This 119.8-mile drive from Palos Heights, IL, to Champaign, IL, is a straightforward trip that can easily be completed in about 2 hours and 19 minutes. It's a perfect candidate for a day trip, with no need to break it up. The estimated fuel cost is around $19, making it an economical journey. You'll spend most of your time on major highways, so expect a consistent pace throughout. Given that both your origin and destination are in the Midwest region, the landscape will remain familiar throughout your travels.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Midpoint
59.9 miles from Palos Heights, IL
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 10m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
I 57
105.4 mi
1h 54m
Cicero Avenue
4.5 mi
7m
Market Street
3.9 mi
6m
West College Drive
1.4 mi
2m
West Calumet Sag Road
1.1 mi
1m
Cal Sag Road
0.9 mi
1m
North Neil Street
0.7 mi
1m
Harlem Avenue
0.5 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
I 57
— 105.4 mi, about 1h 54m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Palos Heights, IL and Champaign, IL.
1
Start on this road
41 ft·5 sec·this road
2
Turn right onto West 123rd Street
50 ft·5 sec·West 123rd Street
3
Turn right onto IL 43
0.5 mi·49 sec·Harlem Avenue
4
Turn right onto IL 83
1.4 mi·2 min·West College Drive
Use the left lane.
5
Continue on IL 83
1.1 mi·1 min·West Calumet Sag Road
6
Continue on Cal Sag Road
0.9 mi·1 min·Cal Sag Road
Use the right lane.
7
Turn right onto IL 50; IL 83
4.5 mi·7 min·Cicero Avenue
Use the right lane.
8
Turn left onto 167th Street
0.2 mi·26 sec·167th Street
Use the left lane.
9
Take the ramp
0.6 mi·1 min
Toward I 57 South: Kankakee, I-80
10
Merge onto I 57
105 mi·1 hr 54 min·I 57
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Take the exit
0.3 mi·26 sec
Exit 240Toward Market Street
12
Turn left
96 ft·5 sec
13
Turn left onto Market Street
3.9 mi·6 min·Market Street
14
Turn right onto East Bradley Avenue
0.3 mi·34 sec·East Bradley Avenue
15
Turn left onto North Neil Street
0.7 mi·1 min·North Neil Street
16
Arrive at destination
North Neil Street
Trip Plan
For this relatively short 2-hour trip, you have a lot of flexibility. Leaving in the morning should get you to Champaign with plenty of daylight. Since there are no planned stops in the data, you can easily drive straight through, or make an impromptu stop for fuel or a quick break as needed. Keep an eye on your fuel gauge, as the longest stretch on I 57 is over 100 miles. Given the $19 fuel cost, it's an affordable drive, so don't overthink stopping for gas unless you're running low.
Morning Departure
Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch.
Evening Departure
Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
You may only need one short stretch break if traffic stays light.
The halfway point lands around 59.9 miles from Palos Heights, IL, or about 1h 10m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 105.4 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 26 miles or 33m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 59.9 miles or 1h 10m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 1h 52m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Champaign, IL than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Palos Heights, 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 Palos Heights, IL
This is one driving day of about 119.8 miles and 2h 19m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 26 miles from Palos Heights, IL.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on I 57 for about 105.4 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 12
5 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 114.6 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0 mi into trip|~0m in|West 123rd Street
Turn right onto West 123rd Street
Navigation decision point
6
0.5 mi into trip|~1m in|IL 83 / West College Drive
Turn right onto IL 83 / West College Drive
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
5
4 mi into trip|~6m in|IL 50; IL 83 / Cicero Avenue
Turn right onto IL 50; IL 83 / Cicero Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
5
9.2 mi into trip|~15m in|I 57
Merge onto I 57
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
114.6 mi into trip|~2h 10m in
Take the exit toward Market Street
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Exit 240
Toward Market Street
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$18.73 one way
$37.46 round trip
$3.97/gal25.4 MPG avg42 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.36
$20.56
$41.13
premium
$4.89
$23.05
$46.11
diesel
$5.61
$26.45
$52.90
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$19
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$44–$69
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 41.9 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $13 in charging
· 0 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
35.9
0
$12.58
$5.75
Efficient EV
30
0
$10.48
$4.79
EV Truck/SUV
47.9
0
$16.77
$7.67
Gas CO2
42 kg
EV CO2
14 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.
Forecast as of Apr 18, 2026
Origin
Palos Heights, IL
Morning
in Palos Heights on Tuesday
Local time
7:17 AM
CDT
Current temp
50°F
Slight Chance Rain Showers then Mostly Cloudy
WNW 15 to 20 mph20% chanceLive forecast
Flood Warning
Flood Warning issued April 18 at 5:50AM CDT until April 21 at 4:00AM CDT by NWS Quad Cities IA IL
Flood Warning
Flood Warning issued April 18 at 5:48AM CDT by NWS Chicago IL
Destination
Champaign, IL
Morning
in Champaign on Tuesday
Local time
7:17 AM
CDT
Current temp
69°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
48°F
Otto, IL
60 mi in
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
19 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
2h 19m 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.
National Parks Near This Route
Worth a detour if your schedule allows.
Pullman National Historical Park
National Historical Park
In a growing Chicago neighborhood, diverse people and stories intertwined. All were seeking opportunity. Some succeeded. Others were limited—by race, gender, or economic status. Their stories came tog...
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
This route is predominantly a highway-focused drive, with 88% of it utilizing major roadways. You'll experience a long stretch of 105.4 miles primarily on I 57, offering a consistent and uninterrupted travel experience. The journey begins with some time on Cicero Avenue before merging onto the interstate. While the majority is highway, the transition at the beginning and end might offer slight variations in the driving experience, but the overall feel is one of efficient travel.
88% 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: 105.4 mi on I 57.
How Hard Is This Drive?
3/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 57 and Cicero Avenue. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near West 123rd Street.
Driving Effort3/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 2h 19m drive. You will face about 12 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (West 123rd Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.5 miles (IL 83 / West College Drive): Lane positioning matters here; at 4 miles (IL 50; IL 83 / Cicero Avenue): Lane positioning matters here.
Champaign-Urbana is a metropolitan area in central Illinois, composed of the towns of Champaign, Urbana, and Savoy. The community is the site of the main campus of the University of Illinois, one of the great public universities of the United States.
Top landmarks
•Orpheum Theatre — theater and movie theater in Champaign, Illinois, United States
•Virginia Theatre — movie theater in Champaign, Illinois, United States
•Cattle Bank — bank building in Champaign, United States of America
The longest stretch is about 105.4 miles on I 57. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes, with realistic expectations. Build in a stop roughly every 2 hours, have snacks and activities ready, and check the Nearby Places tabs for kid-friendly stops along the way.
The main spots that need attention: near the start (West 123rd Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.5 miles (IL 83 / West College Drive): Lane positioning matters here; at 4 miles (IL 50; IL 83 / Cicero Avenue): 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 Champaign, IL before heading back.
