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Trip from Aurora, IL to McKinley 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

58m

Distance

41.8 mi

67 km

Drive Score

7/10

Good drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$7

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 14 min
4 AM
0h 54m ★
6 AM
0h 58m
8 AM
1h 8m
10 AM
1h 2m
12 PM
1h 1m
3 PM
1h 2m
5 PM
1h 8m
8 PM
0h 56m

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 McKinley Park, IL, IL

McKinley Park, IL

Amicia Short

Trip Overview

Aurora, IL to McKinley Park, IL is 41.8 miles and takes about 58 minutes via Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway and Eisenhower Expressway, with a fuel budget near $7 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within Illinois, connecting two points in the Midwest region. Expect a primarily local driving experience with frequent turns as you navigate through populated areas. Given the short distance and duration, this route is best suited for a single-day excursion, allowing for flexibility in your schedule.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway 23.8 mi 29m
Eisenhower Expressway 11.6 mi 15m
South Damen Avenue 3 mi 6m
North Lake Street 2.2 mi 4m
South Lincolnway Street 0.4 mi <1m
West Galena Boulevard 0.1 mi <1m
West Congress Parkway <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 McKinley 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

12 mi · 15 min · Eisenhower Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10

Take the exit

0.2 mi · 19 sec
Exit 28A Toward Damen Avenue Use the slight right lane.
11

Turn straight onto West Congress Parkway

130 ft · 7 sec · West Congress Parkway
12

Turn right onto South Damen Avenue

3.0 mi · 6 min · South Damen Avenue
Use the right lane.
13

Turn left

272 ft · 19 sec
14

Turn slight right

199 ft · 14 sec
15

Arrive at destination

Where to Stop

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

village in Illinois, United States

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Lombard, IL

21 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 41.8 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Downers Grove, IL

Meal break

The midpoint is around 20.9 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 9

5 decision points cluster between mile 2.6 and 38.7 — 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
38.5 mi into trip | ~51m in

Take the exit toward Damen Avenue

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

Use the slight right lane. Exit 28A Toward Damen Avenue
6
38.7 mi into trip | ~51m in | South Damen Avenue

Turn right onto South Damen Avenue

Lane positioning matters here

Use the right lane.

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$6.53 one way

$13.07 round trip

$3.97/gal 25.4 MPG avg 15 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.36 $7.18 $14.35
premium $4.89 $8.04 $16.09
diesel $5.61 $9.23 $18.46

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

$7

Tolls

$1

Total

$8

Estimated CO2 emission: 14.6 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 12.5 0 $4.39 $2.01
Efficient EV 10.5 0 $3.66 $1.67
EV Truck/SUV 16.7 0 $5.85 $2.68

Gas CO2

15 kg

EV CO2

5 kg (67% 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 18, 2026

Origin

Aurora, IL

Morning in Aurora on Sunday

Local time

9:18 AM

CDT

Current temp

43°F

Showers And Thunderstorms

W 15 to 20 mph 91% chance Live forecast

Flood Warning

Flood Warning issued April 18 at 1:54AM CDT until April 18 at 8:00AM CDT by NWS Chicago IL

Flood Warning

Flood Warning issued April 18 at 1:33AM CDT by NWS Chicago IL

Destination

McKinley Park, IL

Morning in McKinley Park on Sunday

Local time

9:18 AM

CDT

Current temp

46°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

3 degrees warmer at arrival

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

Road read

58m 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 is characterized as a 'turn-heavy local drive,' suggesting a dynamic and varied experience behind the wheel. While 28% of the journey involves highway driving, including a significant stretch of 23.8 miles on the Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway, you'll also encounter numerous intersections and local roads. The transition from the expressway to more urban arteries means you should be prepared for changes in speed and traffic patterns. This isn't a straightforward interstate cruise; it requires active navigation and awareness of your surroundings.

Only 28% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
15 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 9 decision points packed into just 41.8 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 58m.

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 McKinley 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 58m. Total distance: 41.8 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

58m 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 McKinley 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 McKinley 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.

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