Travel & Culture · Springfield, Missouri
Springfield City Lifestyle · May 2026
On April 30, 2026, NBC's TODAY Show brought its Third Hour to Springfield's Birthplace Plaza for the Route 66 centennial. Al Roker, Dylan Dreyer, and Laura Jarrett found a city ready for its moment.
One hundred years ago, on April 30, 1926, a telegram sent from downtown Springfield officially named a stretch of highway that would become the most iconic road in America. Route 66 was born right here. So when NBC's TODAY chose Springfield as the location for its Route 66 centennial broadcast, it wasn't just a television production decision. It was a homecoming.
Thousands of Springfield residents turned out before the broadcast at Birthplace Plaza, the very corner where that telegram was sent a century ago. Some arrived as early as 2:30 a.m. By the time Al Roker, Dylan Dreyer, and Laura Jarrett took the stage, the crowd energy was electric. Missouri Governor Mike Kehoe presented the hosts with an honorary key to Route 66 on behalf of the state. Emmy-winning actor and Missouri State University alum John Goodman joined the broadcast to reflect on his Springfield roots. Country singer Chris Janson performed live. And Springfield's food scene took center stage in a way the city has long deserved.
We stepped inside with Al, Dylan, and Laura for an exclusive conversation before the broadcast began. What they shared about Springfield was genuine, specific, and worth hearing.
"The Ozarks is one of the worst kept secrets in America. Millions of people come here every year and this is really as American as it gets."
— Al Roker, TODAY
First Impressions
When Al Roker arrived in Springfield, he wasn't expecting what he found. "There's this great influx of young energy here," he told us. "Gailey's, the cafe, the breakfast place, all the young hip happening people. It's like I'm in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, only everybody's clean." Coming from Al Roker, that is about as high a compliment as a city can receive.
But Springfield isn't just cool. It's also deeply rooted, and Laura Jarrett picked up on that balance immediately. "It's still got the nostalgia, right? You get the Steak 'n Shake from 1962. They still have the original silver tray. There's only one." Dylan Dreyer agreed. "There's something reassuring about having the old mix with the new."
A Personal Road
For Dylan, Springfield triggered something deeply personal. "I walked around and I wish I was here with my dad," she said. "He used to build old hot rods. He loves old cars. We drove across country together and I just want to be here with him, in the middle of America, driving one of those cool cars down Route 66." When we asked what car she remembered most, Dylan smiled. Her dad's biggest regret is selling his Road Runner. As for Dylan, he passed on a 1983 Toyota Supra for $300. "I love that he made you pay for it," we told her. She laughed and agreed.
For Al, the Route 66 story is inseparable from the Ozarks story. "Millions of people come here every year between Branson, Springfield, all these places," he said. "This is really as American as it gets. You get the old, the new, and it's all right here."
Springfield on the National Stage
The broadcast featured a pre-recorded segment taking the hosts to some of Springfield's most iconic destinations. They visited Johnny Morris' Wonders of Wildlife National Museum and Aquarium, Route 66 Stadium, home of the Springfield Cardinals and freshly renamed from Hammons Field just one week before the broadcast as part of the Route 66 centennial celebration, and pulled up to the legendary Steak 'n Shake on National Avenue, the original 1962 location still serving on silver trays. Andy's Frozen Custard and Buc-ee's were also on the agenda. Some stops are simply non-negotiable.
John Goodman joined the outdoor stage downtown, reflecting warmly on his days at Missouri State University and his choice of theatre over football. For a broadcast celebrating the road that connects American communities, having a Missouri State alum come home felt exactly right.
"I hope when people watch, they think I would bring my family here."— Dylan Dreyer, TODAY
The Food That Tells the Story
Springfield's food scene had a moment on national television that the city has long deserved. Four local restaurants brought their best to the TODAY stage. Chef Tiny of Retro Metro represented the city's neighborhood spirit. Blue Heron Farm and Bakery brought its farm-to-table roots. James Beard-nominated Chef Calvin Davis of The Order at Hotel Vandivort, one of the most decorated culinary talents in the region, showcased the elevated side of Springfield dining. And Wing Yee Leong of Leong's Asian Diner shared the dish his father invented right here in Springfield: cashew chicken, a local creation that has fed this city for generations and earned a permanent place in Missouri food history.
"How good the food is," Laura told us when we asked what people miss about Springfield. "There's everything, high and low. Lots of good burgers, but also delicious high-end restaurants." Dylan added. "If you have never been here, you don't know what to expect. And we've been so welcomed by such kind people." She noted the thousands who turned out before the broadcast. "What a lovely group of people."
A City Ready for What's Next
Dylan had a specific wish list for a return visit. Route 66 Stadium was at the top. "It's so much more easily accessible than a big team baseball game," she said. "I'm thinking about bringing the kids." The aquarium made a deep impression too. And she already knows what car she wants for the drive: something classic, something with a story, something that belongs on Route 66.
There's a version of this story where a national television crew comes to town, films for a day, and moves on. That's not what happened here. What happened on April 30 at Birthplace Plaza was a recognition, a national acknowledgment of something Springfield has known for a long time. This city has energy, history, food, community, and a location at the literal heart of the most iconic road in America.
Al Roker called it the worst kept secret in America. Dylan Dreyer is already planning to come back with her family. Laura Jarrett found the kind of place where the old and the new don't just coexist. They make each other better. Springfield City Lifestyle has been telling this story for years. It's good to see the rest of the country catching up.
Springfield Featured on TODAY — April 30, 2026
Birthplace Plaza — where Route 66 was named 100 years ago to the day
Johnny Morris' Wonders of Wildlife National Museum and Aquarium
Route 66 Stadium — home of the Springfield Cardinals
Steak 'n Shake — original 1962 location, silver tray service
Gailey's Breakfast Cafe
Andy's Frozen Custard
Buc-ee's
Retro Metro (Chef Tiny)
Blue Heron Farm and Bakery
The Order at Hotel Vandivort (James Beard-nominated Chef Calvin Davis)
Leong's Asian Diner — birthplace of Springfield-style cashew chicken