Grant Park, Chicago: The Place Where Route 66 Begins
Every great journey has a starting point, and for Route 66 — the 2,448-mile road that stretches from Chicago to Santa Monica, California — that starting point is here, on the edge of Grant Park in downtown Chicago, Illinois. Known as “Chicago’s Front Yard,” this 319-acre lakefront park sits at the intersection of Adams Street and Michigan Avenue, directly across from the Art Institute of Chicago, and it is here that travelers from around the world gather to photograph the iconic “Begin Historic Route 66” sign before setting out on one of America’s greatest road trips. With Route 66 celebrating its 100th anniversary in 2026, Grant Park and its surroundings have never been a more significant place to begin a journey west.
Where is the Route 66 Starting Point in Grant Park?
Primary Begin Sign: 78-98 E Adams Street at Michigan Avenue (NW corner), Chicago, IL 60603
Buckingham Fountain: Columbus Drive & Congress Pkwy, Grant Park, Chicago, IL 60605
Grant Park is located in Chicago’s downtown Loop district along Lake Shore Drive and Michigan Avenue. The Begin Route 66 sign is directly across from the Art Institute of Chicago at the corner of Adams and Michigan. The park’s main entrance areas are accessible from multiple CTA transit lines and the Metra commuter rail. Paid parking is available in nearby garages.
The History of Route 66’s Chicago Connection
Why Chicago? The Crossroads of America
When U.S. Route 66 was commissioned on November 11, 1926, Chicago was the natural choice for the eastern terminus. The city was already one of the nation’s most important transportation hubs — a railroad center that linked the industrial East Coast with the agricultural Midwest and the frontier West. Placing the start of a great westward highway here was both practical and symbolic: Chicago was the place from which America launched its ambitions toward the Pacific.
The original Route 66 eastern terminus was at the intersection of Jackson Boulevard and Michigan Avenue — the south side of what is now Grant Park’s border. In the mid-1950s, when Jackson Boulevard became a one-way street heading east, the western direction of travel was shifted one block north to Adams Street, which is where today’s primary Begin sign stands.
Grant Park’s Own History
Grant Park itself has a history stretching back to 1844, when it was created as a public green space along the Lake Michigan shore. Named in 1901 after President Ulysses S. Grant, it grew through ambitious lakefront land reclamation projects to its present 319-acre size. The park received its Route 66 connection in 1926-1927 when the highway designation was extended from Jackson into the park’s edge, and End/Begin signs were posted here for decades.
The signs were removed on January 17, 1977 — a cold Chicago day captured in a famous photograph — when Illinois became the first state to officially decommission its portion of Route 66. The 1992 Illinois Route 66 Designation Act restored the historic highway signage as a state scenic byway, and the iconic brown Begin sign returned to its position at Adams and Michigan, where it has remained one of the most photographed spots on any road in America.
In March 2026, as part of the Route 66 Centennial celebrations, the City of Chicago moved the official symbolic starting point to Navy Pier, creating a pier-to-pier journey from Lake Michigan to the Santa Monica Pier. Both the original Adams/Michigan sign and the new Navy Pier marker are now part of the Chicago Route 66 experience.
What to See in and Around Grant Park on Route 66
The Route 66 Begin Sign
There are actually three Begin Route 66 signs in the immediate area: one at the northwest corner of Adams and Michigan (the most photographed), one mid-block on Adams between Michigan and Wabash, and a third at a small park at Adams and Wabash. Together they create a Route 66 photo pilgrimage of their own. Many travelers spend time collecting all three before heading west. The detailed history and current locations of the signs are covered in a dedicated article on this site.
Buckingham Fountain
One of the most beautiful and most photographed sights in all of Chicago, Buckingham Fountain stands at the heart of Grant Park and has been a symbolic gateway to Route 66 since the highway’s earliest years. Built in 1927 — the year after Route 66 was commissioned — it was one of the largest decorative fountains in the world at the time. The fountain operates from May through October, with its famous water display running every hour on the hour and a spectacular light-and-music show after dark.
The Art Institute of Chicago
Directly across Adams Street from the Route 66 Begin sign, the Art Institute of Chicago is one of the finest art museums in America and home to one of the world’s great collections of Impressionist and Post-Impressionist paintings. The famous bronze lion sculptures guarding its entrance make irresistible companions to a Route 66 Begin sign photo. Inside, the museum hosts a Route 66-related exhibit that traces the highway’s cultural and artistic influence.
Lou Mitchell’s Restaurant
Just four blocks west of the Begin sign, Lou Mitchell’s Restaurant at 565 W. Jackson Boulevard has been the traditional first stop for Route 66 road-trippers since 1923 — earning the nickname “the first stop on the Mother Road.” See the dedicated article on this site for Lou Mitchell’s full history.
Tips for Visiting the Route 66 Start in Grant Park
- Visit early morning on weekdays for the best photograph conditions at the Begin sign — crowds build quickly as the day progresses.
- Parking in downtown Chicago is expensive; consider arriving via CTA transit (the Adams/Wabash stop is steps away) or biking via the lakefront trail.
- Begin with breakfast at Lou Mitchell’s (565 W Jackson Blvd) — the legendary Route 66 tradition since 1923.
- The Buckingham Fountain water display runs May through October; for the light and music show, plan an evening visit.
Plan extra time for the Route 66 Centennial celebrations in 2026 — Chicago is hosting special events throughout the year marking the 100th anniversary of the highway’s commissioning on November 11, 1926.
Final Thoughts on Grant Park and the Route 66 Start
Standing at the corner of Adams and Michigan Avenue, with the Art Institute lions at your back and the Grant Park skyline framing the scene, there is a genuine sense of ceremony to beginning a Route 66 journey. Generations of travelers — Dust Bowl migrants, postwar vacationers, international road-trippers, and centennial celebrants — have all started here before turning west toward Santa Monica. Whatever your reason for driving Illinois Route 66, Grant Park is the right place to begin — not just geographically, but emotionally. The road starts here, and so does the story.
Nearby Route 66 Highlights
- Route 66 Begin Sign — at Adams & Michigan
- Lou Mitchell’s Restaurant — 565 W Jackson Blvd; the first stop on the Mother Road
- Joliet, Illinois — 30 miles southwest; Rialto Theatre and Route 66 heritage
- Wilmington, Illinois — 60 miles southwest; home of the Gemini Gian
