Skip to main content
US Trip Planner Logo
US Trip Planner

Trip from Aurora, IL to East Garfield Park, IL

Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

51m

Distance

38 mi

61 km

Drive Score

7/10

Good drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$6

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 13 min
4 AM
0h 47m ★
6 AM
0h 52m
8 AM
1h 0m
10 AM
0h 55m
12 PM
0h 54m
3 PM
0h 55m
5 PM
1h 0m
8 PM
0h 49m

Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.

Best Time Drive vs Fly
Google Maps Waze Apple Maps
Download GPX
city on tripoints of DuPage, Kane, Kendall and Will Counties in Illinois, United States

Aurora, IL

Wikimedia Commons

Downtown East Garfield Park, IL, IL

East Garfield Park, IL

Willian Justen de Vasconcellos

Trip Overview

Aurora, IL to East Garfield Park, IL is 38 miles and takes about 51 minutes via Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway and Eisenhower Expressway, with a fuel budget near $6 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within Illinois, traversing the Midwest region. Expect a drive that involves frequent turns, moving from a more suburban feel to an urban environment. It's a relatively short journey, making it an easy option for a same-day excursion.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway 23.8 mi 29m
Eisenhower Expressway 10.4 mi 14m
North Lake Street 2.2 mi 4m
South Sacramento Boulevard 0.5 mi 1m
South Lincolnway Street 0.4 mi <1m
West Galena Boulevard 0.1 mi <1m
West Madison Street <0.1 mi <1m
South Albany Avenue <0.1 mi <1m
Longest stretch: Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway — 23.8 mi, about 29m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Aurora, IL and East Garfield Park, IL.

1

Start on West Galena Boulevard

0.1 mi · 15 sec · West Galena Boulevard
2

Turn left onto IL 31

2.2 mi · 4 min · North Lake Street
Use the left lane.
3

Continue on South Lincolnway Street

0.4 mi · 39 sec · South Lincolnway Street
4

Take the ramp

387 ft · 9 sec
Toward I 88 West Toll, IL 56 West Toll: Chicago, Dekalb-Iowa Use the left lane.
5

Keep slight right at fork

0.1 mi · 18 sec
Toward I 88 East: Chicago Use the slight right lane.
6

Continue on this road

0.2 mi · 21 sec · this road
Toward I 88 East: Chicago
7

Merge onto I 88; IL 110

18 mi · 22 min · Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8

Keep slight right at fork onto I 88; IL 110

6.0 mi · 7 min · Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9

Merge onto I 290; IL 110

10 mi · 14 min · Eisenhower Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10

Take the exit

0.2 mi · 29 sec
Exit 27A Toward Sacramento Boulevard Use the slight right lane.
11

Turn left onto South Sacramento Boulevard

0.5 mi · 1 min · South Sacramento Boulevard
Use the left / straight / right lanes.
12

Turn left onto West Madison Street

482 ft · 14 sec · West Madison Street
Use the left lane.
13

Turn left onto South Albany Avenue

52 ft · 4 sec · South Albany Avenue
14

Arrive at destination

South Albany Avenue

Where to Stop

Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.

village in Downers Grove, Lisle, and York Townships, DuPage County, Illinois, United States

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Downers Grove, IL

19 mi into the route

Best for: Lunch, fuel, and a longer reset

This sits close to the middle of the route, so it works well for the longest stop of the day.

Pacing Suggestions

Chicago, IL

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 38 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Downers Grove, IL

Meal break

The midpoint is around 19 miles from Aurora, IL, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.

Heads-up: tricky spots

5 of 10

5 decision points cluster between mile 2.6 and 37.4 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.

7
2.6 mi into trip | ~4m in

Take the ramp toward I 88 West Toll, IL 56 West Toll: Chicago, Dekalb-Iowa

Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Use the left lane. Toward I 88 West Toll, IL 56 West Toll: Chicago...
8
2.7 mi into trip | ~5m in

Keep slight right at fork toward I 88 East: Chicago

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the slight right lane. Toward I 88 East: Chicago
6
20.9 mi into trip | ~28m in | I 88; IL 110 / Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway

Keep slight right at fork onto I 88; IL 110 / Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
37.3 mi into trip | ~49m in

Take the exit toward Sacramento Boulevard

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here

Use the slight right lane. Exit 27A Toward Sacramento Boulevard
6
37.4 mi into trip | ~50m in | South Sacramento Boulevard

Turn left onto South Sacramento Boulevard

Lane positioning matters here

Use the left / straight / right lanes.

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$5.94 one way

$11.88 round trip

$3.97/gal 25.4 MPG avg 13 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.36 $6.52 $13.05
premium $4.89 $7.31 $14.63
diesel $5.61 $8.39 $16.78

Estimated Tolls: $1.43

Reagan Memorial Tollway (23.8 mi) $1.43

Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.

Drive Cost (one way)

Fuel

$6

Tolls

$1

Total

$7

Estimated CO2 emission: 13.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 69% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 11.4 0 $3.99 $1.82
Efficient EV 9.5 0 $3.32 $1.52
EV Truck/SUV 15.2 0 $5.32 $2.43

Gas CO2

13 kg

EV CO2

4 kg (69% less)

This trip is well within single-charge range for most EVs. No charging stops needed if you start fully charged.

DC fast charging avg $0.35/kWh. Home charging avg $0.16/kWh. US grid CO2: 0.39 kg/kWh.

Travel Intel

Current conditions at both ends of the drive.

Forecast as of Apr 16, 2026

Origin

Aurora, IL

Morning in Aurora on Sunday

Local time

8:41 AM

CDT

Current temp

71°F

Scattered Showers And Thunderstorms

WNW 10 to 15 mph 36% chance Live forecast

Flood Warning

Flood Warning issued April 16 at 12:33PM CDT until April 18 at 7:00PM CDT by NWS Chicago IL

Flood Watch

Flood Watch issued April 16 at 12:29PM CDT by NWS Chicago IL

Destination

East Garfield Park, IL

Morning in East Garfield Park on Sunday

Local time

8:41 AM

CDT

Current temp

65°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Time zone

Same local time

Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.

Temperature spread

6 degrees cooler at arrival

A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.

Road read

51m on the road

The weather snapshot is not static. If you are leaving later, give both cities one more quick forecast check before departure.

Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.

What kind of drive is this?

This route has a 'turn-heavy local drive' profile, with only 27% of the journey on highways. You'll experience a mix of expressway and local road driving. The longest uninterrupted stretch is 23.8 miles on the Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway, offering a brief period of consistent speed before transitioning to more varied road conditions. Be prepared for a dynamic driving experience with frequent changes in speed and direction as you navigate through different areas.

Only 27% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
14 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 23.8 mi on Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway.

How Hard Is This Drive?

9/10

Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 2.6 miles in.

Driving Effort 9/10

Focused - lots of decisions in a short distance, but it is over quickly

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

This is a short but busy drive. With 10 decision points packed into just 38 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 51m.

Where does it get tricky?

The main spots that need attention: at 2.6 miles: Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 2.7 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 20.9 miles (I 88; IL 110 / Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.

Towns Mentioned on Route Signs

Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.

On the drive from Aurora, IL to East Garfield Park, IL, road signs begin pointing toward Dekalb-Iowa along the way.

Dekalb-Iowa

2.6 mi in | ~4m

About the Cities

Starting in Aurora, IL

Full guide →

Founded 1835

Aurora is the second-largest city in the U.S. state of Illinois, located about 35 miles west of Chicago. It's at the very edge of Chicagoland and, situated on the Fox River, has many opportunities for urban, suburban, and rural recreation. Often overlooked, Aurora in fact has many surprisingly interesting attractions and a downtown unlike that of a typical suburb. It is probably best known for being the setting of the "Wayne's World" movies.

Top landmarks

  • • Aurora University — private university in Aurora, Illinois, U.S
  • • Hotel Arthur — United States historic place
  • • Graham Building — historic building in Aurora, Illinois

City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 51m. Total distance: 38 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

51m drive, comfortable solo distance.

EV Driver

0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.

Scenic Drive

Mostly surface roads route profile with national parks nearby.

Frequently Asked Questions

The longest stretch is about 23.8 miles on Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.

Expect about $1.43 in tolls one way, starting with Reagan Memorial Tollway. Most Northeast and Midwest toll agencies accept E-ZPass; in the West and Texas, transponders like TxTag or FasTrak apply. If you do not have a transponder, cashless tolling plates will mail a bill to the vehicle's registered address — usually with a surcharge, so a rental-car toll pass is often cheaper than paying by mail.

It helps. This route has a higher-than-average number of complex decision points, which get harder in the dark. If the last hour of the trip is on surface roads or mountain grades, aim to arrive at East Garfield Park, IL before sunset when you can. Check the Trip Plan for departure windows that land you in daylight.

Yes. At under 2 hours behind the wheel, this works well for families — plan one quick stop if you have younger kids.

The main spots that need attention: at 2.6 miles: Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 2.7 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 20.9 miles (I 88; IL 110 / Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.

Yes — Pullman National Historical Park. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.

Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at East Garfield Park, IL before heading back.

How this page is built

Compiled by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy from open government datasets — OSRM over OpenStreetMap for geometry, EIA for fuel prices, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.

Was this helpful?

Thanks for your feedback!

Your tip has been submitted. Thanks!

/500

Explore More

Continue From East Garfield Park, IL

Lockport, IL 33.6 mi · 50m Naperville, IL 27 mi · 39m Evanston, IL 12.5 mi · 26m

More from Aurora, IL

Crestwood, IL 331 mi · 6h 32m De Soto, IL 328 mi · 6h 29m Cambria, IL 323.5 mi · 6h 22m Bremen, IL 320.9 mi · 6h 24m Pinckneyville, IL 311.1 mi · 6h 3m Adams, IL 274.5 mi · 5h 29m

More trips to East Garfield Park, IL

Bremen, IL 341.5 mi Champaign, IL 137.3 mi Bloomington, IL 132 mi Joliet, IL 37.6 mi Des Plaines, IL 17.1 mi Berwyn, IL 6.8 mi
Escape planner: Aurora, IL Scenic drives in IL

Explore more options from Aurora, IL or browse trips ending in East Garfield Park, IL.

Looking for more statewide routes? Browse IL road trips.