Abraham Lincoln sites, a zoo and Route 66 are just some of what you can check out on a day trip to Springfield, Illinois. We headed out on Interstate 55 northward to Springfield, the capital of Illinois, for a road trip day.

First Stop the Zoo

The Henson Robinson Zoo in Springfield is located on the south side near Lake Springfield. It has 300 animals representing 80 species. It is $6.25 per person and $4.50 for children 3 and older.

We were there early, which is always a good time since it was not busy and almost like having your own private zoo. The animals were also active this early in the morning.

It is a small zoo with only a few major animals such as cougars, bears and quite a few monkeys. The zoo did not have giraffes, lions or zebras, some of what you might see at a larger facility.

I think it would be nicer if the zoo had like a children’s area where you can go in where the goats are or allow for more interaction with farm animals. The zoo also had some closed displays.

Overall, it was a nice experience to see some animals and Andrew really enjoyed the sea otters swimming around and the bears wandering about.

Visiting Abraham Lincoln’s Tomb

We next went to Abraham Lincoln’s Tomb. It was designed by sculptor, Larkin Mead, and completed in 1874. It is free to visit.

It is in Oak Ridge Cemetery. At the entrance to the Tomb is a bronze bust of Lincoln. The tradition is to rub the nose of the Lincoln for good luck, which I had the kid do although he was not really into it.

You can visit inside the tomb structure and see statues of Lincoln throughout and his final resting place along with his family members. Make sure to take a moment to see the outside structure with more statues around it.

We happened to be there when they had a speaker giving a talk on the tomb. He explained that the local citizens had wanted it downtown, which would have been better for businesses, but Lincoln’s wife, Mary Todd Lincoln, wanted his tomb in the cemetery. She didn’t want it crowded among buildings and by a railroad line. She threatened to have his tomb moved to Washington, D.C. if she did not get her way. I don’t blame her; the large wooded cemetery is a much nicer resting place than downtown.

The tomb is worth checking out to learn a bit about his life and how he is memorialized.

Seeing a Route 66 Roadside Attraction

On the way back we stopped in Livingston, Illinois. We went to the Pink Elephant Antique Mall. Outside the mall, you can see a Futuro House, shaped like a 1950’s bright green UFO, a pink elephant, tall women, a muffler man, a giant bicycle and other cool things. My son liked the tall green T-Rex dinosaur.

The antique mall is housed in the old Livingston High School building. Along with the antiques, you will find a diner with a giant ice cream scoop. The complex also has a candy shop and Route 66 memorabilia.

After this stop, we headed back home and ready for another adventure!

Additional Lincoln Sites

Abraham Presidential Library and Museum – Tells the whole story of the life of Lincoln through rare artifacts along with a state of the art theatrical performance.

Lincoln Home National Historic Site – You can take a tour of where Lincoln resided while living in Springfield.

Old State Capitol – Here is where Lincoln gave his famous speech on “House Divided” and where he launched his presidency.

Lincoln-Herndon Law Office – Where Lincoln once worked at a lawyer.

Abraham Lincoln’s New Salem State Park – Reconstructed pioneer village where Lincoln lived when he was a young man. Here you can see life in this era with costumed interpreters. There is also a theater that has summer performances.

Other Sites in Springfield

Springfield Illinois has many other Lincoln and historic sites, but we did not have time to check them all out. Here is a short list of them.

Illinois State Capitol – The legislature moved to this larger building in 1877. The building is topped with a 405-foot dome.

Dana Thomas House – Prairie-style home designed by Frank Lloyd Wright

Illinois State Museum—Natural history museum with additional temporary exhibits.

Scheels – This is a large sports store, but also has other activities for kids including a Ferris Wheel, 2 lane roller ball, arcade, and a 16,000-gallon saltwater aquarium.