The Illinois Route 66 Scenic Byway earlier this week announced a Route 66 centennial event in 2026 -- the first of many that will be scheduled that year. The byway's Statewide Conference and Centennial Celebration will take place on Nov. 11, 2026, at Route 66 Motorheads in Springfield, Illinois, it announced in a news release. "This momentous event … Continue reading Illinois Route 66 Scenic Byway announces first Route 66 centennial celebration in 2026
Category: Restaurants
Grand Canyon Caverns schedules grand reopening for tours on Feb. 1
Grand Canyon Caverns, hampered by an elevator mishap into the caverns two years ago, recently announced it would hold a grand reopening event for its tours on Feb. 1. The office manager for the caverns' marketing arm in an email also revealed other improvements at the Route 66 site: We are under new ownership/management and … Continue reading Grand Canyon Caverns schedules grand reopening for tours on Feb. 1
Someone steals vintage police car owned by late Amboy owner Albert Okura
A 1955 Dodge Coronet police car owned by deceased Route 66 legend Albert Okura was stolen on Christmas Day from the headquarters of the family's Juan Pollo restaurant chain in San Bernardino, California. Okura's son Kyle told the San Bernardino County Sun his father acquired the car many years ago. The vehicle purportedly was used … Continue reading Someone steals vintage police car owned by late Amboy owner Albert Okura
Big Willy’s Hot Dogs stand in Chandler uses 1930 Phillips 66 gas station for indoor seating
Shortly before Christmas, the Big Willy's Hot Dogs trailer in Chandler, Oklahoma, announced it would use a famous 1930 Phillips 66 cottage-style gas station for indoor seating at the restaurant. Here's the announcement by the restaurant: Route 66 artist and author Jerry McClanahan, who lives in Chandler, stopped by that day to check it out: … Continue reading Big Willy’s Hot Dogs stand in Chandler uses 1930 Phillips 66 gas station for indoor seating
Eateries in Kingman, St. Louis make list of Yelp’s top 100 U.S. restaurants in 2024
Restaurants in Kingman, Arizona, and St. Louis made the list of Yelp's Top 100 Places to Eat in the U.S. for 2024. Both restaurants also are close to Route 66. The crowdsourced review site favored by many foodies and hipsters noted that Asian noodle shops, vegan Mexican joints, Latin food, Korean fusion cuisine and Sun Belt … Continue reading Eateries in Kingman, St. Louis make list of Yelp’s top 100 U.S. restaurants in 2024
Teen driver charged after 6 pedestrians hurt at Ted Drewes Frozen Custard in St. Louis
Police charged a 19-year-old driver after he was accused of hitting six pedestrians with his vehicle in the parking lot of Ted Drewes Frozen Custard in St. Louis. Rasool Al Janabi faces five counts of leaving the scene of an accident with physical injury, reported the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. It wasn't clear whether he was … Continue reading Teen driver charged after 6 pedestrians hurt at Ted Drewes Frozen Custard in St. Louis
The Curve Inn in Springfield named one of the best dive bars in the U.S. for food
The Curve Inn in Springfield, Illinois, was named one of the best dive bars in the United States for food, according to an online survey. The Springfield State Journal-Register reported that Geek Nexus, an entertainment and media website, surveyed 3,000 adults across America to find the best dive bars for unexpected menu items. A total … Continue reading The Curve Inn in Springfield named one of the best dive bars in the U.S. for food
Roy’s in Amboy hopes to have cafe, cottage open by 2026
The owners of Roy's Motel & Cafe in Amboy, California, hope to have the restaurant and it six small cottages reopened by Route 66's centennial in 2026. That factoid was part of a feature in The Guardian newspaper in London about Roy's and the Okura family, who own the complex and the town. Albert Okura, … Continue reading Roy’s in Amboy hopes to have cafe, cottage open by 2026
Sweetwater BBQ in St. Robert closing down after 25 years in business
The family-owned Sweetwater BBQ restaurant in St. Robert, Missouri, is closing permanently on Dec. 22 after a quarter-century in business. The owners stated they were retiring. The restaurant put out this message on Facebook earlier this month: The post generated more than 40 comments, wishing the owners well and lamenting they would no longer have … Continue reading Sweetwater BBQ in St. Robert closing down after 25 years in business
Forthcoming Hotrod Hangout in Galena soon will include an operating Valentine diner
The Hotrod Hangout Speed Shop & Diner, which will open soon in Galena, Kansas, will include an original Valentine diner operating as soon as this spring. The speed shop inside will include elements of an old-time Fina gas station and a drive-in theatre, complete with a ticket booth, which the owner hopes will become a … Continue reading Forthcoming Hotrod Hangout in Galena soon will include an operating Valentine diner