It’s morning on the mother road

A new day is breaking. Be part of what’s next.

After 100 years of Americana, Route 66 is shifting into a new era. Be part of the journey.

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A New Day for Route 66

Experience what’s here. Help shape what’s next.

Connect66 is your window into everything Route 66: what’s happening now and what’s happened before. Live events, traveler stories, history, and a community of voices all come together here. This isn’t just our story. It’s yours. Connect66 grows through travelers sharing journeys, businesses showcasing places, and historians preserving the past.

This is your early access hub, a first glimpse before the full site launches this Fall. Explore what’s live now and add your voice to the journey ahead.

What’s Waking Up on the Mother Road?

Traveler stories, Route-wide happenings, and your voice coming together to bring the Mother Road back to life.

66Happenings

A live feed from the road—new every day.

Real-time, location-aware events, offers, and updates from businesses and towns. Place Pages change as you move, giving travelers a fresh reason to stop and explore.

66Vault

The Route 66 history archive.

Search photos, films, articles, maps, and memories. Every item is tagged by place and date, curator reviewed, and integrated into Explore66 and 66Happenings.

Stories from the Mother Road

Share your Route 66 story.

Post your photos, memories, or video clips. Each story is mapped by location and date so travelers can discover and connect with your journey along the route.

Explore66

The ultimate traveler’s companion app.

Get turn-by-turn directions, live event updates from 66Happenings, and historical context from the 66Vault—everything you need in one seamless app experience.

Summits

Working summits for Route 66 stakeholders.

Focused sessions where associations, towns, and businesses align, view live demos, and walk away with a shared vision and action plan to grow Route 66 together.

Connect66 Foundation

Preserve history and strengthen communities.

The nonprofit behind Route 66’s revival. Connect66 fuels preservation, education, and community-led economic development across all eight Route 66 states.

Why Now

Route 66 is about to enter the global spotlight. Now is the moment to connect the Route, preserve what’s fading, and guide travelers in real time.

Centennial
Surge

The Centennial is approaching. Energy and attention are building.

Missing
Voice

Communities and small businesses lack a shared digital platform to be seen

At-Risk
History

Much of Route 66’s history is scattered, fading, and at risk of being lost forever.

Real-Time
Info

Modern travelers expect live updates and deeper meaning at every stop

Early Access Perks

What You’ll Get.

Gain Early Access to the Explore66 App

Get access to the Explore66 app with navigation, live happenings, history in the 66Vault, and trip planning tools built for Route 66 travelers.

Test New Features Before Launch

Be the first to try beta tools like Trip Collections, live maps, and contributor dashboards, and help shape how Connect66 evolves.

Founding
Contributor Badge

Get recognized as one of the first to add stories, photos, or history to Connect66. Your contributions will be marked with a special founding badge.

Shape the Roadmap
of Connect 66

Have a direct say in what comes next. From new features to campaigns, early members get to vote and influence the direction of Connect66.

Vote on What Comes Next in the App

From new features to merch drops and event stops, your vote helps shape what’s next in the app. Early access members lead the way.

Behind-the-Scenes Development Updates

Go inside the build with exclusive video walkthroughs, sneak peeks, and progress updates as Connect66 begins to take shape.

Frequently asked
questions

It’s the launch campaign for Connect66 and the beginning of a new day for Route 66. Like sunrise on the road, it marks a fresh start where history, stories, and communities come alive again. “Morning” means new energy, new voices, and new opportunities to preserve the past while shaping the future. This campaign is an open invitation to step in early, share your piece, and help bring the Mother Road back to life.

Connect66 is a living digital ecosystem for Route 66. It combines navigation, real-time happenings, traveler stories, historic archives, and community-driven content in one place. For travelers, it makes the road easier to explore and more meaningful to experience. For businesses and communities, it provides visibility, tools, and new ways to connect with visitors. For historians and storytellers, it creates a home to preserve and share Route 66’s legacy. Connect66 grows stronger through participation—every story, photo, and place shared adds to the experience for the next traveler.

No. Connect66 is an independent initiative that partners with communities, associations, and businesses along the Route, but it isn’t a government program or an official association.

The full site launches in September. Until then, you’re seeing an Early Access hub with stories, happenings, and history.

The Route 66 Centennial is approaching in 2026. Interest is surging, but much of the road’s history and many small businesses are at risk of being lost. Connect66 helps preserve, promote, and connect the Route at the perfect moment.

Because Route 66 is more than a road—it’s communities, culture, and history that risk being overlooked or forgotten. Connect66 exists to revitalize the Route by empowering small businesses, transforming the traveler experience, honoring historians, inspiring future generations, and creating global connections. This isn’t just about preserving the past; it’s about driving tourism, strengthening local economies, and ensuring Route 66 thrives for the next hundred years. We’re building not just a project, but a legacy.

Connect66 was created by a team of Route 66 enthusiasts, technologists, and community partners who want to connect the road’s past, present, and future.

Unlike a static guide or a single-state association, Connect66 brings the entire Route together in one place, combining real-time happenings, navigation, stories, and history into a living platform.

Yes. The Connect66 Foundation is a separate nonprofit organization focused on preservation, education, and supporting Route 66 communities, while Connect66 (the company) builds the technology, media, and traveler tools. They complement each other, but the Foundation stands on its own.

Connect66 is built to last. While the Centennial is a major milestone, the platform is designed for long-term preservation, travel, and community engagement far beyond 2026.

Connect66 helps travelers discover Route 66 in a new way. You’ll find real-time happenings, traveler stories, historic archives, and tools to plan your journey. It’s designed to bring the Mother Road to life both on and off the Route.

The website lets you explore stories, events, and history from anywhere. The Explore66 app adds real-time navigation, happenings, and immersive experiences when you’re actually on the road.

The Explore66 app is planned for release in late 2025. Early Access members will get the first look as new features roll out.

The Explore66 app will be your travel companion for the Mother Road. It will include turn-by-turn navigation, live 66Happenings to see what’s going on around you, and the 66TimeMachine, which layers history and stories over real locations. You’ll be able to save favorites, plan routes, and access the 66Vault on the go. Explore66 is being built to guide your trip and make it richer with context, culture, and connections.

Yes. Core navigation and any stories, history, or events you save will work offline, so you’re covered even where cell service drops.

Stories from the Mother Road is the place where travelers share their own journeys and keep the spirit of Route 66 alive. You can upload photos, videos, and reflections tied to real Route 66 stops for others to discover. It’s more than a social feed—each story becomes part of a living archive, connected to the places along the Route so future travelers can be inspired by those who came before them.

Early Access is your chance to be among the first to experience Connect66 as it comes to life. Members will be the first to try new features like Explore66 navigation tools, 66Happenings listings, and the 66Vault archive. You’ll also get sneak peeks of what’s coming next and recognition as a founding member helping to shape Connect66.

The easiest way is to sign up through the form below and select “Traveler” or the option that best fits you. You’ll get occasional updates about new features, fresh stories, upcoming happenings, and behind-the-scenes progress. We keep it light—just the latest highlights and ways to get involved, no spam.

Yes. Connect66 is free for travelers to explore stories, events, and history. Businesses get a free basic listing on 66Happenings, with the option to upgrade for a small annual fee to unlock management tools, offers, and events. In the future, premium memberships may be introduced, but the core experience of exploring and contributing will always remain free.

A partner is any business, community, association, or sponsor that contributes to bringing Route 66 to life on Connect66. Partners can list places, share events, support preservation, or sponsor projects, all while gaining visibility with travelers.

There are many ways to partner with Connect66 depending on your goals. Businesses can join 66Happenings to gain visibility with travelers. Associations and chambers can share events and updates with the community. Museums, historians, and educators can contribute to the 66Vault. Sponsors and brands can support campaigns, media projects, and Centennial events. Use the contact form to start the conversation and we’ll explore the best way to work together.

Every business along Route 66 will have a basic listing created. Owners can claim and upgrade their listing to post offers, events, and updates in real time.

Basic listings are free. Businesses can upgrade for a small annual fee to unlock management tools, offers, and events.

Yes. Associations and chambers can have their own page on Connect66 to share offers, announcements, and community highlights. Most day-to-day posting happens through individual business pages, but we work closely with chambers and associations to help their members get the most out of 66Happenings.

The 66Vault is a living history archive. Museums, historians, and individuals can upload photos, articles, films, and documents. Submissions are reviewed before being published.

You retain ownership. By uploading, you grant Connect66 permission to display and share them within the platform.

For now, reach out to us directly using the contact form below. There are many ways to get involved, and we’ll discuss the best sponsorship or advertising opportunities for you.

Absolutely. Connect66 is built on people bringing their talents, whether you’re a traveler, creator, or business leader. You can contribute through Connect66 directly, or volunteer with the Connect66 Foundation on preservation, education, and community projects.

Be Part of the Story

Connect66 comes alive through travelers, businesses, historians, and fans like you. Add your piece and help shape the journey.