National Illinois Day lands on December 7 each year, a perfect excuse to celebrate the Prairie State’s culture, history, and hometown pride. For Route 6 travelers, it’s also a reminder that Illinois isn’t just a bridge between coasts—it’s a destination in its own right, with classic main streets, river towns, and big-sky farm country wrapped around one of America’s most storied highways.
Why December 7 is a great day to explore Illinois on Historic Route 6
National Illinois Day is about appreciating what makes Illinois distinctive: its mix of agriculture and industry, its deep Lincoln legacy, and its communities that balance tradition with reinvention. Illinois also celebrates its official Statehood Day on December 3, marking its admission as the 21st state in 1818. Together, these early-December dates create a seasonal window to reflect on Illinois’ past and look ahead to where its small towns, cities, and byways are heading next.
Historic US Route 6 runs across northern Illinois, linking lakefront energy near Chicago to quieter, open-road stretches toward the Mississippi River. This corridor showcases Illinois in miniature: skyline and shoreline, prairie and river bluff, industry and farmland—often within the span of a single afternoon drive.
A National Illinois Day Route 6 road-trip idea (pick a section or do the full sweep)
Think of December 7 as your “Illinois sampler” day. You don’t have to drive the whole state to feel like you’ve celebrated it well. Here are three easy ways to shape the day:
1. Lake Michigan to the western suburbs: Illinois’ bold front porch
Start near the Chicago lakefront. Even a chilly December breeze can’t hide how much Lake Michigan defines Illinois’ identity—its commerce, its recreation, its endless horizon. Grab a warm drink, take a short shoreline walk, and then follow Route 6 inland. You’ll pass neighborhoods and suburbs where Illinois’ industrial and immigrant stories meet newer chapters of tech, education, and community arts.
National Illinois Day mindset: notice how the state keeps reinventing itself without losing its roots.
2. Small-town Illinois along Route 6: main streets and memory lanes
As you head west, Route 6 threads through towns that still feel like the classic Midwest: locally owned diners, courthouses, holiday lights around town squares, and shops that know their regulars by name. December is a particularly good time to visit because communities are in “welcoming mode”—decorated storefronts, seasonal menus, and often local craft or holiday events in the air (even if not officially tied to Route 6).
What to do today:
- Stop for pie or a hot local specialty.
- Walk a main street for 20 minutes and pop into one business you’ve never tried.
- Ask a shop owner what makes their town proud of Illinois.
3. The Mississippi River finish: wide water, wide history
Route 6’s western Illinois stretch toward the Mississippi River is a quiet, beautiful counterpoint to the metro east. River towns have always been gateways: for trade, migration, and storytelling. In December, they feel reflective in the best way—like the landscape is inviting you to pause and take stock of the year.
National Illinois Day mindset: the prairie state is also a river state, and that matters.
Five simple ways to celebrate Illinois on Route 6 (without overplanning)
- Take a “prairie pause.” Pull off at a safe scenic spot and just look. Illinois’ flat-to-rolling landscapes are a feature, not a filler.
- Eat one iconic Illinois flavor. Whether it’s a classic diner breakfast, a local bakery treat, or a regional comfort meal, food is culture you can taste.
- Find a Lincoln moment. Illinois is the Land of Lincoln, and you’ll see traces everywhere—from plaques to local lore to libraries. National Day Calendar+1
- Support a small business. National Illinois Day is a great reminder that the state’s future is shaped in its storefronts and studios as much as its capitol.
- Share your stop. Post a photo or a quick note about where you are on Route 6 today. Your snapshots help keep Illinois’ Route 6 story visible for the next traveler.
Looking ahead: make December 7 a yearly Route 6 tradition
Here’s the forward-thinking part: celebrations like National Illinois Day aren’t only about nostalgia. They’re a chance to build momentum for the communities that make Route 6 matter. Every winter visit, every coffee bought in a small town, every shared travel tip helps keep these places vibrant.
So if you’re near Historic US Route 6 on December 7, consider it your invitation. Drive a stretch you haven’t in a while. Re-meet a town you only passed through. Let Illinois show you how broad, grounded, and quietly surprising it can be.
Happy National Illinois Day—and happy trails on Historic Route 6.
There’s nothing quite like new content related to Historic US Route 6. From Provincetown’s sandy shoreline to the sun-washed streets of Long Beach, we’re celebrating something new hitting the road today ; our brand-new newsletter, Happenings.
It’s officially out in the wild, ready for every traveler, history fan, and Route 6 Explorer who loves discovering what makes US Route 6 so unforgettable. If you haven’t caught the buzz yet, now’s the perfect moment to jump in.
Subscribe to stay connected, and join us at the starting line of this new adventure. For more about Historic US Route 6 in Illinois checkout https://route6tour.com/Route6illinois.htm
