Pontiac is a small city of about 12000 people on old Route 66 in Central Illinois.
Get in and around
Most visitors to Pontiac arrive by motorcar as part of a Route 66 tour, originating in Chicago and heading westward. The portion of US 66 which crosses Illinois from the windy city to St. Louis has been entirely bypassed by Interstate 55; either road leads to Pontiac.
- Amtrak (PON), 721 W Washington St, 40.878611°, -88.636944°.
See
- Illinois Route 66 Museum, 110 W Howard St, 40.881113°, -88.628763°, +1 815 844-4566. 10AM-4PM daily year-round, 9AM-5PM summer weekdays. Museum and hall of fame in former fire hall; thousands of artefacts and Route 66 memorabilia, including vehicles used by late US 66 travelling artist Bob Waldmire. Travel info. By donation.
- Livingston County War Museum, 321 N. Main St., +1 815 842-0301. M-Sa 10AM-4PM, Su noon-4PM. "Veterans Honouring Veterans." Memorabilia and history of both world wars, Korea, Vietnam, Iraq (Desert Storm) and Afghanistan in Old City Hall museum staffed by real US military veterans.
- Pontiac-Oakland Automobile Museum, 205 North Mill St., +1 815 842-2345. 10AM-4PM daily, 9AM-5PM summer weekdays. Pontiac and Oakland automobile memorabilia, antique and classic cars, dealer artefacts, maps, brochures, original design drawings, service manuals.
- Walldog Mural Museum, 217 North Mill St., +1 815 842-1848. 10AM-4PM daily, 9AM-5PM summer. "Walldogs" were early sign painters who created their art on the sides of brick buildings, barns, and other structures in the days before electronic mass media. By donation.
- Yost House Museum, 298 W Water St, +1 815 844-7401.
Do
- Vermillion Players, Chautauqua Park Pavilion, +1 815 844-3221. Seasonal live amateur theatre.
Buy
Eat
- Old Log Cabin Inn, 18700 Old Route 66, +1 815 842-2908. Recommended by Jamie Jensen in the Road Trip USA route 66 book
Drink
- Exit 197, 952 W Reynolds St,, +1 815 844-2343. M-W 10AM-11:30PM, Th-Sa 10AM-1AM, Su 11AM-8PM. Liquor store and pub, mixed crowd, DJ/live music weekends.
Sleep
Hotels
- Comfort Inn, 1821 W Reynolds St, +1 815 842-2777.
- Holiday Inn Express, 1823 W Reynolds St, +1 815 844-4444.
Motels
- Fiesta Motel, 951 W Reynolds St, +1 815 844-7103.
- Palamar Motel, 213 S Ladd St, +1 815 844-4799.
- Super 8, 601 S Deerfield Rd, +1 815 844-6888.
Bed and breakfast
- {{sleep | name=Three Roses | alt= | url=http://3roses.us (dead link: December 2020) | email= | address=209 E. Howard St. | lat= | long= | directions= | phone=+1 815 844-3404 | tollfree= | fax= | price=$130-160/double | checkin=3PM | checkout=noon | content=1890s historic B&B, wi-fi, guest house on-site, central air, TV in some rooms, pet friendly, extensive home cooked menu (a cookbook is available for $20). }}
Camping
- 4-H Park, 18352 4-H Park RD, 40.887°, -88.652°, +1 815 822-3997. Picnic tables, horse trails and corral, playground, restroom, RV dump station, showers. $16