Joliet – Travel guide at Wikivoyage (2024)

Joliet^{[dead link]} is a city in the Chicagoland region of Illinois, a state in the Midwest of the United States of America. It is the largest city and county seat of Will County.

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. 1 Joliet station is located at 50 E Jefferson St.

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

• 1 Joliet Prison (Joliet Correctional Center), 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.

• 1 Chicagoland Speedway, 500 Speedway Blvd, ☏ +1 815 727-RACE (7223). 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.
• 2 Harrah's Joliet Casino & Hotel, 151 N. Joliet St, ☏ +1 815 740-7800. It's along the Des Plaines River in downtown Joliet. Harrah´s Joliet offers slots, table games and restaurants. (updated Feb 2018)
• Hollywood Casino & Hotel Joliet, 777 Hollywood Blvd, ☏ +1 888 436-7737. In case Harrah's doesn't do it, here more gaming fun awaits.
• Joliet Slammers Baseball, ☏ +1 815 722-BATS (2287). Silver Cross Field, One Mayor Art Schultz Dr. Silver Cross Field in downtown Joliet began hosting minor league baseball in 2002.
• Joliet Park District, 3000 West Jefferson St, ☏ +1 815 741-PARK (7275). 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.
• 3 Rialto Square Theater, 102 N. Chicago St, ☏ +1 815-726-6600. 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. (updated Feb 2018)
• Bicycling. There 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, Illinois, for longer bike rides.

• 1 Louis Joliet Shopping Mall, 3340 Mall Loop Dr, ☏ +1 815 439-1000. 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, 1530 Commerce Dr., ☏ +1 815 725-1234. Sports bar and grill near I-80 and Houbolt Rd.
• White Fence Farm, 1376 Joliet Road, Romeoville, ☏ +1 630-739-1720. 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.
• 1 Merichka's, 604 Theodore Street, Crest Hill, ☏ +1 815 723-9371. Merichka's is a Crest Hill institution. Their trademark sandwich is a beef poorboy smothered in garlic butter. (updated Feb 2018)

• Jameson's Pub, 2755 Black Rd, ☏ +1 815-729-0000. $2-8.
• Chicago St. Pub, 75 North Chicago St, ☏ +1 815 727-7171. varies.
• Joliet Bakery Deli & Liquors (formerly The Drunken Donut), 821 Plainfield Rd, ☏ +1 815 723-8210. Polish bakery and bar! varies.

• 1 Comfort Inn North, 3235 Norman Ave, ☏ +1 815 436-5141. Close to the Louis Joliet Mall. (updated Feb 2018)
• 2 Quality Inn & Suites South, 135 S Larkin Ave, ☏ +1 815 744-1770. Near the Harrah's and Empress Casinos. (updated Feb 2018)
• Harrah's Joliet Casino & Hotel, 151 N Joliet St, ☏ +1 815-740-7800. While primarily a casino, Harrah's is also part hotel with decent rooms. (updated Feb 2018)

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

Routes through Joliet

END ← Chicago ←	NS	→ Dwight → St. Louis
St. Louis ← Pontiac ←	SWNE	→ Chicago → END
Chicago ← Bolingbrook ←	NS	→ Gardner → Normal
Davenport ← Morris ←	WE	→ New Lenox → Gary
Davenport ← Morris ←	WE	→ New Lenox → Gary
Cedar Rapids ← Rock Falls ← Jct ←	WE	→ New Lenox → Valparaiso
Dubuque ← Dixon ← Jct ←	WE	→ Bourbonnais → Kankakee
Normal ← Gardner ←	WE	→ Bolingbrook → Chicago
Schaumburg ← Bolingbrook ←	NS	→ Gardner → END
END ←	SWNE	→ New Lenox → Chicago