Bloomington, IL to Lakewood Shores, IL is 81.8 miles and takes about 1h 40m via I 55 and North Main Street, with a fuel budget near $13 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This is a straightforward drive within the Midwest, entirely within Illinois, connecting two points without significant deviation. The route is primarily highway-focused, making it a practical choice if you're looking for an efficient way to cover this distance. Plan for a simple, no-fuss journey that gets you to your destination without much fuss.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Midpoint
40.9 miles from Bloomington, IL
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 49m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
I 55
73 mi
1h 18m
North Main Street
3.6 mi
8m
Stripmine Road
1.6 mi
2m
Sunset Drive
0.7 mi
2m
South Park Street
0.5 mi
2m
West Balitmore Street
0.5 mi
1m
Washington Street
0.4 mi
<1m
Robert Street
0.4 mi
1m
Longest stretch:
I 55
— 73 mi, about 1h 18m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Bloomington, IL and Lakewood Shores, IL.
1
Start on US 51 Business
136 ft·5 sec·North East Street
Use the straight lane.
2
Continue on US 51 Business
3.6 mi·8 min·North Main Street
Use the straight lane.
3
Take the ramp
0.5 mi·1 min
Toward I 55 North: ChicagoUse the right lane.
4
Merge onto I 55
73 mi·1 hr 18 min·I 55
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
Take the exit
0.3 mi·37 sec
Toward IL 129 South: Wilmington
6
Turn straight onto IL 129
0.4 mi·40 sec·Washington Street
7
Turn left onto CH 29
1.6 mi·2 min·Stripmine Road
8
At end of road, turn left onto IL 53
256 ft·6 sec·West Baltimore Street
9
Continue on IL 53
0.5 mi·1 min·West Balitmore Street
10
Turn right onto South Park Street
0.5 mi·2 min·South Park Street
11
Continue on Barnes Drive
0.1 mi·31 sec·Barnes Drive
12
Continue on West Kahler Road
482 ft·23 sec·West Kahler Road
13
Turn right onto Sunset Drive
0.7 mi·2 min·Sunset Drive
14
Continue on Robert Street
0.4 mi·1 min·Robert Street
15
Arrive at destination
Robert Street
Trip Plan
Since this drive is under two hours and falls within the same state, flexibility is your best asset. You can easily complete this trip in a single day, so consider leaving mid-morning to avoid early rush hour if applicable. With a fuel cost estimated at $13, you won't need to worry too much about frequent stops for gas. Pay attention to the transition from I 55 to local roads like North Main Street and Stripmine Road as you approach Lakewood Shores to ensure you're on the correct path.
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 40.9 miles from Bloomington, IL, or about 49m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 73 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 18 miles or 24m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 40.9 miles or 49m 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 19m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Lakewood Shores, 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.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Bloomington, IL
This is one driving day of about 81.8 miles and 1h 40m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 18 miles from Bloomington, IL.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on I 55 for about 73 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 7
5 decision points cluster between mile 3.6 and 79.3 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
3.6 mi into trip|~8m in
Take the ramp toward I 55 North: Chicago
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Toward I 55 North: Chicago
5
4.1 mi into trip|~9m in|I 55
Merge onto I 55
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
4
77.1 mi into trip|~1h 28m in
Take the exit toward IL 129 South: Wilmington
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Toward IL 129 South: Wilmington
4
77.8 mi into trip|~1h 29m in|CH 29 / Stripmine Road
Turn left onto CH 29 / Stripmine Road
Navigation decision point
4
79.3 mi into trip|~1h 31m in|IL 53 / West Baltimore Street
At end of road, turn left onto IL 53 / West Baltimore Street
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$12.79 one way
$25.58 round trip
$3.97/gal25.4 MPG avg29 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.36
$14.04
$28.08
premium
$4.89
$15.74
$31.48
diesel
$5.61
$18.06
$36.12
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$13
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$38–$63
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 28.6 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $9 in charging
· 0 stops
· 66% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
24.5
0
$8.59
$3.93
Efficient EV
20.5
0
$7.16
$3.27
EV Truck/SUV
32.7
0
$11.45
$5.24
Gas CO2
29 kg
EV CO2
10 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 20, 2026
Origin
Bloomington, IL
Late night
in Bloomington on Tuesday
Local time
4:17 AM
CDT
Current temp
62°F
Sunny
S 3 to 7 mph0% chanceLive forecast
Flood Warning
Flood Warning issued April 20 at 1:05PM CDT until April 21 at 9:00AM CDT by NWS Quad Cities IA IL
Flood Warning
Flood Warning issued April 20 at 1:04PM CDT by NWS St Louis MO
Destination
Lakewood Shores, IL
Late night
in Lakewood Shores on Tuesday
Local time
4:17 AM
CDT
Current temp
58°F
Sunny
S 5 mph0% chanceLive forecast
Flood Warning
Flood Warning issued April 20 at 1:05PM CDT until April 21 at 9:00AM CDT by NWS Quad Cities IA IL
Flood Warning
Flood Warning issued April 20 at 1:04PM CDT by NWS St Louis MO
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
4 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
1h 40m 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.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
This trip is heavily highway-focused, with 89% of the drive taking place on interstates and main roads. You'll experience a long, uninterrupted stretch of 73 miles on I 55, which sets the tone for much of the journey. Expect a consistent pace for the majority of the drive, allowing for steady progress. The character is less about winding roads and more about efficient travel on well-maintained routes.
89% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
15 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 73 mi on I 55.
How Hard Is This Drive?
2/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 55 and North Main Street. Navigation is very simple - set it and forget it for most of the drive. The trickiest moment comes around 3.6 miles in.
Driving Effort2/10
Very easy - short and simple to drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
The drive from Bloomington, IL to Lakewood Shores, IL is easy. At 1h 40m with 89% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 3.6 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 4.1 miles (I 55): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 77.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early.
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 73 miles on I 55. 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. 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 3.6 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 4.1 miles (I 55): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 77.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Lakewood Shores, IL before heading back.
