Origin
Waukegan, IL
Afternoon in Waukegan on Thursday
Local time
12:34 PM
CDT
Current temp
62°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Waukegan, IL to Northfield, IL
Last recalculated Apr 16, 2026
Drive Time
32m
Distance
21.6 mi
35 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$3
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 29m
★
6 AM
0h 32m
8 AM
0h 37m
10 AM
0h 34m
12 PM
0h 33m
3 PM
0h 34m
5 PM
0h 37m
8 PM
0h 30m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Northfield, IL
Stéphane Tendon
Trip Overview
The drive from Waukegan, IL to Northfield, IL covers 21.6 miles and takes about 32m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Glen Rock Avenue, Belvidere Street, South Lewis Avenue for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. At current regular gas prices, budget about $3.38 one way before food or hotel costs.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 32m. Total distance: 21.6 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
32m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (0%). Straightforward navigation.
Scenic Drive
Turn-heavy local drive route profile.
Drive Character
Expect a 32m drive with frequent turns across 21.6 miles of local and secondary roads.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 17 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Glen Rock Avenue 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.
Driving Effort
1/10
Very easy - short and simple to drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
The drive from Waukegan, IL to Northfield, IL is easy. At 32m 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 Waukegan, IL to Northfield, IL is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Glen Rock Avenue | — | — |
| Belvidere Street | — | — |
| South Lewis Avenue | — | — |
| Buckley Road | — | — |
| North Skokie Highway | — | — |
| Skokie Valley Road | — | — |
| Skokie Highway | — | — |
| Edens Expressway | — | — |
Some road-level metrics are being recalculated.
Longest stretch:
Glen Rock Avenue
— detailed segment metrics are refreshing.
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Waukegan, IL and Northfield, IL.
1
Start on North Jackson Street
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
North Jackson Street
2
Turn right onto Glen Rock Avenue
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
Glen Rock Avenue
3
Turn right onto Belvidere Street
0.3 mi
·
34 sec
·
Belvidere Street
4
Turn left onto South Lewis Avenue
2.9 mi
·
5 min
·
South Lewis Avenue
5
Turn right onto Buckley Road
1.1 mi
·
1 min
·
Buckley Road
6
Turn left onto North Skokie Highway
5.6 mi
·
6 min
·
North Skokie Highway
7
Continue on Skokie Valley Road
3.4 mi
·
3 min
·
Skokie Valley Road
8
Continue on Skokie Highway
3.8 mi
·
4 min
·
Skokie Highway
9
Continue on Edens Expressway
1.7 mi
·
2 min
·
Edens Expressway
10
Take the exit slight right toward East Tower Road
0.3 mi
·
38 sec
·
East Tower Road
11
Keep slight left to continue on Willow Road, Kohl Children's Museum
125 ft
·
8 sec
·
Willow Road, Kohl Children's Museum
12
Turn left onto Frontage Road
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
Frontage Road
13
Continue on Central Avenue
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
Central Avenue
14
Turn right onto Willow Road
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
Willow Road
15
Turn left onto Wagner Road
0.1 mi
·
21 sec
·
Wagner Road
16
Turn right onto Bosworth Lane
79 ft
·
4 sec
·
Bosworth Lane
17
Arrive at your destination
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$3.38 one way
$6.75 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
8 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $3.71 | $7.42 |
| premium | $4.89 | $4.16 | $8.31 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $4.77 | $9.54 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$3
Estimated CO2 emission: 7.6 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 63% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 6.5 | 0 | $2.27 | $1.04 |
| Efficient EV | 5.4 | 0 | $1.89 | $0.86 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 8.6 | 0 | $3.02 | $1.38 |
Gas CO2
8 kg
EV CO2
3 kg (63% 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
Northfield, IL
Afternoon in Northfield on Thursday
Local time
12:34 PM
CDT
Current temp
64°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
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
32m 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 Waukegan, IL to Northfield, IL covers 21.6 miles and takes about 32m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Glen Rock Avenue, Belvidere Street, South Lewis Avenue. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 10.8 miles from Waukegan, IL. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $3.38 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 Waukegan, IL to Northfield, IL is easy. At 32m 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 Waukegan, IL to Northfield, IL is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
The route from Waukegan, IL to Northfield, IL does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
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