Driving from Chicago to Memphis 6/29
 

Just found this site and wrote 3 pages of notes on my upcoming Memphis trip! Thanks for the excellent tips.

We will be driving from 1 hour south of Chicago to Memphis on 6/29 and 6/30. We plan to stay overnight somewhere about 5 hours south of Chicago proper. Does anyone know of a good town to stop and get a decent hotel room and a good breafast out the next morning? We'll be on I-57 S when we need to stop for the night.

I have done this drive many times and I usually crash (not literally!) around Cairo IL. Some how getting to the Mississippi and the state line makes me feel good. If you want to stop a bit sooner, try Effingham.

We stayed in Sikeston, MO. at the Drury Inn. It is at the junction of I-57 and I-55. They had a hot breakfast (scrambled eggs, waffles, sausage, fruit, cereal, bagals, etc.) included in the room rate. There are other dining options within 1/2 to 1 mile from the hotel. Overall the stay was pleasant with the food being typical hotel fare. Will definitely stay there again should the need arise. If you don't want to drive that far, you might consider Marion, IL. There are several hotels right off of I-57 and there is a Cracker Barrel, which ususally has a good breakfast.

It's 360 miles from Chicago to the Mississippi River on I-57. Another 25 miles to Sikeston.

Sikeston is the home of the Lambert's Cafe, famous for its "throwed rolls". Never eaten there myself, but you can see their billboards all over the Midwest.

Before that, the last place with lots of motels is Marion. Exit 53 & 54 off I-57. 310 miles from Chicago.

Thanks! I was afraid we might see a place with lots of places to stay and drive by and realize that we'd just passed the last bigger town and were now in the middle of nowhere.