The road of dreams. That would be an apt descriptor for iconic Route 66 in the year of the highways centennial.

Markku Jaakkola and Jacob Gilbert recently took to the road in a 1973 Chrysler New Yorker. But this Route 66 centennial adventure was more than just a road trip. It was a legacy run, a tribute to Hans Granberg, a fellow Finnish Mopar enthusiast. The long way home is being described as a midlife coming-of-age story dressed in chrome. Four friends buy cars from the 1960s sight unseen, and head west from St. Louis along Route 66 on an epic road trip. Earlier this year Ed and Jackie Fogle from Oklahoma drove a 1926 Hupmobile the entire length of Route 66. And Irish ultracyclist Joe Barr chose Route 66 for his record breaking attempt. 

International tourism has been in a slump this past years. But Route 66 still shines bright as the highway is viewed as the ultimate road trip and quintessential American experience for legions of Route 66 enthusiasts from throughout the world. For fans of  this storied highway, driving Route 66 through America’s heartland from Chicago to Santa Monica is a bucket list item.

Opportunity and Inspiration

Opportunity and inspiration are also a part of the Route 66 experience. Mr. D’z Route 66 Diner and Mr. D’z Route 66 Diner Gift Shop and auto museum in the historic Dunton Motors dealership facility on Andy Devine Avenue in Kingman, Arizona is an example. In 2026 the Dunton family is celebrating 100 years of doing business along Route 66 in western Arizona.

Tin Can Alley on 66, Mudd on 66 and Scoops on 66 in Kingman is an example of how entrepreneurs are still capitalizing on Route 66. Cool Springs along Route 66 in the Black Mountains is another example.

The international popularity of Route 66 provides rural communities with unprecedented opportunity for economic development. And for communities along the Route 66 corridor with a more diversified economy, this tourism has proven to be a catalyst for historic district revitalization.

Beyond The Route 66 Centennial

The Route 66 centennial has magnified marketing and promotional opportunities for communities along the highway corridor. To date Kingman based author Jim Hinckley, creator of the Jim Hinckley’s America network has provided Interviews about the history of Route 66 and the related evolution of southwest tourism to New York Times, Christian Science Monitor, ABC Chicago, Fox, Chicago Tribune, Rick Steves, History Channel, Cowboys & Indians magazine, BBC travel programs, AAA Via, 2 Lane Life, Arizona Unscripted podcast, Every Day Is A Story, and UK based Magneto magazine. He also also provided assistance with development of Route 66 tours for these and other media outlets.

To capitlaize on these opportunities and ensure regional tourism along the Route 66 corridor continues to grow after centennial celebrations, companies such as Talisman Magic Marketing are developing promotional platforms. An example would be the Visit Kingman project. This streamlined interactive website provides an diverse array of Kingman area information as well as a Yodel AI powered event calendar. Before making a trip to Kingman, the traveler can plan their entire visit based on interests as well as amount of time planned for a stay. There is also a detailed information guide.

Visit Kingman was designed as a companion site for the Kingman Tours. The brainchild of Kingman Main Street, Kingman Tours is a virtual as well as physical self gudied tour of the historic district. Together these sites promot Kingman and the surrounding area as well as make it easy to plan a trip to the city.

The Road of Dreams

It has been called the Main Street of America, the Mother Road and America’s longest small town. But it is more than just the most famous highway in the world. It is the road of dreams.

And it is the American story made manifest. Tangible links to every chapter from our past, present and future are found on this amazing highway.

On the weekly podcast from Jim Hinckley’s America, Coffee With Jim, Jim Hinckley encourages people to discover America with road trips. And he often quips that the ultimate road trip is legendary Route 66.