Origin
Chicago, IL
Morning in Chicago on Saturday
Local time
11:21 AM
CDT
Current temp
51°F
Unavailable
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
52m
Distance
32.3 mi
52 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$5
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Chicago, IL
Otoniel Alvarado
Long Grove, IL
Ali Soheil
The drive from Chicago, IL to Long Grove, IL covers 32.3 miles and takes about 52m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Kennedy Expressway, Milwaukee Avenue, North Milwaukee Avenue for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mixed drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 8.2 miles on Kennedy Expressway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $5.05 one way before food or hotel costs.
Chicago is the home of the blues and the truth of jazz, the heart of comedy and the idea of the skyscraper. Here, the age of railroads found its center, and airplanes followed suit. "Stormy, Husky, Brawling / City of Big Shoulders," Chicago is a Heartland boomtown, its ethos defined by urban planner Daniel Burnham's immortal vision: "Make no little plans; they have no magic to stir men's blood." It is one of the world's great cities and the third largest city in the United States, behind only New York City and Los Angeles. As the hub of the Midwest, Chicago is easy to find — its picturesque skyline calls across the waters of Lake Michigan, a first impression that soon reveals world-class museums of art and science, miles of sandy beaches, huge parks and public art, and perhaps the finest downtown collection of modern architecture in the world.
Top landmarks
Founded 1956
Long Grove is a village in Chicagoland.
Top landmarks
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 52m. Total distance: 32.3 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
52m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (35%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Mixed drive route profile with national parks nearby.
The drive from Chicago, IL to Long Grove, IL covers 32.3 miles and takes about 52m, using a mix of highways and local roads.
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. You will hit about 15 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 0.2 miles in near West Cermak Road.
Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 32.3 miles you will encounter 15 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 (West Cermak Road): Navigation decision point; at 0.4 miles (South Halsted Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 0.7 miles (South Ruble Street): Lane positioning matters here.
These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
At end of road, turn right onto West Cermak Road
Navigation decision point
Turn left onto South Halsted Street
Lane positioning matters here
Turn left onto South Ruble Street
Lane positioning matters here
Merge onto I 90; I 94 / Dan Ryan Expressway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Take the exit toward US 14 West: Caldwell Avenue
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Kennedy Expressway | 8.2 mi | 11m |
| Milwaukee Avenue | 6.8 mi | 10m |
| North Milwaukee Avenue | 4.7 mi | 8m |
| North Caldwell Avenue | 2.5 mi | 3m |
| McHenry Road | 2.3 mi | 3m |
| Edens Expressway | 2.2 mi | 2m |
| East Lake Cook Road | 2 mi | 3m |
| Dan Ryan Expressway | 0.9 mi | 1m |
Step-by-step road directions between Chicago, IL and Long Grove, IL.
Start on this road
At end of road, turn right onto West Cermak Road
Turn left onto South Halsted Street
Turn right onto South Canalport Avenue
Turn left onto South Ruble Street
Take the ramp
Merge onto I 90; I 94
Continue on I 90; I 94
Continue on I 94
Take the exit
Turn slight right onto US 14
Turn left onto West Touhy Avenue
Turn right onto North Milwaukee Avenue
Continue on North Milwaukee Avenue
Continue on IL 21
Continue on US 45; IL 21
Turn left
Turn straight onto East Lake Cook Road
Turn right onto IL 83
Turn left onto North State Route 53
Turn right onto V77
Arrive at destination
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 16.2 mi from Chicago, IL · 25m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
16 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 32 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
The midpoint is around 16.2 miles from Chicago, IL, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Allow a few extra minutes for the final approach into Long Grove, IL if you are unfamiliar with the area.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Regular Gas
$5.05 one way
$10.10 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $5.54 | $11.09 |
| premium | $4.89 | $6.22 | $12.43 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $7.13 | $14.26 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$5
Estimated CO2 emission: 11.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 64% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 9.7 | 0 | $3.39 | $1.55 |
| Efficient EV | 8.1 | 0 | $2.83 | $1.29 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 12.9 | 0 | $4.52 | $2.07 |
Gas CO2
11 kg
EV CO2
4 kg (64% 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
Morning in Chicago on Saturday
Local time
11:21 AM
CDT
Current temp
51°F
Unavailable
Destination
Morning in Long Grove on Saturday
Local time
11:21 AM
CDT
Current temp
70°F
Unavailable
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.
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.
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