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Trip from Aurora, IL to Grant Park, IL

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Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Sep 5, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

1h 41m

Distance

70.4 mi

113 km

Drive Score

8/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$11

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 23 min
4 AM
1h 34m ★
6 AM
1h 41m
8 AM
1h 57m
10 AM
1h 47m
12 PM
1h 45m
3 PM
1h 48m
5 PM
1h 56m
8 PM
1h 37m

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

Best Time
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 Grant Park, IL, IL

Grant Park, IL

Quang Vuong

Trip Overview

The drive from Aurora, IL to Grant Park, IL covers 70.4 miles and takes about 1h 41m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on I 55, West County Line Road, West Wilmington Road for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mostly surface roads. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 15.8 miles on I 55. At current regular gas prices, budget about $10.91 one way before food or hotel costs.

Trip Pace

Same-day drive is realistic

A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.

Midpoint

35.2 miles from Aurora, IL

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 52m into the drive .

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
I 55 15.8 mi 18m
West County Line Road 9.5 mi 12m
West Wilmington Road 9 mi 12m
Lincoln Highway 7.4 mi 11m
West Peotone Road 4 mi 5m
County Road East 1241 North 3.9 mi 5m
East 12000N Road 3.8 mi 5m
Hill Avenue 2.5 mi 4m
Longest stretch: I 55 — 15.8 mi, about 18m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

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

1

Start on West Galena Boulevard

0.4 mi · 52 sec · West Galena Boulevard
2

Turn left onto IL 25

458 ft · 13 sec · North Broadway
3

Turn right onto East New York Street

1.1 mi · 1 min · East New York Street
4

Turn slight right

175 ft · 8 sec
5

Turn slight right onto North Ohio Street

0.1 mi · 17 sec · North Ohio Street
6

Turn left onto East Galena Boulevard

0.1 mi · 17 sec · East Galena Boulevard
7

Continue on Hill Avenue

2.5 mi · 4 min · Hill Avenue
Use the left lane.
8

Turn straight onto US 30

7.4 mi · 11 min · Lincoln Highway
Use the left lane.
9

Turn left onto US 30

1.0 mi · 1 min · 143rd Street
Use the left lane.
10

Turn right onto US 30; IL 59

1.2 mi · 2 min · North Division Street
Use the right lane.
11

Turn left onto US 30

2.2 mi · 4 min · North Joliet Road
Use the left lane.
12

Take the ramp

0.2 mi · 31 sec
Toward I 55 South: Bloomington
13

Merge onto I 55

16 mi · 18 min · I 55
Use the right lane.
14

Take the exit

0.3 mi · 37 sec
Toward North River Road
15

Turn left onto CH 44

0.3 mi · 31 sec · County Highway 44
16

Continue on CH 44

1.4 mi · 1 min · North River Road
17

Continue on CH 44

2.3 mi · 3 min · New River Road
18

At end of road, turn right onto IL 53

0.5 mi · 48 sec · South Chicago Road
19

Turn left onto CH 25

4.0 mi · 5 min · West Peotone Road
20

Continue on CH 25

9.0 mi · 12 min · West Wilmington Road
21

Turn right onto US 45; US 52

2.0 mi · 2 min · South La Grange Road
22

Turn left onto East 12000N Road

3.7 mi · 5 min · East 12000N Road
23

Continue on CH 58

9.5 mi · 12 min · West County Line Road
24

Continue on CH 58

0.2 mi · 24 sec · East 12000N Road
25

Turn sharp right onto IL 1

3.9 mi · 5 min · County Road East 1241 North
26

Turn right onto IL 1; IL 17

0.9 mi · 2 min · East Taylor Street
27

Turn right onto Maple Street

27 ft · 1 sec · Maple Street
28

Arrive at destination

Maple Street

Trip Plan

Morning Departure

Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch.

Evening Departure

Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.

You can normally do this drive in one day.
You may only need one short stretch break if traffic stays light.
The halfway point lands around 35.2 miles from Aurora, IL, or about 52m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 15.8 miles.

This is a comfortable same-day trip.

Departure

Before you leave

Start with fuel, water, and navigation already sorted so the first hour feels easy.

First stop

Around 15 miles or 26m in

Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.

Halfway reset

Around 35.2 miles or 52m in

This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.

Final approach

Final hour starts around 1h 26m

Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Grant Park, IL than in the middle of the route.

Before You Leave

+

Open the route before leaving Aurora, IL so your first major turns are already loaded.

Day 1

Settle into the route from Aurora, IL

This is one driving day of about 70.4 miles and 1h 41m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 15 miles from Aurora, IL.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on I 55 for about 15.8 miles.

Where to Stop

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

Downtown Rockdale, IL, IL

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Rockdale, IL

35 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

Rockdale, IL

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 15 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Wilmington, IL

Meal break

The midpoint is around 35.2 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 17

5 decision points cluster between mile 11.8 and 65.5 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.

5
11.8 mi into trip | ~19m in | US 30 / 143rd Street

Turn left onto US 30 / 143rd Street

Lane positioning matters here

Use the left lane.
6
12.8 mi into trip | ~21m in | US 30; IL 59 / North Division Street

Turn right onto US 30; IL 59 / North Division Street

Lane positioning matters here

Use the right lane.
5
16.2 mi into trip | ~29m in

Take the ramp toward I 55 South: Bloomington

Navigation decision point

Toward I 55 South: Bloomington
5
16.5 mi into trip | ~29m in | I 55

Merge onto I 55

Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here

Use the right lane.
5
65.5 mi into trip | ~1h 33m in | IL 1 / County Road East 1241 North

Turn sharp right onto IL 1 / County Road East 1241 North

Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$10.91 one way

$21.83 round trip

$3.94/gal 25.4 MPG avg 25 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.32 $11.97 $23.94
premium $4.93 $13.66 $27.32
diesel $5.60 $15.52 $31.04

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$11

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$36–$61

Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.

Estimated CO2 emission: 24.6 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-08-31.

Driving Electric?

About $7 in charging · 0 stops · 68% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 21.1 0 $7.39 $3.38
Efficient EV 17.6 0 $6.16 $2.82
EV Truck/SUV 28.2 0 $9.86 $4.51

Gas CO2

25 kg

EV CO2

8 kg (68% 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 Aug 28, 2026

Origin

Aurora, IL

Night in Aurora on Friday

Local time

11:31 PM

CDT

Current temp

60°F

Patchy Fog

0 mph 0% chance Live forecast

Flood Warning

Flood Warning issued August 27 at 8:39PM CDT until August 29 at 7:00AM CDT by NWS Lincoln IL

Flood Warning

Flood Warning issued August 27 at 8:39PM CDT until August 30 at 7:00AM CDT by NWS Lincoln IL

Destination

Grant Park, IL

Night in Grant Park on Friday

Local time

11:31 PM

CDT

Current temp

60°F

Partly Cloudy

0 mph 0% chance Live forecast

Flood Warning

Flood Warning issued August 27 at 8:39PM CDT until August 29 at 7:00AM CDT by NWS Lincoln IL

Flood Warning

Flood Warning issued August 27 at 8:39PM CDT until August 30 at 7:00AM CDT by NWS Lincoln IL

64°F

Rockdale, IL

35 mi in

Seasonal Notes

Summer travel usually means heavier construction, hotter rest stops, and busier weekend traffic around major cities.

Winter travel shortens daylight, so a route that looks manageable on paper can feel much longer after dark.

Holiday weekends tend to make both departure and arrival windows slower than the raw route time suggests.

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

Very similar conditions

Both ends of the route are sitting at about the same temperature right now.

Road read

1h 41m 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.

National Parks Near This Route

Worth a detour if your schedule allows.

Pullman National Historical Park

Pullman National Historical Park

National Historical Park

In a growing Chicago neighborhood, diverse people and stories intertwined. All were seeking opportunity. Some succeeded. Others were limited—by race, gender, or economic status. Their stories came tog...

27 mi from route ~69 min detour Free near mile 65.5
Caution: Road Construction Near the Park
View on nps.gov

Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.

What kind of drive is this?

70.4 mi in 1h 41m across surface roads — expect steady turns and local traffic rather than long highway runs.

Only 23% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
28 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 15.8 mi on I 55.

How Hard Is This Drive?

6/10

Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. You will hit about 17 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 11.8 miles in near US 30 / 143rd Street.

Driving Effort 6/10

Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

This drive requires moderate attention. Across 70.4 miles you will encounter 17 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.

Where does it get tricky?

The main spots that need attention: at 11.8 miles (US 30 / 143rd Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 12.8 miles (US 30; IL 59 / North Division Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 16.2 miles: Navigation decision point.

Elevation Profile

Mostly flat terrain

717 ft 521 ft

Total Climb

253 ft

Total Descent

229 ft

Highest Point

717 ft

~50.3 mi in

Elevation Range

195 ft

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

Arriving in Grant Park, IL

Full guide →

Founded 1883

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 1h 41m. Total distance: 70.4 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

1h 41m drive, comfortable solo distance.

Scenic Drive

Mostly surface roads route profile with national parks nearby.

Frequently Asked Questions

The longest stretch is about 15.8 miles on I 55. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.

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 Grant 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 11.8 miles (US 30 / 143rd Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 12.8 miles (US 30; IL 59 / North Division Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 16.2 miles: Navigation decision point.

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 Grant 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, USGS 3DEP for elevation, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.

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