Route 66 in Illinois

Springfield: make space for two histories

Illinois’s capital combines the highway’s food-and-motoring culture with a much broader history centered on Abraham Lincoln. Decide which interests deserve time before arriving. The pictured Motorheads display is a separate Route 66 collection outside the city; the map marks the Cozy Dog meal stop. Neither should stand in for a full visit to Springfield’s other historic sites.

Getting here

Use the current city road network to reach the restaurant on South Sixth Street and check its operating hours. Plan museums or Lincoln sites separately.

Pontiac: get out of the car

Pontiac is an excellent place to slow down near the end of the trip. Its Route 66 museum and town murals let you explore the visual record of the road at walking pace. Museum exhibits can make more sense now that you have seen the landscapes and businesses they describe.

Getting here

The museum is on West Howard Street. Park legally downtown and combine the museum with a mural walk; confirm opening times before choosing your arrival hour.

Chicago: finish with time to enjoy it

Arrive in Chicago with enough time to celebrate rather than driving straight to an airport. The downtown Route 66 markers and Navy Pier tell related but different stories: historic alignments and a new centennial bookend. Visit whichever matters to you—or both—and then enjoy the city on its own terms.

Getting here

Choose parking or return the rental car when it suits the rest of your stay, then use walking and transit for central sights. The map marks Navy Pier; plan the downtown marker visit separately.