bridge Detour

This one is a small detour off Route 66, near Springfield. Jess has a thing for covered bridges (she wrote a whole guide to the covered bridges of Madison County in Iowa), so naturally we had to go and find this one. If you’re a fellow covered bridge enthusiast, it’s worth the side trip.

 

Ariston Cafe, Litchfield

The Ariston Cafe in Litchfield has been serving food since 1924, which makes it one of the oldest continuously operating restaurants on Route 66. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2006 (alongside Lou Mitchell’s and Dell Rhea’s Chicken Basket, so it’s in good company). The menu covers American, Southern, Italian, and Greek food, and the building itself has barely changed. If you’re looking for one proper sit-down meal on the Illinois stretch, this is a strong contender.

 

Henry’s Rabbit Ranch, Staunton (Permanently Closed)

I’m sad to say that Henry’s Rabbit Ranch in Staunton has permanently closed. Rich Henry, who founded the place back in 1993 after noticing a lack of Route 66 visitor centres, died in August 2024 at the age of 77. His family tried to keep it going for a while, but the ranch closed for good in mid-2025.

When we visited, Rich was there with his rabbits and his collection of Route 66 memorabilia, including a row of VW Rabbits buried nose-first in the ground (a nod to Cadillac Ranch in Texas). He was one of those people who made Route 66 special just by being himself. The grounds and the buried VW Rabbits may still be visible from the road if you drive past, and it’s still worth a moment to remember what was here.

Route 66 loses places like this from time to time, and each one takes a bit of the road’s character with it.

 

Old Gas Station, Mt Olive

Mt Olive has another one of those wonderful old gas stations. I told you Illinois had a lot of them. This is also near Soulsby’s Shell Station, which is another beautifully preserved example if you’re collecting the set. (Which by this point, we basically were.)

 

Old Motel Sign

I have a particular fondness for old neon motel signs. They’re becoming rarer as the years go by, and photographing them feels a bit like documenting a disappearing art form. This one caught my eye somewhere in southern Illinois and I had to pull over.

 

Pink Elephant Antique Mall, Livingston

Illinois has its fair share of gloriously weird roadside attractions, and the Pink Elephant Antique Mall in Livingston delivers on that front with both a UFO and a giant pink elephant. It’s the kind of place where you stop for a quick photo and end up spending half an hour poking through old records and vintage Route 66 memorabilia.

 

Chain of Rocks Bridge

The Chain of Rocks Bridge is how Route 66 originally crossed the Mississippi River between Illinois and Missouri. It’s a mile long and has a famous 30-degree bend in the middle (built that way to avoid a water intake structure). The bridge closed to traffic in 1968 and reopened in 1999 as a pedestrian and cycling path.

It’s a fantastic way to end (or begin) your time on Route 66 in Illinois. You can walk or cycle across, and the views up and down the Mississippi are brilliant. Before you cross, it’s worth a quick detour to nearby Collinsville to see the World’s Largest Catsup Bottle, a 170-foot water tower shaped like a Brooks ketchup bottle. It’s exactly the kind of gloriously pointless roadside attraction that Route 66 does best. I’ve also written about the bridge in my Route 66 Missouri highlights, since it connects the two states.

 

A Meal at Lou Mitchell’s, Chicago

We finished our Route 66 adventure at Lou Mitchell’s in Chicago. Founded in 1923, this was traditionally the first (or last) breakfast stop on Route 66, and it seemed like the perfect place to end. The food was good, the coffee was strong, and there was a satisfying sense of having actually done the thing.

For us, that was 2,448 miles of the Mother Road, from Los Angeles to Chicago, complete. If you’re just starting, this photo would be at the beginning.

 

Route 66’s 100th Anniversary in 2026

Route 66 was officially commissioned on November 11, 1926, which makes 2026 its centennial year. Illinois, as the state where Route 66 begins, is going big on the celebrations.

Events are running throughout 2026 across the state. The centennial national kick-off happened in Joliet at the end of April 2026, and there are festivals, car shows, and special events planned in Springfield, Pontiac, Edwardsville, and other Route 66 towns through the rest of the year. The big one is the International Route 66 Mother Road Festival in Springfield in late September 2026, and the official centennial celebration lands on November 11, 2026, in Springfield.

If you’ve been thinking about driving Route 66, there’s probably no better year to do it. The communities along the route are putting real effort into the celebrations, and the atmosphere on the road is going to be something special. You can check the official centennial website for the full list of events.

 

Planning Your Route 66 Illinois Drive

Route 66 in Illinois covers 301 miles from Chicago to the Chain of Rocks Bridge at the Missouri border. Most of that is through flat-to-gently-rolling farmland, with the bigger towns (Joliet, Bloomington, Springfield) spaced out fairly evenly.

If you’re driving the whole Illinois stretch, I’d allow at least two days. You could technically drive it in a long day, but you’d miss too much. Springfield alone deserves half a day between the Lincoln sites and the Route 66 stops.

If you’re looking for a rental car for your Route 66 trip, we recommend checking Discover Cars, which compares prices across multiple rental companies to find you the best deal.

And if you’re driving the full route (which I’d very much recommend), pick up a copy of the EZ66 Guide. We followed it the entire way from LA to Chicago, and it was indispensable for staying on the original alignment. The 6th edition is the current one.

For more Route 66 planning, here’s what we’ve put together:

• Photo highlights from every state: California, Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, Missouri & Illinois (this one!)
• Jess’s comprehensive guide to planning a Route 66 trip
• Our detailed 2 week Route 66 itinerary, which covers all the sights, route tips, lodging options and places to eat
• A 1 week Route 66 itinerary for those with less time
• Jess’s guide to where to stay along Route 66
• My tips for driving in the US if you’re visiting from overseas
• Our guide to travel costs in the USA

Enjoy your Route 66 trip!

 

Frequently Asked Questions about Route 66 in Illinois

How long is Route 66 in Illinois?

Route 66 in Illinois covers about 301 miles, from its starting point on East Adams Street in downtown Chicago to the Chain of Rocks Bridge over the Mississippi River near St. Louis.

It was the first state on the route to be fully paved, and today much of the original alignment is still driveable, though you’ll need to hop on and off modern highways in places.

How many days do you need to drive Route 66 in Illinois?

I’d recommend at least two days. You could drive the 301 miles in a single long day, but you’d miss most of the interesting stops. Springfield alone deserves a few hours for the Lincoln sites and the classic Route 66 restaurants.

If you have three days, even better. That gives you time to properly explore towns like Pontiac, Springfield, and the stretch of historic gas stations between Dwight and Odell.

What is the Route 66 Centennial?

Route 66 was officially commissioned on November 11, 1926, making 2026 its 100th anniversary. Illinois is hosting celebrations throughout 2026, including the national centennial kick-off in Joliet, the International Route 66 Mother Road Festival in Springfield (September 2026), and a centennial conference and celebration on November 11, 2026.

Is Henry’s Rabbit Ranch still open?

No. Henry’s Rabbit Ranch in Staunton closed permanently in mid-2025, following the death of founder Rich Henry in August 2024. His family and friends tried to keep it going but weren’t able to sustain it. The grounds and buried VW Rabbits may still be visible from the road.

What are the best stops on Route 66 in Illinois?

The stops I’d prioritise are the Route 66 Hall of Fame and Museum in Pontiac, the historic gas stations in Dwight and Odell, the Cozy Dog Drive In and Lincoln sites in Springfield, Dell Rhea’s Chicken Basket in Willowbrook, and the Chain of Rocks Bridge. If you have time, the Polk-a-Dot Drive In in Braidwood and the Gemini Giant in Wilmington are also great photo stops.