Road Trips from Joliet, IL
Joliet sets you up for a variety of day trips, with options ranging from under an hour to over six hours. Most routes stick to Illinois, featuring a mix of highway and surface roads, with a consistent drive score of 8 or 9. All listed destinations have parks nearby, often including Pullman National Historical Park, making nature accessible. You can easily plan a quick half-day outing or a longer drive to explore further afield.
Total Routes
29
Shortest
4h
With Parks Nearby
29
Full-day getaway
Weekend trip
28 total in this range
Eagle, IL
6h 45m321.7 mi one way
Eagle, IL, is the furthest destination at 6.8 hours, making it a serious road trip. This route is mostly highway with mostly flat terrain and a high drive score of 9. Pullman National Historical Park is nearby.
Lancaster, IL
5h 27m249.6 mi one way
Shields, IL
5h 14m243.6 mi one way
Lawrenceville, IL
5h 11m244.9 mi one way
Carmi, IL
5h 49m272.4 mi one way
Browse by Mood
Eagle, IL
6h 45m321.7 mi one way
Lancaster, IL
5h 27m249.6 mi one way
Shields, IL
5h 14m243.6 mi one way
Lawrenceville, IL
5h 11m244.9 mi one way
Harrisburg, IL
6h 2m309.3 mi one way
Alton, IL
4h 42m248.7 mi one way
Carlinville, IL
3h 59m208.4 mi one way
When to Go
Spring
Spring drives benefit from the nearby parks like Pullman National Historical Park, accessible on most routes, offering opportunities for outdoor enjoyment as the weather warms.
Summer
With many routes primarily on highways and offering access to parks, summer is ideal for longer drives to destinations like Eagle, IL, or Bruce, IL.
Fall
The mostly flat terrain on many routes, combined with the availability of parks, makes fall drives pleasant, especially for the shorter trips to places like Steger or Oak Lawn.
Winter
Roads like the mostly highway route to Alton, IL, remain viable in winter, though park access might be limited depending on conditions.
Starting Somewhere Else?
Other nearby cities with their own escape planners.
Ready to plan?
Pick any destination above for full turn-by-turn directions, fuel cost, rest stops, and weather. Or visit the Joliet, IL city hub for all incoming and outgoing routes.