Route 66 Park / Kicks on 66 Park

The park covers about three acres and was designed in close consultation with Route 66 historians, preservationists, and local artists to create a space that feels authentic to the highway's mid-century roadside-attraction aesthetic without veering into kitsch. The Route 66 shield sculpture at the central plaza stands roughly twelve feet tall and is illuminated at night, making it visible from passing traffic on Broadway. The shield is built from reclaimed steel sourced in part from the former Joliet Iron Works, deepening the connection between the park and the city's industrial heritage. Visitors are encouraged to pose with the shield and share photos on social media using the hashtag #KicksOn66Joliet.

Surrounding the shield are interpretive panels organized chronologically, beginning with the highway's 1926 commissioning and continuing through its decertification in 1985 and its modern revival as a heritage corridor. Each panel includes archival photographs from the Joliet Area Historical Museum's collection, oral-history quotations from Joliet residents who lived and worked along the route, and a small map showing the specific alignment changes during that era. Reading through all of the panels takes about twenty minutes and provides excellent context for the rest of a Joliet Route 66 visit.

Additional public art is scattered throughout the park, including a mural on the back wall of an adjacent commercial building depicting the highway's path across the eight Route 66 states from Chicago to Santa Monica, a series of small bronze plaques set into the walkways highlighting individual Joliet businesses that once served Route 66 travelers, and a vintage gas-pump sculpture that pays tribute to the dozens of Route 66 service stations that once lined Broadway and Chicago Street through town. The Park District commissions additional installations every few years, with new pieces planned specifically for the 2026 Centennial.

The park's location on the east bank of the Des Plaines River gives it a genuinely scenic quality unusual for a small urban Route 66 site. A short paved path runs along the riverbank with benches, fishing access points, and excellent views of the historic Cass Street and Jackson Street bridges. The river at this stretch is broad, slow, and bordered by mature trees that turn brilliantly in fall. Sunset views looking west across the water and toward the rooftops of downtown Joliet are particularly photogenic, and the park is one of the few central locations in town where travelers can comfortably watch the sky turn while standing on the original Route 66 alignment.

Picnic tables and shade structures make the park well suited for a lunchtime stop. Travelers can pick up sandwiches from Merichka's a short drive south or pastries from one of the downtown Joliet bakeries and enjoy them on the riverbank before continuing the road trip. Restrooms are available seasonally, typically April through October, and the park is connected to the broader Joliet Park District trail network for those wanting a longer walk. Dogs are welcome on leash, and the park is one of the better dog-friendly stops in downtown Joliet.

The park hosts a small calendar of events throughout the warm months, including occasional outdoor concerts, classic-car gatherings tied to summer Friday-night cruises that pass through downtown, and Route 66-themed community events organized in partnership with the Joliet Area Historical Museum. The annual Mother Road Festival in early autumn includes activities at the park, with vintage vehicles parked alongside the shield sculpture for photo opportunities. The 2026 Centennial calendar features expanded programming with major events anchored at the park throughout the year.

Route 66 Park is best combined with other Joliet attractions rather than visited in isolation. A typical Mother Road traveler spends thirty to forty-five minutes here, enough time to read the panels, photograph the shield, walk the riverbank, and absorb the views. Pair it with the Joliet Area Historical Museum and Welcome Center first for comprehensive historical context, then walk or drive to the park for the outdoor experience, and finish with the Rialto Square Theatre tour or an Old Joliet Prison visit. The park's central location makes it an easy add-on regardless of which other attractions you prioritize.

Free parking is available in a small lot adjacent to the park and on Broadway Street, with additional metered downtown street parking within easy walking distance. The park is fully accessible, with paved paths throughout and benches at regular intervals. Travelers with motorhomes or larger vehicles should park downtown and walk the few blocks rather than attempting to use the small park lot, which fills quickly on summer weekends. The park is open during all daylight hours and is well-lit at night for travelers staying in downtown hotels who want an evening photo of the illuminated shield.

For travelers continuing southwest along Route 66, the park is one of the last clearly Route 66-themed stops within Joliet city limits. From Broadway Street the original alignment continues south through Crest Hill and Lockport before curving west toward Elwood, Wilmington, and the Gemini Giant. Travelers heading north back toward Chicago can use the park as a final farewell to Joliet's portion of the Mother Road before connecting to I-55 or following original alignments through Plainfield and Romeoville. Either way, the shield photo here is one of the essential Illinois Route 66 keepsakes.