Aurora, IL to Washington, IL is 118.9 miles and takes about 2h 36m via I 39 and I 80, with a fuel budget near $19 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within Illinois, traversing the Midwest on a predominantly highway route. It's a straightforward drive, ideal if you're looking for an efficient way to cover ground between these two points without much fuss. You'll spend most of your time on major interstates, making it a practical option for a quick day trip or a segment of a larger journey.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
Midpoint
59.5 miles from Aurora, IL
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 21m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
I 39
44.7 mi
47m
IL 71
30 mi
43m
I 80
14.5 mi
15m
County Road 1000 North
11.8 mi
17m
South Lake Street
5.9 mi
9m
Eureka Road
3 mi
5m
East Center Street
2 mi
3m
US 34
1.2 mi
2m
Longest stretch:
I 39
— 44.7 mi, about 47m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Aurora, IL and Washington, IL.
1
Start on West Galena Boulevard
0.1 mi·15 sec·West Galena Boulevard
2
Turn right onto IL 31
5.9 mi·9 min·South Lake Street
Use the right lane.
3
Continue on US 34
1.2 mi·2 min·US 34
4
Turn left onto Orchard Road
0.7 mi·1 min·Orchard Road
Use the left lane.
5
Turn right onto IL 71
30 mi·43 min·IL 71
Use the left lane.
6
Take the ramp
0.3 mi·44 sec
Toward I 80 West: Moline, Rock Island
7
Merge onto I 80
15 mi·15 min·I 80
8
Take the exit
0.5 mi·1 min
Exit 79AToward I 39 South, US 51 South: Normal, Bloomington
9
Merge onto I 39; US 51
45 mi·47 min·I 39; US 51
10
Take the exit
0.5 mi·1 min
Toward US 24: El Paso, Peoria
11
Turn left onto US 24
0.4 mi·32 sec·West Main Street
12
Continue on US 24
12 mi·17 min·County Road 1000 North
13
Continue on US 24
2.0 mi·3 min·East Center Street
14
Continue on US 24
0.3 mi·33 sec·US Highway 24
15
Turn left onto US 24 Business
0.9 mi·1 min·County Road 1200 East
16
Continue on US 24 Business
1.0 mi·1 min·County Road 800 North
17
Continue on US 24 Business
3.0 mi·5 min·Eureka Road
18
Continue on US 24 Business
1.0 mi·1 min·Walnut Street
19
Enter roundabout onto US 24 Business
300 ft·16 sec·Peoria Street
20
Continue on US 24 Business
153 ft·7 sec·Peoria Street
21
Turn right
91 ft·6 sec
22
Arrive at destination
Trip Plan
For this 2.5-hour drive, leaving anytime in the morning should give you plenty of daylight to reach Washington, IL. Since the trip is relatively short, you have flexibility in planning your stops. The longest stretch without an exit is under 45 miles on I 39, so you won't need to worry about extended periods without services. Keep an eye on your fuel gauge, especially as you're traveling on interstates, and consider refueling before you hit the road if you're starting with less than half a tank. Given the efficient route, there's no pressing need to split this drive.
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.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 59.5 miles from Aurora, IL, or about 1h 21m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 44.7 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 26 miles or 39m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 59.5 miles or 1h 21m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 2h 2m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Washington, 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.
+
Leave with enough water and a charging cable within reach, not packed away.
+
Check your fuel range against the first long segment, especially if you are starting outside city service areas.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Aurora, IL
This is one driving day of about 118.9 miles and 2h 36m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 26 miles from Aurora, IL.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
Plan about 1 real break rather than only quick fuel stops.
The longest stretch is on I 39 for about 44.7 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 12
5 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 118.8 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
0.1 mi into trip|~0m in|IL 31 / South Lake Street
Turn right onto IL 31 / South Lake Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
5
7.9 mi into trip|~13m in|IL 71
Turn right onto IL 71
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
5
37.9 mi into trip|~57m in
Take the ramp toward I 80 West: Moline, Rock Island
Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I 80 West: Moline, Rock Island
6
52.8 mi into trip|~1h 13m in
Take the exit toward I 39 South, US 51 South: Normal, Bloomington
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Exit 79A
Toward I 39 South, US 51 South: Normal, Bloomin...
6
118.8 mi into trip|~2h 35m in|US 24 Business / Peoria Street
Enter roundabout onto US 24 Business / Peoria Street
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$18.59 one way
$37.18 round trip
$3.97/gal25.4 MPG avg42 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.36
$20.41
$40.82
premium
$4.89
$22.88
$45.76
diesel
$5.61
$26.25
$52.50
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$19
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$44–$69
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 41.6 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $12 in charging
· 0 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
35.7
0
$12.48
$5.71
Efficient EV
29.7
0
$10.40
$4.76
EV Truck/SUV
47.6
0
$16.65
$7.61
Gas CO2
42 kg
EV CO2
14 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 20, 2026
Origin
Aurora, IL
Morning
in Aurora on Tuesday
Local time
7:00 AM
CDT
Current temp
65°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Washington, IL
Morning
in Washington on Tuesday
Local time
7:00 AM
CDT
Current temp
66°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
65°F
Serena, IL
59 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
1 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
2h 36m on the road
Use the two city cards together: check the sky where you start, then compare it with the local time and temperature at arrival.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
This drive is mostly highway, with 76% of the 118.9 miles on major interstates like I 39 and I 80. The longest continuous stretch on a highway is 44.7 miles on I 39. You'll experience some rural cruising as you transition between these major routes, likely noticing a higher density of exits as you approach and leave urban areas. The route has a mostly highway profile, indicating a consistent driving experience for the majority of the trip.
76% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
22 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 44.7 mi on I 39.
How Hard Is This Drive?
4/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 39 and IL 71. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near IL 31 / South Lake Street.
Driving Effort4/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 2h 36m drive. You will face about 12 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (IL 31 / South Lake Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 7.9 miles (IL 71): Lane positioning matters here; at 37.9 miles: Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Aurora, IL and Washington, IL, road signs point toward Rock Island, Bloomington and Peoria.
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
Washington is a city in Western Illinois, just east of Peoria and the Illinois River. It was founded in 1825. Washington is home to around 17,000 people (2016).
The longest stretch is about 44.7 miles on I 39. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 7 rest areas or service plazas within a short detour of the route (from OpenStreetMap). See the Rest Stops tab under Nearby Places for locations and mile markers. Plan to stretch, use the bathroom, and top off fluids every 2–3 hours on longer drives.
Yes, with realistic expectations. Build in a stop roughly every 2 hours, have snacks and activities ready, and check the Nearby Places tabs for kid-friendly stops along the way.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (IL 31 / South Lake Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 7.9 miles (IL 71): Lane positioning matters here; at 37.9 miles: Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Washington, IL before heading back.
