Must try: the local speciality - ‘the horseshoe’ sandwich: thick-sliced toasted bread, topped with a hamburger patty, french fries and cheese sauce. After freshening up, you may want to stretch your legs with an evening stroll and Springfield is pleasingly flat and green with pretty parks, grand government buildings and antique shops to explore. There, check into the Abraham Lincoln Doubletree, where you’ll feel instantly relaxed thanks to their warm cookies at reception and large, airy rooms with sweeping views over the town. You can pull up right in front for the ultimate photo opp with your gleaming ride.īy dusk: you’ll arrive at Springfield, the birthplace of President Abraham Lincoln and your home for the night. Hit the road: toward Springfield, swinging by the sleepy town of Pontiac two hours away, where tucked behind the Route 66 Hall of Fame and Museum, you’ll find the large Route 66 Shield Mural in all its technicolour glory. At 30-foot tall (9.1m) and wearing a green space suit, the statue is one of the few remaining ‘Muffler Men’ advertising props used in the 1960s to attract attention to roadside businesses. Standing outside is one of the most famous landmarks on the route, the Gemini Giant spaceman. A twenty-minute drive from Joliet to Wilmington will bring you to this iconic drive-thru established in 1965 and relaunched by husband and wife team Holly and Tulley. With the original hospital equipment still in situ and bullet holes in the walls, it’s a chilling experience.Įat at: The Launching Pad Diner. Explore the barbed-wire encircled prison grounds and, if you dare, the dark corridors of the decrepit operating theatre. After closing in 2002, it’s provided the backdrop to TV and films including Point Break and The Blues Brothers and now offers guided tours. Located an hour’s drive out of Chicago, this turreted golden-brick building has housed some of America’s most notorious criminals from 1858. But, as you’re embarking on a classic road-trip with a twist, perhaps you might plump for a classic car with a twist? A Chevrolet Camaro offers the curb-appeal of a sports car while being kitted out with all the mod-cons including that all-important GPS to help you navigate the busy Chicago traffic onto the distinctly more relaxed Route 66…įirst stop: The Old Joliet Prison. Hertz offer vehicles for all budgets from their depot in O’Hare airport. If you’re lucky, front-of-house host Brenda, 90-years-young, might wave you off with a sunshine-yellow box of chocolate Milk Duds. Fuel-up with syrup-drenched pancakes, fluffy waffles and the house speciality – dinky donut holes (mini golden donuts). Tuck into breakfast at: Lou Mitchell’s diner. Because what better way to start the day than where Route 66 officially begins? This 1923-born Chicago hot spot is all leather booths, endless coffee refills and Route 66 memorabilia adorning the walls. So buckle up and get ready for our guide to Route 66 in just over 66 hours… And with the whirlwind road-trip bookended by overnight stays in Chicago, you’ll have the chance to catch your breath either side of it too. Of course driving its entire length in just three days would be impossible, so this journey covers the 600-mile round Illinois stretch, enjoying stop-overs in history-steeped Springfield and Alton with an array of unique sights to discover along the way, from atmospheric prisons and giant space men to vibrant murals and the magnificent Mississippi River. Having provided the inspiration for a host of Hollywood films and country songs, the thrill of jumping in a car and hitting the open road has long captured our hearts and imaginations – topping bucket lists as the ultimate once-in-a-lifetime adventure. Weaving through the heart of America starting from the north-eastern city of Chicago, Illinois, and ending on the south-western shores of Santa Monica, California, it’s no surprise this 2,448 mile (3,940km) historic highway dotted with small civil war-era towns, middle-of-nowhere-truck-stops, kitsch road-signs and leather-boothed American diners is affectionately known as The Mother Road. When it comes to road trips, there are few more famous than Route 66.
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