Gas prices are the lowest they’ve been in 11 years — and that means the number of people taking road trips is on the rise. If you, like millions of Americans this past Labor Day weekend, are planning a road trip in the near future, why not make it historic — and travel Route 66?
Illinois’ Route 66
This past summer, I rode a section of Route 66 on the Great Illinois Road Trip with Ben. I was surprised to learn that many people don’t know this section of the route as well as the areas through Oklahoma, Texas and New Mexico, but this historic road does, in fact, start in Chicago. It travels southwest through places like Bloomington and Springfield before crossing the Mississippi River into St. Louis. Illinoisans are proud of their road and have gone to great lengths to preserve it. Signage along the route designates it a scenic byway and preserves the quirky attractions and iconic sites that make the road so memorable.
Dining
Restaurants, like the Cozy Dog in Springfield, preserve the fun of the golden era of road trips. The throwback diner serves the same “cozy dogs,” a world-famous corn dog, as when they first opened on June 16, 1946. The restaurant has a Happy Days feel, suitable for this roadway known for fast cars and casual dining. As to the cozy dogs, I understand why they haven’t changed the recipe. The sweet corn coating is a nice contrast to the salty dog. Perfect with mustard and a soda!
By the way, the Cozy Dog makes the top ten list of “must see” attractions along Route 66!
Museums
Museums along Illinois’ portion of Route 66 tell the story of Route 66 and preserve American history too. Stops to consider include:
- Route 66 Hall of Fame & Museum in Pontiac
- Cahokia Mounds State Historic Site in Colllinsville
- Litchfield Museum & Route 66 Welcome Center in Litchfield
- Berwyn Route 66 Museum in Berwyn
- Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum in Springfield
The Lincoln Presidential Library celebrates its 10th anniversary in 2015, on the 150th anniversary year of Lincoln’s death. The museum is thoughtfully designed to help visitors understand the real Abraham Lincoln, not just the hero we’ve built up in our minds. From left to right around a central rotunda, visitors step into the various times of Lincoln’s life starting with the childhood cabin in Kentucky. Guests are encouraged to consider how difficult it must have been to share such a small space with a family. The White House Years, depicted on the opposite side draw guests into the politics of the time. We were surprised to discover that Lincoln was very unpopular throughout his years in office. Personal tragedies weighed as heavily as the nation’s internal strife. I gained new respect for Lincoln, the man, from visiting here.
Festivals
Photo provided by Springfield Area CVB and used with permission.
Of course, a road worthy of a Disney feature film deserves festivals and celebrations in its honor. The Illinois State Fair in August, Berwyn Car Show in early September and International Route 66 Mother Road Festival in Springfield in late September draw people from around the country to celebrate this road, its history and its impact on the region.
This year’s International Route 66 Mother Road Festival runs from September 25-27. More than 1,100 cool, classic cars and close to 100,000 visitors will enjoy live music, free entertainment and food. Beyond the hot rods, this family friendly festival has bounce houses and activities for the kids. The festival is free and open to the public.
Route 66 is an iconic piece of Americana, celebrating the road trip! Why not take advantage of those low gas prices this year and enjoy it yourself?
To learn more about Route 66 or plan your visit to the Springfield area, go to the Visit Springfield vacation planning site.
Oh I was so happy not to be driving for the holiday weekend. I do love road trips though, when the roads are not so crowded.
Erika, we didn’t drive over the holiday either! Here in NC, the locals all head to the mountains or the beach for one last summer weekend getaway — and the roads are nuts.
I have heard of people traveling the entire distance of route 66. I personally have been down it.
Do you have a favorite spot?
I’ve never been here but would love to go! Sounds like a memorable trip!
It was. The Illinois section is really fun. I need to hit the southwestern portion — I’ve heard it’s even quirkier.
Looks like a fun place to visit! My eldest boy would be happy with going just to see the cars. Wonderful photos. Thank you for sharing!
The cars were amazing!
The food looks awesome. I love going to places that have so much history.
Illinois is steeped in more history than I realized. Certainly, there’s more to the state than corn and Chicago!
Wow I didn’t realize there was so much to see and do! I’d love to pull into one of the classic diners.
We love to eat at the local places. Most of the time, the diners and holes in the wall seem to have the best food. The Cozy Dog wasn’t a gourmet meal, but as corn dogs go, it was really tasty! Sometimes tasty is perfect!
I have always wanted to travel down Route 66! It looks like there are a lot of fun pit stops you can make! Maybe one day I will be able to check this off my to do list!
Pick the section closest to you and enjoy. Our little trip down the Illinois section certainly made my son and me want to explore more.
I love just this kind of travel with my children – across our great country and with some historical aspect! Now I want to eat at this fun diner and have a cozy dog! These are the kind of memories that leave an indelible mark on our lives.
Cozy Diner is a must… though they say you can eat their corn dogs at most state fairs across the country. They’re pretty famous that way. 🙂
Traveling and discovering new adventures is the best, thanks for sharing your experience with us =)
Thanks for reading about it. 🙂
I have always wanted to drive down route 66 because it’s VERY haunted. Did you see any ghosts?
I didn’t see any ghosts. I did see lots of cool cars!
There are many ghost towns along Route 66! 😉
Which are your favorite ghost towns?