Just 50 minutes south of Chicago, the small town of Joliet is a great place to get your kicks on Route 66. There’s a Route 66 Welcome Center, of course, which includes a well-regarded historical museum. Make sure to drop by the Rialto Square Theater and Joe’s Hot Dogs, a local favorite since 1953, to get a taste of a long-lost era.

Music lovers will want to drop in on the Illinois Rock & Roll Museum (pictured), dedicated to pioneers of rock and roll and home to the popular ‘Cars and Guitars’ event every summer.

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