Roadside Attractions and Route 66 Trip | October 1–9, 2026

Roadside Attractions + Route 66

Mentor → Indianapolis → Illinois Route 66 → Chicago → South Bend → Mentor · October 1–9, 2026

Indiana road rule: Navigation may try to pull you onto I-70. The route buttons use Richmond, Greenfield, Plainfield and Brazil as control points, but verify the blue line before starting and keep following US 40.

Google Maps route buttons

Day-by-day schedule

Day 1: Thu Oct 1, 2026

Time	Stop	Time there	Notes
6:30 AM	Depart Mentor Mentor, OH	—	Required Early start. In Indiana, remain on US 40 and do not use I-70.
9:00 AM	Longaberger Big Basket 1500 E Main St, Newark, OH 43055	30 min	Must Exterior photos and short walk.
9:50 AM	Giant Apple Basket 5563 Raiders Rd, Frazeysburg, OH 43822	25 min	Must Former Longaberger Homestead apple basket; exterior photo stop.
11:50 AM	Lunch in Springfield 14 E Main St, Springfield, OH 45502	55 min	Suggested Casa Centro suggested. Keep this flexible if the morning runs late.
1:00 PM	Hartman Rock Garden 1905 Russell Ave, Springfield, OH 45506	45 min	Suggested Replacement for the elusive Springfield root-beer mug. Detailed folk-art garden.
2:30 PM	Vandalia Art Park 256 E Alkaline Springs Rd, Vandalia, OH 45377	45 min	Must Walk the sculpture park.
Route control	US 40 through Richmond Richmond, IN	—	Required Use US 40 in Indiana. Do not allow navigation to place you on I-70.
Route control	US 40 through Greenfield Greenfield, IN	—	Required Continue on US 40.
5:15 PM	Big Pink Elephant 308 W Broadway St, Fortville, IN 46040	15 min	Must Quick exterior photo.
6:15 PM	Indianapolis hotel check-in 414 W Vermont St, Indianapolis, IN 46202	30 min	Overnight Homewood Suites Downtown IUPUI suggested.
7:15 PM	Dinner 372 S Meridian St, Indianapolis, IN 46225	75 min	Suggested Slippery Noodle Inn suggested; confirm entertainment schedule.

Day 2: Fri Oct 2, 2026

Time	Stop	Time there	Notes
7:45 AM	Indianapolis Canal Walk 801 W Washington St, Indianapolis, IN 46204	45 min	Must A short morning section rather than the entire loop.
9:00 AM	Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum 4750 W 16th St, Indianapolis, IN 46222	2 hr 30 min	Must Allow extra time for exhibits and gift shop.
11:45 AM	Lunch at Mug-n-Bun 5211 W 10th St, Speedway, IN 46224	60 min	Suggested Classic drive-in and root beer.
1:15 PM	The Pyramids 3500 DePauw Blvd, Indianapolis, IN 46268	15 min	Must Exterior photo stop.
1:45 PM	Holliday Park and Ruins 6363 Spring Mill Rd, Indianapolis, IN 46260	60 min	Must Walk the Ruins and nearby grounds.
3:00 PM	Twisted House 820 E 67th St, Indianapolis, IN 46220	30 min	Must At the Indianapolis Art Center grounds.
3:45 PM	Benjamin Harrison gravesite 700 W 38th St, Indianapolis, IN 46208	45 min	Must Crown Hill Cemetery, Lot 57, Section 13. Follow cemetery signs and hours.
4:50 PM	Elvis final concert plaque 360 Market Square, Indianapolis, IN 46204	15 min	Must Plaque near the former Market Square Arena site.
5:10 PM	Monument Circle 1 Monument Cir, Indianapolis, IN 46204	45 min	Must Exterior only. Monument observation level is currently closed for repairs.
6:15 PM	Dinner downtown Indianapolis, IN	75 min	Flexible Choose downtown near the hotel. Return to Monument Circle after dark for the projection show if operating.
After dark	Shining a Light projection 1 Monument Cir, Indianapolis, IN 46204	20 min	Suggested Check the current nightly schedule shortly before travel.

Day 3: Sat Oct 3, 2026

Time	Stop	Time there	Notes
7:30 AM	Depart Indianapolis Indianapolis, IN	—	Required Today is the principal US 40 day. Do not use I-70.
8:15 AM	Grave in the Road 6844 E 400 S, Franklin, IN 46131	15 min	Must Very limited shoulder. Stop only if it can be done safely.
8:45 AM	Big John Rocking Chair 4108 US-31 S, Franklin, IN 46131	15 min	Must Quick photo at Long's Furniture.
Route control	US 40 through Plainfield Plainfield, IN	—	Required Use US 40 westbound.
Route control	US 40 through Brazil Brazil, IN	—	Required Continue on US 40; do not accept I-70 rerouting.
11:30 AM	Terre Haute murals and lunch 900 Chestnut St, Terre Haute, IN 47807	1 hr 45 min	Must Ballyhoo Tavern is one possible lunch anchor. Add Arts Alley and a few downtown murals.
2:00 PM	World's Largest Gavel 501 Archer Ave, Marshall, IL 62441	20 min	Must Courthouse exterior photo.
2:30 PM	1918 Brick National Road Marshall, IL 62441	25 min	Must Short drive/photo on the preserved brick section near town.
3:30 PM	Casey giant-attraction loop 2 E Main St, Casey, IL 62420	3 hr	Must Walk downtown cluster first, then drive to the outlying giants. Do not try to photograph all twelve in ten minutes.
6:45 PM	Dinner at Richards Farm 607 NE 13th St, Casey, IL 62420	75 min	Suggested Good fit with Casey's giant-scale theme.
8:15 PM	Casey hotel 14 S Central Ave, Casey, IL 62420	—	Overnight Eighteen-Ninety Sleepover suggested; book early because it is small.

Day 4: Sun Oct 4, 2026

Time	Stop	Time there	Notes
7:45 AM	Optional remaining Casey giants Casey, IL 62420	45 min	Optional Use only if you missed a priority item Saturday.
9:00 AM	Depart Casey Casey, IL	—	Required
9:50 AM	Kaskaskia Dragon 2024 Progress West Dr, Vandalia, IL 62471	25 min	Must Exterior view is free. Flame tokens may depend on a nearby retailer being open.
11:25 AM	Humpty Dumpty 106 N Walnut St, Champaign, IL 61820	15 min	Must Outside the Esquire Lounge.
11:45 AM	Lunch in downtown Champaign Downtown Champaign, IL	60 min	Flexible Keep the meal close to Humpty Dumpty.
1:30 PM	Dana-Thomas House 301 E Lawrence Ave, Springfield, IL 62703	60 min	Must Reserve a Frank Lloyd Wright tour in advance.
3:00 PM	Lincoln Tomb 1500 Monument Ave, Springfield, IL 62702	45 min	Must Allow time for the monument and nearby cemetery grounds.
4:00 PM	Auburn Brick Road Snell Rd and Curran Rd, Auburn, IL 62615	45 min	Must Drive/photo the historic brick segment.
6:15 PM	Dinner at Mother Road Diner 625 E St Joseph St, Springfield, IL 62703	75 min	Must User-requested Route 66 meal stop. Recheck Sunday hours before departure.
7:45 PM	Route 66 Experience at Illinois State Fairgrounds 801 E Sangamon Ave, Springfield, IL 62702	45 min	Suggested Best after dark for neon. Verify seasonal access.
9:00 PM	Inn at 835 835 S 2nd St, Springfield, IL 62704	—	Overnight Preferred Springfield stay; compare price with a Route 66-themed backup.

Day 5: Mon Oct 5, 2026

Time	Stop	Time there	Notes
8:30 AM	Lincoln Home ticket pickup 426 S 7th St, Springfield, IL 62701	15 min	Required Obtain free timed ticket early.
9:00 AM	Lincoln Home and neighborhood 413 S 8th St, Springfield, IL 62701	60 min	Must House tour plus a short walk through the preserved neighborhood.
10:15 AM	Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum 212 N 6th St, Springfield, IL 62701	2 hr 30 min	Must Do not squeeze this into one hour.
1:00 PM	Lunch at Cozy Dog Drive In 2935 S 6th St, Springfield, IL 62703	50 min	Suggested Classic Route 66 stop. Mel-O-Cream can be added for dessert.
2:40 PM	American Giants Museum 100 SW Arch St, Atlanta, IL 61723	60 min	Must See the Muffler Men collection and outdoor giants.
3:40 PM	Bunyon Giant and downtown Atlanta 103 SW Arch St, Atlanta, IL 61723	35 min	Must Hot-dog Muffler Man, murals and downtown photos.
5:00 PM	Pontiac Route 66 murals and shield 110 W Howard St, Pontiac, IL 61764	75 min	Must Outdoor mural walk and World's Largest Route 66 Shield.
6:30 PM	Dinner at Old Log Cabin 18700 Historic US 66, Pontiac, IL 61764	75 min	Suggested Historic Route 66 restaurant; recheck hours.
8:15 PM	Pontiac hotel Pontiac, IL	—	Overnight Hampton Inn Pontiac or Best Western Pontiac Inn are practical choices.

Day 6: Tue Oct 6, 2026

Time	Stop	Time there	Notes
9:00 AM	Route 66 Association Hall of Fame and Museum 110 W Howard St, Pontiac, IL 61764	1 hr 30 min	Must Includes Bob Waldmire material and substantial Route 66 exhibits.
10:45 AM	Depart for Savanna Pontiac, IL	—	Required This is the trip's largest deliberate detour.
1:00 PM	Two giant ice-cream cones 708 Main St, Savanna, IL 61074	25 min	Must Exterior photos. Shivers may have reduced October hours or be closed Tuesday.
1:30 PM	Lunch in Savanna or packed lunch Savanna, IL	45 min	Flexible Do not depend on Shivers being open.
4:15 PM	Illinois Rock & Roll Museum 9 W Cass St, Joliet, IL 60432	45 min	Must Late-day visit only if arrival is on schedule; otherwise move to Wednesday morning.
5:10 PM	Rich & Creamy and Blues Brothers statues 920 N Broadway St, Joliet, IL 60435	30 min	Must Outdoor park and rooftop statues; prison overlook nearby.
6:15 PM	Dinner and Joliet hotel Downtown Joliet, IL	—	Overnight Harrah's Joliet is convenient downtown; chain hotels near I-80 can be quieter and less expensive.

Day 7: Wed Oct 7, 2026

Time	Stop	Time there	Notes
9:00 AM	Illinois Rock & Roll Museum fallback 9 W Cass St, Joliet, IL 60432	45 min	Conditional Use this only if Tuesday's arrival was too late.
10:00 AM	Old Joliet Prison 1125 Collins St, Joliet, IL 60432	1 hr 30 min	Must Reserve a tour if available; exterior grounds otherwise.
11:45 AM	Joliet Area Historical Museum and Route 66 Welcome Center 204 N Ottawa St, Joliet, IL 60432	75 min	Must Route 66 exhibits and local history.
1:00 PM	Lunch in Joliet Downtown Joliet, IL	50 min	Flexible Keep it quick enough to reach Hammond before closing.
2:25 PM	Dracula at Haunted Trails 7759 S Harlem Ave, Burbank, IL 60459	25 min	Must Photo stop inside the attraction grounds.
3:10 PM	Givins Beverly Castle 10244 S Longwood Dr, Chicago, IL 60643	20 min	Must Exterior neighborhood stop. Be respectful of residents and traffic.
4:15 PM	Wrigley Field 1060 W Addison St, Chicago, IL 60613	35 min	Must Exterior photo stop. Upgrade to a tour only if an October tour fits the final schedule.
5:45 PM	Chicago hotel check-in 2121 S Prairie Ave, Chicago, IL 60616	30 min	Overnight Marriott Marquis Chicago suggested for South Loop access and parking.
7:30 PM	Cloud Gate at night 201 E Randolph St, Chicago, IL 60602	45 min	Must Night visit avoids consuming Thursday morning, but Thursday is the weather fallback.

Day 8: Thu Oct 8, 2026

Time	Stop	Time there	Notes
8:30 AM	Cloud Gate weather fallback 201 E Randolph St, Chicago, IL 60602	30 min	Conditional Use only if Wednesday night did not work.
9:00 AM	Skydeck Chicago 233 S Wacker Dr, Chicago, IL 60606	1 hr 30 min	Must Reserve the first practical entry time.
10:45 AM	Traditional Route 66 Begin sign 78-98 E Adams St, Chicago, IL 60603	20 min	Must Traditional start at Adams Street near Michigan Avenue.
11:20 AM	Lunch at Lou Mitchell's 565 W Jackson Blvd, Chicago, IL 60661	60 min	Suggested Historic Route 66 breakfast-and-lunch stop.
12:45 PM	Navy Pier centennial Route 66 sign 600 E Grand Ave, Chicago, IL 60611	1 hr 15 min	Must See the new symbolic centennial start marker on the South Dock.
2:15 PM	Depart Chicago Chicago, IL	—	Required Allow traffic padding.
3:20 PM	Indiana Welcome Center and Flick statue 7770 Corinne Dr, Hammond, IN 46323	35 min	Must See Flick's tongue-on-the-pole statue before the center closes.
4:20 PM	Indiana Dunes National Park 1000 N Mineral Springs Rd, Porter, IN 46304	1 hr 30 min	Must Short scenic walk. Visitor center may close before the park itself.
7:15 PM	Morris Inn / Notre Dame 1399 Notre Dame Ave, Notre Dame, IN 46556	—	Overnight Best-location choice for the next morning's campus walk.
7:45 PM	Dinner at Rohr's or nearby 1399 Notre Dame Ave, Notre Dame, IN 46556	75 min	Suggested Convenient on-campus dinner; reserve if needed.

Day 9: Fri Oct 9, 2026

Time	Stop	Time there	Notes
8:00 AM	Notre Dame campus walk 100 Eck Center, Notre Dame, IN 46556	2 hr	Must Golden Dome, Basilica, Grotto and Touchdown Jesus. Use a self-guided route unless a public tour fits.
10:15 AM	Depart Notre Dame Notre Dame, IN	—	Required
11:45 AM	Star Wars Imperial Walkers 1733 S Wabash St, Wabash, IN 46992	20 min	Must Exterior sculptures.
12:15 PM	Lunch in Wabash Wabash, IN	50 min	Flexible Keep this reasonably quick for the drive home.
3:30 PM	Mickey Mart / Dino-World 251 Benedict Ave, Norwalk, OH 44857	25 min	Must Map uses the current Benedict Avenue location. Confirm this is the Mickey Mart you intended.
6:00 PM	Return to Mentor Mentor, OH	—	Required Arrival depends on lunch, traffic and stop length.

roadside_route66_map_launcher.html HTML roadside_route66_trip_oct_1-9_2026.csv Spreadsheet GREAT work! Let's make a couple of suggested changes. Disappointing that the Herb Alpert Sculptures aren't there anymore. Are they on display anywhere else in the area? We're good starting early Thursday. Don't worry about the ice cream cones, yes on more Joliet area attractions. We got the Rootbeer one wrong, so good substitution No tour at Wrigley, just want to take a photo of the iconic front sign. I don't think the Cubs will be in the playoffs. Will setting Google maps to no highways once we hit Indiana help the map keep us on US40? I love the html page you have set up, but can we use it outside of ChatGPT? If so, how? So please make those minor changes and give us the same output content and format. Worked for 1m 41s https://images.openai.com/static-rsc-4/BBEd8JULyPdueXXLcLCLmR0Qrvnr83VducHDKR2rPnmqZ1VIeeNo-90tk6yUAfNlbNVTsx0vEmuts9MNAGIQZjzmTyPheDtVKy5Sj5TjhiwxWB57JS4uzw5zNNwiqyUfiRSCtmyD0RSePJtcwqUXC4_9T7d0ns0L-lJV86o1SPlRhXEzW_-cmXACjkaoOpGl?purpose=fullsize Excellent news about the Herb Alpert sculptures I need to correct my earlier conclusion. The original temporary Field Museum exhibition did end in 2016, which is the information that sent me down the wrong trumpet-shaped rabbit hole. However, the Field Museum’s current page for the Rice Native Gardens specifically lists Herb Alpert’s bronze Spirit Totems among the outdoor features. The gardens are outside, free to visit and available year-round. They are still in Chicago after all. I have restored them to the itinerary for early Thursday morning, before Skydeck. That gives you better light, fewer people and no need to purchase Field Museum admission. Answers to the other questions Will “Avoid Highways” keep us on US 40? It will help, but do not trust it as the only safeguard. Google Maps offers an Avoid Highways setting, but it does not distinguish neatly between “avoid I-70” and “avoid every road Google considers a highway.” It may occasionally choose an odd local alternative. The best combination is: Turn on Avoid Highways when you enter Indiana. Open the itinerary’s US 40 route segment. Confirm that the route passes through Richmond, Greenfield, Plainfield and Brazil. Check that the blue route line is actually labeled US 40. Turn Avoid Highways back off after completing the US 40 portion. The Google Maps links in the HTML can supply destinations and waypoints, but the official Maps URL specification does not provide a dependable way for the page itself to switch on Avoid Highways. That setting must be selected in the Maps app. Can the HTML page be used outside ChatGPT? Yes. It is a completely independent webpage. The simplest method on your Windows computer: Download the HTML file. Save it somewhere easy to find, such as Documents or a trip folder. Double-click it. It will open in Chrome, Edge or your default browser. Its Google Maps buttons will work normally as long as you have internet access. You could place the file in Dropbox, OneDrive or another cloud folder for safekeeping, although those services may display it as a file rather than as a live webpage. For easy use from both phones and computers, you can host it on one of your websites. Since you have cPanel access, upload it with cPanel File Manager into a folder such as: public_html/trips/route66-2026/index.html You would then open it at an address resembling: yourwebsite.com/trips/route66-2026/ An obscure folder name or password-protected directory would keep your full travel schedule from becoming unnecessarily public. WordPress itself may reject an HTML upload, so cPanel File Manager is the cleaner route. Revised overnight plan Night Town Recommended base Thursday, October 1 Indianapolis Homewood Suites Downtown IUPUI Friday, October 2 Indianapolis Same hotel Saturday, October 3 Casey Eighteen-Ninety Sleepover Sunday, October 4 Springfield, Illinois Inn at 835 Monday, October 5 Pontiac Hampton Inn or Best Western Tuesday, October 6 Joliet Harrah’s Joliet or an I-80-area chain Wednesday, October 7 Chicago Marriott Marquis Chicago Thursday, October 8 South Bend/Notre Dame Morris Inn The overall loop remains approximately 1,600 to 1,750 miles. Removing Savanna takes a substantial bite out of the mileage and, more importantly, eliminates a day that was beginning to resemble a geography teacher’s cry for help. Day 1: Mentor to Indianapolis Thursday, October 1 6:30 a.m.: Depart Mentor. 9:00–9:30: Longaberger Big Basket, Newark Walk the exterior and get photographs from several angles. 9:50–10:15: Giant Apple Basket, Frazeysburg Quick exterior photo stop at the former Longaberger Homestead. 11:50–12:45: Lunch in Springfield, Ohio Casa Centro remains the suggested lunch anchor. 1:00–1:45: Hartman Rock Garden This remains the substitute for the incorrectly identified root-beer mug. 2:30–3:15: Vandalia Art Park Allow enough time to walk among the sculptures. After the park, continue toward Indiana and turn on Avoid Highways. Check that Maps is sending you through Richmond and Greenfield on US 40. 5:15–5:30: Big Pink Elephant, Fortville Quick photo stop. 6:15: Indianapolis hotel check-in. 7:15: Dinner at the Slippery Noodle Inn or another downtown restaurant. Day 2: Indianapolis Friday, October 2 7:45–8:30: Indianapolis Canal Walk Walk one attractive section rather than the entire route. 9:00–11:30: Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum The major Indianapolis attraction and one that deserves a real visit. 11:45–12:45: Lunch at Mug-n-Bun Classic drive-in lunch and root beer. 1:15–1:30: The Pyramids Exterior photographs. 1:45–2:45: Holliday Park and the Ruins 3:00–3:30: Twisted House 3:45–4:30: Benjamin Harrison’s grave at Crown Hill Cemetery 4:50–5:05: Elvis final-concert plaque The marker is near the former Market Square Arena location. 5:10–5:55: Monument Circle 6:15: Dinner downtown. After dark: Return to Monument Circle for the Shining a Light projection if it is running that evening. Day 3: Indianapolis to Casey via US 40 Saturday, October 3 7:30: Depart Indianapolis. 8:15–8:30: Grave in the Road Stop only when there is a genuinely safe place to pull over. 8:45–9:00: Big John Rocking Chair Return to US 40, turn on Avoid Highways and confirm the route passes through Plainfield and Brazil. 11:30–1:15: Terre Haute murals and lunch Choose a compact collection of downtown murals rather than trying to collect the entire city like trading cards. 2:00–2:20: World’s Largest Gavel, Marshall 2:30–2:55: Historic 1918 Brick National Road section 3:30–6:30: Casey giant-attraction circuit Start with the walkable downtown cluster, then drive to the more scattered objects. 6:45: Dinner at Richards Farm. 8:15: Check in at Eighteen-Ninety Sleepover. Day 4: Casey to Springfield Sunday, October 4 7:45–8:30: Finish any missed Casey attractions. 9:00: Depart Casey. 9:50–10:15: Kaskaskia Dragon, Vandalia, Illinois 11:25–11:40: Humpty Dumpty, Champaign 11:45–12:45: Lunch in downtown Champaign. 1:30–2:30: Dana-Thomas House Reserve the 1:30 p.m. tour in advance. The state currently lists tours at scheduled times rather than continuous admission. 3:00–3:45: Lincoln Tomb 4:00–4:45: Auburn Brick Road 6:15: Dinner at Mother Road Diner Reconfirm Sunday hours closer to the trip. 7:45–8:30: Illinois State Fairgrounds Route 66 Experience The neon displays should be more impressive after dark. 9:00: Inn at 835. Day 5: Springfield to Pontiac Monday, October 5 8:30: Lincoln Home ticket pickup. 9:00–10:00: Lincoln Home and preserved neighborhood 10:15–12:45: Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum 1:00–1:50: Lunch at Cozy Dog Drive In Mel-O-Cream remains available as the dessert department. 2:40–3:40: American Giants Museum, Atlanta The museum is devoted to Muffler Men and related roadside giants and is located directly along Atlanta’s Route 66 district. 3:40–4:15: Bunyon Giant and downtown Atlanta 5:00–6:15: Pontiac mural walk, giant Route 66 shield and outdoor attractions 6:30: Dinner at Old Log Cabin. 8:15: Pontiac hotel. Day 6: Pontiac through the Route 66 corridor to Joliet Tuesday, October 6 This is the principal revision. The Savanna detour and its ice-cream cones are gone. In their place, you get a far richer collection of historic Route 66 stations, giant figures, diner kitsch and Joliet attractions. 9:00–10:15: Route 66 Association Hall of Fame and Museum, Pontiac 10:30–10:55: Standard Oil Filling Station, Odell The restored 1932 station is at 400 S. West Street. Its visitor-center interior is currently listed for limited daytime hours, but the exterior can still be photographed outside those hours. 11:10–11:40: Ambler’s Texaco Station, Dwight Another beautifully restored station, now serving as a Route 66 visitor center. 11:45–12:40: Lunch at Old Route 66 Family Restaurant This is a much stronger fit for the trip than eating somewhere generic between attractions. 12:55–1:15: Gardner Two-Cell Jail A fast, entertaining photo stop where visitors can step behind the bars. 1:30–2:05: Polk-a-Dot Drive In, Braidwood Photograph the Elvis, Marilyn Monroe, Superman and Blues Brothers figures. A shake is optional, particularly after lunch. 2:15–2:50: Gemini Giant, Wilmington The restored giant now stands at South Island Park beside a large Route 66 monument and dedicated photo area. 3:10–4:10: Illinois Rock & Roll Museum, Joliet 4:15–4:35: Rialto Square Theatre marquee Exterior photographs of the ornate theatre and its marquee. Regular theatre tours are not necessary for this itinerary. 4:45–5:20: Rich & Creamy Route 66 Park Blues Brothers figures, Route 66 material and a view toward the prison. 5:30–5:50: Jacob Henry Mansion exterior A quick architectural stop at the 1873 mansion. 6:15: Dinner and Joliet hotel check-in. Day 7: Joliet and Chicago Wednesday, October 7 9:15–9:40: Kicks on 66 sign and downtown Joliet photographs 10:00–11:30: Old Joliet Prison Reserve a tour if the October calendar offers one. Otherwise, explore the exterior grounds and film-history locations. 11:45–1:00: Joliet Area Historical Museum and Route 66 Welcome Center Together with the prison, Rialto Square Theatre, Rich & Creamy and the Illinois Rock & Roll Museum, these make Joliet a much more substantial stop than it was in the first itinerary. 1:00–1:50: Lunch in downtown Joliet. 2:25–2:50: Dracula at Haunted Trails, Burbank 3:10–3:30: Givins Beverly Castle 4:15–4:35: Wrigley Field This is now specifically a front-marquee photograph stop only. No tour, no wandering through the concourses, no need to plan around baseball schedules. 5:30: Chicago hotel check-in. 7:00–7:45: Cloud Gate at night Thursday morning remains the weather fallback. Day 8: Chicago to Notre Dame Thursday, October 8 7:45–8:20: Herb Alpert’s Spirit Totems at the Field Museum Visit the outdoor sculptures in the Rice Native Gardens. No museum admission is needed for the garden portion. The official museum page currently identifies the bronze sculptures as part of this free, year-round outdoor space. 8:25–8:50: Cloud Gate weather fallback, only if Wednesday failed. 9:00–10:30: Skydeck Chicago at Willis Tower 10:45–11:05: Traditional Route 66 Begin sign at Adams Street 11:20–12:20: Lunch at Lou Mitchell’s 12:45–2:00: Navy Pier Route 66 Centennial marker Navy Pier now has the new symbolic centennial starting point, while Adams Street remains the traditional downtown beginning. You get both interpretations of where the Mother Road starts. 2:15: Depart Chicago. 3:20–3:55: Indiana Welcome Center and Flick statue, Hammond 4:20–5:50: Indiana Dunes National Park Choose a short scenic walk rather than a full hike. 7:15: Check in at Morris Inn. 7:45: Dinner at Rohr’s or nearby. Day 9: Notre Dame to Mentor Friday, October 9 8:00–10:00: Notre Dame campus walk Golden Dome, Basilica, Grotto and Touchdown Jesus. 10:15: Depart Notre Dame. 11:45–12:05: Star Wars Imperial Walkers, Wabash 12:15–1:05: Lunch in Wabash. 3:30–3:55: Mickey Mart/Dino-World, Norwalk The map continues to use the Benedict Avenue location. Confirm that this is the particular Mickey Mart attraction you had in mind before departure. Approximately 6:00 p.m.: Return to Mentor. What changed The new version: Restores the Herb Alpert Spirit Totems to Chicago. Removes the Savanna ice-cream-cone detour. Adds Odell’s Standard Oil Station. Adds Ambler’s Texaco Station. Adds the Gardner Two-Cell Jail. Adds Polk-a-Dot Drive In. Adds the restored Gemini Giant. Expands Joliet with the Rialto marquee, Jacob Henry Mansion and Kicks on 66 sign. Changes Wrigley Field to a short front-sign photo stop. Adds clearer instructions for keeping Google Maps on US 40. Adds instructions inside the HTML page for using it independently of ChatGPT. Revised map-ready files Open or download the revised interactive HTML itinerary Download the revised Google My Maps CSV The HTML file can be saved and opened directly on your computer or uploaded to a web-hosting folder. The CSV includes the revised stops, times, notes, priorities and source links. roadside_route66_map_launcher_revised.html HTML roadside_route66_trip_oct_1-9_2026_revised.csv Spreadsheet Library / roadside_route66_map_launcher_revised.html Roadside Attractions and Route 66 Trip | October 1–9, 2026

Roadside Attractions + Route 66

Mentor → Indianapolis → Illinois Route 66 → Chicago → South Bend → Mentor · October 1–9, 2026

Indiana US 40 rule: Turning on Avoid Highways should help keep Google Maps away from I-70, but it is not a precise “avoid only Interstate highways” lock. Before tapping Start, confirm the blue route passes through the listed US 40 control towns. Turn the option back off after the US 40 leg so Maps does not invent unnecessary local-road adventures.

This page works outside ChatGPT. Download it and double-click the file on a Windows or Mac computer. It is a self-contained web page, and its route buttons open Google Maps over the internet. To use it from any device, upload it to a private or obscure folder on your own web hosting, for example /trips/route66-2026/index.html. WordPress may block direct HTML uploads, but cPanel File Manager can place it in a web folder.

Google Maps route buttons

Day-by-day schedule

Day 1: Thu Oct 1, 2026

Time	Stop	Time there	Notes
6:30 AM	Depart Mentor Mentor, OH	—	Required Early start. In Indiana, use US 40 and do not use I-70.
9:00 AM	Longaberger Big Basket 1500 E Main St, Newark, OH 43055	30 min	Must Exterior photos and a short walk around the building.
9:50 AM	Giant Apple Basket 5563 Raiders Rd, Frazeysburg, OH 43822	25 min	Must Former Longaberger Homestead apple basket; exterior photo stop.
11:50 AM	Lunch in Springfield 14 E Main St, Springfield, OH 45502	55 min	Suggested Casa Centro suggested. Keep flexible if the morning runs late.
1:00 PM	Hartman Rock Garden 1905 Russell Ave, Springfield, OH 45506	45 min	Suggested Replacement for the incorrectly identified root-beer mug.
2:30 PM	Vandalia Art Park 256 E Alkaline Springs Rd, Vandalia, OH 45377	45 min	Must Walk the sculpture park.
Route control	US 40 through Richmond Richmond, IN	—	Required Use US 40. Turn on Avoid Highways for this Indiana leg, then inspect the route before starting. Source
Route control	US 40 through Greenfield Greenfield, IN	—	Required Continue on US 40. The waypoint helps prevent an I-70 reroute.
5:15 PM	Big Pink Elephant 308 W Broadway St, Fortville, IN 46040	15 min	Must Quick exterior photo.
6:15 PM	Indianapolis hotel check-in 414 W Vermont St, Indianapolis, IN 46202	30 min	Overnight Homewood Suites Downtown IUPUI suggested.
7:15 PM	Dinner 372 S Meridian St, Indianapolis, IN 46225	75 min	Suggested Slippery Noodle Inn suggested; confirm entertainment schedule.

Day 2: Fri Oct 2, 2026

Time	Stop	Time there	Notes
7:45 AM	Indianapolis Canal Walk 801 W Washington St, Indianapolis, IN 46204	45 min	Must Walk a scenic section rather than the full loop.
9:00 AM	Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum 4750 W 16th St, Indianapolis, IN 46222	2 hr 30 min	Must Allow time for exhibits and the gift shop.
11:45 AM	Lunch at Mug-n-Bun 5211 W 10th St, Speedway, IN 46224	60 min	Suggested Classic drive-in and root beer.
1:15 PM	The Pyramids 3500 DePauw Blvd, Indianapolis, IN 46268	15 min	Must Exterior photo stop.
1:45 PM	Holliday Park and Ruins 6363 Spring Mill Rd, Indianapolis, IN 46260	60 min	Must Walk the Ruins and nearby grounds.
3:00 PM	Twisted House 820 E 67th St, Indianapolis, IN 46220	30 min	Must On the Indianapolis Art Center grounds.
3:45 PM	Benjamin Harrison gravesite 700 W 38th St, Indianapolis, IN 46208	45 min	Must Crown Hill Cemetery, Lot 57, Section 13. Follow cemetery signs and hours.
4:50 PM	Elvis final concert plaque 360 Market Square, Indianapolis, IN 46204	15 min	Must Plaque near the former Market Square Arena site. Source
5:10 PM	Monument Circle 1 Monument Cir, Indianapolis, IN 46204	45 min	Must Exterior visit. Recheck whether the monument observation level has reopened.
6:15 PM	Dinner downtown Indianapolis, IN	75 min	Flexible Choose something near the hotel.
After dark	Shining a Light projection 1 Monument Cir, Indianapolis, IN 46204	20 min	Suggested Check the current nightly schedule shortly before travel.

Day 3: Sat Oct 3, 2026

Time	Stop	Time there	Notes
7:30 AM	Depart Indianapolis Indianapolis, IN	—	Required Principal US 40 day. Do not use I-70.
8:15 AM	Grave in the Road 6844 E 400 S, Franklin, IN 46131	15 min	Must Limited shoulder. Stop only if it can be done safely.
8:45 AM	Big John Rocking Chair 4108 US-31 S, Franklin, IN 46131	15 min	Must Quick photo at Long's Furniture.
Route control	US 40 through Plainfield Plainfield, IN	—	Required Turn on Avoid Highways and verify the route follows US 40. Source
Route control	US 40 through Brazil Brazil, IN	—	Required Continue west on US 40; do not accept I-70 rerouting.
11:30 AM	Terre Haute murals and lunch 900 Chestnut St, Terre Haute, IN 47807	1 hr 45 min	Must Use a downtown lunch anchor and walk a compact mural cluster.
2:00 PM	World's Largest Gavel 501 Archer Ave, Marshall, IL 62441	20 min	Must Courthouse exterior photo.
2:30 PM	1918 Brick National Road Marshall, IL 62441	25 min	Must Short drive and photo on the preserved brick section.
3:30 PM	Casey giant-attraction loop 2 E Main St, Casey, IL 62420	3 hr	Must Walk the downtown cluster, then drive to the outlying giants.
6:45 PM	Dinner at Richards Farm 607 NE 13th St, Casey, IL 62420	75 min	Suggested A good thematic fit with Casey's giant-scale day.
8:15 PM	Casey hotel 14 S Central Ave, Casey, IL 62420	—	Overnight Eighteen-Ninety Sleepover suggested; book early because it is small.

Day 4: Sun Oct 4, 2026

Time	Stop	Time there	Notes
7:45 AM	Optional remaining Casey giants Casey, IL 62420	45 min	Optional Use only if a priority item was missed Saturday.
9:00 AM	Depart Casey Casey, IL	—	Required
9:50 AM	Kaskaskia Dragon 2024 Progress West Dr, Vandalia, IL 62471	25 min	Must Exterior view is free. Flame-token availability may depend on nearby business hours.
11:25 AM	Humpty Dumpty 106 N Walnut St, Champaign, IL 61820	15 min	Must Outside the Esquire Lounge.
11:45 AM	Lunch in downtown Champaign Downtown Champaign, IL	60 min	Flexible Keep the meal close to Humpty Dumpty.
1:30 PM	Dana-Thomas House 301 E Lawrence Ave, Springfield, IL 62703	60 min	Must Reserve the 1:30 Frank Lloyd Wright tour in advance. Source
3:00 PM	Lincoln Tomb 1500 Monument Ave, Springfield, IL 62702	45 min	Must Allow time for the monument and nearby cemetery grounds.
4:00 PM	Auburn Brick Road Snell Rd and Curran Rd, Auburn, IL 62615	45 min	Must Drive and photograph the historic brick segment.
6:15 PM	Dinner at Mother Road Diner 625 E St Joseph St, Springfield, IL 62703	75 min	Must Recheck Sunday hours before departure.
7:45 PM	Route 66 Experience at Illinois State Fairgrounds 801 E Sangamon Ave, Springfield, IL 62702	45 min	Suggested Best after dark for neon. Verify seasonal access.
9:00 PM	Inn at 835 835 S 2nd St, Springfield, IL 62704	—	Overnight Preferred Springfield stay; compare price with a Route 66-themed backup.

Day 5: Mon Oct 5, 2026

Time	Stop	Time there	Notes
8:30 AM	Lincoln Home ticket pickup 426 S 7th St, Springfield, IL 62701	15 min	Required Obtain a free timed ticket early.
9:00 AM	Lincoln Home and neighborhood 413 S 8th St, Springfield, IL 62701	60 min	Must House tour plus a short walk through the preserved neighborhood.
10:15 AM	Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum 212 N 6th St, Springfield, IL 62701	2 hr 30 min	Must Give the museum a proper visit rather than squeezing it into one hour.
1:00 PM	Lunch at Cozy Dog Drive In 2935 S 6th St, Springfield, IL 62703	50 min	Suggested Classic Route 66 stop. Mel-O-Cream can be dessert.
2:40 PM	American Giants Museum 100 NE Arch St, Atlanta, IL 61723	60 min	Must See the Muffler Men collection and outdoor giants. Source
3:40 PM	Bunyon Giant and downtown Atlanta 103 SW Arch St, Atlanta, IL 61723	35 min	Must Hot-dog Muffler Man, murals and downtown photos.
5:00 PM	Pontiac Route 66 murals and shield 110 W Howard St, Pontiac, IL 61764	75 min	Must Outdoor mural walk and the giant Route 66 shield.
6:30 PM	Dinner at Old Log Cabin 18700 Historic US 66, Pontiac, IL 61764	75 min	Suggested Historic Route 66 restaurant; recheck hours.
8:15 PM	Pontiac hotel Pontiac, IL	—	Overnight Hampton Inn Pontiac or Best Western Pontiac Inn.

Day 6: Tue Oct 6, 2026

Time	Stop	Time there	Notes
9:00 AM	Route 66 Association Hall of Fame and Museum 110 W Howard St, Pontiac, IL 61764	1 hr 15 min	Must Includes Bob Waldmire material and substantial Route 66 exhibits.
10:30 AM	Standard Oil Filling Station 400 S West St, Odell, IL 60460	25 min	Must Restored 1932 station. The visitor center is currently listed as 11:00–3:00, but the exterior is always photographable. Source
11:10 AM	Ambler's Texaco Station 417 W Waupansie St, Dwight, IL 60420	30 min	Must Restored station and Route 66 visitor center. Source
11:45 AM	Lunch at Old Route 66 Family Restaurant 105 S Old Route 66, Dwight, IL 60420	55 min	Suggested A true Mother Road lunch rather than a generic highway stop.
12:55 PM	Two-Cell Jail 400 E Mazon St, Gardner, IL 60424	20 min	Suggested Quick go-behind-bars photo stop. Source
1:30 PM	Polk-a-Dot Drive In 222 N Front St, Braidwood, IL 60408	35 min	Must Photograph the Elvis, Marilyn, Superman and Blues Brothers figures; add a shake only if room remains. Source
2:15 PM	Gemini Giant 201 Bridge St, Wilmington, IL 60481	35 min	Must Restored giant at South Island Park with the Route 66 monument and photo area. Source
3:10 PM	Illinois Rock & Roll Museum 9 W Cass St, Joliet, IL 60432	60 min	Must Arrive with enough time before the currently published 5:00 closing. Source
4:15 PM	Rialto Square Theatre marquee 102 N Chicago St, Joliet, IL 60432	20 min	Suggested Exterior and iconic marquee only unless the lobby happens to be accessible. Source
4:45 PM	Rich & Creamy and Blues Brothers statues 920 N Broadway St, Joliet, IL 60435	35 min	Must Outdoor park, rooftop Blues Brothers figures and nearby prison overlook.
5:30 PM	Jacob Henry Mansion exterior 20 S Eastern Ave, Joliet, IL 60433	20 min	Suggested Exterior photo stop at the 1873 mansion. Source
6:15 PM	Dinner and Joliet hotel Downtown Joliet, IL	—	Overnight Harrah's Joliet is convenient downtown; I-80-area chains may be quieter and less expensive.

Day 7: Wed Oct 7, 2026

Time	Stop	Time there	Notes
9:15 AM	Kicks on 66 sign and downtown photos Downtown Joliet, IL	25 min	Suggested Use the early slot for exterior photographs before the prison opens.
10:00 AM	Old Joliet Prison 1125 Collins St, Joliet, IL 60432	1 hr 30 min	Must Reserve a tour if offered; exterior grounds otherwise.
11:45 AM	Joliet Area Historical Museum and Route 66 Welcome Center 204 N Ottawa St, Joliet, IL 60432	75 min	Must Route 66 exhibits and Joliet history. Source
1:00 PM	Lunch in Joliet Downtown Joliet, IL	50 min	Flexible Keep lunch quick enough for the Chicago-area photo stops.
2:25 PM	Dracula at Haunted Trails 7759 S Harlem Ave, Burbank, IL 60459	25 min	Must Photo stop inside the attraction grounds.
3:10 PM	Givins Beverly Castle 10244 S Longwood Dr, Chicago, IL 60643	20 min	Must Exterior neighborhood stop. Respect residents and traffic.
4:15 PM	Wrigley Field front sign 1060 W Addison St, Chicago, IL 60613	20 min	Must Photo of the iconic red marquee only. No stadium tour is planned.
5:30 PM	Chicago hotel check-in 2121 S Prairie Ave, Chicago, IL 60616	30 min	Overnight Marriott Marquis Chicago suggested for South Loop access and parking.
7:00 PM	Cloud Gate at night 201 E Randolph St, Chicago, IL 60602	45 min	Must Night visit; Thursday morning remains the weather fallback.

Day 8: Thu Oct 8, 2026

Time	Stop	Time there	Notes
7:45 AM	Herb Alpert Spirit Totems 1400 S DuSable Lake Shore Dr, Chicago, IL 60605	35 min	Must The Field Museum's current Rice Native Gardens page lists Alpert's bronze Spirit Totems as a free, year-round outdoor feature. Source
8:25 AM	Cloud Gate weather fallback 201 E Randolph St, Chicago, IL 60602	25 min	Conditional Use only if Wednesday night did not work.
9:00 AM	Skydeck Chicago 233 S Wacker Dr, Chicago, IL 60606	1 hr 30 min	Must Reserve the first practical entry time.
10:45 AM	Traditional Route 66 Begin sign 78-98 E Adams St, Chicago, IL 60603	20 min	Must Traditional downtown start near Michigan Avenue.
11:20 AM	Lunch at Lou Mitchell's 565 W Jackson Blvd, Chicago, IL 60661	60 min	Suggested Historic Route 66 breakfast-and-lunch stop.
12:45 PM	Navy Pier Route 66 Centennial sign 600 E Grand Ave, Chicago, IL 60611	1 hr 15 min	Must Visit the new symbolic centennial starting point on the South Dock. Source
2:15 PM	Depart Chicago Chicago, IL	—	Required Allow traffic padding.
3:20 PM	Indiana Welcome Center and Flick statue 7770 Corinne Dr, Hammond, IN 46323	35 min	Must See Flick's tongue-on-the-pole statue before the center closes.
4:20 PM	Indiana Dunes National Park 1000 N Mineral Springs Rd, Porter, IN 46304	1 hr 30 min	Must Short scenic walk rather than a major hike.
7:15 PM	Morris Inn / Notre Dame 1399 Notre Dame Ave, Notre Dame, IN 46556	—	Overnight Best-location choice for Friday morning's campus walk.
7:45 PM	Dinner at Rohr's or nearby 1399 Notre Dame Ave, Notre Dame, IN 46556	75 min	Suggested Convenient on-campus dinner; reserve if needed.

Day 9: Fri Oct 9, 2026

Time	Stop	Time there	Notes
8:00 AM	Notre Dame campus walk 100 Eck Center, Notre Dame, IN 46556	2 hr	Must Golden Dome, Basilica, Grotto and Touchdown Jesus. Self-guided unless a public tour fits.
10:15 AM	Depart Notre Dame Notre Dame, IN	—	Required
11:45 AM	Star Wars Imperial Walkers 1733 S Wabash St, Wabash, IN 46992	20 min	Must Exterior sculptures.
12:15 PM	Lunch in Wabash Wabash, IN	50 min	Flexible Keep this reasonably quick for the drive home.
3:30 PM	Mickey Mart / Dino-World 251 Benedict Ave, Norwalk, OH 44857	25 min	Must Map uses the current Benedict Avenue location. Confirm this is the Mickey Mart you intended.
6:00 PM	Return to Mentor Mentor, OH	—	Required Arrival depends on lunch, traffic and stop length.

Google Maps route buttons

Day-by-day schedule

Day 1: Thu Oct 1, 2026

Day 2: Fri Oct 2, 2026

Day 3: Sat Oct 3, 2026

Day 4: Sun Oct 4, 2026

Day 5: Mon Oct 5, 2026

Day 6: Tue Oct 6, 2026

Day 7: Wed Oct 7, 2026

Day 8: Thu Oct 8, 2026

Day 9: Fri Oct 9, 2026

Google Maps route buttons

Day-by-day schedule

Day 1: Thu Oct 1, 2026

Day 2: Fri Oct 2, 2026

Day 3: Sat Oct 3, 2026

Day 4: Sun Oct 4, 2026

Day 5: Mon Oct 5, 2026

Day 6: Tue Oct 6, 2026

Day 7: Wed Oct 7, 2026

Day 8: Thu Oct 8, 2026

Day 9: Fri Oct 9, 2026

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