Retro date night ideas in Starved Rock Country

Retro activities are groovy again. Dig it?

Celebrate date night with recreation and restaurants that hearken decades gone by. Our staff picked 10 of their favorite activities and eateries where visitors can experience the pleasures of the past.

ACTIVITIES

A Double Feature at the Drive-In

Drive-in theaters celebrated their heyday in the 1950s, with about 4,000 locations across the United States. These days, their numbers have dwindled to the hundreds. One of the remaining outdoor big screens stands in Earlville at the Route 34 Drive-In Theatre, 4468 E. 12th Road (Old Route 34). The theater opened in 1954 and still operates Fridays through Sundays spring to autumn with classic cartoons followed by two films. Drivers can pull up to the hut and buy tickets for the double feature – $10 for adults, $8 for children and seniors, and free for children ages 4 years and younger. Previously cash only, the theater now accepts Visa and MasterCard with a convenience fee.

Play at the Arcade

O-Nett Gaming in downtown Ottawa is home to more than 30 classic arcade games and pinball machines. Customers can buy an arcade pass – $5 per person for one hour of play or $10 per person for a full day. All games are set to free, so once an arcade pass is acquired, guests can play as many rounds as they desire until the pass expires. O-Nett is open daily during afternoons and evenings.

Out to the Ballgame

Nothing encapsulates American nostalgia quite like a baseball game. Schweickert Stadium at Veterans Park in Peru is home to the Illinois Valley Pistol Shrimp, a collegiate Prospect League team. General admission and parking is free. With 28 home games on their schedule from May through July, the Pistol Shrimp are an accessible way to spend a summer evening. Wave hello to SouthClaw Sam, the bright orange Pistol Shrimp mascot.

Roller Skate the Night Away

Bring your own roller skates and roller blades or rent a pair at Paramount Skating Arena in Ottawa for an evening on the roller rink. The arena is open 7 to 10:30 p.m. Fridays through Sundays. Roller skating reached its Golden Age in the 1940s and ‘50s, with a slight decline before a resurgence in the 1970s through the 1990s. Business Insider reports roller skates saw another surge in popularity in 2020 when people sought socially distant activities during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Hit the Pins

Head to Illinois Valley Super Bowl in Peru for bowling on one of the recreation center’s 24 lanes. IV Super Bowl is open seven days a week; guests can call ahead to check lane availability at 815-223-5085. Look for Cosmic Bowling nights when the house lights are turned off and guests can bowl under a high-tech light show. IV Super Bowl also features an arcade room, food and regularly hosts live music and comedy shows.

EATERIES

The Rootbeer Stand

225 N. Columbia Ave., Oglesby

Experience the 1950s carhop era by parking under the awning and ordering meals to be delivered to your vehicle at The Rootbeer Stand in Oglesby. The drive-in diner serves sandwiches, burgers, hot dogs, ice cream and house-made root beer. Booths and tables are available for those who opt to dine inside. The payment method is cash only.

The Igloo

2819 Fourth St., Peru

This classic American diner opened in 1937 and remains a retro icon in the region with its checkered tile counter, stool seating at the counter and shiny red-and-white booths and chairs. The signature sandwich is the hand-pounded, hand-breaded pork tenderloin. The menu includes a variety of sandwiches, burgers, hot dogs and a featured Sandwich of the Month.

Bulldog’s

709 N. Bloomington St., Streator

This classic Streator diner is a step into the city’s past. The dining room is decorated with red-and-white booths, local historical photos, vinyl records, street signs, city sports memorabilia and two retro bicycles on display. Menu items not to miss include 1919 Root Beer, the house-made onion rings and the Trapp’s beef sandwich, a recipe that pays homage to a former Streator tavern. Pick up a package of thumbprint cookies to take home for dessert. The diner stands across the street from Streator High School, home of the Streator Bulldogs.

John’s Place

1802 Fifth St., Peru

This beloved local lunch spot opened in 1969 and serves diner menu staples such as sandwiches, burgers, soups and chili. Like classic diners of the 1950s, John’s Place also serves malts, floats and sundaes. Countertop seating is available plus a dining area with tables and chairs. Check out the dozens of classic Coca-Cola signs and retro posters and artwork on the walls while your order is prepared.

Tastee Freez

309 E. Dakota St., Spring Valley

Tastee Freez has sold soft serve ice cream to residents and visitors in Starved Rock Country since the franchise launched in 1950. Tastee Freez shops rapidly expanded to 1,800 locations by 1957, becoming an icon of 1950s Americana and immortalized in the second verse of John Mellencamp’s “Jack & Diane.” Over the decades, most locations were renamed and incorporated into other restaurants. However, one of the few original Tastee Freez locations still stands in Spring Valley.