Origin
Cicero, IL
Evening in Cicero on Tuesday
Local time
6:58 PM
CDT
Current temp
47°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Cicero, IL to Lake Forest, IL
Data updated 1 hour ago
Drive Time
50m
Distance
33.8 mi
54 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$5
one way
EV Charging
Loading...
station data
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 47m
★
6 AM
0h 51m
8 AM
0h 59m
10 AM
0h 54m
12 PM
0h 53m
3 PM
0h 54m
5 PM
0h 59m
8 PM
0h 48m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Lake Forest, IL
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from Cicero, IL to Lake Forest, IL covers 33.8 miles and takes about 50m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Edens Expressway, Skokie Highway, Skokie Valley Road for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mixed drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 13.5 miles on Edens Expressway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $5.28 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
0 planned breaks
A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
Midpoint
16.9 miles from Cicero, IL
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 28m into the drive .
Loading map...
Drive Character
The drive from Cicero, IL to Lake Forest, IL covers 33.8 miles and takes about 50m, 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 22 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Edens Expressway is the longest continuous segment at about 13.5 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 1.9 miles in near IL 50 / South Cicero Avenue.
Route Complexity
7/10
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
This is a demanding drive. With 16 significant decision points across 33.8 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 1.9 miles (IL 50 / South Cicero Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 3.9 miles (South Pulaski Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 6.8 miles (West Belden Avenue): Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 16 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
6
1.9 mi into trip
|
~3m in
|
IL 50 / South Cicero Avenue
Turn left onto IL 50 / South Cicero Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
6
3.9 mi into trip
|
~7m in
|
South Pulaski Road
Turn left onto South Pulaski Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
7
6.8 mi into trip
|
~13m in
|
West Belden Avenue
At end of road, turn right onto West Belden Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
6
9.3 mi into trip
|
~18m in
Take the ramp toward I 90 West, I 94 West
Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I 90 West, I 94 West
6
23.5 mi into trip
|
~36m in
|
US 41 / Skokie Highway
Keep slight left at fork onto US 41 / Skokie Highway
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Edens Expressway | 13.5 mi | 17m |
| Skokie Highway | 3.8 mi | 4m |
| Skokie Valley Road | 3.4 mi | 4m |
| South Pulaski Road | 2.9 mi | 5m |
| North Pulaski Road | 2.1 mi | 4m |
| South Laramie Avenue | 1.4 mi | 2m |
| South Western Avenue | 1.3 mi | 2m |
| West Westleigh Road | 1.1 mi | 2m |
Longest stretch:
Edens Expressway
— 13.5 mi, about 17m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Cicero, IL and Lake Forest, IL.
1
Start on South Laramie Avenue
1.4 mi
·
2 min
·
South Laramie Avenue
Use the straight / left lanes.
2
Turn right onto West Roosevelt Road
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
West Roosevelt Road
3
Turn left onto IL 50
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
South Cicero Avenue
Use the left lane.
4
Turn right onto West Madison Street
1.0 mi
·
2 min
·
West Madison Street
5
Turn left onto South Pulaski Road
2.9 mi
·
5 min
·
South Pulaski Road
Use the left lane.
6
At end of road, turn right onto West Belden Avenue
170 ft
·
10 sec
·
West Belden Avenue
Use the right lane.
7
Turn left onto North Pulaski Road
2.1 mi
·
4 min
·
North Pulaski Road
8
Turn left onto IL 19
0.2 mi
·
20 sec
·
West Irving Park Road
Use the left lane.
9
Turn slight right onto Kennedy Irving Park Road
389 ft
·
16 sec
·
Kennedy Irving Park Road
10
Turn right onto North Keeler Avenue
394 ft
·
19 sec
·
North Keeler Avenue
11
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
21 sec
Toward I 90 West, I 94 West
12
Merge onto I 90; I 94
0.5 mi
·
40 sec
·
Kennedy Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Continue on I 94
14 mi
·
17 min
·
Edens Expressway
Toward I 94 West: Milwaukee
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
14
Keep slight left at fork onto US 41
3.8 mi
·
4 min
·
Skokie Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
15
Continue on US 41
3.4 mi
·
4 min
·
Skokie Valley Road
16
Turn right onto West Westleigh Road
1.1 mi
·
2 min
·
West Westleigh Road
Use the right lane.
17
Turn left onto South Western Avenue
1.3 mi
·
2 min
·
South Western Avenue
Use the left lane.
18
Turn right onto Illinois Road
238 ft
·
10 sec
·
Illinois Road
19
Turn left onto North McKinley Road
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
North McKinley Road
Use the left lane.
20
Turn slight right onto East Woodland Road
204 ft
·
7 sec
·
East Woodland Road
21
Turn slight left onto Griffith Road
71 ft
·
3 sec
·
Griffith Road
22
Arrive at destination
Griffith Road
Trip Plan
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.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
You may only need one short stretch break if traffic stays light.
The halfway point lands around 16.9 miles from Cicero, IL, or about 28m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 13.5 miles.
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 33.8 miles or 50m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 16.9 miles or 28m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 42m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Lake Forest, IL than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Cicero, 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 Cicero, IL
This is one driving day of about 33.8 miles and 50m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 80 miles from Cicero, IL.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
You may only need one short stretch stop if conditions stay smooth.
The longest stretch is on Edens Expressway for about 13.5 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 16.9 mi from Cicero, IL · 28m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
17 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 33.8 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 16.9 miles from Cicero, IL, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Lake Forest, IL
The final approach into Lake Forest, 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 Lake Forest, 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
$5.28 one way
$10.57 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
12 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $5.80 | $11.60 |
| premium | $4.89 | $6.50 | $13.01 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $7.46 | $14.93 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$5
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$30–$55
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 11.8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 10.1 | 0 | $3.55 | $1.62 |
| Efficient EV | 8.5 | 0 | $2.96 | $1.35 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 13.5 | 0 | $4.73 | $2.16 |
Gas CO2
12 kg
EV CO2
4 kg (67% 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
Lake Forest, IL
Evening in Lake Forest on Tuesday
Local time
6:58 PM
CDT
Current temp
49°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
2 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
50m 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 Cicero, IL to Lake Forest, IL covers 33.8 miles and takes about 50m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Edens Expressway, Skokie Highway, Skokie Valley Road. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 16.9 miles from Cicero, IL. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $5.28 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 is a demanding drive. With 16 significant decision points across 33.8 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.
The main spots that need attention: at 1.9 miles (IL 50 / South Cicero Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 3.9 miles (South Pulaski Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 6.8 miles (West Belden Avenue): Lane positioning matters here.
The route from Cicero, IL to Lake Forest, IL does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
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