Get your kicks on Route 66 tour
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A tour kicking off this month shows off the iconic roadway's origin story in Chicago.
The big picture: As part of Route 66's centennial, Illinois and Chicago are hosting events throughout the summer. Choose Chicago has teamed up with Tours with Mike for a trolley tour that explores Chicago neighborhoods along the route.
Flashback: Route 66 was officially born in 1926, when the Bureau of Public Roads launched the first federal highway system in the U.S. The 2,400-mile roadway was built as a transcontinental route from Chicago to California, and it traverses eight states.
- It originally started at Jackson Boulevard and Michigan Avenue, but was later moved to Adams Street because Jackson was changed to an eastbound one-way.
What to expect: The 2.5-hour tour takes off from the Art Institute of Chicago, traveling west on Adams Street, southwest on Ogden Avenue and east on Jackson Boulevard.
- Veteran guide Mike McMains points out historic spots while sharing stories about the changing neighborhoods along the route, including the West Loop, North Lawndale, Little Village and Douglass Park
- McMains created a companion website with photos and links to the places he references, with tips for current spots to eat and visit, like Green Tomato Cafe in North Lawndale and Manuel Perez Jr. Plaza in Little Village.
Fun facts: McMains is a wealth of fun trivia and tidbits about the famous route and Chicago attractions, like:
- Lou Mitchell's was the first restaurant in the city to serve breakfast all day, so weary travelers could stop for some coffee and grub at either the start or end of their journey.
- The Schuttler Mansion on the near West Side is believed to be haunted by the mistreated matriarch.
- Eliot Ness and Al Capone actually only met once in real life, despite what "The Untouchables" would have you believe.
What's next: Tickets are now on sale for the Route 66 Neighborhoods trolley tour, with the first one taking place on May 22.
🗯️ My thought bubble: I love that this tour takes you through neighborhoods most tourists, and sadly some locals, never get to see. Even longtime Chicagoans like me learned some new trivia!