A Honeymoon Road Trip: Historic Route 66 in Illinois--from The World's Greatest Honeymoons

Great Honeymoon Road Trips

• Historic Route 66: Illinois •

This drive along Historic Route 66 in Illinois is a National Scenic Byway. The distance covered is about 300 miles—perfect for a leisurely two-day trip. Extend it to three days, and you'll have plenty of time for eating in the old highway diners, sightseeing, going to museums, taking walks... You'll find no end of accommodations and restaurants along the way, so go at your own speed, stopping for the night when it feels right. You can find a detailed Byway itinerary and route maps here—but never forget Rule No. 1 of a Great Road Trip: follow your instincts. If a detour grabs your fancy—go for it!

This trip begins in one of the nation’s most exciting cities, Chicago. Often referred to as “the All-American City,” it's the perfect starting point for a trip along that All-American Road—Historic Route 66. This drive winds through many small towns and past some of the most well-known 66 icons.

Set out early in the morning after a filling breakfast at the legendary Lou Mitchell's Restaurant. Located on Jackson Boulevard near the route’s beginning (or terminus, depending on your travel direction), Lou Mitchell’s has been dishing up great food since 1923; it moved across the street to its present location in the early 1930s. The classic diner architecture and friendly, old-fashioned service will make you nostalgic for the good ol’ days.

Related Interest: Route 66 Overview | Route 66/Arizona | Route 66/New Mexico | Chicago | Illinois Food Festivals

From there, it’s an hour or so to Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie Reserve, where you can appreciate the transition from urban Chicago to rolling prairie and wide open spaces. The Reserve, operated by the U. S. Forest Service, is one of the few remaining tallgrass prairies east of the Mississippi River and plays a vital role in preserving species that depend on grasslands for survival. A visitor center offers informative displays, and guided tours are available. The Reserve’s land was once occupied by an ammunitions plant. Although extensive ecological restoration has taken place here, a section remains closed due to toxic waste contamination.

A couple of miles on, in Wilmington, is a major Route 66 icon—the Gemini Giant, a 36-foot fiberglass statue. If you feel a photo op coming on when you spot this big guy, you’re not alone: the Giant has been one of the most photographed road stops in the state since the 1950s.

Five miles away is Braidwood’s Polk-a-Dot Drive In, whose tagline is “If you’re not at the Dot, you’re not cruisin!” The Dot got its start in the 1960s as a tiny kitchen in a polka-dotted bus. These days it’s a classic drive in with some charming oddball touches: life-size replicas of James Dean, Elvis, and Marilyn Monroe, Betty Boop, and the Blues Brothers, for instance. The Dot is hugely popular with photographers. Exhibits and memorabilia related to Route 66 also add a certain flair. Every year, on the first Saturday night of August, the Dot sponsors “Cruise Night.” It's quite a scene, with lovingly-restored cruisers from the 1950s on up parading through the night.

From here, cruise on for about half an hour to the wonderfully-restored, depression-era Standard Oil Service Station in Odell. Built in 1932, this beautiful Station served travelers on Route 66 until the mid 1960s. Its architecture and place in the landscape make it one of the most recognizable symbols of the popular culture associated with Route 66. Thanks to preservation efforts, the Station is now a National Register landmark; it no longer sells gas, but you’re bound to enjoy learning about its past.

Now it’s on to Funks Grove Pure Maple Sirup, about an hour away (the family/owners prefer the original Webster’s spelling, sirup, as opposed to the modern syrup). Since 1824, the Funk Family has been producing its special brand of pure maple sirup from more than 6,000 taps in the prolific stand of maple trees. When Route 66 cut through the family property in the 1920s, it also provided a steady and receptive string of customers for the sirup. The grounds include a historic cemetery and a mineral museum with rare specimens.

Next up: historic downtown Atlanta, 12 miles away, the geographic center of the state. Here you can stroll along the redbrick, mural-covered historic buildings lining downtown Atlanta, which are watched over by a Bunyon Giant. The wooden Hawes Grain Elevator (1903), listed on the National Register, now houses a museum. Other National Register buildings include the octagon-shaped Atlanta Public Library (1840) and the Downey Building (1867). In the town’s Route 66 Park stands Hotdog Man—a 19-foot tall statue of a man holding a giant hot dog—which stood before Bunyon’s Hotdog Stand in Cicero for more than four decades. Yep, another photo op!

Moving on, let’s head 10 miles over to Lincoln, the only city named for our 16th President prior to his death. Sangamon Street (AKA, Route 66) is lined with shops and restaurants, each with a special connection to the history of the town and the road through it. Within a stone's throw, you'll discover Lincoln's historic depot and the "Christening Site," the spot where Abraham Lincoln christened the town with the juice of a watermelon. Be sure to check out the three-story, domed, all-stone Logan County Courthouse (1905), considered one of the state’s most spectacular surviving historic courthouses.

Thirty miles down the road is Springfield and the famous Shea's Gas Station Museum, with its notable collection of vintage gas pumps, signs, historic photographs, and service station memorabilia. Beginning as a gas station/garage, today the Station is a tribute to the early days of the colorful gas stations that once lined the Mother Road. Being in Springfield gives you the opportunity to visit the Lincoln Home National Historic Site—the home Lincoln left to serve as President. It's been restored to its 1860 appearance, and the surrounding area contains many other well-preserved historic homes. The Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum is also located here, where you can view family photos and items owned by the Lincolns. Springfield is also home to the Cozy Drive In, another Route 66 icon and birthplace of the Cozy Dog—the original hotdog-on-a-stick (first introduced in 1946). The Cozy's walls are covered with Route 66 art and history, and you're welcome to browse.

An hour or so south is the carefully-preserved Russell Soulsby Station—one of the oldest service stations along Route 66. Beginning life as a Shell Station in 1926, the building was enlarged and added on to over the years. Like so much else on this Route, it's now listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

And now it's on to the end of your Historic Route 66 Illinois road trip. An hour or so from the Soulsby Station, you'll encounter the wonderful Old Chain of Rocks Bridge (1929)—the original point at which Route 66 crossed the Mississippi River. These days the mile-long bridge, listed on the National Register, is part of a multi-use recreational trail. This means you can have the pleasure of walking or biking its length, learning more about Route 66 and the bridge itself through informative exhibits. Added plusses: the Model A fire truck parked midway, art installations, a knockout view of the St. Louis skyline, and the sensation of the standing atop the powerful Mississippi.

From here it's a short hop into St. Louis, with its many big-city pleasures. But that's another story...

All written material ©WGH ~ Photos: Chicago Convention & Tourism Bureau (Chicago skyline); National Scenic Byways and Patty Kuhn (Soulsby's Service Station, Gemini Giant, Polk-A-Dot,), William Brockschmidt (Atlanta mural, Funks Grove), 11 Acre Studios (Shea's Gas Station Museum).