60 minutes
Start your journey at Doc’s Just Off 66 in the historic community of Girard. Once a pharmacy, general store, soda fountain, and museum, Doc’s is a Route 66 icon. Explore the interior which features pharmaceuticals used in the 1800’s, and enjoy a hand-pulled soda from the historic soda fountain. Stay for lunch or dinner and relax in the 1950’s atmosphere. Be sure to see the Route 66 Postcard Mural on the side of the building highlighting the city’s place on the highway. While in Girard, stop off at Whirl-A-Whip for a cool treat.

60 minutes
Famous for its 1870 price tag, the Macoupin County Courthouse in Carlinville is a Renaissance Revival masterpiece that sits squarely on the Mother Road. This stone, cast iron and ornately decorated courthouse cost over $1.3 million to construct just after the Civil War and is widely considered the first fireproof construction ever built in the U.S. Tour the beautiful working courthouse and see for yourself.

60 minutes
Escape was nearly impossible at the historic Macoupin County ‘Cannonball Jail’ located across from the historic courthouse in Carlinville. The jail was in service from 1869 to 1988 and was built from stones hollowed out and filled with unused cannonballs from the Civil War. Tour the jail and see what prison time looked like. Tours are free!

Travel Tip: While in Carlinville, visit the historic city square and it’s roundabout – one of the few left on the Mother Road. Great shopping and dining are part of the fun.

90 minutes
A Route 66 favorite, the Ariston Café in Litchfield has been serving up dining delights to road weary travelers for over 100 years. Specializing in American fare, guests can enjoy lunch and dinner entrees. Don’t miss the tray of spectacular desserts!

60 minutes
Browse through Litchfield’s past and see the impact of Route 66 on this farming community. A display of neon signs, an antique Model T and more line the floors and walls of the Litchfield Museum and Route 66 Welcome Center. Pick up a Route 66 souvenir while you are at it.

20 minutes
Stop by one of the oldest service stations on Route 66. Sitting on the original alignment of the Mother Road in Mt. Olive, Soulsby Service Station looks much like it did nearly 100 years ago. The bright yellow pumps and original Shell Oil sign are true blasts from the past. This is open for free tours as well.

Travel Tip: While in Mt. Olive, visit the Mother Jones Monument in the city cemetery. This larger than life memorial is a tribute to the woman who organized local miners in the region.

30 minutes
(Call ahead for an appointment!) Be on the lookout for rabbits – both the four legged and four wheeled kind at Henry’s Rabbit Ranch in Staunton. This iconic and quirky stop for Route 66 travelers provides the chance to meet the bunny rabbits that call Staunton home as well as get a photo atop a six-foot fiberglass bunny.

90 minutes
Where can you see a giant pink elephant, an original 1960s Futuro house and a group of larger than life chipmunks? At the Pink Elephant Antique Mall in Livingston, of course! Located in a former high school building, the mall is lined with larger than life fiberglass figures outside and inside is a huge antique mall covered from floor to ceiling with antiques, collectibles and more. Visit the adjacent Mother Road Fudge-N-Candy shop for vintage treats or grab a cone or sundae at the Twistee Treat Diner that features a giant ice cream cone entrance.

When you’re ready for dinner, stop at Weezy’s Route 66 Bar & Grill. This classic Mother Road diner is famous for its Horseshoe Sandwiches, burgers, fried chicken and more. The best part? After ordering, take a look at all the Route 66 memorabilia lining the walls and check out the map of Route 66 visitors over the years.

Top off your dinner with a sweet treat from the Route 66 Creamery – located across the street from Weezy’s. Housed in a former train station, the creamery is home to weekend activities and serves up wonderful Route 66 nostalgia along with classic American food.

60 Minutes
Get ready for an entertaining stop at the historic Wildey Theatre. Home to national cover bands on the weekends, this theatre once hosted Vaudeville stars like Al Jolson and Douglas Fairbanks Jr. and the first ‘talking movie’ was shown in 1937. Take a tour of this landmark theatre and step back in time.

30 minutes
Once a bustling service station and one of the last stops for travelers before they crossed the Mississippi River, the West End Service Station is now a Route 66 Welcome Center and Museum. Walk through the past at this station – one of the few remaining original Route 66 landmarks – and pick up a Route 66 souvenir.

60 minutes
Tour the Old Herald Brewery & Distillery in Uptown Collinsville for an in-depth look at the craft beer and distilled spirits brewing process. Housed in a former newspaper building, the owners pay homage to its history with creative names for their craft beers including Printer’s Ink and Proofreader Pale. Be sure to try a house Bloody Mary crafted with Horseradish Vodka distilled on site. There’s even a restaurant where you can have lunch or dinner.

2 hours
Visit Willoughby Heritage Farm and find out what life was like back int eh 1940s. Explore the barns, Craftsman-style farmhouse and 30 acres of the wildlife preserve complete with hiking trails. There are even farm animals. Get close to nature!

Ready for dinner? Porter’s Steakhouse in Collinsville is the perfect place to wind down after a day of Route 66 explorations. Order the pepperloin steak with house made mustard sauce for a melt in your mouth meal. Appetizers, salads, seafood and more fill out the menu. Save room for dessert!

15 minutes
Rising high above the Collinsville skyline, the Brooks Catsup Bottle Water Tower is a one-of-a-kind Route 66 icon. Built in 1949 to supply water for the adjacent Brooks Catsup plant, the historic water tower is a popular kitschy pit stop for Route 66 travelers. It’s also a great photo op.

60 minutes
Both Route 66 and the Great River Road cross the Cahokia Mounds State Historic Site, a UNESCO World Heritage Center. Once home to the largest prehistoric native civilization north of Mexico, Cahokia Mounds once had over 100 mounds. A total of 72 have been protected currently including Monks Mound which soars 100-feet tall. Climb to the top for stunning panoramic views of the area.

60 minutes
Stop by one of the newest Route 66 attractions in southwest Illinois – It’s Electric Neon Sign Park. This fun and interactive park features three restored ghost neon signs from Granite City’s past and two larger than life murals. Take a walk across the model Chain of Rocks Bridge. This park celebrates the city’s history on the Mother Road.

A landmark Route 66 stop, Mr. Twist Ice Cream and Sherbert has been serving up cool treats to Route 66 travelers for decades. Be sure to get a photo in front of the mural on the side of the building.

Stretching nearly a mile over the Mississippi River, the Chain of Rocks Bridge once linked Illinois and Missouri along Route 66. Thousands of travelers used this bridge on their journey along the Mother Road. Famous for its 30-degree dog leg in the middle, take a walk or ride your bike across the bridge and see the sights.