Litchfield

Litchfield is a small city in Central Illinois. Since its founding in 1853, when the Terra Haute, Alton & St. Louis Railroad came through, Litchfield has been a stopover for travelers on the route between the major Midwestern cities of St. Louis and Chicago. First on the rail line, later on the legendary Route 66, and today on Interstate 55, Litchfield remains an oasis of traveler services halfway between Springfield and St. Louis.

Get in

Map of Litchfield (Illinois)

Litchfield is about an hour north-northeast of St. Louis and an hour south of Springfield, along I-55 and the historic routing of Route 66.

Get around

See

Litchfield Museum & Route 66 Welcome Center, 334 Old Rte 66 N, ☏ +1 217-324-3510. M-Sa 10AM-4PM, Su 1PM-4PM. Relive the memories. Free.

Do

Lake Lou Yaeger. Two marinas, fishing, skiing, swimming and picnicking.

Buy

Eat

The Ariston Café, 413 N Old Route 66, ☏ +1 217 324-2023. One of the oldest—if not the oldest—restaurants on Route 66, the Ariston is rightly legendary around Central Illinois. It was founded in 1924 but didn't move to this location until 1935. It's been serving travelers ever since. Today, the menu is a mix of American, Greek, and Italian favorites, prepared simply but expertly. The soup and salad bar is a daily feature, while Sunday brunch-goers will find an incredible buffet (in addition to the regular menu) with an amazingly lengthy list of items. The desserts are freshly made and come in huge portions; the baklava is a specialty. Small gift shop inside. Dinners $10-20.
Stacey's Route 66 Café, 318 Old Route 66, ☏ +1 217 327-2771. M-Sa 5AM-9PM; Su 5AM-8PM. All-day breakfast, home style meals, soups and desserts. Casual..

Drink

Chiefs Tavern, 602 N State St, ☏ +1 217 324-4925. (updated Aug 2024)

Sleep

The Baymont Inn, 1405 W Hudson Dr, ☏ +1 217 324-4556.
Comfort Inn, 1010 East Columbian N Blvd, ☏ +1 217 324-9260.
Lake Lou Yaeger Campground, ☏ +1 217 324-3416. Open April 1 - October 31. Offers primitive campground, electric and water campground, and the "Black Lowry Horse Camp" that has accommodations for horses and is nearby the horse trails.
Super 8, 211 Ohren Dr, ☏ +1 217 324-7788.

Go next

Routes through Litchfield

Bloomington ← Springfield ←	N S	→ Mount Olive → St. Louis
St. Louis ← Mount Olive ←	W E	→ Springfield → Bloomington

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