🔍 I Spy Joliet: The Ultimate 2026 Summer Scavenger Hunt!

Are you a true "Stone City" expert? As the weather warms up and we prepare for the grand opening of our brand-new City Square, we’re challenging our Joliet Living readers to get out of the house and rediscover the hidden gems in our backyard.

Grab your phone, gather the kids, and see if you can find these 10 Joliet Icons. Bonus points if you tag us in your photos!

1. The "Unity Dome" (New for 2026!)

Head to the brand-new City Square at the corner of Clinton and Chicago Streets. Can you find the 12-foot-tall "Unity Dome" sculpture?

• The Challenge: Look closely at the stainless steel cutouts. Can you spot the tiny Route 66 sign or the Rialto Theatre chair hidden in the design?

  
  

2. The Blue Brothers’ Gateway

Take a drive past the Old Joliet Prison on Collins Street.

• The Challenge: Find the informational kiosk that mentions the prison’s television and movie fame. Who is the most famous fictional inmate mentioned there?

  
  

3. A Bronze French-Canadian Explorer

In front of the Joliet Public Library (the beautiful limestone Burnham building), a famous explorer stands guard.

• The Challenge: Snap a "high-five" photo with the bronze statue of Louis Jolliet.

  
  

4. The "Red Carpet" Promenade

Downtown is looking a little different these days!

• The Challenge: Walk the new "red carpet" promenade that connects the Rialto Square Theatre to the new City Square. Can you find the spot where the architecture of 1926 meets the design of 2026?

  
  

5. The Lock of History

Head to the I&M Canal Trail.

• The Challenge: Find one of the 15 historic locks. Hint: The one near the downtown stretch is particularly well-preserved!

  
  

6. The 100-Year-Old Tee

Celebrate a century of golf at Woodruff Golf Course.

• The Challenge: Find the commemorative marker at the first tee celebrating their 100th Anniversary (1926–2026).

  
  

7. The Greenhouse Guardian

Inside the Bird Haven Greenhouse, there are more than just flowers.

• The Challenge: Can you find the turtle pond? How many "residents" are sunning themselves today?

  
  

8. The Stone City Mural

Joliet is becoming a city of murals.

• The Challenge: Find a mural that features a limestone bridge or the Des Plaines River. (Check near the Bicentennial Park area!)

  
  

9. The Route 66 Shield

You can't talk about Joliet without the Mother Road.

• The Challenge: Find a literal Route 66 shield painted or mounted on a building downtown.

  
  

10. The Star Wars Spot

If you’re doing this in early May, head back to City Square.

• The Challenge: Take a photo with a Stormtrooper or a Jedi during the Inaugural City Square Star Wars Day!

  
  

📸 Join the Contest!

Don't just find them, share them! We are running a "Summer in the Square" Photo Contest.

How to Enter:

1. Post your scavenger hunt photos on Instagram or Facebook.

2. Use the hashtag #JolietLivingHunt.

3. Tag @JolietLiving