Text by Tammie

  Two businesses on Route 66 in St. Louis, Missouri, offering sweet treats have a following that’s “world-wide” because they are the “best.”   Ted Drewes Frozen Custard and the Donut Drive-In in St. Louis are down the road from each other on Chippewa Street (Route 66) in St. Louis.   Ted Drewes opened in 1941 on Route 66 and is known for its “World famous frozen custard.”   The Donut Drive-In opened in 1953 and was voted “best donuts on Route 66” by Food Network.   More information on how to enjoy both is located here :    

  The Old Joliet Prison on Old Route 66 in Joliet, Illinois, was built as way of escaping from Illinois’ first notorious state penitentiary in Alton, erected in 1833.   The Alton prison was said to have abused inmates. The Old Joliet Prison, built in 1858, offered inmates jobs, education plus physical and spiritual benefits.    The Old Joliet Prison is now an attraction on Route 66 that offers tours. More here .  

    A prison in Joliet, Illinois, that Route 66 passed the gates of from 1926 until 1940, is open for tours.   “Old Joliet Prison Historic Site,” at 1125 Collins St., was closed and abandoned in 2002 after its construction in 1858.   In the early years, the prison was an industrial facility that leased convicts out to work.    Today, self-guided and guided history tours are available seasonally from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily.   More information is available here .  

  Passengers can enjoy nature while on a boat tour to “see” a segment of Route 66 submerged under Lake Springfield in Springfield, Illinois. Fish and waterfowl such as ducks and loons frequent the lake. Visitors, too, looking for the original alignment of Route 66 from 1926 to 1930 under the lake can visit the lake for free on Mondays and Fridays through Friday, Oct. 2, 2026. Hours are 11:30 a.m., 1 p.m. and 2:30 p.m. Mondays and Fridays. The boat tour is 45 minutes and comes with a tour guide. More information is here .

  The new Museum of Route 66 that’s located in a former bank in Lincoln, Illinois, is getting ready for its July 11, 2026, grand opening. The museum is in the old State Bank of Lincoln (formerly a Heartland Bank branch) at 508 Broadway St.   A “soft opening” is happening there now in which visitors can preview the Museum of Route 66’s transformation. In the works are:   n   A diner with a loaned jukebox with songs such as “Into the Darkness” and “Southern Cross” by Crosby, Stills & Nash plus “Sometimes You Just Can’t Win” and “Get Closer” by Linda Ronstadt.   n   A barbershop with a barber pole.   n   WGYK (W Get Your Kicks) radio station, a live station, from which live remotes can occur.   n   A bank vault containing information about gangster Al Capone and his friend John “Coonhound Johnny” Schwenoha, a local bootlegger.   More information is here .

  The Route 66 Sign Museum located in the 60,000-square-foot Ace Sign Company at 2540 S. First St. in Springfield, Illinois, has a “Big Boy.” With nearly 100 historic signs, many rescued and restored, The Route 66 Sign Museum has a “Top’s Big Boy” restaurant franchise “Big Boy” fiberglass statue. That “Big Boy” is next to a tricycle, which is next to a restored 1949 International truck, which has hand painted on it “Ace Sign Co.” in 1940s/1950s’ style. Museum tours are at 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. Mondays through Fridays for a $5 donation. More is here .