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The top things to do on a Route 66 road trip

The ultimate guide to seeing the best of the Mother Road from Illinois to California in one week

  • 74
  • 73:59
  • 4,384 mi
  • $617
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Created by victor - May 2nd 2024

Route 66, and its 2,500 miles, is known affectionately as "The Mother Road." It's the quintessential cross-country road trip experience. From Chicago through the beating heart of America, the route officially ends at the Santa Monica Pier. The road reached peak popularity in the late 1940s and early '50s before being officially removed from the U.S. Highway System in 1985. After a few years, travelers from around the country and beyond started feeling tinges of nostalgia, and by the end of the 1980s it was once again becoming one of the most popular road trip routes.

Looking for more tips for your Route 66 trip? We've got you covered.

645 Joliet Rd, Willowbrook, IL, US

Dell Rhea's Chicken Basket

Route 66 is renowned for its classic American cuisine. If you’re not still full of donut holes (or even if you are), visit Dell Rhea's Chicken Basket, just outside Chicago, for some of the best fried chicken you'll ever taste. The roadhouse has been serving its home-cooked goodness since 1946, and even if you’re not ready to eat just yet, the neon sign is a classic photo op.

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25mi 00h 44m
Photo of Leaning Tower of Niles
3.4

6300 W Touhy Ave, Niles, IL, US

Leaning Tower of Niles

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2
9mi 00h 40m
Photo of Wrigley Field
4.5

1060 W Addison St, Chicago, IL, US

Wrigley Field

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4mi 00h 25m
Photo of Shit Fountain
4.1

1005 N. Wolcott Ave, Chicago, IL, US

Shit Fountain

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4
3mi 00h 20m
Photo of Cloud Gate
4.5

201 E Randolph St, Chicago, IL, US

Cloud Gate

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5
0mi 00h 05m
Photo of Crown Fountain
4.5

South Michigan Avenue Loop, Chicago, IL, US

Crown Fountain

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0mi 00h 06m
Photo of Chicago Riverwalk
4.5

100 E. Wacker Drive, Chicago, IL, US

Chicago Riverwalk

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39mi 01h 04m
Photo of Route 66 Park
3.3

920 N Broadway St, Joliet, IL, US

Route 66 Park

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0mi 00h 00m

920 N Broadway St, Joliet, IL, US

Rich & Creamy

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0mi 00h 01m

911 N Broadway St, Joliet, IL, US

Dick's Towing Service

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1mi 00h 04m

204 N Ottawa St, Joliet, IL, US

Joliet Area Historical Museum

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16mi 00h 28m
Photo of The Gemini Giant
4.0

201 Bridge St., Wilmington, IL, US

The Gemini Giant

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4mi 00h 07m

222 N Front St, Braidwood, IL, US

Polk-A-Dot Drive In

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2mi 00h 04m
Photo of Illinois Route 66 Mining Museum
4.0

150 S Kankakee St, Godley, IL, US

Illinois Route 66 Mining Museum

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3mi 00h 04m

5650 S State Route 53, Gardner, IL, US

Riviera Restaurant

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1mi 00h 03m

315 N Center St, Gardner, IL, US

The Shop On Route 66

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via detour

0mi 00h 01m
Photo of Ambler's Texaco Gas Station
4.5

W Waupansie St, Dwight, IL, US

Ambler's Texaco Gas Station

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0mi 00h 00m

209 S Old Rte 66, Dwight, IL, US

Route 66 Service Center

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via detour

0mi 00h 00m
Photo of The Standard Oil Gas Station
4.3

400 S West St, Odell, IL, US

The Standard Oil Gas Station

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via detour

5mi 00h 07m
Photo of Illinois Route 66 Hall of Fame and Museum
4.5

110 W Howard St, Pontiac, IL, US

Illinois Route 66 Hall of Fame and Museum

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