With 2026 around the corner, you may be thinking about taking the opportunity to celebrate Route 66 on its 100th anniversary.

Springfield’s Route 66 Motorheads Bar & Grill serves up a prime rib so tender you could cut it with a nostalgic sigh – just ...

For Illinois residents, Motorheads provides an opportunity to explore an important piece of state heritage without undertaking a cross-country journey. For out-of-state visitors, it offers an ...

Rev up those engines. The Birthplace of Route 66 Parade is set to sweep the streets of downtown Springfield at 6 p.m. Friday, ...

By November that same year, the state’s transportation department designated 83 miles of Route 66, from Seligman west to Kingman, as a historic road.

For those willing to slow down and experience a taste of America that largely goes unseen, these small towns are well worth the detour.

Route 66 turns 100 in 2026, and Illinois officials, tourism leaders, and enthusiasts are planning major celebrations, with Joliet serving as a key kickoff point.

Interstate 40 supersedes Route 66 for much of the journey. As a result, anyone harking back to the glory days of transcontinental road trips across the US may be sadly disappointed.