Overview
Pontiac is a small city of about 12000 people on old Route 66 in Central Illinois.
5 sights · 1 things to do · 1 places to eat · 4 places to stay
Updated from Wikivoyage on 1 October 2026 · Something wrong or missing? Improve it on Wikivoyage
Best things about Pontiac
Illinois Route 66 Museum
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.
Livingston County War Museum
"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
Pontiac and Oakland automobile memorabilia, antique and classic cars, dealer artefacts, maps, brochures, original design drawings, service manuals.
Museum Of The Gilding Arts
A museum about writing on gold leaf. Possibly more interesting is what it used to be, the Walldog Mural Museum. "Walldogs" were early sign painters who created their art on the sides of brick buildings, barns, and other …
Yost House Museum
Vermillion Players
Seasonal live amateur theatre.
Plan your trip
Best time to visit & weather
Most comfortable: Apr–Oct. Summer highs reach about 86°F; winter lows dip to about 18°F. Cold months (Jan, Feb, Dec) can bring snow and ice; check road conditions. Wettest: May and Apr. (climate data from nearby Peoria)
Blue bars: average daily high and low (°F). Purple columns: average monthly rain and melted snow (inches).
Getting there
- From you: to see whether to drive or fly, and how long it takes.
- BMI Central Illinois Regional Airport at Bloomington-Normal, Bloomington/Normal — 32 mi away. Directions
- PIA General Wayne A. Downing Peoria International Airport, Peoria — 58 mi away. Directions
- MDW Chicago Midway International Airport, Chicago — 77 mi away (major hub). Directions
Budget & where to stay
No prices are listed for this place yet. See the Sleep guide ↓ for options.
Sample 2-day itinerary
Day 1
- Morning Illinois Route 66 Museum, Pontiac-Oakland Automobile Museum
- Lunch Old Log Cabin Inn
- Afternoon Yost House Museum
Day 2
- Morning Livingston County War Museum, Museum Of The Gilding Arts
- Afternoon Vermillion Players
Stops are grouped by area so each day needs little backtracking. Check opening hours before you go.
Food for you
What to ask about, for your diet
Diet labels come from each listing's description and cuisine; “likely” means the cuisine usually has good choices, not a promise. Check with the restaurant. Open the food finder
Map
Every listing with a location. Tap a pin for its Google Maps link.
See
See Museum Of The Gilding Arts
A museum about writing on gold leaf. Possibly more interesting is what it used to be, the Walldog Mural Museum. "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.
See Yost House Museum
Do
Eat
Eat Old Log Cabin Inn
Recommended by Jamie Jensen in the Road Trip USA route 66 book
Sleep
Hotels
Motels
Stay Super 8
Camping
Stay 4-H Park
Picnic tables, horse trails and corral, playground, restroom, RV dump station, showers.
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.
Nearby
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My experience
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