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Trip from Bloomington, IL to Salem, IL

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Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 21, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

3h 6m

Distance

145.2 mi

234 km

Drive Score

9/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$23

one way

EV Charging

Good

8 stations

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 34 min
4 AM
2h 55m ★
6 AM
3h 6m
8 AM
3h 29m
10 AM
3h 14m
12 PM
3h 12m
3 PM
3h 15m
5 PM
3h 28m
8 PM
2h 59m

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

Best Time Drive vs Fly
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city in Illinois, United States

Salem, IL

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

Bloomington, IL to Salem, IL is 145.2 miles and takes about 3h 6m via North Walnut Street/South Business Route 51/South Main Street, with a fuel budget near $23 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This drive keeps you within the Midwest, traveling through Illinois for the entirety of the trip. It's a straightforward, single-day journey that doesn't demand an overnight stay, making it ideal for a quick getaway or a practical transit. You'll find the overall experience to be a mixed drive, not a long, grueling interstate haul but not a winding country lane either.

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

72.6 miles from Bloomington, IL

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 1h 37m into the drive .

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
North Walnut Street 23.2 mi 29m
South Business Route 51 19.6 mi 23m
South Main Street 16.5 mi 21m
300 East Road 15.1 mi 17m
United States Highway 51 13.4 mi 15m
County Road 875 East 11.1 mi 12m
250E 10.4 mi 11m
US 51 Business 9.9 mi 15m
Longest stretch: North Walnut Street — 23.2 mi, about 29m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Bloomington, IL and Salem, IL.

1

Start on US 51 Business

136 ft · 5 sec · North East Street
Use the straight lane.
2

Continue on US 51 Business

396 ft · 16 sec · North Main Street
Use the straight lane.
3

Turn left onto West Chestnut Street

273 ft · 19 sec · West Chestnut Street
4

Turn left onto US 51 Business

393 ft · 13 sec · North Center Street
5

Continue on US 51 Business

0.5 mi · 1 min · North Madison Street
Use the straight / left lanes.
6

Continue on US 51 Business

1.1 mi · 2 min · South Center Street
Use the straight lane.
7

Continue on US 51 Business

17 mi · 21 min · South Main Street
Use the straight lane.
8

Continue on US 51

23 mi · 29 min · North Walnut Street
9

Turn straight onto US 51 Business

9.9 mi · 15 min · US 51 Business
10

Take the ramp onto US 51 Business

20 mi · 23 min · South Business Route 51
11

Continue on US 51

7.9 mi · 9 min · North 2600 East Rd
12

Turn right onto US 51; IL 16

1.0 mi · 1 min · North 2600 East Road
13

Continue on US 51; IL 16

0.5 mi · 1 min · Jackson Street
14

Turn left onto US 51; IL 16

467 ft · 8 sec · Cedar Street
15

Turn right onto US 51; IL 16

0.4 mi · 1 min · East 1st Street
16

Turn left onto US 51; IL 16

0.4 mi · 29 sec · South Poplar Street
17

Turn straight onto US 51

0.6 mi · 2 min · Fair Avenue
18

Continue on US 51

2.0 mi · 2 min · County Road 2400 E
19

Continue on US 51

15 mi · 17 min · 300 East Road
20

Continue on US 51

11 mi · 12 min · County Road 875 East
21

Continue on US 51

1.5 mi · 1 min · North Kennedy Boulevard
22

Turn left onto US 40; US 51; IL 185

0.5 mi · 34 sec · West Gallatin Street
23

Turn right

0.1 mi · 7 sec
24

Continue on US 51

13 mi · 15 min · United States Highway 51
25

Continue on US 51

10 mi · 11 min · 250E
26

Turn left onto US 50

9.2 mi · 12 min · US 50
27

Turn right onto IL 37

33 ft · 0 sec · South Broadway
28

Arrive at destination

IL 37

Trip Plan

Given the 3h 6m duration, you can easily complete this trip in a single day, so consider leaving in the morning to maximize daylight. With only one recommended stop and a fuel cost around $23, planning is straightforward. You'll be traveling on a mix of roads, so keep an eye out for changes in speed limits and road conditions, particularly as you transition between highway and local streets. A good tip is to check your fuel level before leaving Bloomington, as the longest stretch without significant town navigation is over 23 miles.

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 72.6 miles from Bloomington, IL, or about 1h 37m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 23.2 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 32 miles or 44m in

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

Halfway reset

Around 72.6 miles or 1h 37m 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 34m

Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Salem, 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 145.2 miles and 3h 6m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 32 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 North Walnut Street for about 23.2 miles.

Where to Stop

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

Downtown Lakewood, IL, IL

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Lakewood, IL

73 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

Clinton, IL

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 32 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Blue Mound, IL

Meal break

The midpoint is around 72.6 miles from Bloomington, 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.

Stops Along Your Drive

Picked by where they fit in your drive — first break, midpoint reset, final stretch.

Best meal stop · home stretch

El Patrón Mexican Restaurant

4.6 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Salem, Illinois

Near the end, right off the route

Home stretch · 0min to go 0.9 mi from route ~2 min detour $10 to $20

Hours: 11 am–9 pm

+16182670081

Visit website

Coffeehouse in Uptown Normal

4.4 ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

Normal, Illinois

1.8 mi

Signature Cafe

4.9 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Bloomington, Illinois

2.3 mi

El Patrón Mexican Restaurant

4.6 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Near the end, right off the route

Home stretch 0.9 mi from route ~2 min detour $10 to $20

Salem, Illinois

Hours: 11 am–9 pm

+16182670081

Visit website

Coffeehouse in Uptown Normal

4.4 ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

Near the start, short detour

1.8 mi from route ~5 min detour $10 to $20

Normal, Illinois

Hours: 7 am–6 pm

+13094526774

Visit website

Signature Cafe

4.9 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Near the start, short detour

2.3 mi from route ~6 min detour $10 to $20

Bloomington, Illinois

Hours: 11 am–9:30 pm

+13095852588

Visit website

Spring Garden Restaurant

4.5 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Around the midpoint, short detour

Halfway reset 2.1 mi from route ~5 min detour $10 to $20

Pana, Illinois

Hours: 6 am–9 pm

+12175623999

Whiskey Bill's Saloon and Liquor Emporium, LLC

4.7 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Around the midpoint, short detour

Halfway reset 2.1 mi from route ~5 min detour $20 to $30

Pana, Illinois

Hours: 11 am–11 pm

+12175629388

Visit website

Subway

4.2 ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

Around the midpoint, short detour

Halfway reset 1.8 mi from route ~5 min detour Inexpensiv

Pana, Illinois

Hours: 9 am–10 pm

+12175623311

Visit website

Champs Chicken

4.5 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Around the midpoint, short detour

Halfway reset 1.7 mi from route ~4 min detour $1 to $10

Pana, Illinois

Hours: 10 am–7 pm

+12175624688

Visit website

Taste of China

4.2 ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

Around the midpoint, short detour

Halfway reset 2 mi from route ~5 min detour $10 to $20

Pana, Illinois

Hours: 11 am–9:30 pm

+12175625599

121 Coffee Run

4.7 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Around the midpoint, ~10 min detour

Early stretch 4 mi from route ~10 min detour $1 to $10

Decatur, Illinois

Hours: 6 am–11 pm

+12175427962

Visit website

Tesla Supercharger

4.2 ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

Near the start, short detour

1.7 mi from route ~4 min detour

Normal, Illinois

Hours: Open 24 hours

Visit website

Electric Vehicle Charging Station

5.0 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Near the start, short detour

1.7 mi from route ~4 min detour

Normal, Illinois

+13094549590

Visit website

EV Connect Charging Station

2.3 ★ ★ ☆ ☆ ☆

Early in the drive, right off the route

Early stretch 0.4 mi from route ~1 min detour

Forsyth, Illinois

+18668167584

Visit website

Electric Vehicle Charging Station

5.0 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Near the start, short detour

2.3 mi from route ~6 min detour

Bloomington, Illinois

Hours: 9 am–5 pm

+13096641222

Visit website

Tesla Destination Charger

4.0 ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

Near the start, short detour

2.1 mi from route ~5 min detour

Bloomington, Illinois

Hours: 9 am–12 pm

Visit website

ChargePoint Charging Station

3.0 ★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆

Near the start, short detour

1.3 mi from route ~3 min detour

Bloomington, Illinois

Hours: Open 24 hours

+18887584389

Visit website

Tesla Supercharger

4.6 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Near the start, short detour

3.1 mi from route ~8 min detour

Normal, Illinois

Hours: Open 24 hours

Visit website

Electrify America Charging Station

3.4 ★ ★ ★ ☆ ☆

Near the start, short detour

2.5 mi from route ~6 min detour

Bloomington, Illinois

Hours: Open 24 hours

+18336322778

Visit website

Jack Flash

0 mi from route

Service Plaza

0 mi from route

Pilot Travel Center

1.1 mi from route

TA

1.7 mi from route

Post Oak Rest Area - Southbound

1.9 mi from route

Post Oak Rest Area - Northbound

2 mi from route

Pilot Travel Center

2.2 mi from route

Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.

Heads-up: tricky spots

5 of 11

5 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 111.7 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.

5
0.1 mi into trip | ~0m in | West Chestnut Street

Turn left onto West Chestnut Street

Navigation decision point

5
0.2 mi into trip | ~0m in | US 51 Business / North Center Street

Turn left onto US 51 Business / North Center Street

Navigation decision point

4
79 mi into trip | ~1h 44m in | US 51; IL 16 / North 2600 East Road

Turn right onto US 51; IL 16 / North 2600 East Road

Navigation decision point

4
80.5 mi into trip | ~1h 47m in | US 51; IL 16 / East 1st Street

Turn right onto US 51; IL 16 / East 1st Street

Navigation decision point

4
111.7 mi into trip | ~2h 25m in | US 40; US 51; IL 185 / West Gallatin Street

Turn left onto US 40; US 51; IL 185 / West Gallatin Street

Navigation decision point

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$22.70 one way

$45.40 round trip

$3.97/gal 25.4 MPG avg 51 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.36 $24.92 $49.85
premium $4.89 $27.94 $55.88
diesel $5.61 $32.06 $64.12

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$23

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$48–$73

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

Estimated CO2 emission: 50.8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $15 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 43.6 0 $15.25 $6.97
Efficient EV 36.3 0 $12.70 $5.81
EV Truck/SUV 58.1 0 $20.33 $9.29

Gas CO2

51 kg

EV CO2

17 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

Bloomington, IL

Late night in Bloomington on Tuesday

Local time

4:16 AM

CDT

Current temp

83°F

Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms

S 22 mph 16% chance Live forecast

Destination

Salem, IL

Late night in Salem on Tuesday

Local time

4:16 AM

CDT

Current temp

51°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

32 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

3h 6m 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 offers a mixed drive experience, with 36% of it being highway. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 23.2 miles on North Walnut Street, giving you a solid period of consistent travel. As you progress, the road character shifts between faster highway sections and more local road segments. Expect a blend of smooth cruising and navigating through towns and communities. The drive is generally predictable, allowing you to settle into a rhythm without constant surprises.

36% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
28 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 23.2 mi on North Walnut Street.

How Hard Is This Drive?

3/10

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 0.1 miles in near West Chestnut Street.

Driving Effort 3/10

Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

This is a straightforward 3h 6m drive. You will face about 11 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 (West Chestnut Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.2 miles (US 51 Business / North Center Street): Navigation decision point; at 79 miles (US 51; IL 16 / North 2600 East Road): Navigation decision point.

About the Cities

Starting in Bloomington, IL

Full guide →

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

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 3h 6m. Total distance: 145.2 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

3h 6m drive, comfortable solo distance.

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (36%). Straightforward navigation.

Scenic Drive

Mixed highway & surface route profile.

Frequently Asked Questions

The longest stretch is about 23.2 miles on North Walnut Street. 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 (West Chestnut Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.2 miles (US 51 Business / North Center Street): Navigation decision point; at 79 miles (US 51; IL 16 / North 2600 East Road): Navigation decision point.

Possible but tiring. At 3.1 hours each way, an in-and-out day trip would put you behind the wheel for 6.2 hours — manageable with a long break at Salem, IL, but most travelers stay overnight.

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, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.

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