Origin
Elmwood Park, IL
Late night in Elmwood Park on Sunday
Local time
4:54 AM
CDT
Current temp
71°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Elmwood Park, IL to Wheaton, IL
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
39m
Distance
19.5 mi
31 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$3
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 36m
★
6 AM
0h 40m
8 AM
0h 46m
10 AM
0h 42m
12 PM
0h 41m
3 PM
0h 42m
5 PM
0h 46m
8 PM
0h 38m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Elmwood Park, IL
Wikimedia Commons
Wheaton, IL
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
This short, 24.4-mile journey from Elmwood Park, IL to Wheaton, IL is designed for a single day of travel, taking approximately 42 minutes to complete. You'll navigate primarily local roads, making it a straightforward drive. With a modest fuel cost estimated at $4, this route offers a budget-friendly option for a quick excursion within the Midwest region. There are no significant overnight stops recommended, allowing for flexibility in your schedule. The drive is characterized by frequent turns, so staying attentive to your navigation is key.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| West Grand Avenue | 8.3 mi | 15m |
| North Avenue | 5 mi | 9m |
| Main Street | 1.8 mi | 4m |
| College Avenue | 1.3 mi | 3m |
| Robert Kingery Highway | 0.8 mi | 1m |
| Pennsylvania Avenue | 0.7 mi | 1m |
| East Wesley Street | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| Lake Street | 0.3 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
West Grand Avenue
— 8.3 mi, about 15m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Elmwood Park, IL and Wheaton, IL.
1
Start on this road
186 ft
·
15 sec
·
this road
2
Turn right onto West Belden Avenue
175 ft
·
13 sec
·
West Belden Avenue
3
Turn left onto North 73rd Avenue
0.1 mi
·
34 sec
·
North 73rd Avenue
4
Turn left onto West Fullerton Avenue
143 ft
·
6 sec
·
West Fullerton Avenue
5
Turn right onto 73rd Avenue
361 ft
·
16 sec
·
73rd Avenue
6
Turn left onto West Grand Avenue
8.3 mi
·
15 min
·
West Grand Avenue
7
Turn right onto US 20
0.3 mi
·
31 sec
·
Lake Street
Use the right lane.
8
Turn left
0.6 mi
·
1 min
Toward IL 83 South
9
Merge onto IL 83
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
Robert Kingery Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Take the exit
182 ft
·
5 sec
Toward IL 64 West: Odeum Sports and Expo Center
Use the right lane.
11
Turn right onto IL 64
3.6 mi
·
6 min
·
North Avenue
Use the right lane.
12
Continue on IL 64
1.4 mi
·
2 min
·
North Avenue
13
Turn left onto Main Street
1.8 mi
·
4 min
·
Main Street
Use the straight lane.
14
Turn right onto Pennsylvania Avenue
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Pennsylvania Avenue
15
Continue on College Avenue
1.3 mi
·
3 min
·
College Avenue
16
Turn left onto North Washington Street
392 ft
·
12 sec
·
North Washington Street
17
Turn right onto East Wesley Street
0.3 mi
·
45 sec
·
East Wesley Street
18
Arrive at destination
West Wesley Street
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 145 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 10.2 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
West Belden Avenue
Turn right onto West Belden Avenue
Navigation decision point
5
0.1 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
North 73rd Avenue
Turn left onto North 73rd Avenue
Navigation decision point
5
0.2 mi into trip
|
~1m in
|
West Fullerton Avenue
Turn left onto West Fullerton Avenue
Navigation decision point
5
0.2 mi into trip
|
~1m in
|
73rd Avenue
Turn right onto 73rd Avenue
Navigation decision point
6
10.2 mi into trip
|
~20m in
Take the exit toward IL 64 West: Odeum Sports and Expo Center
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Toward IL 64 West: Odeum Sports and Expo Center
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$3.05 one way
$6.10 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
7 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $3.35 | $6.69 |
| premium | $4.89 | $3.75 | $7.51 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $4.31 | $8.61 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$3
Estimated CO2 emission: 6.8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 71% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 5.9 | 0 | $2.05 | $0.94 |
| Efficient EV | 4.9 | 0 | $1.71 | $0.78 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 7.8 | 0 | $2.73 | $1.25 |
Gas CO2
7 kg
EV CO2
2 kg (71% 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
Wheaton, IL
Late night in Wheaton on Sunday
Local time
4:54 AM
CDT
Current temp
71°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
Very similar conditions
Both ends of the route are sitting at about the same temperature right now.
Road read
39m 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?
Expect a 'turn-heavy local drive' for this entire 24.4-mile trip, as there's a 0% highway share. The route is composed of segments along West Belden Avenue, North 73rd Avenue, and West Fullerton Avenue. Without any long highway stretches, you'll be engaging with local traffic and intersections frequently. This means the driving experience is less about covering distance rapidly and more about navigating through community roadways. Prepare for a dynamic driving experience with constant adjustments.
Only 0% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
18 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 8.3 mi on West Grand Avenue.
How Hard Is This Drive?
5/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. You will hit about 14 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near West Belden Avenue.
Driving Effort
5/10
Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 19.5 miles you will encounter 14 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: near the start (West Belden Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 0.1 miles (North 73rd Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 0.2 miles (West Fullerton Avenue): Navigation decision point.
About the Cities
Starting in Elmwood Park, IL
Full guide →Founded 1914
The Northwest Suburbs are in Chicagoland, primarily in northwestern Cook, southern Lake and northern DuPage County, centered along Metra’s North Central Service, though encompassing areas well beyond the rail line. The Northwestern Suburbs constitute the largest portion of Chicagoland outside of the city. For further-out suburbs, see Fox River Valley.
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 39m. Total distance: 19.5 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
39m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (0%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 8.3 miles on West Grand Avenue. 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: near the start (West Belden Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 0.1 miles (North 73rd Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 0.2 miles (West Fullerton Avenue): Navigation decision point.
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 Wheaton, 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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