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Joliet, Illinois, Joliet, IL

Photo: Dennisyerger84, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons. Cropped and resized.

SightseeingLocal GemHistory Buff

Joliet, Illinois

· Joliet, IL

Why you should go…

Joliet grew up along the Illinois & Michigan Canal and later Route 66, and that layered history still shows downtown. The restored Rialto Square Theatre, riverboat casinos, and canal-era architecture draw day-trippers from Chicago, about 40 miles northeast.

  • #route 66
  • #canal history
  • #day trip
  • #downtown
  • #theatre

Good to know

General sightseeing guidance

Habits that pay off across this whole category, not rules for this one venue. Always check the official site for the specifics.

  • The forecast is part of the ticket

    Haze, low cloud, and rain flatten a view. Clear-day visits are worth rearranging your plans for.

  • Golden hour sells out first

    Sunset slots at observation decks and cruises are the first to go, so book those further ahead.

  • Dress a layer warmer

    It is always breezier up high and out on the water than it feels at street level.

  • Timed entry is common

    Plenty of landmarks release tickets in windows rather than at the door, so check before you walk over.

What's around here?

The closest stops to Joliet, Illinois, ordered by straight-line distance. A few more like it, plus some different kinds of fun so you can build a full day.

  • Sightseeing
    Quirky Fun

    Gemini Giant

    Free

    Snap a photo with a fiberglass astronaut holding a rocket, a Route 66 landmark standing at a Wilmington park entrance.

    16 mi awayMore like this

  • Museums
    Family Favorite

    Naper Settlement

    Under $25

    A 13-acre outdoor living-history village in Naperville with restored 19th-century buildings.

    17 mi awaySwitch it up: Museums

  • Sightseeing
    Family Favorite

    Chicago Southland

    Free

    Destination marketing region covering 62 south and southwest Chicago suburbs and their attractions.

    18 mi awayMore like this

  • Sightseeing
    Local Gem

    Aurora, Illinois

    Free

    Fox River city west of Chicago with a historic Paramount Theatre, outlet shopping, and a large waterpark.

    18 mi awayMore like this

  • Attractions
    Family Favorite

    Brookfield Zoo Chicago

    $25–$50

    See bears, primates, big cats and dolphins across a 235-acre zoo in the western suburbs of Chicago.

    25 mi awaySwitch it up: Attractions

  • Attractions
    Quirky Fun

    The Pinball Capital

    Under $25

    One of the Midwest's largest pinball arcades, with more than 130 machines near Chicago.

    28 mi awaySwitch it up: Attractions