Origin
Winnetka, IL
Afternoon in Winnetka on Sunday
Local time
12:26 PM
CDT
Current temp
70°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Winnetka, 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 15m
Distance
51.7 mi
83 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$8
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 9m
★
6 AM
1h 15m
8 AM
1h 27m
10 AM
1h 19m
12 PM
1h 18m
3 PM
1h 20m
5 PM
1h 26m
8 PM
1h 12m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Winnetka, IL
Wikimedia Commons
Aurora, IL
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Winnetka, IL to Aurora, IL is 51.7 miles and takes about 1h 15m via Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway, with a fuel budget near $8 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This drive connects two points within the Midwest, specifically Illinois, offering a straightforward journey. Expect a local feel with frequent turns rather than a continuous highway experience. With only one recommended day, this trip is perfect for a quick excursion or an efficient commute, keeping you on the road for a manageable amount of time. The estimated fuel cost is quite low, making it an economical option for a short trip.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway | 22.8 mi | 27m |
| Tri-State Tollway | 17.2 mi | 23m |
| Willow Road | 6.6 mi | 12m |
| North Lake Street | 2.2 mi | 4m |
| Locust Road | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| South Lincolnway Street | 0.4 mi | <1m |
| Pine Street | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| West Galena Boulevard | 0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway
— 22.8 mi, about 27m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Winnetka, IL and Aurora, IL.
1
Start on Pine Street
0.3 mi
·
48 sec
·
Pine Street
2
Turn left onto Locust Road
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
Locust Road
3
At end of road, turn right onto Willow Road
6.6 mi
·
12 min
·
Willow Road
Use the right lane.
4
Turn left
0.5 mi
·
1 min
Toward I 294 Toll South: Indiana
Use the left lane.
5
Merge onto I 294
16 mi
·
20 min
·
Tri-State Tollway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Take the exit onto I 294
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
Tri-State Tollway
Toward I 88 West, I 294 South: Aurora, Indiana
Use the slight right lane.
7
Keep slight right at fork onto I 294
0.2 mi
·
30 sec
·
Tri-State Tollway
Toward I 88 West, I 294 South: Aurora, Indiana
Use the slight right lane.
8
Continue on I 294
0.4 mi
·
47 sec
·
Tri-State Tollway
Exit 15A
Toward I 88 West, I 294 South: Aurora, Indiana
9
Keep slight right at fork
0.5 mi
·
49 sec
Exit 31A
Toward I 88 West Toll: Aurora
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Merge onto I 88; IL 110
0.8 mi
·
59 sec
·
Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway
11
Keep slight right at fork onto I 88; IL 110
22 mi
·
26 min
·
Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway
Exit 138
Toward 22nd Street (Cermak Road)
Use the slight right lane.
12
Take the exit
0.6 mi
·
1 min
Exit 117
Toward IL 31, IL 56 East
Use the right lane.
13
Turn right onto IL 31
0.4 mi
·
52 sec
·
South Lincolnway Street
14
Continue on IL 31
2.2 mi
·
4 min
·
North Lake Street
15
Turn right onto West Galena Boulevard
0.1 mi
·
9 sec
·
West Galena Boulevard
16
Arrive at destination
West Galena Boulevard
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
26 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 11 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 25.9 miles from Winnetka, 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 0.8 and 48.5 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
7
0.8 mi into trip
|
~2m in
|
Willow Road
At end of road, turn right onto Willow Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
8
24.6 mi into trip
|
~37m in
|
I 294 / Tri-State Tollway
Keep slight right at fork onto I 294 / Tri-State Tollway toward I 88 West, I 294 South: Aurora, Indiana
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Toward I 88 West, I 294 South: Aurora, Indiana
8
25.2 mi into trip
|
~39m in
Keep slight right at fork toward I 88 West Toll: Aurora
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 31A
Toward I 88 West Toll: Aurora
8
26.4 mi into trip
|
~40m in
|
I 88; IL 110 / Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway
Keep slight right at fork onto I 88; IL 110 / Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway toward 22nd Street (Cermak Road)
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 138
Toward 22nd Street (Cermak Road)
8
48.5 mi into trip
|
~1h 7m 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
$8.08 one way
$16.17 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
18 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $8.87 | $17.75 |
| premium | $4.89 | $9.95 | $19.90 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $11.41 | $22.83 |
Estimated Tolls: $2.40
Reagan Memorial Tollway
(22.8 mi)
$1.37
Tri-state Tollway
(17.2 mi)
$1.03
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$8
Tolls
$2
Total
$10
Estimated CO2 emission: 18.1 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 15.5 | 0 | $5.43 | $2.48 |
| Efficient EV | 12.9 | 0 | $4.52 | $2.07 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 20.7 | 0 | $7.24 | $3.31 |
Gas CO2
18 kg
EV CO2
6 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.
Destination
Aurora, IL
Afternoon in Aurora on Sunday
Local time
12:26 PM
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
19 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
1h 15m 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 characterized as a 'Turn-heavy local drive,' meaning you'll encounter numerous intersections and changes in direction. While it includes a significant stretch of the Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway, covering 22.8 miles, the overall profile suggests a blend of highway and local road navigation. You won't be on a single highway for the entire journey, as indicated by the 0% highway share, implying a more varied driving experience. Be prepared for the pace to change as you move between different types of roads.
Only 0% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
16 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 22.8 mi on Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
10/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.8 miles in near Willow Road.
Driving Effort
10/10
Demanding - stay alert through the decision-heavy sections
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 51.7 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: at 0.8 miles (Willow Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 24.6 miles (I 294 / Tri-State Tollway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 25.2 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
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.
Between Winnetka, IL and Aurora, IL, road signs point toward Indiana and 22Nd Street (Cermak Road).
Indiana
23.6 mi in
|
~36m
|
via I 294
22Nd Street (Cermak Road)
26.4 mi in
|
~40m
|
via I 88; IL 110
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 15m. Total distance: 51.7 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 15m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 22.8 miles on Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Expect about $2.40 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 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 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: at 0.8 miles (Willow Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 24.6 miles (I 294 / Tri-State Tollway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 25.2 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. 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 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, EIA for fuel prices, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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