The Third Hour of ‘Today’ Is Hitting the Road: Find Out When & Where the Show Will Air
What To Know
- The third hour of Today will travel to Springfield, Missouri, for its next special episode outside of New York City.
- The hosts teased what fans can expect from the Route 66 celebration during the show’s Monday, March 30, episode.
- Fans can register to attend the episode’s taping via Today‘s official website.
Just as Jenna Bush Hager and Sheinelle Jones returned from their fourth hour of Today girls trip to Jamaica, the hosts of the third hour of Today are gearing up for a trip of their own.
Al Roker, Craig Melvin, and Dylan Dreyer wrapped up the show’s Monday, March 30, episode by sharing the exciting announcement. “[For] our next, big third hour adventure, we are taking our show on the road, literally, heading to one of the most iconic stops along America’s Mother Road,” Roker stated.
Melvin added, “That’s right. Third hour, heading to the birthplace of Route 66 — Springfield, Missouri — a city that is packed with history and culture.”
According to Dryer, the trio will take viewers along for “an incredible tour of everything the city has to offer: the local food, music, stories that made Route 66 famous.” The hosts will also be joined by actor and Missouri State University alum John Goodman during the episode, which will air on April 30.
“He was a heck of a football player,” Roker said of Goodman before sharing that fans can register to attend the live episode taping via Today‘s website. (Per the website, filming will take place at Birthplace Plaza in downtown Springfield.)
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As Roker explained the sign-up process, the show displayed a graphic for the Route 66 episode. However, the graphic featured only Roker and Dreyer, not all three hosts. In typical Roker fashion, the weatherman wasted no time poking fun at the graphic’s design choice.
“[The Missouri Route 66 Centennial Commission] made sure that we cut Craig out of the picture. Just have me and Dylan,” he quipped as the camera zoomed in to cut Melvin out of the shot. “Yay! Yay us!”
Melvin, for his part, joked, “It was just a matter of time!”
Today fans shared their excitement for the show’s upcoming trip to Route 66 via social media. “Awww my hometown!!!! ❤️,” one user wrote underneath a clip of the announcement on Today‘s Instagram page. Another added, “We welcome you with open arms 🤗.”
Others shared some travel reccomendations. “Stop by Kirkwood. MO TOO!! Big Route 66 sign. Quintessential Midwest town,” someone shared. A different person posted, “You’ll be in my city!! I can’t wait! Stop by George’s Family Restaurant! Right off Route 66 since 1972! Fun fact, formerly owned by George Lindsey (Goober from Andy Griffith show).”
The third hour of Today has taken the show on the road multiple times over the years. For their final trip with Jones in the hosting lineup, the show traveled to Tulsa, Oklahoma, back in October 2025. (Jones bid farewell to the NBC morning show’s third hour in January before taking on her current role as Bush Hager’s co-host on Today With Jenna & Sheinelle.)
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