The Get Your Kicks on Route 66 mural in downtown Granite City, photographed during our June 2026 Midwest road trip.
Pop Art, Route 66 & One Very Memorable Pair of Sunglasses
A woman calls out “Get Your Kicks on Route 66,” while Illinois Route 66 shields appear in the lenses of her oversized sunglasses.
Bold outlines, a comic-book-inspired palette and a playful expression make this Granite City mural a lively tribute to America’s Mother Road.
From our June 2026 road trip: My brother Craig and I found this mural while exploring Granite City’s public art and roadside attractions on our way toward St. Louis.
Pop Art Meets Route 66 Nostalgia
The mural borrows the visual language of classic comic strips: heavy black outlines, saturated colors, an expressive face and lettering that feels like part of the action.
Its bold treatment recalls the comic-inspired pop art associated with Roy Lichtenstein, although that is a stylistic comparison rather than an artist attribution.
The sunglasses are the detail that gives the composition an especially clever connection to its location.
Look at the lenses and you’ll find Illinois Route 66 shields reflected back at you.
Instead of placing the highway emblem in a corner, the design makes it central to the character’s point of view.
The result feels both nostalgic and contemporary.
Rather than simply depicting a classic car or old filling station, the mural celebrates the idea of traveling Route 66 through color, expression and visual humor.
A detail worth photographing: After taking a full view of the mural, look closely at the Route 66 reflections in the sunglasses. They help tell the story of the artwork without needing a separate explanatory sign.
Where Is the Get Your Kicks Mural?
The mural is painted outside The Garden Gate Tea Room at 1410 Niedringhaus Avenue, Granite City, IL 62040.
This is the confirmed location for the Get Your Kicks on Route 66 mural.
The artwork’s comic-book styling and Route 66 shields make it a distinctive photo stop along Niedringhaus Avenue.
If you’re planning a wider mural outing, It’s Electric Neon Sign Park is a separate Granite City attraction at 19th Street and Delmar Avenue, with restored vintage signs and additional public art.
The mural is easiest to appreciate in daylight, when its painted colors, lettering and sunglasses details are visible.
If you also want to photograph the neon signs illuminated, plan that as a separate stop after dusk and check current access and visiting information.
Visitor tip: Navigate to 1410 Niedringhaus Avenue for this mural, and respect the tea room’s entrance, business operations and any posted parking restrictions while photographing.
Why “Get Your Kicks” Still Matters
The mural connects modern street art with one of the most recognizable phrases in Route 66 culture.
Route 66 was established in 1926, connecting communities and travelers on the long journey between Chicago and the West Coast.
The highway became much more than a transportation route.
Restaurants, motels, signs, roadside attractions and local businesses helped create a recognizable travel culture.
The slogan on this mural reaches back to the song written by Bobby Troup in 1946 and made famous by Nat King Cole.
“Get Your Kicks on Route 66” became a phrase travelers still associate with the freedom and curiosity of a road trip.
In 2026, as Route 66 marks its 100th anniversary, Granite City’s mural is one more reminder that the Mother Road’s identity lives on in art as well as historic pavement and restored neon signs.
For more history, explore the National Park Service’s Route 66 overview and the Smithsonian’s Route 66 collection.
Tips for Photographing This Mural
Because the artwork relies on bold graphic shapes and small details inside the sunglasses, I would photograph it in two stages: preserve the complete composition first, then concentrate on what makes it distinctive.
More Murals & Roadside Photo Stops
The Get Your Kicks mural was just one of the public-art discoveries from our Granite City visit. We also explored Route 66-themed murals, It’s Electric Neon Sign Park, the Make-It Toy Monument and the giant Fork in the Road.
One Mural, a Century of Road-Trip Inspiration
The Get Your Kicks on Route 66 mural makes a familiar slogan feel fresh through playful expression, graphic color and clever reflections.
Those small details are exactly what I love noticing when I photograph public art.
Granite City offered plenty to discover beyond the highway itself, and this mural captured the sense of fun that made our Route 66 stops memorable.
Have you photographed a favorite Route 66 mural? Share where you found it in the comments.
About Angela
Angela Addington is the travel photographer and writer behind Lenses & Latitudes. She shares firsthand destination guidance and practical photography advice for independent and solo travelers, women over 50, road-trippers and weekend explorers. Learn more about Angela.
