Car Rentals in Illinois — Chicago, Route 66, Galena
Illinois car rentals are Chicago-dominated — O'Hare ORD (one of busiest US airports) + Midway MDW. Route 66 historic start + Galena historic town round out IL driving destinations. PickRV's IL car catalogue spans Chicago Lakefront cruise rentals, Tesla + EV-dense Chicago suburbs, and Route 66 vintage tour bases.
Rental classes Illinois leans on
The body types this state's market is built around — each opens its PickRV hub.
Primary Illinois car-rental markets
Chicago (ORD + MDW)
Largest IL market; one of busiest US airport pairs; Tesla + EV-dense.
Springfield + Joliet (Route 66 start)
Route 66 historic Mother Road; vintage + classic-themed rentals.
Galena (NW IL historic town)
Weekend cultural-tour rentals; Mississippi bluff country.
Rockford + Quad Cities (Moline)
Outstate IL secondary markets.
Illinois state rental rules
Illinois Secretary of State — Driver Services- 1
Out-of-state US licenses honored without restriction for tourist rentals.
- 2
International tourists from countries with US driving reciprocity may rent with home-country license + IDP.
- 3
Minimum rental age typically 21; renters 21-24 face Young Driver Surcharge ($15-35/day).
- 4
Illinois minimum liability 25/50/20 — verify your insurance/credit card meets requirements.
Illinois rules · last verified 2026-05-10
- State rental tax
- 7% · not collected by PickRV
- Min driver age
- 21+ std · 25+ Class A
- Gravel roads
- Allowed — disclosure required
- Generator quiet
- 22:00-07:00
What the Illinois DMV doesn't tell you
First-hand context the official .gov pages skip.
- Coastal driving
Chicago Lake Shore Drive cruise is iconic — best done dawn or after rush hour for traffic + photos.
- Scenic drives
Route 66 historic start (Adams + Michigan downtown Chicago) is a vintage-car pilgrimage; 300 mi to St Louis.
- What it costs
Chicago I-90/94/294 tolls + congestion are rental-hostile; plan around peak hours.
- Terminal shuttle
O'Hare rental return shuttle 15-25 min; budget time for return.
- Time and distance
Galena weekend drives from Chicago are 3-hour day trip; classic-car backdrop with cobblestone streets.
Best season in Illinois
May-October. Peak: July-August (Lake Michigan summer). Winter requires snow planning.
Where PickRV is active in Illinois
IL coverage is concentrated in Chicago metro (O'Hare + Midway + suburbs). Outstate IL hosts smaller cohort.
Illinois car rental FAQ
Can I drive Route 66 from Chicago?
Yes — Route 66 starts at Adams + Michigan in downtown Chicago. Plan 2-3 days for Chicago to St Louis Route 66 historic tour.
Is downtown Chicago drive-friendly?
Not particularly — heavy traffic + expensive parking + downtown congestion. Most renters use cars for upstate IL/IN trips.