Springfield, Ill., offers a great variety of things to see and do, especially attractions and sites related to Abraham Lincoln and Route 66. Whether you’re planning a family visit or just passing through, here’s a list of fun things to do with kids in Springfield.
Kim’s note: This is a guest post written by Oh My! Omaha friend, Cindy, from Traveling Adventures of a Farm Girl. I asked her to write about Springfield and all the fun things families can do with kids when they visit. If your family enjoys U.S. history, especially presidential history, you’ve got to visit Springfield!
Where to learn about Abe Lincoln in Springfield
Springfield offers an array of sites to visit to learn about Lincoln, the 16th president of the United States. He lived in this Illinois city from 1837 to 1861, before moving to the White House as president.
The most amazing site of all related to Lincoln is the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum.
Kids will also enjoy Union Station, which is part of the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum, especially the brand new exhibit, “All Aboard: America’s Love of Railroads.” The display marks the 150th anniversary of the first transcontinental railroad, a project championed by Lincoln.
Downtown, families will enjoy taking pictures of the cool murals that grace many buildings and the lovely bronze statues of Honest Abe and his family that dot the downtown landscapes. While the Lincoln Law Office is not totally open to tour, you can go inside the first floor of the building where the Springfield Convention and Visitors Bureau is located. Here you can get tips and may even be able to receive a parking pass for your visit.
Be sure to stop by the Lincoln home and its visitor’s center. The home in Springfield is the only home that Abraham Lincoln ever owned.
If weather is fitting don’t forget Lincoln’s New Salem Historic Site. While this is a bit of a drive from Springfield, it is a village where kids can interact and see amazing log cabins and early pioneer life where Lincoln spent his early years.
The Lincoln Tomb may be too somber, but getting a chance to rub Lincoln’s nose is fun for kids of all ages. Lincoln Memorial Garden & Nature Center is located around Lake Springfield and offers easy trails to walk and a chance to view Lake Springfield. There is also a fun gift shop and interactive little nature room as well.
Route 66 stops in Springfield
A bit of Route 66 may be in order. Stop by the Cozy Dog Drive In and try this fun treat that was invented in Springfield.
If you want heartier fare that is still kid-friendly, D’arcy’s Pint has a Springfield invention, a horse or smaller pony shoes (hamburger, ham or other meat, covered with French fries and cheese sauce). While not especially healthy, it is quite tasty!
Then there is also Charlie Parker’s Diner in the Quonset hut with the giant pancakes for a breakfast bonus! This award-winning restaurant also has amazing horseshoes, as well.
More kid-friendly attractions include the Route 66 Drive In and Knights Action Park. Route 66 Drive In is a quintessential drive in movie theater. Knights Action Park is a water park, theme park and a drive in move theater.
There are many hotels to choose from in downtown Springfield. The Route 66 Hotel & Conference Center has a fun little car display in the hotel lobby.
These are just a few of the family fun things to do in the Land of Lincoln. Springfield’s Old State Capital is another wonderful historic stop. Find your way to the Illinois Capital and check it out!
About the author
Cindy Ladage is farmer’s wife, a presenter and an award winning journalist and columnist for “Farm World.” In 2018 and 2016, she won the American Women in Communications Clarion award and has been a bronze winner and finalist in the North American Travel Journalists Association.
Ladage writes for antique tractor and collector publications and specializes in travel stories for several publications like Senior News & Times of Illinois and more. Her travel blog is Traveling Adventures of a Farm Girl, where she
shares her travels on the back roads and byways. In her writing, Cindy shares her passion for preserving agriculture and promoting agri-tourism and rural areas. She is also an author of children’s books and adult fiction as well. Ladage lives on a farm in central Illinois and has three grown children and two grandchildren. She is retired from the Illinois Emergency Management Agency where she worked with the Illinois Radon Program.
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