Our Route 66 Daily Journal: September 19, 2026

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Today we did Route 66 from Eureka to Cuba, MO.

We started our day grabbing some coffee at La Finca Coffee.

Next we headed to Route 66 State Park, where we hiked to Times Beach before heading over to the Visitor Center shortly after it opened.

Next was a quick photo stop at Campbell’s Service Station.

We then checked out the Red Cedar Inn Museum & Visitor Center.

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Nearby we took an unplanned short climb up to Jensen Point.

After a quick lunch of PB&J in the parking lot, we took a tour of Meramac Caverns, which was a nice cool break from yet another unseasonably hot and humid day.

As we entered Cuba, MO, we stopped and took photos with the Cuba Route 66 Shield Monument.

We then headed to see the Giant Rocking Chair at Fanning US 66 Outpost.

Next we checked into our room for the night at the Wagon Wheel Motel.

We then drove around Cuba, MO, checking out the various murals and Route 66 birthday cakes.

For dinner, we ate at Missouri Hick Bar-B-Que.

See full list of Our Route 66 Adventures here and Google map here.

Our Koffee Trail: La Finca Coffee

Date of Visit: September 19, 2026

Location: La Finca Coffee, Eureka, MO

Rating: 👍🏻

This morning we stopped at La Finca Coffee in Eureka, MO, to grab some coffee on our way to the Route 66 State Park.

I got a Banana Bread Latte.

Dad got a Dirty Maple Pumpkin Chai.

See full list of Our Koffee Trail stops here and Our Koffee Trail Google Maps list here.

Our Route 66 Daily Journal: September 18, 2026

Today we entered Missouri and then walked to Illinois and back to Missouri before spending the day mostly in St. Louis.

We started our day only minutes from the Chain of Rocks Bridge in Illinois, but to park and walk across the bridge we had to take the long way around to the Missouri side.

After we walked to Illinois and back to the car, we drove to Gateway Arch National Park. As we have visited many times before, we just stopped in quickly for national park stamps (and ended up with the Mini Building Block set).

Before continuing back on Route 66, we walked over to the Old Courthouse for more national park stamps and spent some time going through the exhibits as we had not visited there before.

Back on Route 66, we stopped at Ted Drewe’s Frozen Custard, which was refreshing with today being another very unseasonable hot and humid day (it was up to feeling like 112!).

After lunch, we headed over to the National Museum of Transportation. We spent over an hour exploring here, but due to the heat and humidity we did not linger and really see as much of it as we would have liked and only briefly checked out some of the outdoor exhibits. At least the Route 66 stuff was indoors.

Our last planned stop of the day was at the Ulysses S. Grant National Historic Site, where we got a brief tour of the home and grounds (tour was shorter than usual due to heat advisory) before enjoying the very well air conditioned musuem.

Originally, we planned to just do the I-44 Route 66 alignment to the KOA for the night, but ended up deciding to take the more scenic original 1926-1932 alignment. There really was not much to see on this alignment, but we did find a Route 66 Shield Monument in Kirkwood.

We also made a brief photo stop at the Big Chief Roadhouse in Wildwood, MO.

See full list of Our Route 66 Adventures here and Google map here.

Our Route 66 Daily Journal: September 17, 2026

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Today we did Route 66 between Girard and Granite City, IL.

We started the day with coffee at Iron Palm Coffee.

Next we visited the Shrine of Our Lady of the Highways.

We started our walk around Carlinville at the Historic Square.

From the square, we walked over to the Million Dollar Courthouse and Cannonball Jail.

On the way back to the square, we found the Lincoln Boulder, which marks where Lincoln gave a speech during his senatorial campaign.

Before leaving Carlinville, we got coffee on the square at Hawthorn Coffeehouse.

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On our way out of Carlinville, we discovered the Red Truck Garden.

As we headed to Girard, we found the Turkey Tracks in Route 66 pavement.

In Girard, we took pictures with the Illinois Route 66 Shield Monument and walked around the square.

We originally planned ice cream at Doc’s Just Off 66 Soda Fountain, but after looking at the menu we decided to have lunch.

After lunch, we headed to the Litchfield Museum & Route 66 Welcome Center.

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We got dessert at the Ariston Cafe, which is thought to be the oldest continuously operated cafe on Route 66.

Next stop was the Mother Jones Monument. It was pouring rain, so we just saw it and took some photos out the window.

It was still pouring when we got to Soulsby Service Station, but we waited it out for about 10 minutes and managed to still see it.

Dad very briefly managed photos of the Where the Three Roads Come Together Mural in Staunton, IL, before it started pouring again.

It was dry by the time we got to the Pink Elephant Antique Mall, so we could explore the variety of giants and things they have outside.

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In Hamel, we stopped at the Route 66 Monument and Wayside exhibit.

The West End Service Station in Edwardsville, IL was closed by the time we got there, but we still stopped for some photos.

Down the road a little, we stopped at the Edwardsville Route 66 Shiel Monument and also got a rubbing.

Next we visited the World’s Largest Catsup Bottle in Collinsville, IL.

In Collinsville, we also found their Illinois Route 66 Shield Monument.

On the way to our next stop in Granite City, we discovered a Giant Fireman and Dalmatian nearby.

We got to the It’s Electric - Neon Sign Park just as the lights were coming on.

Nearby we found the Granite City Route 66 Shield Monument.

On our way to our next giant, I spotted a Giant Abe Lincoln and made Dad go around the block so we could get a photo.

Next we visited Rusty the Sledgehammer Muffler Man.

Our final stop today, was at O’Brien Tire and Auto Care to see their Giant Tire and Earl the Muffler Man.

See full list of Our Route 66 Adventures here and Google map here.