Origin
Waukegan, IL
Morning in Waukegan on Tuesday
Local time
7:19 AM
CDT
Current temp
58°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Waukegan, IL to Zion, 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
14m
Distance
6.8 mi
11 km
Drive Score
5/10
Practical drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$1
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 14m
★
6 AM
0h 15m
8 AM
0h 18m
10 AM
0h 16m
12 PM
0h 16m
3 PM
0h 16m
5 PM
0h 17m
8 PM
0h 14m
★
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Zion, IL
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
If you are looking for a quick transition between Waukegan and Zion, Illinois, this 6.8-mile journey is an ideal local connection. You can expect to complete the drive in roughly 14 minutes, making it a perfect candidate for a single-day trip. With a fuel budget of just $1, it is an incredibly economical way to travel across this Midwestern corridor. Because the total distance is so short, you certainly do not need to worry about overnight logistics or complex planning. Whether you are running local errands or heading toward the state line, this straightforward commute gets you from point A to point B without any unnecessary hassle.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| North Sheridan Road | 4.8 mi | 10m |
| North Jackson Street | 1 mi | 2m |
| West Glen Flora Avenue | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| 27th Street | 0.4 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
North Sheridan Road
— 4.8 mi, about 10m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Waukegan, IL and Zion, IL.
1
Start on North Jackson Street
1.0 mi
·
2 min
·
North Jackson Street
2
Turn right onto West Glen Flora Avenue
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
West Glen Flora Avenue
3
Turn left onto North Sheridan Road
4.8 mi
·
10 min
·
North Sheridan Road
4
Turn left onto 27th Street
0.4 mi
·
54 sec
·
27th Street
5
Arrive at destination
27th Street
Heads-up: tricky spots
3 of 33 decision points cluster between mile 1 and 6.4 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
4
1 mi into trip
|
~2m in
|
West Glen Flora Avenue
Turn right onto West Glen Flora Avenue
Navigation decision point
4
1.6 mi into trip
|
~4m in
|
North Sheridan Road
Turn left onto North Sheridan Road
Navigation decision point
4
6.4 mi into trip
|
~14m in
|
27th Street
Turn left onto 27th Street
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$1.06 one way
$2.13 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
2 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $1.17 | $2.33 |
| premium | $4.89 | $1.31 | $2.62 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $1.50 | $3.00 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$1
Estimated CO2 emission: 2.4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $1 in charging · 0 stops · 50% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 2 | 0 | $0.71 | $0.33 |
| Efficient EV | 1.7 | 0 | $0.60 | $0.27 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 2.7 | 0 | $0.95 | $0.44 |
Gas CO2
2 kg
EV CO2
1 kg (50% 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
Zion, IL
Morning in Zion on Tuesday
Local time
7:19 AM
CDT
Current temp
57°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
1 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
14m 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?
Expect a turn-heavy local drive rather than a high-speed interstate cruise, as this route features zero highway miles. You will navigate your way using a combination of West Glen Flora Avenue, North Sheridan Road, and 27th Street to reach your destination. Because this path relies entirely on local roads, you will experience a constant flow of intersections and turns throughout the 14-minute trip. There is no long, uninterrupted stretch to speak of, so keep your focus on the changing urban landscape. The character of this route is defined by its practicality and constant movement through the heart of the region.
Only 0% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
5 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 4.8 mi on North Sheridan Road.
How Hard Is This Drive?
2/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. Navigation is very simple - set it and forget it for most of the drive. The trickiest moment comes around 1 miles in near West Glen Flora Avenue.
Driving Effort
2/10
Very easy - short and simple to drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
The drive from Waukegan, IL to Zion, IL is easy. At 14m with 0% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 1 miles (West Glen Flora Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 1.6 miles (North Sheridan Road): Navigation decision point; at 6.4 miles (27th Street): Navigation decision point.
About the Cities
Starting in Waukegan, IL
Full guide →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.
Arriving in Zion, IL
Full guide →Founded 1901
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 14m. Total distance: 6.8 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
14m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (0%). Straightforward navigation.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 4.8 miles on North Sheridan Road. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
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 miles (West Glen Flora Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 1.6 miles (North Sheridan Road): Navigation decision point; at 6.4 miles (27th Street): Navigation decision point.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Zion, 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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