Origin
Woodridge, IL
Late night in Woodridge on Sunday
Local time
4:56 AM
CDT
Current temp
52°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Woodridge, IL to Grayslake, 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 9m
Distance
47.5 mi
76 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$7
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 4m
★
6 AM
1h 10m
8 AM
1h 21m
10 AM
1h 14m
12 PM
1h 13m
3 PM
1h 14m
5 PM
1h 20m
8 PM
1h 7m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Woodridge, IL
Wikimedia Commons
Grayslake, IL
Mike Tyurin
Trip Overview
Woodridge, IL to Grayslake, IL is 47.5 miles and takes about 1 hour 9 minutes via Veterans Memorial Tollway and IL 53, with a fuel budget near $7 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within Illinois, moving from the Midwest region to another part of the Midwest. It's a relatively short drive, suitable for a single day, and offers a straightforward journey between these two Illinois locations. Consider this an easy transit for a quick relocation or a visit to the northern suburbs.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Veterans Memorial Tollway | 16.2 mi | 20m |
| IL 53 | 7.2 mi | 9m |
| South Lake Street | 5.7 mi | 9m |
| I 290 | 5.6 mi | 6m |
| North Arlington Heights Road | 2.4 mi | 4m |
| State Highway 83 | 2.3 mi | 3m |
| Antioch Road | 1.9 mi | 2m |
| 75th Street | 0.9 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
Veterans Memorial Tollway
— 16.2 mi, about 20m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Woodridge, IL and Grayslake, IL.
1
Start on Woodridge Drive
0.2 mi
·
46 sec
·
Woodridge Drive
2
Turn right onto 75th Street
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
75th Street
Use the straight lane.
3
Turn left
0.5 mi
·
1 min
Toward I 355 North: Northwest Suburbs
Use the left lane.
4
Merge onto I 355
16 mi
·
20 min
·
Veterans Memorial Tollway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
Merge onto I 290
5.6 mi
·
6 min
·
I 290
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Keep slight left at fork onto IL 53
6.9 mi
·
9 min
·
IL 53
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Take the exit onto IL 53
0.3 mi
·
44 sec
·
IL 53
Toward IL 53, IL 68: Dundee Road
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Turn right onto IL 68
0.9 mi
·
2 min
·
West Dundee Road
9
Turn left onto North Arlington Heights Road
2.4 mi
·
4 min
·
North Arlington Heights Road
Use the left lane.
10
Turn left onto IL 83
0.3 mi
·
31 sec
·
McHenry Road
11
Continue on IL 83
2.3 mi
·
3 min
·
State Highway 83
Use the left lane.
12
Continue on IL 83
0.5 mi
·
47 sec
·
Mundelein Road
13
Continue on IL 83
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
IL RT 83
14
Continue on IL 83
0.4 mi
·
32 sec
·
IL Rt 83
15
Continue on IL 83
0.4 mi
·
33 sec
·
Mundelein Road
16
Continue on US 45
5.7 mi
·
9 min
·
South Lake Street
Use the left lane.
17
Turn slight right
0.1 mi
·
31 sec
18
At end of road, turn right onto IL 137
1.9 mi
·
2 min
·
Antioch Road
19
Continue on IL 83
0.3 mi
·
25 sec
·
Ivanhoe Road
20
Continue on IL 83
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
South Barron Boulevard
21
Turn left onto Center Street
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
Center Street
22
Arrive at destination
Center Street
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
24 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 10 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 23.7 miles from Woodridge, 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 95 decision points cluster between mile 0.2 and 30.3 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0.2 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
75th Street
Turn right onto 75th Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
7
1.2 mi into trip
|
~2m in
Turn left toward I 355 North: Northwest Suburbs
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Toward I 355 North: Northwest Suburbs
5
1.7 mi into trip
|
~3m in
|
I 355 / Veterans Memorial Tollway
Merge onto I 355 / Veterans Memorial Tollway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
23.5 mi into trip
|
~30m in
|
IL 53
Keep slight left at fork onto IL 53
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
30.3 mi into trip
|
~40m in
|
IL 53
Take the exit onto IL 53 toward IL 53, IL 68: Dundee Road
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward IL 53, IL 68: Dundee Road
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$7.43 one way
$14.85 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
17 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $8.15 | $16.31 |
| premium | $4.89 | $9.14 | $18.28 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $10.49 | $20.97 |
Estimated Tolls: $1.13
Veterans Memorial Tollway
(16.2 mi)
$1.13
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$7
Tolls
$1
Total
$9
Estimated CO2 emission: 16.6 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 65% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 14.3 | 0 | $4.99 | $2.28 |
| Efficient EV | 11.9 | 0 | $4.16 | $1.90 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 19 | 0 | $6.65 | $3.04 |
Gas CO2
17 kg
EV CO2
6 kg (65% 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
Grayslake, IL
Late night in Grayslake on Sunday
Local time
4:56 AM
CDT
Current temp
69°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
17 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 9m 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 drive is a mixed bag, with about 34% of it on highways. You'll spend a good portion of the time on the Veterans Memorial Tollway, including a stretch of 16.2 miles without needing to turn off. The route then transitions to IL 53 and South Lake Street, offering a change from the faster tollway speeds. Expect a blend of efficient highway travel and more local road navigation as you approach your destination.
34% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
22 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 16.2 mi on Veterans Memorial Tollway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
8/10
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.2 miles in near 75th Street.
Driving Effort
8/10
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 47.5 miles you will encounter 9 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 0.2 miles (75th Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 1.2 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 1.7 miles (I 355 / Veterans Memorial Tollway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
About the Cities
Starting in Woodridge, IL
Full guide →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 9m. Total distance: 47.5 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 9m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (34%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Mixed highway & surface route profile with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 16.2 miles on Veterans Memorial Tollway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Expect about $1.13 in tolls one way, starting with Veterans 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.
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 Grayslake, 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 0.2 miles (75th Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 1.2 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 1.7 miles (I 355 / Veterans Memorial Tollway): Merge point - match speed before joining. 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 Grayslake, 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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