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Trip from Makanda, IL to Aurora, IL

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Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 21, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

6h 48m

Distance

341.4 mi

549 km

Drive Score

8/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$53

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 36 min
4 AM
6h 36m ★
6 AM
6h 48m
8 AM
7h 12m
10 AM
6h 56m
12 PM
6h 54m
3 PM
6h 57m
5 PM
7h 10m
8 PM
6h 41m

Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.

Best Time Drive vs Fly
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human settlement in Illinois, United States of America

Makanda, IL

Wikimedia Commons

city on tripoints of DuPage, Kane, Kendall and Will Counties in Illinois, United States

Aurora, IL

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

This 367.2-mile journey from Makanda, Illinois, to Aurora, Illinois, is designed for a single day of driving, taking approximately 5 hours and 51 minutes. You'll navigate using local roads like Makanda Road, West Walnut Street, and East Main Street, with a 0% highway share, meaning this is a local and turn-heavy experience. Anticipate a fuel cost of around $56 for this trip, which is entirely within the Midwest region. Consider this route if you're looking for a straightforward drive without the need for an overnight stop, offering a consistent local road feel from start to finish.

Trip Pace

Same-day drive is realistic

A same-day return is possible, but it will make for a full day on the road.

Break Rhythm

1 planned break

Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.

Midpoint

170.7 miles from Makanda, IL

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 3h 16m into the drive .

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
I 57 144.3 mi 2h 34m
Ken Gray Expressway 108.7 mi 1h 57m
I 55 18.6 mi 20m
East Main Street 9.7 mi 14m
County Road North 303 West 8.9 mi 15m
US 51 8.1 mi 9m
State Route 113 7.7 mi 11m
Lincoln Highway 7.5 mi 11m
Longest stretch: I 57 — 144.3 mi, about 2h 34m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Makanda, IL and Aurora, IL.

1

Start on Baptist Hill Road

75 ft · 3 sec · Baptist Hill Road
2

Continue on Makanda Road

1.8 mi · 6 min · Makanda Road
3

Turn right onto US 51

8.1 mi · 9 min · US 51
4

Turn right onto IL 13

1.3 mi · 2 min · West Walnut Street
5

Continue on IL 13

9.7 mi · 14 min · East Main Street
6

Continue on IL 13

3.3 mi · 4 min · West Deyoung Street
7

Take the exit

1.2 mi · 2 min
8

Merge onto I 57

41 mi · 44 min · Ken Gray Expressway
9

Keep slight right at fork onto I 57

67 mi · 1 hr 12 min · Ken Gray Expressway
Toward I 57 North: Chicago
10

Keep slight left at fork onto I 57

144 mi · 2 hr 34 min · I 57
Toward I 57 North: Chicago
11

Take the exit

0.3 mi · 53 sec
Exit 308 Toward US 45, US 52: Kankakee
12

Keep slight right at fork

272 ft · 9 sec
Exit 308
13

Turn straight onto US 45; US 52

2.0 mi · 3 min · South Schuyler Avenue
14

Turn left onto US 45; US 52

0.5 mi · 49 sec · South East Avenue
15

Turn slight left onto US 45; US 52

0.4 mi · 44 sec · West Water Street
16

Turn right onto South Wall Street

0.7 mi · 1 min · South Wall Street
17

Continue on IL 113

1.5 mi · 2 min · North Wall Street
18

Continue on IL 113

8.9 mi · 15 min · County Road North 303 West
19

Continue on IL 113

7.7 mi · 11 min · State Route 113
20

Turn right onto West River Road

3.1 mi · 4 min · West River Road
21

Turn left onto IL 53

256 ft · 9 sec · West Baltimore Street
22

Turn right onto CH 29

1.6 mi · 2 min · Stripmine Road
23

Turn right onto IL 129

0.4 mi · 33 sec · Washington Street
24

Take the ramp

0.4 mi · 55 sec
25

Merge onto I 55

19 mi · 20 min · I 55
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
26

Take the exit

0.3 mi · 39 sec
Exit 257 Toward US 30: Joliet, Aurora Use the straight / slight right lanes.
27

Keep slight left at fork

135 ft · 5 sec
Use the left lane.
28

Turn left onto US 30

2.5 mi · 5 min · Joliet Road
Use the right lane.
29

Turn slight right onto US 30; IL 59; US 66 Hist

1.2 mi · 2 min · North Division Street
Use the right lane.
30

Turn left onto US 30

1.0 mi · 1 min · 143rd Street
Use the left lane.
31

Turn right onto US 30

7.5 mi · 11 min · Lincoln Highway
Use the right lane.
32

Continue on Hill Avenue

2.4 mi · 4 min · Hill Avenue
Use the left lane.
33

Continue on East Galena Boulevard

0.1 mi · 21 sec · East Galena Boulevard
34

Turn right onto North Ohio Street

0.1 mi · 21 sec · North Ohio Street
Use the left lane.
35

Turn left onto East New York Street

1.5 mi · 2 min · East New York Street
Use the left lane.
36

Turn left onto IL 31

417 ft · 14 sec · North Lake Street
Use the straight / left lanes.
37

Turn right onto West Galena Boulevard

0.1 mi · 9 sec · West Galena Boulevard
38

Arrive at destination

West Galena Boulevard

Trip Plan

To make the most of this 5-hour and 51-minute drive, consider an early morning departure from Makanda to maximize daylight and minimize traffic, especially as you approach Aurora. Given the 'turn-heavy local drive' profile and 0% highway share, plan for one stop to stretch your legs and refuel; the single suggested stop is a good checkpoint. The estimated fuel cost of $56 is manageable, but keeping an eye on your fuel gauge is always wise on local roads where stations may be less frequent than on major highways. A specific tip for this route: be prepared for the consistent need to adjust your speed and direction, as the lack of highway driving means you'll be actively navigating more often.

Morning Departure

Start early — leave by 6-7 AM to arrive at a reasonable hour.

Evening Departure

This is a long drive — plan for a morning departure or consider splitting it into two days.

You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 170.7 miles from Makanda, IL, or about 3h 16m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 144.3 miles.

This is a comfortable same-day trip.

Departure

Before you leave

Start with fuel, water, and navigation already sorted so the first hour feels easy.

First stop

Around 75 miles or 1h 33m in

Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.

Halfway reset

Around 170.7 miles or 3h 16m in

This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.

Final approach

Final hour starts around 5h 16m

Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Aurora, IL than in the middle of the route.

Before You Leave

+

Open the route before leaving Makanda, IL so your first major turns are already loaded.

+

Leave with enough water and a charging cable within reach, not packed away.

+

Check your fuel range against the first long segment, especially if you are starting outside city service areas.

Day 1

Settle into the route from Makanda, IL

This is one driving day of about 341.4 miles and 6h 48m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 75 miles from Makanda, IL.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
Plan about 1 real break rather than only quick fuel stops.
The longest stretch is on I 57 for about 144.3 miles.

Where to Stop

Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Champaign, IL

171 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

Odin, IL

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 75 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Tuscola, IL

Meal break

The midpoint is around 170.7 miles from Makanda, IL, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Before the longest stretch

Fuel check

Top up before I 57 if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 144.3 miles.

These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.

Stops Along Your Drive

Picked by where they fit in your drive — first break, midpoint reset, final stretch.

Best meal stop · first break window

The Turn Restaurant & Lounge

4.5 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Marion, Illinois

Near the start, right off the route

First break · 29min in 0.9 mi from route ~2 min detour $20 to $30

Hours: 11 am–11 pm

+16189975656

Visit website

Murray's Tavern

4.5 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Clifton, Illinois

0.6 mi

Asian bowl express

4.7 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Rantoul, Illinois

1.5 mi

The Turn Restaurant & Lounge

4.5 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Near the start, right off the route

First break 0.9 mi from route ~2 min detour $20 to $30

Marion, Illinois

Hours: 11 am–11 pm

+16189975656

Visit website

Murray's Tavern

4.5 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Later in the drive, right off the route

Final third 0.6 mi from route ~1 min detour $20 to $30

Clifton, Illinois

Hours: 4–10 pm

+18159185017

Visit website

Asian bowl express

4.7 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Around the midpoint, short detour

Final third 1.5 mi from route ~4 min detour $10 to $20

Rantoul, Illinois

Hours: 10:30 am–9 pm

+12172821215

Visit website

Red Wheel Restaurant

4.1 ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

Around the midpoint, short detour

Final third 1.4 mi from route ~4 min detour $10 to $20

Rantoul, Illinois

Hours: 6 am–9 pm

+12178930471

Visit website

The Depot

4.4 ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

Around the midpoint, short detour

Halfway reset 1.4 mi from route ~4 min detour $10 to $20

Neoga, Illinois

Hours: 7 am–8 pm

+12178953666

ET's Downtown Rantoul

4.6 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Around the midpoint, short detour

Final third 2.1 mi from route ~5 min detour $10 to $20

Rantoul, Illinois

Hours: 11 am–9 pm

+12178930222

Visit website

Casa amigos Mexican restaurant

4.8 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Around the midpoint, short detour

Final third 2 mi from route ~5 min detour $10 to $20

Rantoul, Illinois

Hours: 11 am–9 pm

+12172156053

Agave Mexican Restaurant

4.5 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Around the midpoint, ~9 min detour

Final third 3.5 mi from route ~9 min detour $10 to $20

Rantoul, Illinois

Hours: 11 am–9 pm

+12178932880

Shawnee National Forest

4.8 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Near the start, ~9 min detour

3.6 mi from route ~9 min detour

Herod, Illinois

Hours: Open 24 hours

+18006996637

Visit website

Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.

Heads-up: tricky spots

5 of 24

5 decision points cluster between mile 278.4 and 328.7 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.

6
278.4 mi into trip | ~5h 11m in

Take the exit toward US 45, US 52: Kankakee

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Exit 308 Toward US 45, US 52: Kankakee
6
278.7 mi into trip | ~5h 12m in

Keep slight right at fork

Highway fork - watch signs carefully

Exit 308
8
324.6 mi into trip | ~6h 17m in

Take the exit toward US 30: Joliet, Aurora

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Use the straight / slight right lanes. Exit 257 Toward US 30: Joliet, Aurora
6
325 mi into trip | ~6h 18m in

Keep slight left at fork

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the left lane.
6
328.7 mi into trip | ~6h 26m in | US 30 / 143rd Street

Turn left onto US 30 / 143rd Street

Lane positioning matters here

Use the left lane.

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$53.37 one way

$106.75 round trip

$3.97/gal 25.4 MPG avg 119 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.36 $58.60 $117.21
premium $4.89 $65.70 $131.40
diesel $5.61 $75.38 $150.75

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$53

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$78–$103

Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.

Estimated CO2 emission: 119.4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $36 in charging · 1 stop · 66% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 102.4 1 $35.85 $16.39
Efficient EV 85.4 0 $29.87 $13.66
EV Truck/SUV 136.6 1 $47.80 $21.85

Gas CO2

119 kg

EV CO2

40 kg (66% less)

Plan for 1 charging stop. A 30-minute DC fast charge mid-route should be enough to complete the trip comfortably.

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

Makanda, IL

Morning in Makanda on Tuesday

Local time

7:20 AM

CDT

Current temp

56°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Aurora, IL

Morning in Aurora on Tuesday

Local time

7:20 AM

CDT

Current temp

65°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Seasonal Notes

Summer travel usually means heavier construction, hotter rest stops, and busier weekend traffic around major cities.

Winter travel shortens daylight, so a route that looks manageable on paper can feel much longer after dark.

Holiday weekends tend to make both departure and arrival windows slower than the raw route time suggests.

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

9 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

6h 48m on the road

Start early — leave by 6-7 AM to arrive at a reasonable hour.

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 the entirety of this 367.2-mile trip. With a 0% highway share, you won't encounter any interstate speeds or long, uninterrupted stretches of high-speed travel. Instead, your experience will be characterized by frequent turns and a more intimate connection with the local landscape. The longest uninterrupted stretch is not specified, suggesting a continuous engagement with varied local road conditions rather than monotonous highway cruising. This route offers a consistently engaging driving experience focused on navigating through communities and smaller roadways.

84% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
38 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 144.3 mi on I 57.

How Hard Is This Drive?

9/10

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 57 and Ken Gray Expressway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 278.4 miles in.

Driving Effort 9/10

High effort - long or complex enough to need steady focus all day

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

This is a demanding drive. With 24 significant decision points across 341.4 miles, you will need to stay alert - especially through interchange areas and urban stretches. Consider splitting it into segments if you are not comfortable with fast highway navigation.

Where does it get tricky?

The main spots that need attention: at 278.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 278.7 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully; at 324.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.

About the Cities

Arriving in Aurora, IL

Full guide →

Founded 1835

Aurora is the second-largest city in the U.S. state of Illinois, located about 35 miles west of Chicago. It's at the very edge of Chicagoland and, situated on the Fox River, has many opportunities for urban, suburban, and rural recreation. Often overlooked, Aurora in fact has many surprisingly interesting attractions and a downtown unlike that of a typical suburb. It is probably best known for being the setting of the "Wayne's World" movies.

Top landmarks

  • • Aurora University — private university in Aurora, Illinois, U.S
  • • Hotel Arthur — United States historic place
  • • Graham Building — historic building in Aurora, Illinois

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 6h 48m. Total distance: 341.4 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

6h 48m drive, plan rest stops for pacing.

Frequently Asked Questions

The longest stretch is about 144.3 miles on I 57. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.

We did not find dedicated rest areas on this route. For a drive this long, plan bathroom and stretch breaks around gas stations, fast-food stops, or small-town downtowns — check the Nearby Places section for options.

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 Aurora, IL before sunset when you can. Check the Trip Plan for departure windows that land you in daylight.

Only with planning. This is a long drive for kids — consider splitting it into two days rather than pushing through. Plan at least 1 meaningful breaks. Dedicated rest areas are limited, so plan gas or food stops as your bathroom breaks.

The main spots that need attention: at 278.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 278.7 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully; at 324.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.

Not recommended in a single day. At 6.8 hours each way, a round trip means 13.6 hours of driving — that is an unsafe level of fatigue for most drivers. Plan at least one night at Aurora, IL before the return drive.

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, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.

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