Springfield, IL

Springfield is a great biker town

Springfield has a strip with a bunch of biker bars, including Jackson's Handlebar (formerly Dude's). It has cold beer and whiskey but no food. Weeble's is one of the most popular biker spots. It's not as Old School as the Handlebar, but it has good bar food. Guitars and Cadillacs is a newer spot that is a little more upscale than the other biker joints in Springfield. The Keg is not on Route 66, but its one of the best biker soots in town.

Each year over the Memorial Day and Labor Day weekends, the Springfield Fairgrounds hosts motorcycle races around a dirt track known as the Springfield Mile. Thousands of bikers attend, and most of the biker bars put on special events with live bands.

Springfield also has lots of active motorcycle clubs that have their own clubhouses. MCs include the Outlaws, Steel Justice the Black Pistons and many more.

The Cozy Dog Drive-In 2935 S 6th St claims to have invented the corn dog. I am a bit of a hot dog snob (Nathan's with skins are the best), so I never had eaten a corn dog before going to the Cozy Dog, but I must admit it was pretty good.

Of course, Springfield has Lincoln's Tomb, the Lincoln Presidential Library and lots of other Lincoln attractions, but they are not along Route 66.

Unfortunately, there are no good hotels right along Route 66 (there are some motels, but the locals will tell you they are not very nice or safe). However, when heading out of Springfield on Route 66 at the other end of town, you will find the Route 66 Hotel. This originally was the first Holiday Inn built on Route 66. One wing of the Hotel is the original Holiday Inn, and a somewhat newer wing has been added. There is a restaurant and a bar, and there also is a pretty cool Route 66 museum.

When leaving Springfield, we give you two options:

Our main route is the old 1926 - 1930 allignment from Springfield to Staunton, which passes through Chatham, Auburn, Thayer, Virden, Girard, Nillwood, Carlinvile, Gillespie and Benld. This route will take you longer than the alternate route, but it is more rural and avoids I-55. If you take this route, be sure to check out the Lauderback Giant on Wabash on the way out of town.

The alternate route follows I-55 and is much quicker, but still has a lot to offer. Ths route passes through Glenarm, Divernon, Farmersville, Waggoner, Litchfield and Mt. Olive before also aviving in Staunton.