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 Elgin, IL
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
50m
Distance
31.6 mi
51 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$5
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 46m
★
6 AM
0h 51m
8 AM
0h 59m
10 AM
0h 54m
12 PM
0h 53m
3 PM
0h 54m
5 PM
0h 59m
8 PM
0h 48m
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
Elgin, IL
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Round Lake Beach to Elgin is 31.6 miles and takes about 50 minutes via IL 59 and US 12, with a fuel budget near $5 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within Illinois, traversing the Midwest region. It's a straightforward drive, mostly on well-maintained roads. Consider this route for a quick, easy transfer between these two Illinois towns, ideal for a day trip or a simple relocation.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| IL 59 | 7.8 mi | 12m |
| New Sutton Road | 6.3 mi | 9m |
| US 12 | 5.1 mi | 7m |
| West Belvidere Road | 3.6 mi | 5m |
| Jane Addams Memorial Tollway | 2.8 mi | 3m |
| Dundee Avenue | 2 mi | 3m |
| North Cedar Lake Road | 1.4 mi | 2m |
| South Cedar Lake Road | 1 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
IL 59
— 7.8 mi, about 12m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Round Lake Beach, IL and Elgin, 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
6.3 mi
·
9 min
·
New Sutton Road
Use the left lane.
14
Take the ramp
0.4 mi
·
56 sec
Toward I 90 West Toll: Rockford
15
Merge onto I 90
2.8 mi
·
3 min
·
Jane Addams Memorial Tollway
16
Take the exit
504 ft
·
12 sec
Exit 56
Toward IL 25
Use the slight right lane.
17
Continue on this road
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
this road
Exit 56
Toward IL 25
18
Continue on this road
0.1 mi
·
17 sec
·
this road
19
Turn left onto IL 25
2.0 mi
·
3 min
·
Dundee Avenue
Use the left lane.
20
Continue on Center Street
0.1 mi
·
23 sec
·
Center Street
21
Turn right
311 ft
·
28 sec
22
Turn left onto East Chicago Street
117 ft
·
3 sec
·
East Chicago Street
23
Arrive at destination
East Chicago Street
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
16 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 31.6 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 15.8 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 125 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 31.5 — 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.
7
28.7 mi into trip
|
~44m in
Take the exit toward IL 25
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 56
Toward IL 25
5
31.5 mi into trip
|
~50m in
Turn right
Navigation decision point
5
31.5 mi into trip
|
~50m in
|
East Chicago Street
Turn left onto East Chicago Street
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$4.94 one way
$9.88 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
11 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $5.42 | $10.85 |
| premium | $4.89 | $6.08 | $12.16 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $6.98 | $13.95 |
Estimated Tolls: $0.20
Jane Addams Memorial Tollway
(2.8 mi)
$0.20
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$5
Tolls
$0
Total
$5
Estimated CO2 emission: 11.1 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 64% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 9.5 | 0 | $3.32 | $1.52 |
| Efficient EV | 7.9 | 0 | $2.77 | $1.26 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 12.6 | 0 | $4.42 | $2.02 |
Gas CO2
11 kg
EV CO2
4 kg (64% 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
Elgin, IL
Morning in Elgin on Sunday
Local time
6:37 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
2 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
50m 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?
You'll encounter a mixed highway and surface road profile on this drive. About 41% of the route is highway, with the longest continuous stretch on IL 59 covering 7.8 miles. Expect to transition between higher-speed roads and more typical surface streets, which may include navigating intersections and local traffic. The change between highway and surface road sections will be noticeable as you progress.
41% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
23 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 7.8 mi on IL 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 12 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 31.6 miles you will encounter 12 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 28.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
About the Cities
Arriving in Elgin, IL
Full guide →Founded 1854
Elgin is a city in Chicagoland known for its Victorian architecture and the Elgin Symphony Orchestra.
Top landmarks
- • Elgin Tower Building — building in Illinois, United States
- • Elgin Downtown Commercial District
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 50m. Total distance: 31.6 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
50m 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 7.8 miles on IL 59. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Expect about $0.20 in tolls one way, starting with Jane Addams 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 Elgin, 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 28.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Elgin, 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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