Route 66 in Joliet: Stops Along the Mother Road's First Miles

Route 66 was dedicated in 1926, and 2026 marks its centennial, as the Joliet Area Historical Museum notes in its anniversary exhibit. Joliet sits on the highway's first stretch southwest of Chicago, and the Joliet Area Historical Museum is promoting the region as the "First One Hundred Miles" of the route for the anniversary. This guide covers where the road ran through Joliet and the stops that the Illinois Route 66 Scenic Byway lists in town.

Where Route 66 ran in Joliet

According to the Illinois Route 66 Scenic Byway, Joliet is part of Route 66's original 1926 alignment in Illinois. Most of that Joliet alignment is now designated IL 53. It carried Route 66 until 1940, when the highway was moved to a new alignment through Plainfield. Parts of the Joliet route run near the I&M Canal (now the Illinois & Michigan Canal State Trail) and the Lincoln Highway. The segment of Route 66 from Joliet to Wilmington was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2006.

Stops in Joliet

The Scenic Byway's Joliet page lists these attractions along or near the route.

Joliet Area Historical Museum and Route 66 Welcome Center

The Joliet Area Historical Museum, at 204 N. Ottawa Street downtown, doubles as the area's Route 66 Welcome Center. Its centennial exhibit, In the Center of Everything: 100 Years of Shops, Stops & Stays Along Route 66 in Joliet, runs April through December 2026. It looks at the hotels, service stations, restaurants and shops that opened in downtown Joliet to serve Route 66 travelers, including the Woodruff Inn, the Hotel Louis Joliet and Sinclair stations.

Check the museum's website for current hours and to book tickets, or call 815-723-5201.

Rialto Square Theatre

The Rialto Square Theatre at 102 N. Chicago Street opened on May 24, 1926, the same year Route 66 was created, and is marking its own 100th anniversary. It was designed by the Chicago firm Rapp & Rapp as a vaudeville and movie palace. See our Rialto guide for tours and tickets.

Illinois Rock & Roll Museum on Route 66

Listed by the Scenic Byway as a Joliet stop, this museum is at 9 W. Cass Street, a block from the historical museum, according to OpenStreetMap. Check the museum directly for hours before visiting.

Old Joliet Prison

The prison on Collins Street, which opened in 1858 and closed in 2002, is now a historic site with tours run by the Joliet Area Historical Museum. Note that the prison site closes for the winter in November and reopens by April, weather permitting. See our Old Joliet Prison guide.

Rich & Creamy and Route 66 Park

The Scenic Byway lists "Rich & Creamy/Route 66 Park" as a Joliet stop. OpenStreetMap places Rich & Creamy at 920 N. Broadway Street, with Route 66 Park next to it. Check current hours before you go.

Route 66 Roadside Attraction at Chicagoland Speedway

For the centennial, Chicagoland Speedway installed a Route 66 roadside sign more than ten feet tall, with racing features and local tourism information. It was unveiled May 12, 2026. The track says to stop just off IL 53/Route 66 at Gate 11. The speedway and the neighboring Route 66 Raceway are also on the Scenic Byway's Joliet list; see our race weekend guide.

Billie Limacher Bicentennial Park

The Scenic Byway also lists Billie Limacher Bicentennial Park. The City of Joliet describes a history walk there, with boulder markers telling the stories of historic businesses and houses on Joliet's first street.

Planning a Route 66 day in Joliet

• Start downtown. The historical museum, the Rialto and the Rock & Roll Museum are within a few blocks of each other on Ottawa, Chicago and Cass streets.
• Head north on Broadway for Rich & Creamy and Route 66 Park, then to Collins Street for the prison site in season.
• Head south on IL 53 to the speedway's roadside attraction at Gate 11.
• By train. Joliet Gateway Center at 90 E. Jefferson Street, served by Metra and Amtrak, is a short walk from the downtown stops. See our commuting guide for schedules.

Hours and exhibit dates change. Confirm with each site before you go.