A Girls Trip Down Route 66

As the weather continues to get warmer, it is the perfect time to get in your car and hit the open road. A trip along The First Hundred Miles of Route 66 is always a must and an easy road trip to plan. Last week, our office traveled down to Pontiac and Dwight, IL to enjoy the weather, as well as some tasty diner food along the old Route 66 and here’s how it all went:

We first arrived in Pontiac in the morning and right away began exploring the downtown. You will notice all of the murals, some made by The Walldogs, which are a group of highly skilled sign painters and mural artists from all over the world.

If you know anything about Pontiac, then you’ve definitely seen or heard about the Route 66 Shield Mural painted on the back of the Route 66 Hall of Fame Museum. It is a great photo op for you to get out of the car, stretch your legs, and snap the perfect photo.

From there, we were able to explore the many shops in the area from boutiques to an art exhibit. We stumbled across The Greater Living County Art Council which is a studio, teaching space, gallery and retail sales outlet all in one. Next, we did a little shopping at Charmed Boutique where you can find all of the latest styles and fun accessories.

As you walk their downtown area you will noticed several miniature cars that have been decorated, each with a different theme. We managed to take a couple fun pictures inside of them for something to remember this trip by.

We began to stir up an appetite and decided to head on over to Old Route 66 Family Restaurant just a short drive away in Dwight, IL. Right off the historic Route 66, you will find one of the most darling roadside diners you can find along the Mother Road. When you go inside, the entire place is covered from ceiling to floor with awesome Route 66 signs and souvenirs.

Serving the community since 2001, this family-owned restaurant offers home-cooked meals with recipes passed down through three generations including their roasted chicken, meatloaf, seasoned hand-cut meats, burgers and so much more! We each ordered something completely different, and everything was delicious.

Once we had a full belly, we stopped across the street at the Ambler Texaco Gas Station, another Route 66 gem, to take a couple of quick pictures. Inside this once thriving gas station, it now serves as a Route 66 welcoming center. There is even an old school fire truck on display that you can sit inside and ring the bell while wearing a plastic firefighter helmet given to you to take home.

Our next stop was to Wilmington where you can find the most known landmark on The First Hundred Miles known as the Gemini Giant. Standing 30-foot-tall, right next to the Launching Pad Drive-In, this stop is a must! We stopped for a quick photo in our cozy Route 66 stops and headed back on the road.

As the day slowly came to an end, we were ready to make our way back. This trip from Pontiac to Wilmington was a super easy road trip that you too can explore.

For more information about The First Hundred Miles of Route 66 and places to go, visit www.thefirsthundredmiles.com