Route 66 Springfield Visitor Information Center

The center's signature service is the detailed personal Springfield Route 66 map. A counter staff member will sit down with you, pull out a large city map, and trace the three historic alignments with colored pens — marking essential stops, indicating where original road segments still exist versus where you'd be driving on modern overlays, and noting which businesses still operate from the Route 66 era versus which have closed. This 10-minute consultation is more valuable than any guidebook for Route 66 navigation through Springfield and is completely free.

Beyond the customized map, the center stocks free official Illinois Route 66 driving guides, the Illinois Department of Transportation's official Route 66 highway pamphlets, and brochures for every Route 66 business in Springfield from Cozy Dog Drive In to the Shea's Gas Station Museum (an outdoor exhibit of restored vintage gas pumps a few miles north of downtown). The center's gift shop sells Route 66 books, postcards, road signs, and Illinois-themed souvenirs at fair prices.

The center also serves as the entry point for the Springfield Trolley, a hop-on-hop-off tour bus that loops between major Lincoln and Route 66 attractions. The trolley operates daily between April and October and runs on a circuit covering the Lincoln Home, Old State Capitol, Presidential Library and Museum, the current Illinois State Capitol, the Lincoln Tomb at Oak Ridge Cemetery, and Cozy Dog Drive In. Single tickets are $15 and provide unlimited day rides; family passes are $40.

Beyond Cozy Dog Drive In and Maid-Rite, the visitor center can direct travelers to many lesser-known Springfield Route 66 sites that even dedicated Mother Road travelers often miss. Shea's Gas Station Museum, on the city's north side at 2075 Peoria Road, is an open-air assemblage of restored gas pumps, station signs, and vintage road memorabilia. The collection was assembled over decades by the late Bill Shea, a Route 66 legend who passed away in 2013, and is now maintained by his family. It's free, atmospheric, and one of the best Route 66 photo opportunities in Illinois.

The Curve Inn, a 1950s-era roadhouse tavern at 3219 South 6th Street, has been continuously operating since the original Route 66 alignment ran past its door. The bar's interior is largely unchanged from the Eisenhower era — neon beer signs, vinyl booths, jukebox, and a steady local clientele. Lunch and dinner are served, with classic American bar fare and notably good fried chicken.

The Mahan's Filling Station, a restored 1920s gas station at 1041 South 9th Street, has been converted into a museum-quality Route 66 attraction. The building looks exactly as it did when it served Model Ts and early Route 66 traffic. The Pioneer Park area on the city's south side preserves several other 1920s-1930s commercial buildings from the original Route 66 corridor. The visitor center provides walking maps for self-guided exploration of these historic streetscapes.

The center is open seven days a week from May through October and Monday through Friday only from November through April. Plan your visit accordingly — many travelers arrive in winter on a Saturday and find the center closed, missing out on the planning help. Off-season weekday visits are actually the best time to use the center because staff have more time for in-depth conversations. Summer Saturday afternoons can be busy with school groups and tourists, and personal map consultations may be brief.

The center's location at the north end of Old State Capitol Plaza is convenient to almost every downtown attraction. After picking up information at the center, you can walk to the Old State Capitol (across the plaza), the Lincoln-Herndon Law Offices (one block south), the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum (three blocks west), and most downtown restaurants and hotels. The center sells trolley tickets onsite, so you can immediately begin a downtown Lincoln walking tour or trolley loop.

If you can't visit the physical center, the Visit Springfield Illinois website at VisitSpringfieldIllinois.com offers free downloadable Route 66 maps, Lincoln itinerary suggestions, and an events calendar. The center also operates an active Facebook page that posts Route 66 community news, business updates, and travel tips. For phone help, the visitor center information line at +1-217-789-7935 connects directly to the staff who would help in person — a useful service for travelers arriving outside operating hours.