Wilmington, Illinois
roadside giant
Gemini Giant
What it is
A 30-foot fiberglass spaceman, one of the most iconic muffler-man giants on Route 66, standing outside the former Launching Pad Drive-In.
Why it matters
One of the first major signs westbound travelers are really on Route 66; a survivor of the space-age roadside era.
What we experienced
We hit Wilmington twice. The first pass through was in pouring rain and we never really got out of the trucks — "we actually couldn't enjoy it" — so on day two we drove back up to the Gemini Giant just to stand under it and walk the lot properly. Cars rolled through the whole time we were there, which turned out to be half the reason to stop at all.
Watch this moment1:06Plan your visit
Practical notes
- Status
- Hours change out here — confirm locally before you go.
Along the route
- American Giants MuseumAtlanta, Illinoismuseum
- Bigfoot 4x4Pacific, Missourilandmark
- Polk-a-Dot Drive-InBraidwood, Illinoisdinerguide entry coming