Joliet

Joliet is a blue collar city which has built several tourist attractions. Notably, Chicagoland Speedway hosts NASCAR races during the summer, and there are two riverboat casinos on the river which bisects the city. Sherb Noble opened the first Dairy Queen here on June 22, 1940; the landmark 501 N. Chicago Street building is now a church. Joliet's prison, now closed, appears in the film Blues Brothers. The city was part of Route 66 from 1926 until 1940, with the road demoted to "66 alternate" locally when the mainline was redirected westward through Plainfield. A freeway (now I-55) bypassed both roads in 1957.

Joliet can be accessed from I-80 and I-55.
There are long distance trains and commuter rail serving Joliet. Amtrak runs four daily services in each direction between Chicago and St. Louis via its Lincoln Service. Additionally, the Texas Eagle between Chicago and San Antonio also calls here. From Chicago, Metra also runs up to four daily commuter trains per day via its Heritage Corridor Line. is located at 50 E Jefferson St.

Driving is the primary means of transportation in Joliet. Joliet is also served by Pace bus lines.

• Joliet Prison

  address: 1125 Collins St.
  The limestone Illinois State Penitentiary, opened in 1858 and closed in 2002, was used as a filming location for numerous TV shows and movies, including The Blues Brothers and Prison Break. A municipal park was opened on the grounds in 2009. The city leased the property from the state at the end of 2017 in the hope that damaged structures could be stabilised; the Joliet Area Historical Museum (204 Ottawa St, +1 815 723-5201) plans to introduce a $20, ninety-minute bus tour of the prison in mid-August 2018.

• Chicagoland Speedway

  phone: +1 815 727-RACE
  address: 500 Speedway Blvd
  The speedway opened in the summer of 2001 and is the annual host of the LifeLock.com 400, a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race, and the Dollar General 300, a NASCAR Nationwide Series race. The speedway also plays host to an Indy Racing Northern Lights (IRL) race and an ARCA Re/Max Series race every September.

• Harrah's Joliet Casino & Hotel

  phone: +1 815 740-7800
  address: 151 N. Joliet St
  It's along the Des Plaines River in downtown Joliet. Harrah´s Joliet offers slots, table games and restaurants.

• Joliet Slammers Baseball

  phone: +1 815 722-BATS
  Silver Cross Field, One Mayor Art Schultz Dr. Silver Cross Field in downtown Joliet began hosting minor league baseball in 2002.

• Joliet Park District

  phone: +1 815 741-PARK
  address: 3000 West Jefferson St
  The greater Joliet area provides a multitude of leisure and business experiences, from nightlife to nature, festivals to food. Several of these activities can be found through the Joliet Park District.

• Rialto Square Theater

  phone: +1 815 726-7171
  address: 102 N. Chicago St
  The historic theater opened in May 1926 and is a stunning reflection of Greek, Roman, and Byzantine architecture. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the Rialto has been called one of the ten most beautiful theaters in the nation. Public and private tours are available as well as shows and banquets.

• BicyclingThere are several miles of bike trails which wind through Joliet. The Rock Run and Joliet Junction Trails are roughly North/South routes that begin at the Theodore Marsh in Crest Hill, IL and have southern terminuses on the I&M Canal State Trail. These three paths can be used as a 16 mile loop through Western Joliet. The I&M Canal State Trail stretches ~60 miles to Peru, Ilinois, for longer bike rides.

• Louis Joliet Shopping Mall

  phone: +1 815 439-1000
  address: 3340 Mall Loop Dr
  The Louis Joliet Mall hosts Kohl's and Sears department stores plus over 100 other mall shops and restaurants. Enjoy a movie at the mall plus more shopping nearby at the Louise Joliet Pointe Shopping Center, northwest of Joliet off I-95 and Lincoln Parkway.

• Heroes West Sports Grill

  phone: +1 815 725-1234
  address: 1530 Commerce Dr.
  Sports bar and grill near I-80 and Houbolt Rd.

• The Hot Skillet

  phone: +1 815-744-8144
  address: 2314 W Jefferson St
  Low prices, greasy food

• White Fence Farm

  phone: +1 630-739-1720
  address: 1376 Joliet Road, Romeoville
  White Fence Farm in Romeoville, Illinois, specializes in "baked then fried" chicken that is served with several sides and a choice of potato. In addition to the 1,100 seat restaurant in Romeoville there are carryout locations in several nearby towns including Joliet.

• Merichka's

  phone: +1 815 723-9371
  address: 604 Theodore Street, Crest Hill
  Merichka's is a Crest Hill institution. Their trademark sandwich is a beef poorboy smothered in garlic butter.

• Maneuver's

  phone: +1 815 727-7069
  address: 118 East Jefferson
  LGBTQ bar, empty most nights including Saturdays. Corona $4.

• Liquid Therapy

  phone: +1 815 729-3998
  address: 3501 Eames St
  Bar and grill near Joliet's south side

• Jameson's Pub

  phone: +1 815-729-0000
  address: 2755 Black Rd

• Chicago St. Pub

  phone: +1 815 727-7171
  address: 75 North Chicago St

• The Drunken Donut

  phone: +1 815 723-8210
  address: 821 Plainfield Rd
  Polish bakery and bar!

• Hammers Sports Bar and Grill

  phone: +1 815 725-4250
  address: 2771 Black Rd

• Barcode 52

  phone: +1 815-729-0910
  address: 1609 West Jefferson St

• Comfort Inn North

  phone: +1 815 436-5141
  address: 3235 Norman Ave
  Close to the Louis Joliet Mall.

• Quality Inn & Suites South

  phone: +1 815 744-1770
  address: 135 S Larkin Ave
  Near the Harrah's and Empress Casinos.

• Harrah's Joliet Casino & Hotel

  phone: +1 815-740-7800
  address: 151 N Joliet St
  While primarily a casino, Harrah's is also part hotel with decent rooms.

Chicago is easily accessible from Joliet via I-55 or Metra.
The Metra Rock Island District Line stops at U.S. Cellular Field for White Sox baseball games in Chicago