The drive from Aurora, IL to Long Grove, IL covers 46.9 miles and takes about 1h 3m behind the wheel.
This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway, Veterans Memorial Tollway, IL 53 for much of the mileage,
and the overall profile is mixed drive.
The longest uninterrupted segment is about 15.2 miles on Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway.
At current regular gas prices, budget about $7.33 one way before food or hotel costs.
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.
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 3m. Total distance: 46.9 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 3m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (36%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Mixed drive route profile with national parks nearby.
Drive Character
The drive from Aurora, IL to Long Grove, IL covers 46.9 miles and takes about 1h 3m, using a mix of highways and local roads.
Expect a mix of faster highway mileage and slower local approaches near the beginning or end.
There are about 17 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway is the longest continuous segment at about 15.2 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
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 2.6 miles in.
Driving Effort9/10
Demanding - stay alert through the decision-heavy sections
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 46.9 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 2.6 miles: Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 2.7 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 18.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 12 key points
These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
7
2.6 mi into trip|~4m in
Take the ramp toward I 88 West Toll, IL 56 West Toll: Chicago, Dekalb-Iowa
Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the left lane.
Toward I 88 West Toll, IL 56 West Toll: Chicago...
8
2.7 mi into trip|~5m in
Keep slight right at fork toward I 88 East: Chicago
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Toward I 88 East: Chicago
7
18.2 mi into trip|~24m in
Take the exit toward I 355 Toll North: Northwest Suburbs
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 132
Toward I 355 Toll North: Northwest Suburbs
6
35.2 mi into trip|~46m 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.
6
44.1 mi into trip|~58m in
Take the exit
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
On the drive from Aurora, IL to Long Grove, IL, road signs begin pointing toward Dekalb-Iowa along the way.
Dekalb-Iowa
2.6 mi in|~4m
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway
15.2 mi
19m
Veterans Memorial Tollway
10.6 mi
13m
IL 53
8.9 mi
11m
I 290
5.6 mi
6m
North State Route 53
2.2 mi
3m
North Lake Street
2.2 mi
4m
Robert Parker Coffin Road
0.4 mi
1m
South Lincolnway Street
0.4 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway
— 15.2 mi, about 19m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Aurora, IL and Long Grove, IL.
1
Start on West Galena Boulevard
0.1 mi·15 sec·West Galena Boulevard
2
Turn left onto IL 31
2.2 mi·4 min·North Lake Street
Use the left lane.
3
Continue on South Lincolnway Street
0.4 mi·39 sec·South Lincolnway Street
4
Take the ramp
387 ft·9 sec
Toward I 88 West Toll, IL 56 West Toll: Chicago, Dekalb-IowaUse the left lane.
5
Keep slight right at fork
0.1 mi·18 sec
Toward I 88 East: ChicagoUse the slight right lane.
6
Continue on this road
0.2 mi·21 sec·this road
Toward I 88 East: Chicago
7
Merge onto I 88; IL 110
15 mi·19 min·Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Take the exit
0.7 mi·1 min
Exit 132Toward I 355 Toll North: Northwest SuburbsUse the slight right lane.
9
Merge onto I 355
11 mi·13 min·Veterans Memorial Tollway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Merge onto I 290
5.6 mi·6 min·I 290
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Keep slight left at fork onto IL 53
8.9 mi·11 min·IL 53
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Continue on Lake Cook Road
517 ft·6 sec·Lake Cook Road
13
Take the exit
0.1 mi·15 sec
Use the right lane.
14
Turn right onto IL 53
2.2 mi·3 min·North State Route 53
Use the right lane.
15
Turn left onto Robert Parker Coffin Road
0.4 mi·1 min·Robert Parker Coffin Road
16
Turn right onto V77
78 ft·2 sec·North Old McHenry Road
17
Arrive at destination
V77
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 23.5 mi from Aurora, IL
· 31m into the drive
The midpoint is around 23.5 miles from Aurora, IL, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Long Grove, IL
The final approach into Long Grove, IL usually feels slower than the middle of the drive, so avoid planning your tightest schedule at the very end.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$7.33 one way
$14.66 round trip
$3.97/gal25.4 MPG avg16 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.36
$8.05
$16.10
premium
$4.89
$9.03
$18.05
diesel
$5.61
$10.35
$20.71
Estimated Tolls: $1.65
Reagan Memorial Tollway
(15.2 mi)$0.91
Veterans Memorial Tollway
(10.6 mi)$0.74
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$7
Tolls
$2
Total
$9
Estimated CO2 emission: 16.4 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $5 in charging
· 0 stops
· 69% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
14.1
0
$4.92
$2.25
Efficient EV
11.7
0
$4.10
$1.88
EV Truck/SUV
18.8
0
$6.57
$3.00
Gas CO2
16 kg
EV CO2
5 kg (69% 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 18, 2026
Origin
Aurora, IL
Morning
in Aurora on Saturday
Local time
8:32 AM
CDT
Current temp
42°F
Chance Showers And Thunderstorms
W 15 to 20 mph43% chanceLive forecast
Flood Warning
Flood Warning issued April 18 at 2:43AM CDT by NWS St Louis MO
Flood Warning
Flood Warning issued April 18 at 1:54AM CDT until April 18 at 8:00AM CDT by NWS Chicago IL
Destination
Long Grove, IL
Morning
in Long Grove on Saturday
Local time
8:32 AM
CDT
Current temp
70°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
28 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 3m 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.
Frequently Asked Questions
The drive from Aurora, IL to Long Grove, IL covers 46.9 miles and takes about 1h 3m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway, Veterans Memorial Tollway, IL 53. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 23.5 miles from Aurora, IL. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $7.33 one way. This estimate uses 25.4 MPG — your actual cost will vary with your vehicle's fuel efficiency and current gas prices.
Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch. Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 46.9 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.
The main spots that need attention: at 2.6 miles: Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 2.7 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 18.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
On the drive from Aurora, IL to Long Grove, IL, road signs begin pointing toward Dekalb-Iowa along the way.
Yes. Nearby national parks include Pullman National Historical Park.
How this page is built
Compiled by the Trip.ovh 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.
