Origin
Long Lake, IL
Morning in Long Lake on Saturday
Local time
11:15 AM
CDT
Current temp
44°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Long Lake, IL to Aurora, IL
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 26m
Distance
53.5 mi
86 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 20m
★
6 AM
1h 27m
8 AM
1h 40m
10 AM
1h 32m
12 PM
1h 30m
3 PM
1h 32m
5 PM
1h 40m
8 PM
1h 23m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Long Lake, IL
Sean Ewing
Aurora, IL
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from Long Lake, IL to Aurora, IL covers 53.5 miles and takes about 1h 26m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Illinois Route 59, New Sutton Road, US 12 for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mixed drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 9 miles on Illinois Route 59. At current regular gas prices, budget about $8.36 one way before food or hotel costs.
About the Cities
Arriving in Aurora, IL
Full guide →Founded 1835
Aurora is the second-largest city in the U.S. state of Illinois, located about 35 miles west of Chicago. It's at the very edge of Chicagoland and, situated on the Fox River, has many opportunities for urban, suburban, and rural recreation. Often overlooked, Aurora in fact has many surprisingly interesting attractions and a downtown unlike that of a typical suburb. It is probably best known for being the setting of the "Wayne's World" movies.
Top landmarks
- • Aurora University — private university in Aurora, Illinois, U.S
- • Hotel Arthur — United States historic place
- • Graham Building — historic building in Aurora, Illinois
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 26m. Total distance: 53.5 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 26m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (47%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Drive Character
The drive from Long Lake, IL to Aurora, IL covers 53.5 miles and takes about 1h 26m, 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 26 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Illinois Route 59 is the longest continuous segment at about 9 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. You will hit about 8 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near North Augustana Avenue.
Driving Effort
5/10
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 53.5 miles you will encounter 8 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 0.1 miles (North Augustana Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 10.8 miles (IL 59): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 43.9 miles: Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 8 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
|
North Augustana Avenue
Turn left onto North Augustana Avenue
Navigation decision point
5
10.8 mi into trip
|
~16m in
|
IL 59
Take the exit onto IL 59
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
6
43.9 mi into trip
|
~1h 11m in
Take the ramp toward I 88 West Toll: De Kalb, Iowa
Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the right lane.
Toward I 88 West Toll: De Kalb, Iowa
5
44.2 mi into trip
|
~1h 12m in
|
I 88; IL 110 / Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway
Merge onto I 88; IL 110 / Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
50.3 mi into trip
|
~1h 19m in
Take the exit toward IL 31, IL 56 East
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the right lane.
Exit 117
Toward IL 31, IL 56 East
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
On the drive from Long Lake, IL to Aurora, IL, road signs begin pointing toward Iowa along the way.
Iowa
43.9 mi in
|
~1h 11m
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Illinois Route 59 | 9 mi | 15m |
| New Sutton Road | 9 mi | 14m |
| US 12 | 8.3 mi | 11m |
| IL 59 | 7.8 mi | 12m |
| Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway | 6.1 mi | 7m |
| North Neltnor Boulevard | 4 mi | 7m |
| Sutton Road | 2.6 mi | 4m |
| West Big Hollow Road | 2.2 mi | 3m |
Longest stretch:
Illinois Route 59
— 9 mi, about 15m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Long Lake, IL and Aurora, IL.
1
Start on North Rock Island Street
0.1 mi
·
30 sec
·
North Rock Island Street
2
Turn left onto North Augustana Avenue
0.1 mi
·
30 sec
·
North Augustana Avenue
3
Continue on North Augustana Avenue
177 ft
·
9 sec
·
North Augustana Avenue
4
Turn right onto IL 134
2.2 mi
·
3 min
·
West Big Hollow Road
5
Turn left onto US 12; IL 59
2.0 mi
·
2 min
·
US 12; IL 59
6
Continue on US 12; IL 59
1.1 mi
·
1 min
·
US 12; IL 59
Use the left lane.
7
Continue on US 12; IL 59
0.3 mi
·
26 sec
·
US 12; IL 59
8
Continue on US 12; IL 59
0.1 mi
·
7 sec
·
US 12; IL 59
9
Continue on US 12; IL 59
1.7 mi
·
1 min
·
US 12; IL 59
10
Continue on US 12; IL 59
1.1 mi
·
1 min
·
US 12; IL 59
11
Continue on US 12; IL 59
2.1 mi
·
3 min
·
US 12; IL 59
12
Take the exit onto IL 59
7.8 mi
·
12 min
·
IL 59
Use the slight right lane.
13
Turn slight right
284 ft
·
4 sec
Use the slight right lane.
14
Continue on IL 59
9.0 mi
·
14 min
·
New Sutton Road
Use the left lane.
15
Continue on IL 59
2.6 mi
·
4 min
·
Sutton Road
Use the left lane.
16
Continue on IL 59
0.6 mi
·
55 sec
·
Ingalton Avenue
17
Continue on IL 59
5.4 mi
·
9 min
·
Illinois Route 59
Use the left lane.
18
Continue on IL 59
4.0 mi
·
7 min
·
North Neltnor Boulevard
19
Continue on IL 59
3.7 mi
·
6 min
·
Illinois Route 59
Use the left lane.
20
Take the ramp
0.4 mi
·
48 sec
Toward I 88 West Toll: De Kalb, Iowa
Use the right lane.
21
Merge onto I 88; IL 110
6.1 mi
·
7 min
·
Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
22
Take the exit
0.6 mi
·
1 min
Exit 117
Toward IL 31, IL 56 East
Use the right lane.
23
Turn right onto IL 31
0.4 mi
·
52 sec
·
South Lincolnway Street
24
Continue on IL 31
2.2 mi
·
4 min
·
North Lake Street
25
Turn right onto West Galena Boulevard
0.1 mi
·
9 sec
·
West Galena Boulevard
26
Arrive at destination
West Galena Boulevard
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 26.8 mi from Long Lake, IL · 42m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
27 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 12 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 26.8 miles from Long Lake, IL, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Aurora, IL
The final approach into Aurora, 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
$8.36 one way
$16.73 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
19 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $9.18 | $18.37 |
| premium | $4.89 | $10.30 | $20.59 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $11.81 | $23.62 |
Estimated Tolls: $0.36
Reagan Memorial Tollway
(6.1 mi)
$0.36
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$8
Tolls
$0
Total
$9
Estimated CO2 emission: 18.7 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $6 in charging · 0 stops · 68% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 16.1 | 0 | $5.62 | $2.57 |
| Efficient EV | 13.4 | 0 | $4.68 | $2.14 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 21.4 | 0 | $7.49 | $3.42 |
Gas CO2
19 kg
EV CO2
6 kg (68% 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
Aurora, IL
Morning in Aurora on Saturday
Local time
11:15 AM
CDT
Current temp
51°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
7 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 26m 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 Long Lake, IL to Aurora, IL covers 53.5 miles and takes about 1h 26m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Illinois Route 59, New Sutton Road, US 12. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 26.8 miles from Long Lake, IL. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $8.36 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 53.5 miles you will encounter 8 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: at 0.1 miles (North Augustana Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 10.8 miles (IL 59): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 43.9 miles: Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
On the drive from Long Lake, IL to Aurora, IL, road signs begin pointing toward Iowa along the way.
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, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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