Trip from East Dundee, IL to Waukegan, IL

Drive Time

1h 1m

Distance

36.5 mi

59 km

Drive Score

6/10

Good drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$6

one way

EV Charging

Loading...

station data

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 15 min
4 AM
0h 56m ★
6 AM
1h 1m
8 AM
1h 11m
10 AM
1h 5m
12 PM
1h 4m
3 PM
1h 5m
5 PM
1h 11m
8 PM
0h 58m

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

Downtown East Dundee, IL, IL

East Dundee, IL

Mike Tyurin

Trip Overview

The drive from East Dundee, IL to Waukegan, IL covers 36.5 miles and takes about 1h 1m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on East Main Street, Penny Avenue, Dundee Road for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. At current regular gas prices, budget about $5.54 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

18.2 miles from East Dundee, IL

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 30m into the drive .

Drive Character

Expect a 1h 1m drive with frequent turns across 36.5 miles of local and secondary roads.

This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 20 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
East Main Street 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. Navigation is very simple — set it and forget it for most of the drive.

Route Complexity 1/10

Very easy - short and simple to drive

The drive from East Dundee, IL to Waukegan, IL is easy. At 1h 1m with 0% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.

Where does it get tricky?

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

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
East Main Street Unavailable Refreshing
Penny Avenue Unavailable Refreshing
Dundee Road Unavailable Refreshing
New Sutton Road Unavailable Refreshing
South Hough Street Unavailable Refreshing
North Hough Road Unavailable Refreshing
Barrington Road Unavailable Refreshing
West Liberty Street Unavailable Refreshing

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

Longest stretch: East Main Street — detailed segment metrics are refreshing.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

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

1

Start on the route

46 ft · 7 sec · the route
2

Turn left onto East Main Street

262 ft · 8 sec · East Main Street
3

Turn left onto Penny Avenue

5.0 mi · 7 min · Penny Avenue
4

Continue on Dundee Road

1.4 mi · 2 min · Dundee Road
5

Continue on New Sutton Road

1.7 mi · 2 min · New Sutton Road
6

Continue on South Hough Street

1.4 mi · 2 min · South Hough Street
7

Continue on North Hough Road

6.4 mi · 10 min · North Hough Road
8

Continue on Barrington Road

0.5 mi · 1 min · Barrington Road
9

Turn right onto West Liberty Street

3.4 mi · 6 min · West Liberty Street
10

Turn right

1.9 mi · 2 min
11

Continue straight

151 ft · 4 sec
12

Turn left onto Schank Avenue

0.2 mi · 24 sec · Schank Avenue
13

Continue on Ivanhoe Road

3.7 mi · 6 min · Ivanhoe Road
14

Continue on South Atkinson Road

0.5 mi · 1 min · South Atkinson Road
15

Turn right onto East Belvidere Road

1.0 mi · 1 min · East Belvidere Road
16

Continue on Belvidere Road

6.3 mi · 9 min · Belvidere Road
17

Continue on Belvidere Street

1.6 mi · 3 min · Belvidere Street
18

Turn left onto Glen Rock Avenue

0.5 mi · 1 min · Glen Rock Avenue
19

Turn left onto South Jackson Street

0.5 mi · 1 min · South Jackson Street
20

Arrive at your destination

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 18.2 miles from East Dundee, IL, or about 30m 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 36.5 miles or 1h 1m in

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

Halfway reset

Around 18.2 miles or 30m in

This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.

Final approach

Final hour starts around 51m

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 East Dundee, 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 East Dundee, IL

This is one driving day of about 36.5 miles and 1h 1m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 80 miles from East Dundee, 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.

Where to Stop

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

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 18.2 mi from East Dundee, IL · 30m into the drive

Downtown Palatine, IL, IL

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Palatine, IL

18 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

Palatine, IL

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 36.5 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Palatine, IL

Meal break

The midpoint is around 18.2 miles from East Dundee, 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

$5.54 one way

$11.09 round trip

$3.86/gal 25.4 MPG avg 13 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.25 $6.11 $12.22
premium $4.80 $6.89 $13.78
diesel $5.64 $8.11 $16.22

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$6

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$31–$56

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

Estimated CO2 emission: 12.8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-06.

Driving Electric?

About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 69% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 11 0 $3.83 $1.75
Efficient EV 9.1 0 $3.19 $1.46
EV Truck/SUV 14.6 0 $5.11 $2.34

Gas CO2

13 kg

EV CO2

4 kg (69% 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 2 days ago

Origin

East Dundee, IL

Afternoon in East Dundee on Sunday

Local time

4:21 PM

CDT

Current temp

73°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Waukegan, IL

Afternoon in Waukegan on Sunday

Local time

4:21 PM

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

30 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

1h 1m 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 East Dundee, IL to Waukegan, IL covers 36.5 miles and takes about 1h 1m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are East Main Street, Penny Avenue, Dundee Road. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 18.2 miles from East Dundee, IL. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $5.54 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.
The drive from East Dundee, IL to Waukegan, IL is easy. At 1h 1m with 0% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from East Dundee, IL to Waukegan, IL is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
The route from East Dundee, IL to Waukegan, IL does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.

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Explore More

Return Trip

Waukegan, IL to East Dundee, IL

Plan the drive back the other way.

36.2 mi 59m

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

Looking for more statewide routes? Browse IL road trips.

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