Trip from Bourbon, IL to Waukegan, IL

Drive Time

3h 30m

Distance

209.8 mi

338 km

Drive Score

8/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$32

one way

EV Charging

Loading...

station data

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 37 min
4 AM
3h 18m ★
6 AM
3h 30m
8 AM
3h 55m
10 AM
3h 39m
12 PM
3h 36m
3 PM
3h 40m
5 PM
3h 53m
8 PM
3h 23m

Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.

Downtown Bourbon, IL, IL

Bourbon, IL

Chad Populis

Trip Overview

The drive from Bourbon, IL to Waukegan, IL covers 209.8 miles and takes about 3h 30m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on North County Road 490 East, North County Road 475 East, Highway 16 for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. At current regular gas prices, budget about $31.87 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

104.9 miles from Bourbon, IL

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 1h 45m into the drive .

Drive Character

Expect a 3h 30m drive with frequent turns across 209.8 miles of local and secondary roads.

This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 25 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
North County Road 490 East is one of the defining roads on this drive.

How Hard Is This Drive?

Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way.

Route Complexity 3/10

Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time

This is a straightforward 3h 30m drive. You will face about 0 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.

Where does it get tricky?

This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Bourbon, IL to Waukegan, IL is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
North County Road 490 East Unavailable Refreshing
North County Road 475 East Unavailable Refreshing
Highway 16 Unavailable Refreshing
North County Road 540 East Unavailable Refreshing
North County Road 560 East Unavailable Refreshing
North County Road 590 East Unavailable Refreshing
County Road 950 N Unavailable Refreshing
East Southline Road Unavailable Refreshing

Per-road distance and duration are being refreshed from OSRM for this route.

Longest stretch: North County Road 490 East — detailed segment metrics are refreshing.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Bourbon, IL and Waukegan, IL.

1

Start on County Road 490E

138 ft · 11 sec · County Road 490E
2

Turn left onto North County Road 490 East

449 ft · 20 sec · North County Road 490 East
3

Continue on North County Road 475 East

0.2 mi · 56 sec · North County Road 475 East
4

Continue on County Highway 16

1.1 mi · 4 min · County Highway 16
5

Turn left onto North County Road 540 East

0.5 mi · 1 min · North County Road 540 East
6

Continue on North County Road 560 East

381 ft · 17 sec · North County Road 560 East
7

Continue on North County Road 590 East

1.6 mi · 6 min · North County Road 590 East
8

At the end of the road, turn right onto County Road 950 N

3.9 mi · 5 min · County Road 950 N
9

Continue on East Southline Road

0.5 mi · 1 min · East Southline Road
10

Continue on County Road 950 North

0.8 mi · 1 min · County Road 950 North
11

Take the ramp slight left toward I-57 North: Champaign

0.5 mi · 1 min · I-57 North: Champaign
12

Merge slight left

147 mi · 2 hr 42 min
13

Continue on Dan Ryan Expressway

3.3 mi · 4 min · Dan Ryan Expressway
14

Keep slight left to continue on Dan Ryan Expressway (Express)

7.9 mi · 11 min · Dan Ryan Expressway (Express)
15

Continue on Kennedy Expressway

8.2 mi · 11 min · Kennedy Expressway
16

Continue on Edens Expressway

14 mi · 17 min · Edens Expressway
17

Keep slight left to continue on Skokie Highway

3.8 mi · 4 min · Skokie Highway
18

Continue on Skokie Valley Road

3.4 mi · 3 min · Skokie Valley Road
19

Continue on South Skokie Highway

8.2 mi · 10 min · South Skokie Highway
20

Take the exit slight right toward IL 120 East

0.3 mi · 36 sec · IL 120 East
21

Turn straight onto Belvidere Road

0.3 mi · 33 sec · Belvidere Road
22

Continue on Belvidere Street

1.6 mi · 3 min · Belvidere Street
23

Turn left onto Glen Rock Avenue

0.5 mi · 1 min · Glen Rock Avenue
24

Turn left onto South Jackson Street

0.5 mi · 1 min · South Jackson Street
25

Arrive at your destination

Trip Plan

Morning Departure

An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.

Evening Departure

A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.

You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 104.9 miles from Bourbon, IL, or about 1h 45m into the drive.

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 80 miles or 1h 20m in

Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.

Halfway reset

Around 104.9 miles or 1h 45m 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 52m

Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Waukegan, IL than in the middle of the route.

Before You Leave

+

Open the route before leaving Bourbon, 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 Bourbon, IL

This is one driving day of about 209.8 miles and 3h 30m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 80 miles from Bourbon, IL.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
Plan about 1 real break rather than only quick fuel stops.

Where to Stop

Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 104.9 mi from Bourbon, IL · 1h 45m into the drive

Downtown Orland Park, IL, IL

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Orland Park, IL

105 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.

Popular next leg

Orland Park, IL to Waukegan, IL

59.9 mi · 1h 10m

Pacing Suggestions

Joliet, IL

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 80 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Orland Park, IL

Meal break

The midpoint is around 104.9 miles from Bourbon, IL, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Arriving in Waukegan, IL

The final approach into Waukegan, IL usually feels slower than the middle of the drive, so avoid planning your tightest schedule at the very end.

Try to arrive with enough fuel left to skip an immediate station stop unless you already know the area around Waukegan, IL.

These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$31.87 one way

$63.73 round trip

$3.86/gal 25.4 MPG avg 73 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.25 $35.13 $70.26
premium $4.80 $39.61 $79.21
diesel $5.64 $46.61 $93.22

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$32

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$57–$82

Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.

Estimated CO2 emission: 73.4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-06.

Driving Electric?

About $22 in charging · 0 stops · 66% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 62.9 0 $22.03 $10.07
Efficient EV 52.5 0 $18.36 $8.39
EV Truck/SUV 83.9 1 $29.37 $13.43

Gas CO2

73 kg

EV CO2

25 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.

Travel Intel

Current conditions at both ends of the drive.

Forecast data refreshed 3 days ago

Origin

Bourbon, IL

Morning in Bourbon on Monday

Local time

9:30 AM

CDT

Current temp

54°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Waukegan, IL

Morning in Waukegan on Monday

Local time

9:30 AM

CDT

Current temp

43°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

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

Same local time

Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.

Temperature spread

11 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

3h 30m 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.

Frequently Asked Questions

The drive from Bourbon, IL to Waukegan, IL covers 209.8 miles and takes about 3h 30m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are North County Road 490 East, North County Road 475 East, Highway 16. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 104.9 miles from Bourbon, IL. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $31.87 one way. This estimate uses 25.4 MPG — your actual cost will vary with your vehicle's fuel efficiency and current gas prices.
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left. A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.
Plan about 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, or rest. A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
This is a straightforward 3h 30m drive. You will face about 0 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Bourbon, IL to Waukegan, IL is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
The route from Bourbon, IL to Waukegan, IL does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.

Was this route helpful?

Thanks for your feedback!

Your tip has been submitted. Thanks!

/500

Explore More

Explore more options from Bourbon, IL or browse trips ending in Waukegan, IL.

Looking for more statewide routes? Browse IL road trips.

Explore maps for Bourbon, IL or Waukegan, IL on MapSof.net.