This 137.8-mile drive from Savanna, IL to Waukegan, IL is a manageable one-day adventure, estimated to take about 3 hours and 30 minutes. Primarily navigating local roads with a 20% share of highway driving, you'll experience a more connected, turn-heavy journey. With an estimated fuel cost of $22, this trip through the Midwest offers a straightforward path. It’s well-suited for a single day, allowing you to focus on the experience without the need for an overnight stop. Plan for a single main stop to break up the drive if needed.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
Midpoint
68.9 miles from Savanna, IL
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 43m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
U.S. Grant Memorial Highway
21.2 mi
29m
Chicago Avenue
17.6 mi
27m
Main Street
15.9 mi
23m
West Blackhawk Drive
11.9 mi
17m
West Belvidere Road
10.5 mi
16m
IL 72
10 mi
14m
Telegraph Street
9 mi
12m
IL 176
7.1 mi
12m
Longest stretch:
U.S. Grant Memorial Highway
— 21.2 mi, about 29m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Savanna, IL and Waukegan, IL.
1
Start on US 52; IL 64; IL 84
0.3 mi·43 sec·Main Street
2
Continue on US 52; IL 64; IL 84
18 mi·27 min·Chicago Avenue
3
Turn left onto IL 73
4.2 mi·6 min·South Broad Street
4
Turn right onto IL 72
10 mi·14 min·IL 72
5
Turn right onto IL 26; IL 72
4.0 mi·6 min·IL 26; IL 72
6
Turn left onto IL 72
16 mi·23 min·Main Street
7
At end of road, turn left onto IL 2; IL 72
12 mi·17 min·West Blackhawk Drive
Use the left / straight lanes.
8
Turn left onto IL 2
0.7 mi·1 min·South Main Street
9
Take the ramp
0.3 mi·39 sec
Use the right lane.
10
Merge onto US 20
7.4 mi·8 min·U.S. Grant Memorial Highway
11
Take the exit onto US 20
0.2 mi·30 sec·U.S. Grant Memorial Highway
Exit 122AToward US 20 East: Belvedere
12
Keep slight right at fork onto US 20
14 mi·20 min·U.S. Grant Memorial Highway
Exit 122AToward US 20 East: Belvedere
13
Continue on US 20
5.0 mi·7 min·West Grant Highway
14
Turn left onto IL 23
0.5 mi·43 sec·South State Street
15
Turn right onto IL 176
9.0 mi·12 min·Telegraph Street
16
Turn right onto IL 47
0.8 mi·1 min·IL 47
Use the right lane.
17
Turn left onto IL 176
7.1 mi·12 min·IL 176
18
Turn left onto IL 31
5.1 mi·8 min·IL 31
19
Turn right onto A32
0.2 mi·17 sec·Bull Valley Road
20
Continue on A32
1.2 mi·2 min·Charles J Miller Road
21
At end of road, turn left onto V45
0.9 mi·1 min·South River Road
Use the straight lane.
22
Continue on V45
0.7 mi·58 sec·Chapel Hill Road
Use the straight lane.
23
Turn slight right
208 ft·5 sec
Use the right lane.
24
Turn straight onto IL 120
1.1 mi·1 min·West Elm Street
25
Continue on IL 120
1.1 mi·1 min·Rand Road
26
Continue on IL 120
10 mi·16 min·West Belvidere Road
Use the right lane.
27
Continue on IL 120
6.3 mi·9 min·Belvidere Road
Use the left lane.
28
Continue on IL 120
1.6 mi·3 min·Belvidere Street
29
Turn left onto Glen Rock Avenue
0.5 mi·1 min·Glen Rock Avenue
Use the left lane.
30
Turn left onto South Jackson Street
0.5 mi·1 min·South Jackson Street
31
Arrive at destination
North Jackson Street
Trip Plan
Given the 3-hour 30-minute duration and 137.8-mile length, this trip is ideal for a single day. Leaving Savanna, IL in the morning will give you ample time to reach Waukegan, IL without feeling rushed. Keep an eye on your fuel gauge, as the estimated cost is $22, and there's only one recommended stop. The longest stretch without a significant turn is 21.2 miles on U.S. Grant Memorial Highway, so be prepared for more frequent adjustments on other parts of the route.
Morning Departure
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Evening Departure
A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 68.9 miles from Savanna, IL, or about 1h 43m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 21.2 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 30 miles or 46m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 68.9 miles or 1h 43m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 2h 50m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Waukegan, IL than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Savanna, 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 Savanna, IL
This is one driving day of about 137.8 miles and 3h 30m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 30 miles from Savanna, IL.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
Plan about 1 real break rather than only quick fuel stops.
The longest stretch is on U.S. Grant Memorial Highway for about 21.2 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 19
5 decision points cluster between mile 51.7 and 114.6 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
51.7 mi into trip|~1h 18m in|IL 2; IL 72 / West Blackhawk Drive
At end of road, turn left onto IL 2; IL 72 / West Blackhawk Drive
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left / straight lanes.
6
64.3 mi into trip|~1h 37m in
Take the ramp
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
5
72 mi into trip|~1h 46m in|US 20 / U.S. Grant Memorial Highway
Take the exit onto US 20 / U.S. Grant Memorial Highway toward US 20 East: Belvedere
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Exit 122A
Toward US 20 East: Belvedere
6
72.2 mi into trip|~1h 47m in|US 20 / U.S. Grant Memorial Highway
Keep slight right at fork onto US 20 / U.S. Grant Memorial Highway toward US 20 East: Belvedere
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Exit 122A
Toward US 20 East: Belvedere
7
114.6 mi into trip|~2h 53m in|V45 / South River Road
At end of road, turn left onto V45 / South River Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$21.54 one way
$43.09 round trip
$3.97/gal25.4 MPG avg48 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.36
$23.65
$47.31
premium
$4.89
$26.52
$53.04
diesel
$5.61
$30.42
$60.85
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$22
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$47–$72
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 48.2 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $14 in charging
· 0 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
41.3
0
$14.47
$6.61
Efficient EV
34.5
0
$12.06
$5.51
EV Truck/SUV
55.1
0
$19.29
$8.82
Gas CO2
48 kg
EV CO2
16 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 16, 2026
Origin
Savanna, IL
Late night
in Savanna on Sunday
Local time
4:58 AM
CDT
Current temp
47°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Waukegan, IL
Late night
in Waukegan on Sunday
Local time
4:58 AM
CDT
Current temp
66°F
Scattered Showers And Thunderstorms
N 10 mph39% chanceLive forecast
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
3h 30m 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.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
Expect a 'turn-heavy local drive' for most of this 137.8-mile route, with only 20% of the journey on highways. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 21.2 miles along U.S. Grant Memorial Highway. This means you'll likely be navigating through towns and local streets more often than cruising on fast-paced interstates. The character of the road will shift as you make your way from the western Illinois landscape toward the more populated areas surrounding Waukegan.
Only 20% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
31 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 21.2 mi on U.S. Grant Memorial Highway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
6/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. You will hit about 19 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 51.7 miles in near IL 2; IL 72 / West Blackhawk Drive.
Driving Effort6/10
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 137.8 miles you will encounter 19 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 51.7 miles (IL 2; IL 72 / West Blackhawk Drive): Lane positioning matters here; at 64.3 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 72 miles (US 20 / U.S. Grant Memorial Highway): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early.
Waukegan is in the Far North Suburbs of the Chicagoland region of Illinois. It sits on Lake Michigan, has a large harbor, and is the county seat of Lake County, Illinois.
Doable as a same-day drive at 3h 30m. Total distance: 137.8 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
3h 30m drive, comfortable solo distance.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 21.2 miles on U.S. Grant Memorial Highway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
We did not find dedicated rest areas on this route. For a drive this long, plan bathroom and stretch breaks around gas stations, fast-food stops, or small-town downtowns — check the Nearby Places section for options.
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 Waukegan, IL before sunset when you can. Check the Trip Plan for departure windows that land you in daylight.
Only with planning. This is a long drive for kids — consider splitting it into two days rather than pushing through. Plan at least 1 meaningful breaks. Dedicated rest areas are limited, so plan gas or food stops as your bathroom breaks.
The main spots that need attention: at 51.7 miles (IL 2; IL 72 / West Blackhawk Drive): Lane positioning matters here; at 64.3 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 72 miles (US 20 / U.S. Grant Memorial Highway): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early.
Possible but tiring. At 3.5 hours each way, an in-and-out day trip would put you behind the wheel for 7.0 hours — manageable with a long break at Waukegan, IL, but most travelers stay overnight.
