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Trip from Waukegan, IL to Pleasant Grove, IL

Last recalculated Apr 16, 2026

Drive Time

7h 16m

Distance

382.2 mi

615 km

Drive Score

8/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$60

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 32 min
4 AM
7h 6m ★
6 AM
7h 17m
8 AM
7h 38m
10 AM
7h 24m
12 PM
7h 22m
3 PM
7h 25m
5 PM
7h 37m
8 PM
7h 10m

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

Downtown Pleasant Grove, IL, IL

Pleasant Grove, IL

Ali Soheil

Trip Overview

The drive from Waukegan, IL to Pleasant Grove, IL covers 382.2 miles and takes about 7h 16m 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 $59.75 one way before food or hotel costs.

Trip Pace

Same-day drive is realistic

A same-day return is possible, but it will make for a full day on the road.

Break Rhythm

2 planned breaks

Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.

Midpoint

191.1 miles from Waukegan, IL

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 3h 38m into the drive .

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 7h 16m. Total distance: 382.2 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 2 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

7h 16m drive, plan rest stops for pacing.

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (0%). Straightforward navigation.

Scenic Drive

Turn-heavy local drive route profile.

Drive Character

Expect a 7h 16m drive with frequent turns across 382.2 miles of local and secondary roads.

This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 22 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. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way.

Driving Effort 3/10

Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

The route itself is not hard, but at 7h 16m, endurance matters. Plan breaks every 2-3 hours. The 0 decision points are all manageable with basic attention.

Where does it get tricky?

This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Waukegan, IL to Pleasant Grove, 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 Pleasant Grove, 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

14 mi · 17 min · Edens Expressway
10

Continue on Kennedy Expressway

8.1 mi · 11 min · Kennedy Expressway
11

Continue on Dan Ryan Expressway

2.4 mi · 2 min · Dan Ryan Expressway
12

Keep slight left to continue on Dan Ryan Expressway (Express)

8.8 mi · 11 min · Dan Ryan Expressway (Express)
13

Keep slight right to continue on I 57 South: Memphis

201 mi · 3 hr 40 min · I 57 South: Memphis
14

Keep slight left to continue on I 57 South: Memphis

66 mi · 1 hr 10 min · I 57 South: Memphis
15

Keep slight right to continue on Ken Gray Expressway

47 mi · 50 min · Ken Gray Expressway
16

Take the exit slight right toward IL 148

0.3 mi · 50 sec · IL 148
17

Turn right

0.7 mi · 59 sec
18

Continue straight

14 mi · 19 min
19

Turn slight right

118 ft · 4 sec
20

Turn straight onto West Vine Street

3.3 mi · 4 min · West Vine Street
21

Turn right onto Pleasant Grove Road

384 ft · 17 sec · Pleasant Grove Road
22

Arrive at your destination

Trip Plan

Morning Departure

Start early — leave by 6-7 AM to arrive at a reasonable hour.

Evening Departure

This is a long drive — plan for a morning departure or consider splitting it into two days.

You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 2 meaningful breaks for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 191.1 miles from Waukegan, IL, or about 3h 38m 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 84 miles or 1h 36m in

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

Halfway reset

Around 191.1 miles or 3h 38m in

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

Final approach

Final hour starts around 6h 8m

Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Pleasant Grove, IL than in the middle of the route.

Before You Leave

+

Open the route before leaving Waukegan, 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.

+

Pick one backup stop option before the midpoint in case traffic changes your pacing.

Day 1

Settle into the route from Waukegan, IL

This is one driving day of about 382.2 miles and 7h 16m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 84 miles from Waukegan, IL.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
Plan about 2 real breaks rather than only quick fuel stops.

Where to Stop

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

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 191.1 mi from Waukegan, IL · 3h 38m into the drive

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Champaign, IL

191 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

Chicago, IL

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 84 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Champaign, IL

Meal break

The midpoint is around 191.1 miles from Waukegan, IL, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Arriving in Pleasant Grove, IL

The final approach into Pleasant Grove, 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 Pleasant Grove, 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

$59.75 one way

$119.51 round trip

$3.97/gal 25.4 MPG avg 134 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.36 $65.61 $131.21
premium $4.89 $73.55 $147.10
diesel $5.61 $84.38 $168.77

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$60

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$85–$110

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

Estimated CO2 emission: 133.7 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $40 in charging · 1 stop · 66% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 114.7 1 $40.13 $18.35
Efficient EV 95.6 1 $33.44 $15.29
EV Truck/SUV 152.9 1 $53.51 $24.46

Gas CO2

134 kg

EV CO2

45 kg (66% less)

Plan for 1 charging stop. A 30-minute DC fast charge mid-route should be enough to complete the trip comfortably.

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 as of Apr 15, 2026

Origin

Waukegan, IL

Afternoon in Waukegan on Thursday

Local time

2:36 PM

CDT

Current temp

62°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Pleasant Grove, IL

Afternoon in Pleasant Grove on Thursday

Local time

2:36 PM

CDT

Current temp

54°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

8 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

7h 16m on the road

Start early — leave by 6-7 AM to arrive at a reasonable hour.

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 Pleasant Grove, IL covers 382.2 miles and takes about 7h 16m 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 191.1 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 $59.75 one way. This estimate uses 25.4 MPG — your actual cost will vary with your vehicle's fuel efficiency and current gas prices.
Start early — leave by 6-7 AM to arrive at a reasonable hour. This is a long drive — plan for a morning departure or consider splitting it into two days.
Plan about 2 meaningful breaks for fuel, food, or rest. Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
The route itself is not hard, but at 7h 16m, endurance matters. Plan breaks every 2-3 hours. The 0 decision points are all manageable with basic attention.
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Waukegan, IL to Pleasant Grove, IL is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
The route from Waukegan, IL to Pleasant Grove, IL does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.

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