3 Rivers Café
Around the midpoint, right off the route
Channahon, Illinois
Hours: 7 am–8 pm
+18158285110
Visit websiteCompiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
2h 44m
Distance
133.3 mi
215 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$21
one way
EV Charging
Excellent
28 DC fast
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Elmwood Park, IL
Wikimedia Commons
The drive from Bloomington, IL to Elmwood Park, IL covers 133.3 miles and takes about 2h 44m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on I 55, Tri-State Tollway, South 1st Avenue for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is highway-focused drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 111.5 miles on I 55. At current regular gas prices, budget about $20.84 one way before food or hotel costs.
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
66.7 miles from Bloomington, IL
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 1h 19m into the drive .
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 55 | 111.5 mi | 2h 4m |
| Tri-State Tollway | 6.1 mi | 7m |
| South 1st Avenue | 3.6 mi | 7m |
| North Main Street | 3.6 mi | 8m |
| Eisenhower Expressway | 3.4 mi | 4m |
| West Fullerton Avenue | 1.3 mi | 3m |
| Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway | 0.6 mi | <1m |
| North 73rd Court | 0.1 mi | <1m |
Step-by-step road directions between Bloomington, IL and Elmwood Park, IL.
Start on US 51 Business
Continue on US 51 Business
Take the ramp
Merge onto I 55
Take the exit
Keep slight left at fork
Merge onto I 294
Keep slight left at fork onto I 294
Take the exit onto I 294
Keep slight right at fork
Continue on this road
Merge onto I 88; IL 110
Merge onto I 290; IL 110
Take the exit
Turn slight left onto Bataan Drive
Turn left onto IL 171
Turn right onto West Fullerton Avenue
Turn right onto North 73rd Court
Turn left onto West Belden Avenue
Turn right
Arrive at destination
Morning Departure
Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch.
Evening Departure
Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.
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 29 miles or 37m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 66.7 miles or 1h 19m 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 7m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Elmwood Park, IL than in the middle of the route.
Open the route before leaving Bloomington, 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 Bloomington, IL
This is one driving day of about 133.3 miles and 2h 44m.
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
67 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.
A short stop after about 29 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
The midpoint is around 66.7 miles from Bloomington, IL, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Before the longest stretch
Fuel checkTop up before I 55 if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 111.5 miles.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Restaurants, cafes, gas stations and more along your route.
Top Restaurant
Channahon, Illinois
Around the midpoint, right off the route
Hours: 7 am–8 pm
+18158285110
Taste of Jerusalem
Plainfield, Illinois
DW Diner Express & Liquor Store
Channahon, Illinois
Top Coffee Stop
Crest Hill, Illinois
Later in the drive, short detour
Hours: 7 am–7 pm
+18156303694
Critical Grind Board Game Cafe
Shorewood, Illinois
Ten Drops Coffee
Plainfield, Illinois
Around the midpoint, right off the route
Channahon, Illinois
Hours: 7 am–8 pm
+18158285110
Visit websiteLater in the drive, short detour
Plainfield, Illinois
Hours: 11 am–7:30 pm
+18157826500
Visit websiteAround the midpoint, right off the route
Channahon, Illinois
Hours: 10 am–9 pm
+18153354448
Visit websiteNear the end, short detour
Burr Ridge, Illinois
Hours: 11:30 am–10 pm
+16304554003
Visit websiteNear the end, short detour
Burr Ridge, Illinois
Hours: 11 am–9 pm
+16306541616
Visit websiteNear the end, short detour
Burr Ridge, Illinois
Hours: 11 am–9 pm
+16306544644
Visit websiteLater in the drive, short detour
Joliet, Illinois
Hours: 7 am–3 pm
+18157824094
Visit websiteLater in the drive, short detour
Crest Hill, Illinois
Hours: 11 am–9 pm
+18157826417
Visit websiteLater in the drive, short detour
Crest Hill, Illinois
Hours: 7 am–7 pm
+18156303694
Visit websiteLater in the drive, short detour
Shorewood, Illinois
Hours: 9 am–11 pm
+18156304235
Visit websiteLater in the drive, short detour
Plainfield, Illinois
Hours: 6 am–5 pm
+16306962137
Visit websiteAround the midpoint, short detour
Braidwood, Illinois
Hours: 8 am–12 pm
+18153905133
Near the end, ~10 min detour
Berwyn, Illinois
Hours: 7 am–1 pm
+17084849794
Visit websiteLater in the drive, short detour
Joliet, Illinois
Hours: 9 am–9 pm
+18476271095
Visit websiteLater in the drive, ~9 min detour
Shorewood, Illinois
Hours: 7 am–7 pm
+17792421902
Visit websiteAround the midpoint, ~10 min detour
Minooka, Illinois
+18155928941
Visit websiteNear the start, short detour
Normal, Illinois
Hours: Open 24 hours
Visit websiteNear the start, short detour
Normal, Illinois
+13094549590
Visit websiteNear the start, short detour
Bloomington, Illinois
Hours: 9 am–5 pm
+13096641222
Visit websiteNear the start, short detour
Bloomington, Illinois
Hours: 9 am–12 pm
Visit websiteNear the start, short detour
Bloomington, Illinois
Hours: Open 24 hours
+18887584389
Visit websiteNear the start, short detour
Normal, Illinois
Hours: Open 24 hours
Visit websiteNear the start, short detour
Bloomington, Illinois
Hours: Open 24 hours
+18336322778
Visit websiteNear the start, short detour
Bloomington, Illinois
Hours: Open 24 hours
Near the end, short detour
Willowbrook, Illinois
Hours: 8:30 am–4:30 pm
Visit websiteAround the midpoint, short detour
Wilmington, Illinois
Hours: 11 am–12 pm
+18154769009
Visit websiteAround the midpoint, ~10 min detour
Minooka, Illinois
Hours: 11 am–10 pm
+18154672200
Visit websitePlace data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
5 decision points cluster between mile 115.7 and 128 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
Take the exit toward I 294 Tollway North: Wisconsin
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Keep slight left at fork onto I 294 / Tri-State Tollway
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Take the exit onto I 294 / Tri-State Tollway toward I 290 West, I 294 North, I 290 East: Rockford, Milwaukee, Chicago
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Keep slight right at fork toward I 290 East: Chicago
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Take the exit toward IL 171: 1st Avenue
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Regular Gas
$20.84 one way
$41.68 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $22.88 | $45.76 |
| premium | $4.89 | $25.65 | $51.30 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $29.43 | $58.86 |
Estimated Tolls: $0.40
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$21
Tolls
$0
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$46–$71
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 46.6 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
EV Charging Along Route
28 DC fast chargers · Coverage: excellent
Electric Vehicle Charging Station
Bloomington, Illinois
1 DCFC
Electric Vehicle Charging Station
Normal, Illinois
1 DCFC
Rivian Waypoints
Normal, Illinois
1 DCFC
Tesla Supercharger
Normal, Illinois
1 DCFC
Tesla Supercharger
Normal, Illinois
1 DCFC
Electric Vehicle Charging Station
Bloomington, Illinois
1 DCFC
Tesla Supercharger
Normal, Illinois
1 DCFC
Tesla Destination Charger
Bloomington, Illinois
1 DCFC
Station data from NREL Alternative Fuel Stations database.
Driving Electric?
About $14 in charging · 0 stops · 66% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 40 | 0 | $14.00 | $6.40 |
| Efficient EV | 33.3 | 0 | $11.66 | $5.33 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 53.3 | 0 | $18.66 | $8.53 |
Gas CO2
47 kg
EV CO2
16 kg (66% 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.
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Origin
Afternoon in Bloomington on Saturday
Local time
12:21 PM
CDT
Current temp
52°F
Unavailable
Destination
Afternoon in Elmwood Park on Saturday
Local time
12:21 PM
CDT
Current temp
71°F
Unavailable
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
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
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.
Worth a detour if your schedule allows.
National Historical Park
In a growing Chicago neighborhood, diverse people and stories intertwined. All were seeking opportunity. Some succeeded. Others were limited—by race, gender, or economic status. Their stories came tog...
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
This is a 2h 44m highway drive covering 133.3 miles, with most of the trip on I 55 and Tri-State Tollway. The longest continuous stretch is about 111.5 miles on I 55.
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 55 and Tri-State Tollway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 115.7 miles in.
High effort - long or complex enough to need steady focus all day
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a demanding drive. With 16 significant decision points across 133.3 miles, you will need to stay alert - especially through interchange areas and urban stretches. Consider splitting it into segments if you are not comfortable with fast highway navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 115.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 122.4 miles (I 294 / Tri-State Tollway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 123.6 miles (I 294 / Tri-State Tollway): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Bloomington, IL and Elmwood Park, IL, road signs point toward Milwaukee and Chicago.
Milwaukee
Chicago
Bloomington, pop. 77,000 (2010 census), is a city in the Midwestern state of Illinois in the United States of America, on the classic Route 66 highway across the country. With neighboring Normal, pop. 52,000 (2010 census), it forms a combined community of about 130,000 known locally as the Twin Cities. Illinois Wesleyan University is in Bloomington, and is not to be confused with Illinois State University in Normal.
Top landmarks
Founded 1914
The Northwest Suburbs are in Chicagoland, primarily in northwestern Cook, southern Lake and northern DuPage County, centered along Metra’s North Central Service, though encompassing areas well beyond the rail line. The Northwestern Suburbs constitute the largest portion of Chicagoland outside of the city. For further-out suburbs, see Fox River Valley.
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 2h 44m. Total distance: 133.3 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
2h 44m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (86%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Compiled by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy from open government datasets — OSRM over OpenStreetMap for geometry, EIA for fuel prices, NREL for EV charging, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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