Origin
Des Plaines, IL
Evening in Des Plaines on Sunday
Local time
5:35 PM
CDT
Current temp
46°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Des Plaines, IL to Arlington Heights, IL
Drive Time
12m
Distance
6.8 mi
11 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$1
one way
EV Charging
Loading...
station data
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 11m
★
6 AM
0h 12m
8 AM
0h 14m
10 AM
0h 13m
12 PM
0h 13m
3 PM
0h 13m
5 PM
0h 14m
8 PM
0h 12m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Des Plaines, IL
Tom Fisk
Arlington Heights, IL
Dominik Gryzbon
Trip Overview
The drive from Des Plaines, IL to Arlington Heights, IL covers 6.8 miles and takes about 12m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on East Northwest Highway, Miner Street, South Des Plaines River Road for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 5.4 miles on East Northwest Highway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $1.03 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
3.4 miles from Des Plaines, IL
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 6m into the drive .
Drive Character
Expect a 12m drive with frequent turns across 6.8 miles of local and secondary roads.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 7 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
East Northwest Highway is the longest continuous segment at about 5.4 miles.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
703 ft
630 ft
Total Climb
98 ft
Total Descent
27 ft
Highest Point
703 ft
~6.8 mi in
Elevation Range
73 ft
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. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near South Des Plaines River Road.
Route Complexity
4/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
This is a straightforward 12m drive. You will face about 4 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (South Des Plaines River Road): Navigation decision point; at 0.5 miles (US 14 / Miner Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 6.4 miles (North Arlington Heights Road): Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
4 of 4 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
4
0.1 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
South Des Plaines River Road
Turn left onto South Des Plaines River Road
Navigation decision point
5
0.5 mi into trip
|
~1m in
|
US 14 / Miner Street
Turn left onto US 14 / Miner Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / left lanes.
5
6.4 mi into trip
|
~11m in
|
North Arlington Heights Road
Turn right onto North Arlington Heights Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the none lane.
4
6.8 mi into trip
|
~12m in
|
East Euclid Avenue
Turn left onto East Euclid Avenue
Navigation decision point
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| East Northwest Highway | 5.4 mi | 8m |
| Miner Street | 0.5 mi | <1m |
| South Des Plaines River Road | 0.4 mi | <1m |
| North Arlington Heights Road | 0.4 mi | 1m |
| Henry Avenue | 0.1 mi | <1m |
| East Euclid Avenue | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
East Northwest Highway
— 5.4 mi, about 8m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Des Plaines, IL and Arlington Heights, IL.
1
Start on Henry Avenue
0.1 mi
·
31 sec
·
Henry Avenue
2
Turn left onto South Des Plaines River Road
0.4 mi
·
56 sec
·
South Des Plaines River Road
3
Turn left onto US 14
0.5 mi
·
48 sec
·
Miner Street
Use the straight / left lanes.
4
Continue on US 14
5.4 mi
·
8 min
·
East Northwest Highway
Use the none lane.
5
Turn right onto North Arlington Heights Road
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
North Arlington Heights Road
Use the none lane.
6
Turn left onto East Euclid Avenue
48 ft
·
1 sec
·
East Euclid Avenue
7
Arrive at destination
East Euclid Avenue
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 3.4 miles from Des Plaines, IL, or about 6m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 5.4 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 6.8 miles or 12m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 3.4 miles or 6m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 10m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Arlington Heights, IL than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Des Plaines, 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 Des Plaines, IL
This is one driving day of about 6.8 miles and 12m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 80 miles from Des Plaines, 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 East Northwest Highway for about 5.4 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 3.4 mi from Des Plaines, IL · 6m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
3 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 6.8 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 3.4 miles from Des Plaines, IL, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Arlington Heights, IL
The final approach into Arlington Heights, 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 Arlington Heights, 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
$1.03 one way
$2.07 round trip
$3.86/gal
25.4 MPG avg
2 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.25 | $1.14 | $2.28 |
| premium | $4.80 | $1.28 | $2.57 |
| diesel | $5.64 | $1.51 | $3.02 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$1
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$26–$51
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 2.4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-06.
Driving Electric?
About $1 in charging · 0 stops · 50% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 2 | 0 | $0.71 | $0.33 |
| Efficient EV | 1.7 | 0 | $0.60 | $0.27 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 2.7 | 0 | $0.95 | $0.44 |
Gas CO2
2 kg
EV CO2
1 kg (50% 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
Arlington Heights, IL
Evening in Arlington Heights on Sunday
Local time
5:35 PM
CDT
Current temp
45°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
1 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
12m 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 Des Plaines, IL to Arlington Heights, IL covers 6.8 miles and takes about 12m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are East Northwest Highway, Miner Street, South Des Plaines River Road. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 3.4 miles from Des Plaines, IL. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $1.03 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 straightforward 12m drive. You will face about 4 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (South Des Plaines River Road): Navigation decision point; at 0.5 miles (US 14 / Miner Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 6.4 miles (North Arlington Heights Road): Lane positioning matters here.
The route from Des Plaines, IL to Arlington Heights, IL does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
Mostly flat terrain. The route ranges from 630 ft to 703 ft elevation with about 98 ft of total climbing.
Was this route helpful?
Thanks for your feedback!
Your tip has been submitted. Thanks!
/500
Recent Tips
·
Explore More
Continue From Arlington Heights, IL
More trips to Arlington Heights, IL
Explore more options from Des Plaines, IL or browse trips ending in Arlington Heights, IL.
Looking for more statewide routes? Browse IL road trips.
Explore maps for Des Plaines, IL or Arlington Heights, IL on MapSof.net.