BEGINNING OF ROUTE 66: Chicago with Windy City Road Warrior Dave Clark
David Clark , operates Windy City Road Warrior and offers walking tours of Chicago along Route 66. The first in a 3 part series features everything you need to know about starting (or ending) a Route 66 tour in Chicago, IL.
Join host Anthony Arno as he talks with Dave about:
- Earliest memory of Route 66
- Favorite spots along ’66
- Importance of urban stretches along the road
- Early entry into tourism
- Where does the road begin in Chicago? Tracking down the official beginning point
- Is there an end sign in Chicago?
- Must See Stops in Chicago
- Restaurants :
- The Berghoff
- Lou Mitchells
- The Castle Gas Station
- Buckingham Fountain
- Logistics of starting a Route 66 tour in Chicago
- Authentic Route 66 Hotels in Chicago
- The W-Hotel (formerly The Midland Hotel)
- The Club Quarters Hotel
- JW Marriott (former bank building)
- Hyatt Hotel (former Cook County Hospital building)
- Getting Chicagoans to embrace The Mother Road
- Traveling original alignments of 66 as you leave Chicago
- Alternate highways in Chicago
- Planning your first stops along Route 66 after departing Chicago
- Wilmington (Gemini Giant)
- Joliet
- Dwight
- Pontiac
- Lincoln
- Springfield
- Windy City Road Warrior Tours
- Website
- Monthly Zoom meetings
- Walking tours
- Published books
- Traveling by train along Route 66 in Illinois
- Value of repeat customers
- Importance of Route 66
WEBSITE: Windy City Road Warrior
Facebook: Windy City Road Warrior
Thank you to Route 66 Podcast & Scholarship supporters, including
BUSINESS LEVEL
- Mid Point Cafe, Adrian, TX – Featuring both their Ugly Crust Pie and one of the most popular photo ops along Route 66, located exactly halfway between Chicago and Santa Monica in Adrian, Texas.
- Gilligan’s Route 66 Tours featuring tours of Route 66 in Ford Mustang convertibles, stays at historic Route 66 motels, and daily breakfast.
- Mary Beth Busutil – Florida
- Jim Crabtree – California
- Mike Fort
- Route 66 author and photographer – Shellee Graham and also my guest on Episode # 10 where she talks about her book, Tales from the Coral Court Motel.
- Kristin Haakenson – Washington
- Rich Havlik – Minnesota
- Mary Nicholson – Pennsylvania
- Brian Sawyer – Indiana
And from the United Kingdom
- Charli Beeton
Please consider supporting both The Route 66 Podcast and Scholarship Program. All supporters will receive an additional 15 minutes of conversation with David, where he talks about:
- Additional Chicago restaurants:
- Millers Pub
- Henry’s Drive In
- The best menu deals
- Additional Sites
- Castle Gas Station (Car Wash)
- Chicago Board of Trade Building
- Visiting non-Route 66 sites in Chicago
- Budget friendly Chicago Motels
- Ohio House
- Airport region hotels
- Early days of traveling and interest in Chicago
- Where are the vintage motels in Illinois?
- Past monthly Zoom Meetings featuring Route 66
- Published book featuring Abraham Lincoln sites in Illinois
- Most interesting travelers along Route 66
Congratulations to this months Patreon winner, Charli Beeton, from the United Kingdom, who has won a copy of The Road Crews Songs from The Mother Road CD. For next month, one lucky Patreon winner will win a bag of Route 66 Chicago Sweet & Salty flavored snack mix.