Traveling from Bloomington to Guilford covers 203.9 miles and typically takes about 4 hours and 15 minutes. Because this is a straightforward trek across Illinois, it is easily manageable as a single-day trip. You will primarily navigate via I-39, the U.S. Grant Memorial Highway, and South Elizabeth Scales Mound Road. Budgeting approximately $31 for fuel should cover your transit costs comfortably. Since both cities are located within the Midwest, you can expect a familiar landscape throughout the journey. This route is an efficient option if you are looking to reach your destination without the need for an overnight stay.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is possible, but it will make for a full day on the road.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
Midpoint
101.9 miles from Bloomington, IL
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 55m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
I 39
118.5 mi
2h 6m
U.S. Grant Memorial Highway
54.4 mi
1h 8m
South Elizabeth Scales Mound Road
8.1 mi
14m
South Galena Avenue
7.3 mi
13m
North Main Street
3.8 mi
9m
US 20 Business
3.6 mi
5m
East North Avenue
2.1 mi
3m
West Rawlins Road
1.9 mi
4m
Longest stretch:
I 39
— 118.5 mi, about 2h 6m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Bloomington, IL and Guilford, IL.
1
Start on US 51 Business
136 ft·5 sec·North East Street
Use the straight lane.
2
Continue on US 51 Business
3.8 mi·9 min·North Main Street
Use the straight lane.
3
Take the ramp
0.4 mi·58 sec
Toward I 55 South: Saint LouisUse the right lane.
4
Keep slight right at fork
0.4 mi·40 sec
Exit 164Toward I 39 North, US 51 North: Rockford
5
Continue on I 39; US 51
118 mi·2 hr 6 min·I 39; US 51
6
Take the exit
1.1 mi·2 min
Toward US 20 West: Freeport, Rockford
7
Merge onto US 20
29 mi·33 min·U.S. Grant Memorial Highway
8
Take the exit onto US 20 Business
3.6 mi·5 min·US 20 Business
Toward US 20 BUS: Freeport
9
Turn slight right onto US 20 Business
7.3 mi·13 min·South Galena Avenue
10
Turn left onto US 20
14 mi·19 min·U.S. Grant Memorial Highway
11
Continue on US 20; IL 78
2.1 mi·3 min·East North Avenue
12
Continue on US 20
6.4 mi·8 min·U.S. Grant Memorial Highway
13
Continue on US 20
0.5 mi·1 min·East Woodbine Street
14
Continue on US 20
4.6 mi·6 min·U.S. Grant Memorial Highway
15
Continue on US 20
0.4 mi·1 min·South Main Street
16
Turn straight onto US 20
0.1 mi·20 sec·Diagonal Street
17
Continue on US 20
0.7 mi·1 min·West Madison Street
18
Turn right onto CR 4
8.1 mi·14 min·South Elizabeth Scales Mound Road
19
Turn left onto West Rawlins Road
1.9 mi·4 min·West Rawlins Road
20
Continue on West Guilford Road
0.4 mi·56 sec·West Guilford Road
21
Arrive at destination
West Guilford Road
Trip Plan
To keep your drive smooth, aim to complete the 4 hour and 15 minute journey in one go, as it is well-suited for a single day of travel. Planning for one scheduled stop is a smart way to break up the 203.9-mile distance and stay refreshed. Since the longest stretch is over 118 miles on I-39, ensure your fuel levels are sufficient before hitting the interstate to avoid unnecessary detours. Flexibility is a major advantage here, so monitor your departure time to avoid potential congestion on the main transit corridors. A concrete tip for this route is to pace your driving to account for the shift in road types once you transition from the interstate to the U.S. Grant Memorial Highway.
Morning Departure
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Evening Departure
A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 101.9 miles from Bloomington, IL, or about 1h 55m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 118.5 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 45 miles or 54m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 101.9 miles or 1h 55m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 3h 16m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Guilford, IL than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Bloomington, 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 Bloomington, IL
This is one driving day of about 203.9 miles and 4h 15m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 45 miles from Bloomington, 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 118.5 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 8
5 decision points cluster between mile 3.9 and 153.2 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
3.9 mi into trip|~9m in
Take the ramp toward I 55 South: Saint Louis
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Toward I 55 South: Saint Louis
7
4.3 mi into trip|~10m in
Keep slight right at fork toward I 39 North, US 51 North: Rockford
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Exit 164
Toward I 39 North, US 51 North: Rockford
5
123.2 mi into trip|~2h 17m in
Take the exit toward US 20 West: Freeport, Rockford
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward US 20 West: Freeport, Rockford
3
124.3 mi into trip|~2h 19m in|US 20 / U.S. Grant Memorial Highway
Merge onto US 20 / U.S. Grant Memorial Highway
Merge point - match speed before joining
4
153.2 mi into trip|~2h 53m in|US 20 Business
Take the exit onto US 20 Business toward US 20 BUS: Freeport
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Toward US 20 BUS: Freeport
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$31.88 one way
$63.75 round trip
$3.97/gal25.4 MPG avg71 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.36
$35.00
$70.00
premium
$4.89
$39.24
$78.48
diesel
$5.61
$45.02
$90.04
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$32
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$57–$82
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 71.3 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $21 in charging
· 0 stops
· 66% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
61.2
0
$21.41
$9.79
Efficient EV
51
0
$17.84
$8.16
EV Truck/SUV
81.6
1
$28.55
$13.05
Gas CO2
71 kg
EV CO2
24 kg (66% 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 15, 2026
Origin
Bloomington, IL
Night
in Bloomington on Saturday
Local time
11:35 PM
CDT
Current temp
52°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Guilford, IL
Night
in Guilford on Saturday
Local time
11:35 PM
CDT
Current temp
49°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
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
3 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
4h 15m on the road
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
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 trip offers a mixed driving profile that transitions from high-speed interstate travel to more localized roads. About 60% of your time will be spent on highways, providing a consistent pace for the majority of the trip. You should prepare for a long, uninterrupted stretch of 118.5 miles while on I-39, which accounts for the bulk of your time behind the wheel. As you move off the interstate and onto the U.S. Grant Memorial Highway and South Elizabeth Scales Mound Road, the character of the drive shifts significantly. Expect a transition from a monotonous highway grind to the more technical, varied feel of smaller regional roads.
60% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
21 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 118.5 mi on I 39.
How Hard Is This Drive?
4/10
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 3.9 miles in.
Driving Effort4/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 4h 15m drive. You will face about 8 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 3.9 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 4.3 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 123.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. 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.
On the drive from Bloomington, IL to Guilford, IL, road signs begin pointing toward Rockford along the way.
Bloomington, pop. 77,000 (2010 census), is a city in the Midwestern state of Illinois in the United States of America, on the classic Route 66 highway across the country. With neighboring Normal, pop. 52,000 (2010 census), it forms a combined community of about 130,000 known locally as the Twin Cities. Illinois Wesleyan University is in Bloomington, and is not to be confused with Illinois State University in Normal.
Top landmarks
•David Davis Mansion — house museum in Bloomington, Illinois
•Bloomington Central Business District — historic and central business district in Bloomington, McLean County, Illinois,...
•George H. Miller House — Bloomington, Illinois, listed on the National Register of Historic Places
The longest stretch is about 118.5 miles on I 39. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
We did not find dedicated rest areas on this route. For a drive this long, plan bathroom and stretch breaks around gas stations, fast-food stops, or small-town downtowns — check the Nearby Places section for options.
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 3.9 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 4.3 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 123.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Possible but tiring. At 4.3 hours each way, an in-and-out day trip would put you behind the wheel for 8.5 hours — manageable with a long break at Guilford, IL, but most travelers stay overnight.
