Origin
Grandwood Park, IL
Morning in Grandwood Park on Tuesday
Local time
10:16 AM
CDT
Current temp
44°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Grandwood Park, IL to Chicago, IL
Pin this tripCompiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 21, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 3m
Distance
45.9 mi
74 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$7
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 58m
★
6 AM
1h 3m
8 AM
1h 14m
10 AM
1h 7m
12 PM
1h 6m
3 PM
1h 8m
5 PM
1h 13m
8 PM
1h 0m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Grandwood Park, IL
Colwyn Davis
Chicago, IL
Otoniel Alvarado
Trip Overview
If you are planning to travel from Grandwood Park to Chicago, expect a straightforward 47.9-mile journey that typically takes about 1 hour and 8 minutes. This route stays entirely within the Illinois Midwest region, making it a perfect candidate for a simple day trip. With a fuel budget of roughly $7, it is an economical drive that does not require an overnight stay or complex planning. Because the route consists of local roads rather than high-speed interstates, you should prepare for a steady pace rather than a quick sprint. It serves as a practical connection between suburban life and the city center, offering a direct path for those looking to reach Chicago without the need for multiple stops.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Edens Expressway | 13.7 mi | 17m |
| Kennedy Expressway | 8.1 mi | 11m |
| North Skokie Highway | 5.6 mi | 6m |
| Tri-State Tollway | 4.6 mi | 5m |
| Skokie Highway | 3.8 mi | 4m |
| Skokie Valley Road | 3.4 mi | 3m |
| Grand Avenue | 1.8 mi | 2m |
| Buckley Road | 1.5 mi | 2m |
Longest stretch:
Edens Expressway
— 13.7 mi, about 17m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Grandwood Park, IL and Chicago, IL.
1
Start on Douglas Court
64 ft
·
5 sec
·
Douglas Court
2
Turn left onto North Douglas Terrace
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
North Douglas Terrace
3
Turn left onto West Woodland Terrace
260 ft
·
13 sec
·
West Woodland Terrace
4
Turn right onto North Hutchins Road
520 ft
·
16 sec
·
North Hutchins Road
5
Turn left onto IL 132
1.8 mi
·
2 min
·
Grand Avenue
Use the left lane.
6
Take the ramp
0.5 mi
·
1 min
Toward I 94 East Toll: Chicago
Use the straight / right lanes.
7
Merge onto I 94
4.6 mi
·
5 min
·
Tri-State Tollway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
53 sec
Exit 13
Toward IL 137: Buckley Road
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Turn left onto IL 137
1.5 mi
·
2 min
·
Buckley Road
Use the left lane.
10
Turn right onto US 41
5.6 mi
·
6 min
·
North Skokie Highway
Use the right lane.
11
Continue on US 41
3.4 mi
·
3 min
·
Skokie Valley Road
12
Continue on US 41
3.8 mi
·
4 min
·
Skokie Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Continue on I 94; US 41
14 mi
·
17 min
·
Edens Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
14
Continue on I 90; I 94
8.1 mi
·
11 min
·
Kennedy Expressway
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
15
Continue on I 90; I 94
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
Dan Ryan Expressway
16
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
34 sec
Exit 52C
Toward 18th Street
Use the slight right lane.
17
Turn slight left onto South Union Avenue
0.2 mi
·
30 sec
·
South Union Avenue
18
Turn right onto South Canalport Avenue
505 ft
·
12 sec
·
South Canalport Avenue
19
Turn left onto South Halsted Street
0.1 mi
·
18 sec
·
South Halsted Street
20
Turn right onto West Cermak Road
0.2 mi
·
24 sec
·
West Cermak Road
21
Turn left
152 ft
·
11 sec
22
Turn right
0.2 mi
·
58 sec
23
Arrive at destination
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
23 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
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 10 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 22.9 miles from Grandwood Park, 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 155 decision points cluster between mile 2.3 and 44.8 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
2.3 mi into trip
|
~5m in
Take the ramp toward I 94 East Toll: Chicago
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
Toward I 94 East Toll: Chicago
5
2.8 mi into trip
|
~6m in
|
I 94 / Tri-State Tollway
Merge onto I 94 / Tri-State Tollway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
7.5 mi into trip
|
~11m in
Take the exit toward IL 137: Buckley Road
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 13
Toward IL 137: Buckley Road
5
7.9 mi into trip
|
~12m in
|
IL 137 / Buckley Road
Turn left onto IL 137 / Buckley Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
7
44.8 mi into trip
|
~1h in
Take the exit toward 18th Street
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 52C
Toward 18th Street
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$7.18 one way
$14.35 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
16 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $7.88 | $15.76 |
| premium | $4.89 | $8.83 | $17.67 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $10.13 | $20.27 |
Estimated Tolls: $0.28
Tri-state Tollway
(4.6 mi)
$0.28
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$7
Tolls
$0
Total
$7
Estimated CO2 emission: 16.1 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 69% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 13.8 | 0 | $4.82 | $2.20 |
| Efficient EV | 11.5 | 0 | $4.02 | $1.84 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 18.4 | 0 | $6.43 | $2.94 |
Gas CO2
16 kg
EV CO2
5 kg (69% 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
Chicago, IL
Morning in Chicago on Tuesday
Local time
10:16 AM
CDT
Current temp
46°F
Showers And Thunderstorms
WSW 15 mph
98% chance
Live forecast
Flood Warning
Flood Warning issued April 18 at 1:54AM CDT until April 18 at 8:00AM CDT by NWS Chicago IL
Flood Warning
Flood Warning issued April 18 at 1:33AM CDT by NWS Chicago IL
59°F
Northfield, IL
23 mi in
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
2 degrees warmer at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
1h 3m 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 47.9-mile trip is defined by its turn-heavy, local road character rather than a high-speed interstate grind. You will find that the highway share is 0%, meaning you should anticipate frequent stops and navigation through local traffic patterns. Since there is no single longest uninterrupted stretch, the drive requires your full attention as you navigate through various turns. The personality of this route is suburban and functional, changing gradually as you transition from the quiet residential feel of Grandwood Park into the denser environment of Chicago. You will spend the entire 1 hour and 8 minutes on local roads, so be ready for a steady, hands-on driving experience.
50% 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: 13.7 mi on Edens Expressway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
6/10
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. You will hit about 15 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 2.3 miles in.
Driving Effort
6/10
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 45.9 miles you will encounter 15 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 2.3 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 2.8 miles (I 94 / Tri-State Tollway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 7.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
744 ft
576 ft
Total Climb
16 ft
Total Descent
171 ft
Highest Point
744 ft
Elevation Range
168 ft
About the Cities
Starting in Grandwood Park, IL
Full guide →Arriving 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 3m. Total distance: 45.9 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 3m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (50%). 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 13.7 miles on Edens Expressway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Expect about $0.28 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 Chicago, 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 2.3 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 2.8 miles (I 94 / Tri-State Tollway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 7.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. 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 Chicago, 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, USGS 3DEP for elevation, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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