Des Plaines to Lakewood Shores is 64.6 miles and takes about 1 hour 29 minutes via Adlai Stevenson Expressway and Tri-State Tollway, with a fuel budget near $10 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within Illinois, moving from the Midwest region to another part of the Midwest. Expect a mixed drive that combines highway travel with some local road time. With a duration under 1.5 hours, this route is easily manageable as a single-day excursion. It's a straightforward journey perfect for a quick getaway or an easy commute.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Adlai Stevenson Expressway
35.4 mi
43m
Tri-State Tollway
17.5 mi
22m
New River Road
2.3 mi
3m
South Des Plaines River Road
1.8 mi
3m
North River Road
1.4 mi
1m
South Chicago Road
1.3 mi
2m
Sunset Drive
0.7 mi
2m
South Water Street
0.7 mi
1m
Longest stretch:
Adlai Stevenson Expressway
— 35.4 mi, about 43m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Des Plaines, IL and Lakewood Shores, IL.
1
Start on Henry Avenue
0.1 mi·25 sec·Henry Avenue
2
Turn right onto South Des Plaines River Road
1.8 mi·3 min·South Des Plaines River Road
Use the left lane.
3
Take the ramp
0.4 mi·55 sec
Toward I 294 South: Indiana
4
Merge onto I 294
11 mi·14 min·Tri-State Tollway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
Keep slight left at fork onto I 294
4.8 mi·5 min·Tri-State Tollway
6
Keep slight right at fork onto I 294
1.2 mi·1 min·Tri-State Tollway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Take the exit
0.6 mi·1 min
Exit 23Toward I 55: Chicago, St. Louis
8
Keep slight right at fork
0.4 mi·56 sec
Toward I 55 South: Saint LouisUse the slight right lane.
9
Merge onto I 55
35 mi·43 min·Adlai Stevenson Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Take the exit
0.3 mi·37 sec
Toward North River Road
11
Turn left onto CH 44
0.3 mi·31 sec·County Highway 44
12
Continue on CH 44
1.4 mi·1 min·North River Road
13
Continue on CH 44
2.3 mi·3 min·New River Road
14
At end of road, turn right onto IL 53
1.3 mi·2 min·South Chicago Road
15
Continue on IL 53
0.5 mi·1 min·East Baltimore Street
16
Turn left onto IL 102
0.7 mi·1 min·South Water Street
17
Turn right onto West Kahler Road
0.2 mi·1 min·West Kahler Road
18
Turn left onto Sunset Drive
0.7 mi·2 min·Sunset Drive
19
Continue on Robert Street
0.4 mi·1 min·Robert Street
20
Arrive at destination
Robert Street
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
The midpoint is around 32.3 miles from Des Plaines, 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 13
5 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 20.5 — 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|South Des Plaines River Road
Turn right onto South Des Plaines River Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
5
2.3 mi into trip|~4m in|I 294 / Tri-State Tollway
Merge onto I 294 / Tri-State Tollway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
18.6 mi into trip|~25m in|I 294 / Tri-State Tollway
Keep slight right at fork onto I 294 / Tri-State Tollway
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
19.8 mi into trip|~26m in
Take the exit toward I 55: Chicago, St. Louis
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Exit 23
Toward I 55: Chicago, St. Louis
7
20.5 mi into trip|~28m in
Keep slight right at fork toward I 55 South: Saint Louis
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Toward I 55 South: Saint Louis
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$10.10 one way
$20.20 round trip
$3.97/gal25.4 MPG avg23 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.36
$11.09
$22.18
premium
$4.89
$12.43
$24.86
diesel
$5.61
$14.26
$28.53
Estimated Tolls: $1.05
Tri-state Tollway
(17.5 mi)$1.05
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$10
Tolls
$1
Total
$11
Estimated CO2 emission: 22.6 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $7 in charging
· 0 stops
· 65% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
19.4
0
$6.78
$3.10
Efficient EV
16.2
0
$5.65
$2.58
EV Truck/SUV
25.8
0
$9.04
$4.13
Gas CO2
23 kg
EV CO2
8 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 20, 2026
Origin
Des Plaines, IL
Late night
in Des Plaines on Tuesday
Local time
5:28 AM
CDT
Current temp
54°F
Areas Of Frost then Mostly Sunny
SSE 5 to 10 mph0% chanceLive forecast
Flood Warning
Flood Warning issued April 20 at 5:00AM CDT by NWS Milwaukee/Sullivan WI
Flood Warning
Flood Warning issued April 20 at 5:00AM CDT until April 21 at 12:20AM CDT by NWS Milwaukee/Sullivan WI
Destination
Lakewood Shores, IL
Late night
in Lakewood Shores on Tuesday
Local time
5:28 AM
CDT
Current temp
48°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
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
6 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 29m 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 drive is a mixed bag, featuring 55% highway travel. You'll experience stretches on the Adlai Stevenson Expressway and the Tri-State Tollway, offering a good pace for most of the journey. The longest uninterrupted stretch is 35.4 miles on the Adlai Stevenson Expressway, providing a solid period of consistent driving. As you approach your destination, the route transitions to roads like New River Road, offering a change of pace from the main expressways. It’s a blend of efficient highway cruising and more local road navigation.
55% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
20 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 35.4 mi on Adlai Stevenson Expressway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
9/10
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 0.1 miles in near South Des Plaines River Road.
Driving Effort9/10
Demanding - stay alert through the decision-heavy sections
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 64.6 miles you will encounter 13 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 0.1 miles (South Des Plaines River Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 2.3 miles (I 294 / Tri-State Tollway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 18.6 miles (I 294 / Tri-State Tollway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
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 Des Plaines, IL to Lakewood Shores, IL, road signs begin pointing toward St. Louis along the way.
Des Plaines is in Chicagoland. It is an inner-ring, northwest suburb of Chicago with two distinct portions: a suburban northern portion reminiscient of other, nearby northwest suburbs (including Niles, Park Ridge, and Mount Prospect), as well as a built-up southern portion with the businesses, hotels, and other amenities of the O'Hare Airport corridor (much like Rosemont, Chicago's O'Hare neighborhood, and Elk Grove Village).
Top landmarks
•McDonald's #1 Store Museum — former McDonald's spot
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 29m. Total distance: 64.6 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 29m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (55%). 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 35.4 miles on Adlai Stevenson Expressway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Expect about $1.05 in tolls one way, starting with Tri-state Tollway. Most Northeast and Midwest toll agencies accept E-ZPass; in the West and Texas, transponders like TxTag or FasTrak apply. If you do not have a transponder, cashless tolling plates will mail a bill to the vehicle's registered address — usually with a surcharge, so a rental-car toll pass is often cheaper than paying by mail.
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 Lakewood Shores, 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 0.1 miles (South Des Plaines River Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 2.3 miles (I 294 / Tri-State Tollway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 18.6 miles (I 294 / Tri-State Tollway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. 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 Lakewood Shores, IL before heading back.
