Historic Route 66 - Illinois 66
Historic Route 66 - Illinois is a National Scenic Byway in Illinois. Within Illinois it covers roughly 320 miles. The map below shows its route. Use “Plan a drive” to open it in the Road Sorties route planner — already routing along Historic Route 66 - Illinois with scenic roads turned on, ready to add your own stops.
Route 66 begins in downtown Chicago and runs southwest across Illinois toward St. Louis, the first leg of the Mother Road. The Illinois stretch is rich in classic roadside Americana — the Gemini Giant at the Launching Pad, the Cozy Dog Drive In in Springfield where the corn dog on a stick was popularized, and old gas stations and diners. It passes Abraham Lincoln's Springfield along the way.
- starts in downtown Chicago
- Gemini Giant
- Cozy Dog Drive In
- Lincoln's Springfield
- Route 66
Designated for its historic qualities
Plan a drive on Historic Route 66 - Illinois → Drive this route in Road SortiesTurn-by-turn on iPhone · App Store
Places to stop along Historic Route 66 - Illinois
Art Institute of Chicago
Route 66's official start: the "Begin" sign stands on Adams Street across from the museum's famous lions. The museum itself, founded in 1879, is one of the country's great art collections.
WebsiteJoliet Area Historical Museum
Local history plus a Route 66 welcome center, a short drive from the castle-like Old Joliet Prison, where The Blues Brothers opens and tours now run.
WebsiteGemini Giant
A fiberglass spaceman, nearly 30 feet tall, holding a rocket outside the Launching Pad in Wilmington, a 1960s drive-in reborn as a Route 66 shop and cafe.
Ambler's Texaco Gas Station
A 1933 cottage-style station in Dwight that pumped gas for 66 straight years, until 1999, the longest run on the route. Restored, it opens as a volunteer-staffed visitor center May through October.
WebsiteRoute 66 Hall of Fame and Museum
Pontiac's museum in a former firehouse, home to artist Bob Waldmire's van and converted school bus. Outside, more than 20 outdoor murals cover the small downtown.
Funks Grove Pure Maple Sirup
A family sugar bush in an old-growth grove that has made maple syrup for generations, still spelled the old way, with an i. The roadside shop is a classic 66 stop.
WebsiteLincoln
The only town named for Abraham Lincoln before he was famous; he christened it himself in 1853. Look for the giant Railsplitter covered wagon with Lincoln at the reins.
WebsiteLincoln Home National Historic Site
The only home Lincoln ever owned, in a preserved four-block Springfield neighborhood. Free ranger-led tours; the Cozy Dog Drive In, famous for its corn dogs on a stick, is across town.
WebsiteAriston Cafe
A Litchfield restaurant run by the same family since the 1920s and among the oldest cafes on the whole route, with a Route 66 museum just down the street.
WebsiteOld Chain of Rocks Bridge
A mile-long 1929 bridge with a famous 22-degree bend midstream. It's closed to cars now, but you can walk or bike out over the Mississippi on old Route 66.
Where to Stay along Historic Route 66 - Illinois
No campgrounds are listed close to Historic Route 66 - Illinois yet, but there are rooms near the route.
Campsite, lodging, RV rental and membership links are affiliate links — booking through them may earn Road Sorties a small commission, at no extra cost to you. Recreation.gov links are not affiliate links.
Photos of Historic Route 66 - Illinois
What is a National Scenic Byway?
National Scenic Byways are roads recognized at the federal level for at least one outstanding quality — scenic, natural, historic, cultural, archaeological or recreational — that gives travelers a reason to seek them out rather than just pass through.