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Trip from Chicago, IL to Round Lake, IL

Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

1h 9m

Distance

49 mi

79 km

Drive Score

8/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$8

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 17 min
4 AM
1h 4m ★
6 AM
1h 10m
8 AM
1h 21m
10 AM
1h 13m
12 PM
1h 12m
3 PM
1h 14m
5 PM
1h 20m
8 PM
1h 6m

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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Downtown chicago-il

Chicago, IL

Otoniel Alvarado

Downtown Round Lake, IL, IL

Round Lake, IL

Sean Ewing

Trip Overview

If you are planning to head from Chicago to Round Lake, you are looking at a straightforward 49-mile journey across the Illinois Midwest. Expect the drive to take roughly 1 hour and 9 minutes, making it a perfect candidate for a simple day trip. You will navigate primarily through local streets like West Cermak Road, South Halsted Street, and South Canalport Avenue rather than relying on major interstates. Budgeting approximately $7 for fuel should keep you covered for the entire distance. Since this route is quite short, there is no need to split it into an overnight stay, allowing you the flexibility to complete the trip on your own schedule.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
Edens Expressway 13.5 mi 17m
Kennedy Expressway 8.2 mi 11m
South Skokie Highway 5.6 mi 7m
Buckley Road 4.4 mi 7m
Skokie Highway 3.8 mi 4m
Skokie Valley Road 3.4 mi 3m
Antioch Road 2.7 mi 4m
East Belvidere Road 2 mi 3m
Longest stretch: Edens Expressway — 13.5 mi, about 17m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Chicago, IL and Round Lake, IL.

1

Start on this road

0.2 mi · 1 min · this road
2

At end of road, turn right onto West Cermak Road

0.2 mi · 26 sec · West Cermak Road
3

Turn left onto South Halsted Street

0.1 mi · 17 sec · South Halsted Street
Use the left lane.
4

Turn right onto South Canalport Avenue

0.2 mi · 22 sec · South Canalport Avenue
5

Turn left onto South Ruble Street

0.1 mi · 22 sec · South Ruble Street
Use the left lane.
6

Take the ramp

0.3 mi · 43 sec
Toward I 90 West, I 94 West
7

Merge onto I 90; I 94

0.9 mi · 1 min · Dan Ryan Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8

Continue on I 90; I 94

8.2 mi · 11 min · Kennedy Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9

Continue on I 94

14 mi · 17 min · Edens Expressway
Toward I 94 West: Milwaukee Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10

Keep slight left at fork onto US 41

3.8 mi · 4 min · Skokie Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11

Continue on US 41

3.4 mi · 3 min · Skokie Valley Road
12

Continue on US 41

5.6 mi · 7 min · South Skokie Highway
13

Turn left onto IL 137

4.4 mi · 7 min · Buckley Road
Use the left lane.
14

Continue on IL 137

1.6 mi · 2 min · Peterson Road
Use the left lane.
15

Continue on IL 137

0.2 mi · 14 sec · Old Peterson Road
16

Continue on IL 137

2.7 mi · 4 min · Antioch Road
17

Continue on IL 83

0.3 mi · 27 sec · Ivanhoe Road
18

Turn left onto IL 120

2.0 mi · 3 min · East Belvidere Road
Use the left lane.
19

Turn straight

0.1 mi · 13 sec
20

Turn straight onto IL 134

1.2 mi · 2 min · East Main Street
21

Turn left onto Nippersink Avenue

422 ft · 14 sec · Nippersink Avenue
22

Turn right onto North Cedar Lake Road

236 ft · 6 sec · North Cedar Lake Road
23

Arrive at destination

North Cedar Lake Road

Where to Stop

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

village in Illinois, United States

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Northbrook, IL

25 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

Elmwood Park, IL

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 11 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Northbrook, IL

Meal break

The midpoint is around 24.5 miles from Chicago, 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 12

5 decision points cluster between mile 0.2 and 23.7 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.

5
0.2 mi into trip | ~1m in | West Cermak Road

At end of road, turn right onto West Cermak Road

Navigation decision point

6
0.4 mi into trip | ~1m in | South Halsted Street

Turn left onto South Halsted Street

Lane positioning matters here

Use the left lane.
6
0.7 mi into trip | ~2m in | South Ruble Street

Turn left onto South Ruble Street

Lane positioning matters here

Use the left lane.
5
1.1 mi into trip | ~3m in | I 90; I 94 / Dan Ryan Expressway

Merge onto I 90; I 94 / Dan Ryan Expressway

Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
23.7 mi into trip | ~33m in | US 41 / Skokie Highway

Keep slight left at fork onto US 41 / Skokie Highway

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$7.66 one way

$15.32 round trip

$3.97/gal 25.4 MPG avg 17 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.36 $8.41 $16.82
premium $4.89 $9.43 $18.86
diesel $5.61 $10.82 $21.64

No toll roads detected on this route.

Drive Cost (one way)

Fuel

$8

Estimated CO2 emission: 17.1 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 65% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 14.7 0 $5.15 $2.35
Efficient EV 12.3 0 $4.29 $1.96
EV Truck/SUV 19.6 0 $6.86 $3.14

Gas CO2

17 kg

EV CO2

6 kg (65% 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

Chicago, IL

Afternoon in Chicago on Sunday

Local time

12:27 PM

CDT

Current temp

52°F

Slight Chance Rain Showers then Mostly Cloudy

WNW 15 to 20 mph 20% chance Live forecast

Flood Warning

Flood Warning issued April 18 at 10:06AM CDT until April 20 at 5:00PM CDT by NWS Milwaukee/Sullivan WI

Flood Warning

Flood Warning issued April 18 at 10:06AM CDT until April 20 at 5:48PM CDT by NWS Milwaukee/Sullivan WI

Destination

Round Lake, IL

Afternoon in Round Lake on Sunday

Local time

12:27 PM

CDT

Current temp

49°F

Partly Sunny

WNW 20 mph 0% chance Live forecast

Flood Warning

Flood Warning issued April 18 at 10:06AM CDT until April 20 at 5:00PM CDT by NWS Milwaukee/Sullivan WI

Flood Warning

Flood Warning issued April 18 at 10:06AM CDT until April 20 at 5:48PM CDT by NWS Milwaukee/Sullivan WI

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

1h 9m 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?

Prepare for a turn-heavy local drive that keeps you engaged behind the wheel. Unlike a monotonous interstate grind, this route features zero percent highway travel, meaning you will be navigating city and suburban streets for the full 49 miles. Because the path relies on local roads rather than high-speed thoroughfares, your pace will be dictated by traffic lights and turns rather than cruising at highway speeds. There are no long, uninterrupted stretches on this itinerary, so expect a driving experience that requires your constant attention. It is a practical, utilitarian route that moves you through the Midwest landscape without the typical drone of a long-distance highway trip.

46% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
23 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 13.5 mi on Edens Expressway.

How Hard Is This Drive?

7/10

This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.2 miles in near West Cermak Road.

Driving Effort 7/10

Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

This drive requires moderate attention. Across 49 miles you will encounter 12 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.

Where does it get tricky?

The main spots that need attention: at 0.2 miles (West Cermak Road): Navigation decision point; at 0.4 miles (South Halsted Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 0.7 miles (South Ruble Street): Lane positioning matters here.

About the Cities

Starting in Chicago, IL

Full guide →

Chicago is the home of the blues and the truth of jazz, the heart of comedy and the idea of the skyscraper. Here, the age of railroads found its center, and airplanes followed suit. "Stormy, Husky, Brawling / City of Big Shoulders," Chicago is a Heartland boomtown, its ethos defined by urban planner Daniel Burnham's immortal vision: "Make no little plans; they have no magic to stir men's blood." It is one of the world's great cities and the third largest city in the United States, behind only New York City and Los Angeles. As the hub of the Midwest, Chicago is easy to find — its picturesque skyline calls across the waters of Lake Michigan, a first impression that soon reveals world-class museums of art and science, miles of sandy beaches, huge parks and public art, and perhaps the finest downtown collection of modern architecture in the world.

Top landmarks

  • • Willis Tower — skyscraper in Chicago, Illinois
  • • Art Institute of Chicago — art museum and school in Chicago, United States
  • • Wrigley Field — baseball stadium in Chicago, Illinois, USA; home venue of the Chicago Cubs

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 1h 9m. Total distance: 49 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

1h 9m drive, comfortable solo distance.

EV Driver

0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (46%). Some complex stretches to watch for.

Scenic Drive

Mixed highway & surface route profile with national parks nearby.

Frequently Asked Questions

The longest stretch is about 13.5 miles on Edens Expressway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.

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 Round Lake, 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 0.2 miles (West Cermak Road): Navigation decision point; at 0.4 miles (South Halsted Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 0.7 miles (South Ruble Street): 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 Round Lake, 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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