Origin
Joliet, IL
Late night in Joliet on Saturday
Local time
1:30 AM
CDT
Current temp
69°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Joliet, IL to Long Grove, IL
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 15m
Distance
51.5 mi
83 km
Drive Score
9/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$8
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 10m
★
6 AM
1h 15m
8 AM
1h 27m
10 AM
1h 20m
12 PM
1h 18m
3 PM
1h 20m
5 PM
1h 27m
8 PM
1h 12m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Joliet, IL
Wikimedia Commons
Long Grove, IL
Ali Soheil
Trip Overview
The drive from Joliet, IL to Long Grove, IL covers 51.5 miles and takes about 1h 15m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Veterans Memorial Tollway, IL 53, I 290 for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mixed drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 24.4 miles on Veterans Memorial Tollway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $8.05 one way before food or hotel costs.
About the Cities
Starting in Joliet, IL
Full guide →Joliet is a city in the Chicagoland region of Illinois, a state in the Midwest of the United States of America. It is the largest city and county seat of Will County.
Arriving in Long Grove, IL
Full guide →Long Grove is a village in Chicagoland.
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 15m. Total distance: 51.5 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 15m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (32%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Mixed drive route profile with national parks nearby.
Drive Character
The drive from Joliet, IL to Long Grove, IL covers 51.5 miles and takes about 1h 15m, 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 17 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Veterans Memorial Tollway is the longest continuous segment at about 24.4 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 early in the drive near US 6; IL 53 / Ottawa Street.
Driving Effort
9/10
Demanding - stay alert through the decision-heavy sections
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 51.5 miles you will encounter 11 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: near the start (US 6; IL 53 / Ottawa Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.1 miles (US 30 / East Jefferson Street): Navigation decision point; at 9.3 miles: Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 11 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
5
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
US 6; IL 53 / Ottawa Street
Turn right onto US 6; IL 53 / Ottawa Street
Navigation decision point
5
0.1 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
US 30 / East Jefferson Street
Turn left onto US 30 / East Jefferson Street
Navigation decision point
6
9.3 mi into trip
|
~20m in
Turn left toward I 355 North: West Suburbs
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Toward I 355 North: West Suburbs
6
39.7 mi into trip
|
~58m in
|
IL 53
Keep slight left at fork onto IL 53
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
48.7 mi into trip
|
~1h 9m in
Take the exit
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Veterans Memorial Tollway | 24.4 mi | 29m |
| IL 53 | 8.9 mi | 11m |
| I 290 | 5.6 mi | 6m |
| South State Street | 4.3 mi | 9m |
| South Archer Avenue | 2.4 mi | 4m |
| North State Route 53 | 2.2 mi | 3m |
| Collins Street | 2 mi | 4m |
| East Jefferson Street | 0.5 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
Veterans Memorial Tollway
— 24.4 mi, about 29m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Joliet, IL and Long Grove, IL.
1
Start on this road
111 ft
·
10 sec
·
this road
2
Turn right onto US 6; IL 53
175 ft
·
12 sec
·
Ottawa Street
3
Turn left onto US 30
0.2 mi
·
26 sec
·
East Jefferson Street
4
Keep slight right at fork onto US 6; US 30
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
East Jefferson Street
5
Continue on US 6; US 30
2.0 mi
·
4 min
·
Collins Street
6
Continue on IL 171
4.3 mi
·
9 min
·
South State Street
7
Continue on IL 171
2.4 mi
·
4 min
·
South Archer Avenue
Use the right lane.
8
Turn left
0.5 mi
·
1 min
Toward I 355 North: West Suburbs
Use the left lane.
9
Merge onto I 355
24 mi
·
29 min
·
Veterans Memorial Tollway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Merge onto I 290
5.6 mi
·
6 min
·
I 290
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Keep slight left at fork onto IL 53
8.9 mi
·
11 min
·
IL 53
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Continue on Lake Cook Road
517 ft
·
6 sec
·
Lake Cook Road
13
Take the exit
0.1 mi
·
15 sec
Use the right lane.
14
Turn right onto IL 53
2.2 mi
·
3 min
·
North State Route 53
Use the right lane.
15
Turn left onto Robert Parker Coffin Road
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
Robert Parker Coffin Road
16
Turn right onto V77
78 ft
·
2 sec
·
North Old McHenry Road
17
Arrive at destination
V77
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 25.7 mi from Joliet, IL · 40m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
26 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 11 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 25.7 miles from Joliet, IL, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Long Grove, IL
The final approach into Long Grove, IL usually feels slower than the middle of the drive, so avoid planning your tightest schedule at the very end.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$8.05 one way
$16.10 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
18 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $8.84 | $17.68 |
| premium | $4.89 | $9.91 | $19.82 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $11.37 | $22.74 |
Estimated Tolls: $1.71
Veterans Memorial Tollway
(24.4 mi)
$1.71
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$8
Tolls
$2
Total
$10
Estimated CO2 emission: 18 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 15.5 | 0 | $5.41 | $2.47 |
| Efficient EV | 12.9 | 0 | $4.51 | $2.06 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 20.6 | 0 | $7.21 | $3.30 |
Gas CO2
18 kg
EV CO2
6 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
Long Grove, IL
Late night in Long Grove on Saturday
Local time
1:30 AM
CDT
Current temp
70°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
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 warmer at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
1h 15m 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 Joliet, IL to Long Grove, IL covers 51.5 miles and takes about 1h 15m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Veterans Memorial Tollway, IL 53, I 290. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 25.7 miles from Joliet, IL. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $8.05 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 drive requires moderate attention. Across 51.5 miles you will encounter 11 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
The main spots that need attention: near the start (US 6; IL 53 / Ottawa Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.1 miles (US 30 / East Jefferson Street): Navigation decision point; at 9.3 miles: Lane positioning matters here.
The route from Joliet, IL to Long Grove, IL does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
Yes. Nearby national parks include Pullman National Historical Park.
How this page is built
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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