Origin
Oak Park, IL
Late night in Oak Park on Tuesday
Local time
3:47 AM
CDT
Current temp
62°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Oak Park, IL to Aurora, 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
49m
Distance
34.2 mi
55 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$5
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 45m
★
6 AM
0h 49m
8 AM
0h 57m
10 AM
0h 52m
12 PM
0h 51m
3 PM
0h 52m
5 PM
0h 57m
8 PM
0h 47m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Oak Park, IL
Wikimedia Commons
Aurora, IL
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Oak Park, IL to Aurora, IL is 34.2 miles and takes about 49m via Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway/Eisenhower Expressway, with a fuel budget near $5 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This is a short, manageable trip entirely within the Midwest region of Illinois. Expect a drive with a fair amount of turns as you navigate local roads mixed with expressway travel. With a travel time under an hour, this route is ideal for a quick day trip or a convenient transfer between two points in the greater Chicago metropolitan area. It’s a straightforward journey with minimal time commitment.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway | 23.9 mi | 29m |
| Eisenhower Expressway | 5 mi | 6m |
| North Lake Street | 2.2 mi | 4m |
| Washington Boulevard | 1 mi | 2m |
| South Harlem Avenue | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| South Lincolnway Street | 0.4 mi | <1m |
| South Ridgeland Avenue | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| West Galena Boulevard | 0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway
— 23.9 mi, about 29m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Oak Park, IL and Aurora, IL.
1
Start on South Ridgeland Avenue
0.2 mi
·
38 sec
·
South Ridgeland Avenue
2
Turn right onto Washington Boulevard
1.0 mi
·
2 min
·
Washington Boulevard
3
Turn left onto IL 43
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
South Harlem Avenue
Use the left lane.
4
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
30 sec
Toward I 290 West
Use the right lane.
5
Merge onto I 290; IL 110
5.0 mi
·
6 min
·
Eisenhower Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Keep slight left at fork onto I 88; IL 110
1.9 mi
·
2 min
·
Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway
Exit 15A
Toward I 88 West Toll, I 294 South Toll: Aurora, Indiana
Use the slight left lane.
7
Keep slight right at fork onto I 88; IL 110
22 mi
·
26 min
·
Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway
Exit 138
Toward 22nd Street (Cermak Road)
Use the slight right lane.
8
Take the exit
0.6 mi
·
1 min
Exit 117
Toward IL 31, IL 56 East
Use the right lane.
9
Turn right onto IL 31
0.4 mi
·
52 sec
·
South Lincolnway Street
10
Continue on IL 31
2.2 mi
·
4 min
·
North Lake Street
11
Turn right onto West Galena Boulevard
0.1 mi
·
9 sec
·
West Galena Boulevard
12
Arrive at destination
West Galena Boulevard
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
17 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 34 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 17.1 miles from Oak 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 85 decision points cluster between mile 1.3 and 30.9 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
1.3 mi into trip
|
~3m in
|
IL 43 / South Harlem Avenue
Turn left onto IL 43 / South Harlem Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
7
1.8 mi into trip
|
~5m in
Take the ramp toward I 290 West
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Toward I 290 West
9
7 mi into trip
|
~12m in
|
I 88; IL 110 / Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway
Keep slight left at fork onto I 88; IL 110 / Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway toward I 88 West Toll, I 294 South Toll: Aurora, Indiana
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight left lane.
Exit 15A
Toward I 88 West Toll, I 294 South Toll: Aurora...
8
8.9 mi into trip
|
~14m in
|
I 88; IL 110 / Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway
Keep slight right at fork onto I 88; IL 110 / Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway toward 22nd Street (Cermak Road)
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 138
Toward 22nd Street (Cermak Road)
8
30.9 mi into trip
|
~41m in
Take the exit toward IL 31, IL 56 East
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the right lane.
Exit 117
Toward IL 31, IL 56 East
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$5.35 one way
$10.69 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
12 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $5.87 | $11.74 |
| premium | $4.89 | $6.58 | $13.16 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $7.55 | $15.10 |
Estimated Tolls: $1.43
Reagan Memorial Tollway
(23.9 mi)
$1.43
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$5
Tolls
$1
Total
$7
Estimated CO2 emission: 12 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 10.3 | 0 | $3.59 | $1.64 |
| Efficient EV | 8.6 | 0 | $2.99 | $1.37 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 13.7 | 0 | $4.79 | $2.19 |
Gas CO2
12 kg
EV CO2
4 kg (67% 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
Aurora, IL
Late night in Aurora on Tuesday
Local time
3:47 AM
CDT
Current temp
56°F
Sunny
S 10 mph
1% chance
Live forecast
Flood Warning
Flood Warning issued April 20 at 2:30PM CDT until April 21 at 5:00AM CDT by NWS Quad Cities IA IL
Flood Warning
Flood Warning issued April 20 at 1:04PM CDT by NWS St Louis MO
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
6 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
49m 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 characterized by its frequent turns, indicating a route that weaves through local streets more than it sticks to a single highway. While 15% of the journey utilizes highways like the Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway and Eisenhower Expressway, you'll spend a significant portion navigating local roads. The longest uninterrupted stretch is 23.9 miles on the Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway, offering a brief period of consistent speed before you transition back to more varied driving. The profile suggests a dynamic route, requiring attention as you switch between faster highway segments and the more stop-and-go nature of local streets.
Only 15% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
12 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 23.9 mi on Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
8/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 1.3 miles in near IL 43 / South Harlem Avenue.
Driving Effort
8/10
Focused - busy navigation packed into a short drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 8 decision points packed into just 34.2 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 49m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 1.3 miles (IL 43 / South Harlem Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 1.8 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 7 miles (I 88; IL 110 / Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Oak Park, IL and Aurora, IL, road signs point toward Indiana and 22Nd Street (Cermak Road).
Indiana
7 mi in
|
~12m
|
via I 88; IL 110
22Nd Street (Cermak Road)
8.9 mi in
|
~14m
|
via I 88; IL 110
About the Cities
Starting in Oak Park, IL
Full guide →Oak Park is a city of 52,000 people (2018) in the Chicagoland area. It's essentially an outdoor museum dedicated to architect Frank Lloyd Wright.
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 49m. Total distance: 34.2 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
49m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 23.9 miles on Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Expect about $1.43 in tolls one way, starting with Reagan Memorial 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.
Yes — we found about 1 rest area or service plaza within a short detour of the route (from OpenStreetMap). See the Rest Stops tab under Nearby Places for locations and mile markers. Plan to stretch, use the bathroom, and top off fluids every 2–3 hours on longer drives.
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.
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 1.3 miles (IL 43 / South Harlem Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 1.8 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 7 miles (I 88; IL 110 / Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
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 Aurora, 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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