Travels with Darley Celebrates 100 Episodes on FOX 32 Chicago | Route 66, Québec & Revolutionary Road Trip
Travels with Darley Hits 100 Episodes — A FOX 32 Chicago Celebration
Darley Newman Joins Anthony Ponce and Kaitlin Cody to Look Back (and Forward) on a Decade of Travel Storytelling
One hundred episodes. That's not just a milestone — it's a map of America and beyond, filled with the roadside diners, hidden histories, and unexpected characters that have made Travels with Darley one of PBS's most beloved travel series.
To mark the occasion, Darley Newman sat down with Anthony Ponce and Kaitlin Cody on FOX 32 Chicago for a special interview that ranged from the open road of Route 66 to the log-cabin grandeur of Québec to the founding-era stories at the heart of her upcoming book, Revolutionary Road Trip. Here's a closer look at what they covered — and why each destination deserves a spot on your travel list.
Route 66 Through Illinois: The Road That Built American Travel Culture
Route 66 isn't just a highway — it's a living museum stretching from Chicago to Santa Monica, and the Illinois stretch is one of its most storied chapters. Darley shared some of her favorite stops from filming in the Land of Lincoln, including a few that might surprise you.
Old Joliet Prison, Joliet
Few stops on Route 66 carry the dramatic weight of the Old Joliet Prison in Joliet, Illinois. The historic facility — which opened in 1858 — has appeared in film and television (most famously in The Blues Brothers) and now offers guided tours that bring its haunting history to life. Darley called it one of those places that stops you in your tracks, where the weight of the past is genuinely palpable.
The Gemini Giant, Wilmington
No Route 66 road trip is complete without a stop for a photo with a fiberglass giant — and Wilmington, Illinois delivers with the Gemini Giant, one of the most iconic Muffler Men on the entire route. Standing more than 25 feet tall in a space suit, he's been welcoming travelers since the 1960s and remains one of the great American roadside treasures.
American Giants Museum, Atlanta, Illinois
Just down the road in Atlanta, Illinois, the American Giants Museum digs deeper into the cultural phenomenon of these towering roadside figures. It's the kind of stop that sounds quirky on the surface but ends up being genuinely fascinating — a window into mid-century American commercial culture, road trip tradition, and folk art all at once.
Vintage Service Stations, Edwardsville
Near Edwardsville, Illinois, Darley explored some of the vintage service stations that once fueled cross-country travelers on the Mother Road. These beautifully preserved relics of Route 66's golden era are a reminder of how travel itself has changed — and what we've gained by slowing down to notice what's still standing.
Motorheads, Springfield
In Springfield, Illinois — the state capital and Abraham Lincoln's hometown — Motorheads Bar, Grill & Museum brings Route 66 history and comfort food together under one roof. With its collection of vintage cars, motorcycles, and memorabilia, it's equal parts museum and meal stop, and exactly the kind of place Darley seeks out: locally rooted, story-rich, and deeply welcoming.
Québec: The World's Largest Log Cabin and French-Canadian Charm
The 100-episode journey hasn't been limited to American highways. Darley shared a standout international stop: the Fairmont Le Château Montebello in Québec, Canada — home to what is widely recognized as the world's largest log cabin.
Built in 1930 from 10,000 red cedar logs, the Château Montebello is a marvel of craftsmanship and scale. Darley described curling up by its massive central fireplace with a bowl of French onion soup — the kind of travel memory that feels cinematic in the moment and only better in the retelling. It's the perfect reminder that world-class travel experiences don't always require a transatlantic flight.
Revolutionary Road Trip: Darley's New Book Uncovers America's Founding Stories
The FOX 32 conversation also gave Darley a chance to preview her upcoming book, Revolutionary Road Trip: Hidden Stories of America's Founding Journey — and the response from Anthony Ponce and Kaitlin Cody made clear why this project has been generating so much excitement.
The book follows Darley as she travels to Revolutionary War sites across the United States, uncovering the lesser-known stories behind the founding era — the ones that didn't necessarily make it into the textbook version of history but are every bit as vivid and important.
Alexander Hamilton at Princeton University, New Jersey
One of the stories Darley highlighted: Alexander Hamilton's lesser-known connection to Princeton University in New Jersey. In the years before he became the face of a Broadway phenomenon, Hamilton was already leaving his mark on the emerging nation — and Princeton holds a chapter of that story worth seeking out in person.
Historic Charleston, South Carolina
Charleston, South Carolina appears prominently in Revolutionary Road Trip — and for good reason. Few American cities carry the weight of the founding era as visibly as Charleston, where you can walk the same streets as the men and women who shaped the Revolution. Darley has deep Charleston roots through her television work (and her GPS-triggered Historic Charleston Audio Walking Tour, available via the TravelStorys app) and brings fresh perspective to a city that rewards slow, curious exploration.
Watch the Full FOX 32 Chicago Segment
Darley's conversation with Anthony Ponce and Kaitlin Cody is a warm, fast-moving look at what 100 episodes of travel storytelling actually feels like from the inside — and a preview of where Travels with Darley is headed next.
Plan Your Own Route 66 Adventure — or Pre-Order the Book
Whether you're ready to hit the Mother Road or dive into the Revolutionary era from your reading chair, there's a Travels with Darley experience for you.
Pre-order Revolutionary Road Trip on Amazon
Watch Travels with Darley on PBS, Amazon Prime, Create TV & Tubi
