Origin
Long Grove, IL
Night in Long Grove on Saturday
Local time
11:35 PM
CDT
Current temp
70°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Long Grove, IL to Chicago, IL
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
51m
Distance
32 mi
51 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$5
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 48m
★
6 AM
0h 52m
8 AM
1h 0m
10 AM
0h 55m
12 PM
0h 54m
3 PM
0h 55m
5 PM
1h 0m
8 PM
0h 49m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Long Grove, IL
Ali Soheil
Chicago, IL
Otoniel Alvarado
Trip Overview
Traveling from Long Grove to Chicago is a quick, 38.1-mile journey that typically takes about 50 minutes. Because of the short distance, this trip is perfectly suited for a single-day excursion, meaning you won't need to worry about overnight logistics. You can expect to spend roughly $6 on fuel, making this an incredibly budget-friendly commute or day trip. Both locations reside within the Midwest, keeping the regional landscape consistent throughout your travel. Since there are no required stops, you have the flexibility to head straight to your destination or weave in extra time for errands along the way.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Kennedy Expressway | 8.1 mi | 11m |
| South Milwaukee Avenue | 6.8 mi | 10m |
| North Milwaukee Avenue | 4.6 mi | 7m |
| North Caldwell Avenue | 2.4 mi | 3m |
| McHenry Road | 2.3 mi | 3m |
| Edens Expressway | 2.1 mi | 2m |
| East Lake Cook Road | 2 mi | 3m |
| Dan Ryan Expressway | 0.9 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
Kennedy Expressway
— 8.1 mi, about 11m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Long Grove, IL and Chicago, IL.
1
Start on V77
0.4 mi
·
59 sec
·
North Old McHenry Road
2
Turn left onto North State Route 53
0.1 mi
·
21 sec
·
North State Route 53
3
Turn right onto IL 83
2.3 mi
·
3 min
·
McHenry Road
Use the left lane.
4
Turn left onto East Lake Cook Road
2.0 mi
·
3 min
·
East Lake Cook Road
Use the left lane.
5
Turn slight right
0.2 mi
·
41 sec
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Continue on this road
0.1 mi
·
23 sec
·
this road
7
Turn right onto US 45; IL 21
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
North Milwaukee Avenue
8
Continue on US 45; IL 21
6.8 mi
·
10 min
·
South Milwaukee Avenue
9
Continue on IL 21
3.7 mi
·
6 min
·
North Milwaukee Avenue
10
Turn left onto West Touhy Avenue
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
West Touhy Avenue
Use the left lane.
11
Turn right onto US 14
2.4 mi
·
3 min
·
North Caldwell Avenue
12
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
35 sec
Toward I 94 East
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Merge onto I 94
2.1 mi
·
2 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
16 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 32 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 16 miles from Long Grove, 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 145 decision points cluster between mile 0.5 and 30.9 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
4
0.5 mi into trip
|
~1m in
|
IL 83 / McHenry Road
Turn right onto IL 83 / McHenry Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
5
16.5 mi into trip
|
~27m in
|
West Touhy Avenue
Turn left onto West Touhy Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
5
19.6 mi into trip
|
~32m in
Take the ramp toward I 94 East
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward I 94 East
5
19.8 mi into trip
|
~33m in
|
I 94 / Edens Expressway
Merge onto I 94 / Edens Expressway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
30.9 mi into trip
|
~48m 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
$5.00 one way
$10.01 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
11 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $5.49 | $10.99 |
| premium | $4.89 | $6.16 | $12.32 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $7.07 | $14.13 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$5
Estimated CO2 emission: 11.2 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 64% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 9.6 | 0 | $3.36 | $1.54 |
| Efficient EV | 8 | 0 | $2.80 | $1.28 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 12.8 | 0 | $4.48 | $2.05 |
Gas CO2
11 kg
EV CO2
4 kg (64% 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
Night in Chicago on Saturday
Local time
11:35 PM
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
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
24 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
51m 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?
Expect a turn-heavy local drive rather than a monotonous interstate cruise. Since this route maintains a zero-percent highway share, you will be navigating surface streets for the entire 38.1-mile duration. This lack of highway time means you should be prepared for frequent stops, traffic signals, and changing speed limits as you transition from the suburban setting of Long Grove into the urban core of Chicago. Behind the wheel, you will experience a consistently engaging drive that demands your full attention compared to the mindless drone of a freeway.
35% 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: 8.1 mi on Kennedy 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 14 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 0.5 miles in near IL 83 / McHenry Road.
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 32 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: at 0.5 miles (IL 83 / McHenry Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 16.5 miles (West Touhy Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 19.6 miles: Lane positioning matters here.
About the Cities
Starting in Long Grove, IL
Full guide →Founded 1956
Long Grove is a village in Chicagoland.
Top landmarks
- • Robert Parker Coffin Bridge — bridge in Long Grove, Illinois
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 51m. Total distance: 32 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
51m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (35%). 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 8.1 miles on Kennedy 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 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 0.5 miles (IL 83 / McHenry Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 16.5 miles (West Touhy Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 19.6 miles: 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, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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