Origin
Des Plaines, IL
Evening in Des Plaines on Sunday
Local time
6:32 PM
CDT
Current temp
51°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Des Plaines, IL to Wilmette, IL
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
19m
Distance
10.7 mi
17 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$2
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 18m
★
6 AM
0h 20m
8 AM
0h 23m
10 AM
0h 21m
12 PM
0h 21m
3 PM
0h 21m
5 PM
0h 23m
8 PM
0h 19m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Des Plaines, IL
Wikimedia Commons
Wilmette, IL
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
This short 10.7-mile drive from Des Plaines to Wilmette, Illinois, is a quick 19-minute trip that's perfect for a single day. With no highway driving, expect a local feel throughout. The estimated fuel cost is a very manageable $2, making it an economical choice. Since it's so brief, you won't need to worry about overnight stays; this route is ideal for a spontaneous outing or an addition to a larger regional exploration within the Midwest. It’s a straightforward hop between two Illinois communities.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| East Golf Road | 7.6 mi | 13m |
| South Des Plaines River Road | 1.5 mi | 2m |
| Gross Point Road | 1.3 mi | 2m |
| Ridge Road | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| Henry Avenue | 0.1 mi | <1m |
| Wilmette Avenue | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
East Golf Road
— 7.6 mi, about 13m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Des Plaines, IL and Wilmette, IL.
1
Start on Henry Avenue
0.1 mi
·
31 sec
·
Henry Avenue
2
Turn left onto South Des Plaines River Road
1.5 mi
·
2 min
·
South Des Plaines River Road
3
Turn right onto IL 58
7.6 mi
·
13 min
·
East Golf Road
Use the right lane.
4
Turn left onto Gross Point Road
1.3 mi
·
2 min
·
Gross Point Road
Use the left lane.
5
Continue on Ridge Road
0.2 mi
·
43 sec
·
Ridge Road
6
Turn left onto Wilmette Avenue
65 ft
·
1 sec
·
Wilmette Avenue
Use the left lane.
7
Arrive at destination
Wilmette Avenue
Heads-up: tricky spots
4 of 44 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 10.7 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
4
0.1 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
South Des Plaines River Road
Turn left onto South Des Plaines River Road
Navigation decision point
6
1.6 mi into trip
|
~3m in
|
IL 58 / East Golf Road
Turn right onto IL 58 / East Golf Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
5
9.2 mi into trip
|
~16m in
|
Gross Point Road
Turn left onto Gross Point Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
7
10.7 mi into trip
|
~19m in
|
Wilmette Avenue
Turn left onto Wilmette Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$1.67 one way
$3.35 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
4 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $1.84 | $3.67 |
| premium | $4.89 | $2.06 | $4.12 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $2.36 | $4.72 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$2
Estimated CO2 emission: 3.7 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $1 in charging · 0 stops · 75% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 3.2 | 0 | $1.12 | $0.51 |
| Efficient EV | 2.7 | 0 | $0.94 | $0.43 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 4.3 | 0 | $1.50 | $0.68 |
Gas CO2
4 kg
EV CO2
1 kg (75% 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.
Destination
Wilmette, IL
Evening in Wilmette on Sunday
Local time
6:32 PM
CDT
Current temp
46°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
5 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
19m on the road
Use the two city cards together: check the sky where you start, then compare it with the local time and temperature at arrival.
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, as indicated by its 0% highway share. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 7.6 miles along East Golf Road. You'll navigate a series of local roads, including South Des Plaines River Road and Gross Point Road, which means you'll be making frequent turns. This isn't a route for settling into a long, straight cruise; it requires your attention to navigate the urban and suburban landscape effectively.
Only 0% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
7 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 7.6 mi on East Golf Road.
How Hard Is This Drive?
4/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near South Des Plaines River Road.
Driving Effort
4/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 19m drive. You will face about 4 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 (South Des Plaines River Road): Navigation decision point; at 1.6 miles (IL 58 / East Golf Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 9.2 miles (Gross Point Road): Lane positioning matters here.
About the Cities
Starting in Des Plaines, IL
Full guide →Founded 1852
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
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 19m. Total distance: 10.7 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
19m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (0%). Straightforward navigation.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 7.6 miles on East Golf Road. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
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): Navigation decision point; at 1.6 miles (IL 58 / East Golf Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 9.2 miles (Gross Point Road): 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 Wilmette, 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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