Skip to main content
US Trip Planner Logo
US Trip Planner

Trip from Niles, IL to Grant Park, IL

Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

1h 28m

Distance

62.5 mi

101 km

Drive Score

8/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$10

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 20 min
4 AM
1h 22m ★
6 AM
1h 29m
8 AM
1h 42m
10 AM
1h 33m
12 PM
1h 32m
3 PM
1h 34m
5 PM
1h 42m
8 PM
1h 25m

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

Best Time Drive vs Fly
Google Maps Waze Apple Maps
Download GPX
village in Cook County, Illinois, United States

Niles, IL

Wikimedia Commons

Downtown Grant Park, IL, IL

Grant Park, IL

Quang Vuong

Trip Overview

This 62.5-mile drive from Niles, IL to Grant Park, IL will take you approximately 1 hour and 28 minutes. It's a straightforward, highway-focused trip that's perfect for a single day, so no overnight stays are necessary. You can expect to spend around $10 on fuel for this journey. The route primarily utilizes the Calumet Expressway, Bishop Ford Freeway, and the express lanes of the Dan Ryan Expressway. Given that both your origin and destination are within the Midwest region of Illinois, you'll experience a consistent Midwestern landscape throughout. This trip is ideal for getting from point A to point B efficiently.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
Calumet Expressway 15.4 mi 21m
Bishop Ford Freeway 10.8 mi 14m
Dan Ryan Expressway (Express) 8.8 mi 11m
Kennedy Expressway 8.1 mi 11m
Dixie Highway 6.2 mi 9m
County Road East 1241 North 3.9 mi 5m
North Caldwell Avenue 2.9 mi 4m
Dan Ryan Expressway 2.4 mi 2m
Longest stretch: Calumet Expressway — 15.4 mi, about 21m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Niles, IL and Grant Park, IL.

1

Start on North Waukegan Road

14 ft · 4 sec · North Waukegan Road
2

Turn right onto West Howard Street

0.6 mi · 1 min · West Howard Street
3

Turn right onto US 14

2.9 mi · 4 min · North Caldwell Avenue
4

Take the ramp

0.3 mi · 35 sec
Toward I 94 East Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5

Merge onto I 94

2.1 mi · 2 min · Edens Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6

Continue on I 90; I 94

8.1 mi · 11 min · Kennedy Expressway
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
7

Continue on I 90; I 94

2.4 mi · 2 min · Dan Ryan Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8

Keep slight left at fork onto I 90; I 94

8.8 mi · 11 min · Dan Ryan Expressway (Express)
Toward I 90 Express, I 94 Express Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9

Keep slight left at fork onto I 94

11 mi · 14 min · Bishop Ford Freeway
Toward I 94 East: Indiana Use the slight left lane.
10

Keep slight right at fork onto IL 394

0.5 mi · 48 sec · Calumet Expressway
Exit 74A-B Toward I 80 West, I 294 North, IL 394 South: Danville, Iowa, Wisconsin Use the slight right lane.
11

Keep slight left at fork onto IL 394

15 mi · 20 min · Calumet Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12

Continue on IL 1

6.2 mi · 9 min · Dixie Highway
13

Continue on IL 1

3.9 mi · 5 min · County Road East 1241 North
14

Turn right onto IL 1; IL 17

0.9 mi · 2 min · East Taylor Street
15

Turn right onto Maple Street

27 ft · 1 sec · Maple Street
16

Arrive at destination

Maple Street

Where to Stop

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

Downtown chicago-il

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Chicago, IL

31 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

Chicago, IL

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 14 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Lansing, IL

Meal break

The midpoint is around 31.3 miles from Niles, 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 10

5 decision points cluster between mile 3.5 and 36.4 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.

5
3.5 mi into trip | ~5m in

Take the ramp toward I 94 East

Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight right lanes. Toward I 94 East
8
16.4 mi into trip | ~23m in | I 90; I 94 / Dan Ryan Expressway (Express)

Keep slight left at fork onto I 90; I 94 / Dan Ryan Expressway (Express) toward I 90 Express, I 94 Express

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Use the straight / slight right lanes. Toward I 90 Express, I 94 Express
7
25.2 mi into trip | ~35m in | I 94 / Bishop Ford Freeway

Keep slight left at fork onto I 94 / Bishop Ford Freeway toward I 94 East: Indiana

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the slight left lane. Toward I 94 East: Indiana
9
36 mi into trip | ~49m in | IL 394 / Calumet Expressway

Keep slight right at fork onto IL 394 / Calumet Expressway toward I 80 West, I 294 North, IL 394 South: Danville, Iowa, Wisconsin

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Use the slight right lane. Exit 74A-B Toward I 80 West, I 294 North, IL 394 South: Da...
6
36.4 mi into trip | ~50m in | IL 394 / Calumet Expressway

Keep slight left at fork onto IL 394 / Calumet Expressway

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$9.77 one way

$19.54 round trip

$3.97/gal 25.4 MPG avg 22 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.36 $10.73 $21.46
premium $4.89 $12.03 $24.06
diesel $5.61 $13.80 $27.60

No toll roads detected on this route.

Drive Cost (one way)

Fuel

$10

Estimated CO2 emission: 21.9 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $7 in charging · 0 stops · 68% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 18.8 0 $6.56 $3.00
Efficient EV 15.6 0 $5.47 $2.50
EV Truck/SUV 25 0 $8.75 $4.00

Gas CO2

22 kg

EV CO2

7 kg (68% 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.

Forecast as of Apr 16, 2026

Origin

Niles, IL

Late night in Niles on Sunday

Local time

2:47 AM

CDT

Current temp

69°F

Scattered Showers And Thunderstorms

NW 10 to 15 mph 39% chance Live forecast

Flood Warning

Flood Warning issued April 16 at 10:43AM CDT by NWS Quad Cities IA IL

Flood Warning

Flood Warning issued April 16 at 10:43AM CDT by NWS Quad Cities IA IL

Destination

Grant Park, IL

Late night in Grant Park on Sunday

Local time

2:47 AM

CDT

Current temp

50°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

19 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

1h 28m 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 drive is predominantly highway-focused, with 76% of the journey on faster roads. You'll experience uninterrupted stretches of driving, including a longest segment of 15.4 miles on the Calumet Expressway. The character of the road is largely consistent, offering a direct and efficient path. Expect to navigate through a series of expressways that prioritize speed and connectivity over scenic detours. This is a route built for covering distance with minimal fuss.

76% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
16 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 15.4 mi on Calumet Expressway.

How Hard Is This Drive?

8/10

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Calumet Expressway and Bishop Ford Freeway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 3.5 miles in.

Driving Effort 8/10

Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

This drive requires moderate attention. Across 62.5 miles you will encounter 10 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 3.5 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 16.4 miles (I 90; I 94 / Dan Ryan Expressway (Express)): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 25.2 miles (I 94 / Bishop Ford Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.

Towns Mentioned on Route Signs

Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.

Between Niles, IL and Grant Park, IL, road signs point toward Iowa and Wisconsin.

Iowa

36 mi in | ~49m | via IL 394

Wisconsin

36 mi in | ~49m | via IL 394

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 28m. Total distance: 62.5 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

1h 28m drive, comfortable solo distance.

EV Driver

0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (76%). Some complex stretches to watch for.

Frequently Asked Questions

The longest stretch is about 15.4 miles on Calumet 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 Grant Park, 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 3.5 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 16.4 miles (I 90; I 94 / Dan Ryan Expressway (Express)): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 25.2 miles (I 94 / Bishop Ford Freeway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.

Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Grant Park, 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, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.

Was this helpful?

Thanks for your feedback!

Your tip has been submitted. Thanks!

/500

Explore More

Continue From Grant Park, IL

York, IL 174.5 mi · 3h 57m

More from Niles, IL

Saint Rose, IL 300.7 mi · 5h 45m Godfrey, IL 292.1 mi · 5h 36m Hamel, IL 270.5 mi · 5h 5m Peoria, IL 170.5 mi · 3h 18m Galena, IL 152 mi · 3h 16m Gardner, IL 73.6 mi · 1h 33m
Escape planner: Niles, IL Scenic drives in IL

Explore more options from Niles, IL or browse trips ending in Grant Park, IL.

Looking for more statewide routes? Browse IL road trips.