As a National Scenic Byway, Route 66 originates in Chicago at East Adams Street and South Michigan Avenue, across from the Art Institute of Chicago. Crossing the US, it ends in Los Angeles and was the first highway to be paved that spanned the U.S.
Why is Route 66 Famous?
While Oklahoma has the longest section of drivable Route 66, Illinois has 301 miles of the road. During its storied history, Route 66 was realigned to make the route more direct between destinations, such as in Springfield, Illinois.
In 2026, Route 66 celebrates its centennial, and travelers have shown a renewed interest in traveling the scenic byway. Travelers can see roadside attractions, stop in kitschy souvenir shops, and enjoy regional flavors along the route.
Route 66 in Illinois
During a summer road trip, I did just that, adding to my Route 66 state count. Previous summers, I had driven along Route 66 in Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico, Arizona and California.
For this trip, I joined Route 66 in Missouri and drove through Illinois. Keeping an eye out for Route 66 signs, I drove past landmarks like Cahokia Mounds and the Illinois State Capitol in Springfield.
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Cruisin’ with Lincoln on 66 Visitor Center in Bloomington
Red Raccoon Games Route 66 Mural in Bloomington
Parkview Inn in Bloomington
410 Sculpture Park in Bloomington
Funks Grove Maple Sirop
Roadside Giants Museum in Atlanta
Paul Bunyon Muffler Man in Atlanta
Lumi the Pie Lady in Atlanta
Lincoln Route 66 Museum
The Tropics Restaurant Neon Sign in Lincoln
Mel O Cream Donut Sign in Lincoln
The World’s Largest Covered Wagon in Lincoln
Illinois State Capitol in Springfield
Muffler Man in Springfield
Shea’s Gas Station Museum in Springfield
Mahan’s Filling Station
Ace Sign Co. Sign Museum in Springfield
Route 66 Experience at Illinois State Fairgrounds in Springfield
The Rail Splitter Giant in Springfield
Ariston Café on Route 66 in Litchfield
Soulsby Service Station in Mount Olive
It’s Electric Neon Sign Park in Granite City
Cahokia Mounds State Historic Site on Route 66
Chain of Rocks Bridge
Route 66 in Bloomington
South of Chicago, Bloomington offers two Route 66 alignments, primarily along Main Street. During my visit, I had lunch and explored its downtown area, which is undergoing streetscape projects and loft developments.
Cruisin’ with Lincoln on 66 Visitor Center
In its downtown, I visited the Cruisin’ with Lincoln on 66 Visitor Center, located in the McLean County Museum. There, I found Abraham Lincoln and Route 66 memorabilia.
Located at 200 N Main St, Bloomington, IL. Open Monday to Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. (8 p.m. on Tuesday).
Red Raccoon Games Route 66 Mural
Nearby, the Red Raccoon Games features an outdoor Route 66 mural. During my visit, I stopped for a barista-made coffee, and my teen son browsed the games.
Located at 301 N Main St, Bloomington, IL. Open Monday to Friday from noon to 10 p.m., Saturday from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Sunday from noon to 7 p.m.
Parkview Inn
During my visit, I dined at Parkview Inn, the area’s oldest continuously running restaurant. Established in 1928, Parkview Inn has undergone renovations over the years and overlooks Miller Park.
Its menu is known for roadside comfort food and Midwestern Classics. During my visit, I enjoyed a Pork Tenderloin sandwich. Its pies are standouts, so save room for dessert.
It is open for breakfast and is a popular place for hearty American breakfast favorites. Pizzas and burgers are popular for lunch, with its crispy walleye another favorite for dinner.
Located at 1003 S. Morris Ave. Open Monday to Saturday from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. and Sunday from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m.
410 Sculpture Park
Just a few blocks from downtown Bloomington, 410 Sculpture Park is the brainchild of artist Tom Kirk, a former demolition business owner who now creates sculptures using metal scrap and salvage. With help from his daughter, Addison Kirk, a welder by trade, visitors can find fantastical sculptures such as The Lady, The Guardian and The Bomb.
The 410 Sculpture Park is an ongoing, evolving art installation. If Tom Kirk is working, he will answer questions, and he showed us around the park during our visit.
Located at 410 S Madison St, Bloomington, IL. It is free to enter and best enjoyed from dawn to dusk.
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Route 66 in Funks Grove
South of Bloomington, Funks Grove is home to a native cluster of sugar maple trees, some of the most southernly trees in the US. Funks Grove Pure Maple Sirup is a family-owned business now in its sixth generation.
With 4,500 trees, Funks Grove produces its sirop in its sugar house, located on site. From March to August, it sells its products on-site.
During my visit in mid-August, I toured to facilty to learn more about its process that processes about 1,600 to 1,800 gallons a year, including a bourbon maple sirop, ages for six months in a DeKalb, Illinois whiskey barrel.
Located at 5257 Old Route 66, Shirley. Open seasonally from March until it sells out at the end of the summer, from Tuesday to Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday from 1 to 5 p.m.
Route 66 in Atlanta
Located halfway between Chicago and St. Louis, Atlanta has preserved its Route 66 heritage, especially its roadside giants. Made of fiberglass, these men reached heights of 30 feet and served as advertisements.
Dubbed Muffler Men, the fiberglass statues are also cowboys, spacemen and lumberjacks. Over the years, the adverts originally made in Southern California have been repainted, and repainted by avid collectors.
Roadside Giants Museum
In a retro-styled gas station in the center of town, the Roadside Giants is an outdoor art installation of free-standing giants, plus an indoor exhibit of giants’ heads. Two collectors, Lee Woods and Joel Baker, collaborated with the city to create an exhibit.
Paul Bunyon Muffler Man
A half of block away, the Paul Bunyan Muffler Man stands 19 feet tall and is dressed in a red shirt and holds a hot dog.
Located at 107 SW Arch St., Atlanta.
Lumi the Pie Lady
In honor of her Illinois State Fair Grand Champion prize, Lumi the Pie Lady is dedicated to Lumi Bekteshi. Her husband commissioned the giant in a yellow dress with cat-eye glasses and installed it in 2024.
Located in the Country-Aire Restaurant parking lot at 606 E. South St., Atlanta. Free to enjoy.
Route 66 in Lincoln
In 1853, Abraham christened the town of Lincoln with watermelon juice before he became president. Along with Lincoln sites, Lincoln is on Route 66, just north of Springfield.
The Lincoln Route 66 Museum
The new 12-foot-tall Lincoln Penny sculpture stands outside the Lincoln Route 66 Museum.
The Lincoln Route 66 Museum is located in a restored 1929 windmill-style restaurant. Both are located at 508 Broadway St. Open Tuesday to Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
The Tropics Restaurant Neon Sign
This newly renovated neon was for a coffee shop, cocktail bar and dining room with a tropical motif.
Located at 1109 Hickox Dr, Lincoln. Best after dark when the neon is on. Free
Mel O Cream Donut sign
This 12-foot donut-shaped sign is a Route 66 classic. Erected in 2025 ahead of the centennial, it is free to visit.
Located at 227 N Kickapoo St., Lincoln.
The World’s Largest Covered Wagon
The World’s Largest Covered Wagon, Railsplitter, has Lincoln at the reins.
Located at 120 N Kickapoo St.
Route 66 in Springfield
Springfield is known as the birthplace of Route 66, celebrating its centennial in 2026. In 1926, two business leaders met at a local hotel to discuss a cross-country route.
During its storied history, Route 66 was realigned to make the route more direct between destinations, as is visible in Springfield. In total, Illinois has 301 miles of the road.
In Springfield, I drove down several streets that are part of Route 66, usually signed. Sixth Street, Dirkensen Parkway, Peoria Road and Stevenson Drive are some of the streets with a Route 66 designation from 1926 until the road was decommissioned in 1986.
In Springfield, Route 66 shield signs are found all over town. I also found several official Route 66 Roadside Attraction plaques in Springfield. Each is worth a stop and a selfie.
Illinois State Capitol
The current Illinois State Capitol was built between 1868 and 1888, though it opened in 1876, replacing the undersized Old State Capitol, now a historic site. It is 361 feet tall with a zinc-covered dome and is taller than the U.S. Capitol in Washington, DC.
The building centers around its Rotunda with the dome above and includes four wings in a cross shape. Much of the interior includes marble, granite and stenciled details in one of the most decorative capitols I’ve toured.
The Illinois State Capitol is located on Route 66 and offers official tours that visit the Senate galleries, Governor’s reception area, Hall of Governors and Old Supreme Courtroom.
Located at 401 S. 2nd St., Springfield. Open Monday to Friday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Free to enter, and it offers free tours on the hour. Street parking available and enter from the west doors and head to the Rotunda.
Muffler Man, the Lauterbach Giant, is located at 1569 Wabash Ave.
Shea’s Gas Station Museum is located at 2075 N Peoria Rd., Springfield.
Mahan’s Filling Station is located at 1168 Sangamon Ave., Springfield.
As a statewide initiative, I saw several Route 66 murals during my time.
Outside of Springfield, a 1.4-mile stretch of restored brick road remains by Snell Road and Curran Road.
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Ace Sign Co. Sign Museum
Though not on Route 66, the Ace Sign Co. has crafted neon signs over 80 years, Over the years, they have removed classic signs when logos were replaced and quietly stored the classics, too good to be thrown away.
Ace Sign Co. recently hung 85 historic signs from Springfield and Route 66 in the former 1952 Sears warehouse, repurposed as its factory. Visitors will learn about the art of sign making and the history of neon and Ace’s role in preserving treasures from a bygone time.
Ace Sign Co. is a working sign business, and during my tour, I saw signs being manufactured. I delighted in seeing the Cozy Dog couple and Simon the Sputnik, a local icon from the Bel-Aire Motel. I found classic neon from beer brands to soda.
Ace Sign Co. also has a resident neon sign maker located off-site. It continues the art of crafting new neon and helping restore vintage neon signs.
Located at 2540 S. 1st St., Springfield. Museum Tours Monday to Friday at 10 a.m. or by appointment. Admission is $10 per person.
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Route 66 Experience at Illinois State Fairgrounds
During my visit to the Illinois State Fairgrounds, I walked through the Route 66 Experience. It is a self-guided trail that celebrates 92 communities along Route 66 in Illinois.
Beginning in Chicago and ending at the Chain of Rocks Bridge in Madison, I could learn about the smaller towns and communities that grew along the fabled route. The Route 66 Experience includes vintage neon signs, public art installations and mid-century billboards advertising attractions and motels.
The Rail Splitter Giant
Standing 30 feet tall, a young, beardless Abe Lincoln holds a giant axe, greeting visitors in front of the Illinois Expo Building near Gate 1. Known as the Rail Splitter, he cut a few split rails for fencing during his younger years.
The Giants are fiberglass statues created for advertising. Springfield boasts the Muffler Man, the Spartan at a local high school and Abe at the fairgrounds.
Located at Gate 2 at 801 E Sangamon Ave., Springfield. Open daily from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Free to enter.
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Where to Eat in Springfield
Mel-O-Cream
My visit to Springfield focused on iconic Americana food, so I had to stop at the original Mel-O-Cream Donuts. Founded in 1932, Mel-O-Cream is family-owned and still turns the lights on early to start the donuts.
We stopped by the Route 66 location on a Saturday morning. I recommend that location for its unique building design and its later hours. The Lincoln location features a donut sign.
Located at 3010 S. 6th St., Springfield, next to Cozy Dog Drive-In. Open Monday and Tuesday from 5:30 AM to noon and Wednesday to Sunday from 5:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Cozy Dog Drive-In
Cozy Dog Drive-In is famously credited with inventing the corn dog on a stick in 1946. During my visit, I had to stop with my corn-dog-loving son. He ordered two; I stuck with one.
The interior is lined with memorabilia and tables. Be sure to check out its cute merch area. Or you can use its drive-through window on the side.
Located at 2935 S. 6th St., Springfield. Open Monday to Saturday from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. (closed Sunday).
Route 66 Motorheads Bar, Grill and Museum
Outside, I wandered through classic cars, vintage motorcycles, and old roadside signs from the 20th century. It felt like a curated antique fair with all the best stuff. It was fun to point out vintage finds from my childhood to my teen son, including Ronald McDonald.
Don’t miss the world’s largest Route 66 shield sign in its parking lot. The Ace Sign Company in Springfield created it.
In the dining area, I saw vintage Route 66 memorabilia, such as gas station photographs and Route 66 artifacts that tell the story of Route 66. The walls are also lined with automotive and motorcycle parts.
The menu is Americana with friendly service, and I enjoyed a burger. During my weekend visit, it was hopping, with a mix of families, couples and those in for a drink at the bar.
Located at 600 Toronto Rd, Springfield, IL. Open Monday to Saturday from 8 a.m. to midnight, Sunday from 8:30 a.m. to 9 p.m.
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Ariston Café on Route 66 in Litchfield
South of Springfield, a family-owned restaurant serving travelers on Route 66 since the 1930s.
During my visit to Litchfield, I stopped for dinner at Ariston Café. This unassuming spot appealed to locals and travelers alike, and the dining room was full on a Tuesday.
For dinner, I had the pork tenderloin; this cutlet was about the size of my dinner plate and the best one I sampled during my Illinois road trip. I had a loaded baked potato, and our meal started with warm bread and was followed by an icebox pie.
Located at 413 Old Rte 66 N, Litchfield. Open Sunday to Thursday from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m., Friday and Saturday from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Soulsby Service Station in Mount Olive
The Soulsby Service Station is an antique gas station in Mount Olive, about 50 miles northeast of St. Louis. Designed by its original owner, Henry Soulsby, the gas station is a house-with-canopy-type station that blended with the surrounding area.
With a grant from the National Park Service, the Soulsby Service Station was restored to its pre-WWII appearance. It operates as a museum and visitor center. I stopped by and took souvenir photos with my 4Runner.
Located at 710 West 1st Street on Route 66, Mount Olive. Free to enjoy.
It’s Electric Neon Sign Park in Granite City
At 19th Street and Delmar Avenues, It’s Electric Neon Sign Park showcases the roadside signs and neon of the Route 66 era. Working with the Ace Sign Company in Springfield, I stopped by and saw marquees, neon advertisements and giant sculptures. The Graniteware coffeepot pays homage to the era’s enamelware production in the 1950s.
Located at 1300 19th St, Granite City. Free to enjoy, with lights on from dusk till dawn.
Cahokia Mounds State Historic Site on Route 66
A UNESCO World Heritage Site that protects the largest pre-Columbian site north of Mexico. At its peak in 1100 CE, the area included 4,000 acres and supported an estimated population of 10,000 to 20,000 people, larger than many European cities at the same time.
Monks Mound is the largest grass-covered earthen mound and stands more than 100 feet tall. It includes a staircase to the top with landings for breaks.
Monks Mound is across from the Visitor Center, and Route 66 runs at its base. During our visit, we drove from the Visitor Center and climbed the stairs.
Located at 303 Langley St, Collinsville, IL. The grounds are open from dawn to dusk. The visitor center is open Wednesday to Sunday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Both are free to enjoy. Find water fountains at the Visitor Center and at the Monks Mound, across the street.
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Chain of Rocks Bridge
Now a pedestrian bridge, the Chain of Rocks Bridge carried Route 66 over the Mississippi River from 1936 to 1968. Started in 1927 and completed in 1929, it includes a 30-degree turn in the middle of its one-mile span to bypass two water intake towers.
It originally included lush landscaping on its approach and even an amusement park. During my recent visit, I walked across the bridge from the Missouri side, with a park, native habitats and a gated parking lot that opened in 2024.
Located at 10820 Riverview Dr St. Louis, MO. Free to enjoy and open from 7 a.m. to dusk.
Note: The Illinois Old Chain of Rocks Park is closed for construction.
