Origin
Round Lake Beach, IL
Morning in Round Lake Beach on Sunday
Local time
6:37 AM
CDT
Current temp
48°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Round Lake Beach, IL to Aurora, 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
54 mi
87 km
Drive Score
9/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$8
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 22m
★
6 AM
1h 28m
8 AM
1h 42m
10 AM
1h 33m
12 PM
1h 32m
3 PM
1h 34m
5 PM
1h 41m
8 PM
1h 24m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Round Lake Beach, IL
Ryan Latimer
Aurora, IL
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Round Lake Beach to Aurora is 54 miles and takes about 1 hour 28 minutes via Illinois Route 59, with a fuel budget near $8 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within Illinois, taking you from the Midwest region of Round Lake Beach to the Midwest region of Aurora. The route is a straightforward drive that mostly utilizes a single main road, making it a practical choice for a quick trip. You'll find it's a manageable distance for a single day, requiring no overnight stays. Consider this a dependable option when you need to cover ground efficiently between these two points.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Illinois Route 59 | 9 mi | 15m |
| New Sutton Road | 9 mi | 14m |
| IL 59 | 7.8 mi | 12m |
| Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway | 6.1 mi | 7m |
| US 12 | 5.1 mi | 7m |
| North Neltnor Boulevard | 4 mi | 7m |
| West Belvidere Road | 3.6 mi | 5m |
| Sutton Road | 2.6 mi | 4m |
Longest stretch:
Illinois Route 59
— 9 mi, about 15m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Round Lake Beach, IL and Aurora, IL.
1
Start on this road
142 ft
·
12 sec
·
this road
2
Turn right onto CR V63
1.4 mi
·
2 min
·
North Cedar Lake Road
3
Turn right onto Nippersink Avenue
0.1 mi
·
19 sec
·
Nippersink Avenue
4
Turn left onto South Cedar Lake Road
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
South Cedar Lake Road
5
Turn right onto IL 120
3.6 mi
·
5 min
·
West Belvidere Road
6
Turn left onto US 12; IL 59
0.1 mi
·
17 sec
·
US 12; IL 59
Use the left lane.
7
Continue on US 12; IL 59
0.1 mi
·
7 sec
·
US 12; IL 59
8
Continue on US 12; IL 59
1.7 mi
·
1 min
·
US 12; IL 59
9
Continue on US 12; IL 59
1.1 mi
·
1 min
·
US 12; IL 59
10
Continue on US 12; IL 59
2.1 mi
·
3 min
·
US 12; IL 59
11
Take the exit onto IL 59
7.8 mi
·
12 min
·
IL 59
Use the slight right lane.
12
Turn slight right
284 ft
·
4 sec
Use the slight right lane.
13
Continue on IL 59
9.0 mi
·
14 min
·
New Sutton Road
Use the left lane.
14
Continue on IL 59
2.6 mi
·
4 min
·
Sutton Road
Use the left lane.
15
Continue on IL 59
0.6 mi
·
55 sec
·
Ingalton Avenue
16
Continue on IL 59
5.4 mi
·
9 min
·
Illinois Route 59
Use the left lane.
17
Continue on IL 59
4.0 mi
·
7 min
·
North Neltnor Boulevard
18
Continue on IL 59
3.7 mi
·
6 min
·
Illinois Route 59
Use the left lane.
19
Take the ramp
0.4 mi
·
48 sec
Toward I 88 West Toll: De Kalb, Iowa
Use the right lane.
20
Merge onto I 88; IL 110
6.1 mi
·
7 min
·
Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
21
Take the exit
0.6 mi
·
1 min
Exit 117
Toward IL 31, IL 56 East
Use the right lane.
22
Turn right onto IL 31
0.4 mi
·
52 sec
·
South Lincolnway Street
23
Continue on IL 31
2.2 mi
·
4 min
·
North Lake Street
24
Turn right onto West Galena Boulevard
0.1 mi
·
9 sec
·
West Galena Boulevard
25
Arrive at destination
West Galena Boulevard
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
27 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 12 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 27 miles from Round Lake Beach, 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 105 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 50.8 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
4
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
CR V63 / North Cedar Lake Road
Turn right onto CR V63 / North Cedar Lake Road
Navigation decision point
5
11.2 mi into trip
|
~17m in
|
IL 59
Take the exit onto IL 59
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
6
44.3 mi into trip
|
~1h 13m in
Take the ramp toward I 88 West Toll: De Kalb, Iowa
Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the right lane.
Toward I 88 West Toll: De Kalb, Iowa
5
44.7 mi into trip
|
~1h 13m in
|
I 88; IL 110 / Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway
Merge onto I 88; IL 110 / Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
50.8 mi into trip
|
~1h 21m 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
$8.44 one way
$16.88 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
19 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $9.27 | $18.54 |
| premium | $4.89 | $10.39 | $20.78 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $11.92 | $23.85 |
Estimated Tolls: $0.36
Reagan Memorial Tollway
(6.1 mi)
$0.36
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$8
Tolls
$0
Total
$9
Estimated CO2 emission: 18.9 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $6 in charging · 0 stops · 68% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 16.2 | 0 | $5.67 | $2.59 |
| Efficient EV | 13.5 | 0 | $4.73 | $2.16 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 21.6 | 0 | $7.56 | $3.46 |
Gas CO2
19 kg
EV CO2
6 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.
Destination
Aurora, IL
Morning in Aurora on Sunday
Local time
6:37 AM
CDT
Current temp
51°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
3 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
1h 28m on the road
Use the two city cards together: check the sky where you start, then compare it with the local time and temperature at arrival.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
What kind of drive is this?
This route is a mixed highway and surface road experience, with 41% of the drive on higher-speed roads. You'll encounter the longest continuous stretch of 9 miles on Illinois Route 59. Expect to transition between sections with numerous exits and more open cruising as you make your way south. Keep an eye out for the shift from highway segments to more local surface streets as you approach your destination.
41% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
25 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 9 mi on Illinois Route 59.
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 10 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near CR V63 / North Cedar Lake 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 54 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: near the start (CR V63 / North Cedar Lake Road): Navigation decision point; at 11.2 miles (IL 59): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 44.3 miles: 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.
On the drive from Round Lake Beach, IL to Aurora, IL, road signs begin pointing toward Iowa along the way.
Iowa
44.3 mi in
|
~1h 13m
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 1h 28m. Total distance: 54 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 (41%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 9 miles on Illinois Route 59. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Expect about $0.36 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 2 rest areas or service plazas 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: near the start (CR V63 / North Cedar Lake Road): Navigation decision point; at 11.2 miles (IL 59): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 44.3 miles: Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
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, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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