The Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity, Office of Tourism, is partnering with Rivian Automotive Inc. to kick off the state’s celebration of Route 66’s centennial in 2026.
Through a series of videos, the collaboration will showcase the experiences of three travel influencers — from the United Kingdom, Canada and the U.S. who are friends in real life — as they drive the Illinois stretch of Route 66 in a Rivian R1S electric vehicle custom-wrapped with Route 66 centennial branding.
“We are thrilled to launch this exciting new initiative as part of our Route 66 Centennial initiatives ahead of the milestone anniversary in 2026,” said Daniel Thomas, deputy director of DCEO, Office of Tourism. “Illinois’ 300-mile stretch of Route 66 is an iconic attraction that both domestic and international travelers love to experience. and this initiative will bring global attention to Illinois’ Route 66, encouraging more
visitors to explore our state.
“By highlighting Route 66, we continue to celebrate the significant economic impact it has had on tourism across our state and the importance of preserving it for future generations.”
This video series also will spotlight unique makers of Illinois — craftsmen, artists and entrepreneurs who embody the spirit and innovation of Route 66 and augment a previously launched video series, Real People, Real Stories, Real Outdoors.
The series also is an opportunity to highlight just how easy an EV road trip can be here in Illinois with resources on enjoyillinois.com to plan a trip and find more than 1,200 EV charging stations across the state.
The 300-mile road trip down Route 66 will unfold over three episodes, starting in downtown Chicago and heading south along Route 66 through central and southern Illinois, ending at the Old Chain of Rocks Bridge in Granite City.
Each episode, produced by the Matador Network, will feature the friends’ journey as they experience iconic Route 66 attractions and local businesses along the Mother Road. The series will invite viewers to discover the heart and soul of Illinois’ Route 66 while inspiring a kind of travel that welcomes everyone along the way.
Illinois ranks as the nation’s second-largest EV market, and it’s home to Rivian’s manufacturing facility in Normal.
The new Route 66 video series will be available on EnjoyIllinois.com, Enjoy Illinois YouTube and social media channels. The series will reach international markets in Canada and the U.K. to inspire travel to Illinois.
(Image of the Route 66 Rivian R1S courtesy of Illinois Office of Tourism)