A mid-1800’s architectural wonder helped make Chicago the city it is today. The 96-mile Illinois & Michigan Canal (I&M Canal) connected the Great Lakes in Bridgeport, Chicago to the Illinois River at LaSalle-Peru, and amazingly unique towns sprung up that maintain their authentic charm to this date.
READ ON!Freedom. The Open Road. The American Dream. All are still alive on The Mother Road. The nostalgia of diners, museums, tourist stops and neon lights are there for you to visit as you make the drive from Chicago to Santa Monica, CA. You can still get your Kicks on Route 66!
READ ON!A visit to Starved Rock State Park consists of many sights to behold, including breathtaking views of its many canyons and awe-inspiring scenes of eagles flying during the winter month.
READ ON!The Heritage Corridor is filled with events that are waiting just for you. Live music, fun festivals, learning programs, and active adventures await.
READ ON!Are you looking for a specific type of place to visit in the I&M Canal Heritage Corridor? If you're a craft beer fan, you will love the Heritage Corridor Ale Trail? Seeing a thrilling journey or just an escape, check out Adventure Outside Chicago. We've got all the info to unlock your next trip right here.
READ ON!In 2016, Darley Newman brought her award-winning PBS program, Travels with Darley, to the Heritage Corridor region for two episodes of Season 2, "Illinois: Route 66 & Midewin" and "Illinois: Ottawa & Beyond." Both episodes are available on Amazon Prime!
In 2023, Darley returned to Illinois for an episode about the 300+ mile stretch of Route 66 in our state. In The First Hundred Miles of Route 66, Darley visited Harvester Park in Burr Ridge, the Old Joliet Prison, the Polk-A-Dot Drive In in Braidwood, the Texaco Station in Dwight, and the Route 66 Association Hall of Fame and Museum in Pontiac.
Watch Season 11, Episode 5 - "Route 66: Illinois"
The Illinois stretch of Route 66 is chock full of American history and Americana! Samantha Brown meets up with her best friend for pit stops at the Old Joliet Prison, iconic Polk-a-dot Drive-in, the Pontiac Oakland Auto Museum and so much more!
Watch Season 7, Episode 2 - "Route 66, Illinois"