Trip from Waukegan, IL to Somonauk, IL

Last recalculated Apr 16, 2026

Drive Time

2h 3m

Distance

90.7 mi

146 km

Drive Score

7/10

Good drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$14

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 27 min

4 AM

1h 55m ★

6 AM

2h 4m

8 AM

2h 22m

10 AM

2h 10m

12 PM

2h 8m

3 PM

2h 11m

5 PM

2h 21m

8 PM

1h 59m

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

Best Time Drive vs Fly

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Somonauk, IL

Stéphane Tendon

Trip Overview

The drive from Waukegan, IL to Somonauk, IL covers 90.7 miles and takes about 2h 3m 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, Belvidere Road for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. At current regular gas prices, budget about $14.18 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.

Midpoint

45.4 miles from Waukegan, IL

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 1h 1m into the drive .

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 2h 3m. Total distance: 90.7 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

2h 3m drive, comfortable solo distance.

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (0%). Straightforward navigation.

Scenic Drive

Turn-heavy local drive route profile.

Drive Character

Expect a 2h 3m drive with frequent turns across 90.7 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. 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 Somonauk, IL is easy. At 2h 3m 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 Somonauk, IL is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.

Main Roads

Road	Distance	Duration
Glen Rock Avenue	—	—
Belvidere Street	—	—
Belvidere Road	—	—
I 94 East	—	—
Tri-State Tollway	—	—
I 88 West	—	—
Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway	—	—
IL 56 West	—	—

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 Somonauk, IL.

Start on North Jackson Street

0.5 mi · 1 min · North Jackson Street

Turn right onto Glen Rock Avenue

0.5 mi · 1 min · Glen Rock Avenue

Turn right onto Belvidere Street

1.6 mi · 3 min · Belvidere Street

Continue on Belvidere Road

2.2 mi · 3 min · Belvidere Road

Take the ramp slight right toward I 94 East Toll: Chicago

0.3 mi · 37 sec · I 94 East Toll: Chicago

Merge slight left onto Tri-State Tollway

14 mi · 15 min · Tri-State Tollway

Keep slight right to continue on Tri-State Tollway

20 mi · 25 min · Tri-State Tollway

Take the exit slight right toward I 88 West, I 294 South: Aurora, Indiana

1.0 mi · 1 min · I 88 West, I 294 South: Aurora, Indiana

Keep slight right to continue on Tri-State Tollway

0.2 mi · 31 sec · Tri-State Tollway

Continue on Tri-State Tollway

0.4 mi · 47 sec · Tri-State Tollway

Keep slight right to continue on I 88 West Toll: Aurora

0.5 mi · 50 sec · I 88 West Toll: Aurora

Merge slight left onto Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway

0.8 mi · 1 min · Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway

Keep slight right to continue on Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway

25 mi · 30 min · Ronald Reagan Memorial Tollway

Keep slight right to continue on IL 56 West: Sugar Grove

4.2 mi · 5 min · IL 56 West: Sugar Grove

Continue straight

2.4 mi · 3 min

Turn left onto Dugan Road

0.1 mi · 22 sec · Dugan Road

Turn right onto Granart Road

2.1 mi · 4 min · Granart Road

At the end of the road, turn left onto Granart Road

3.4 mi · 5 min · Granart Road

Continue on Little Rock Road

5.0 mi · 7 min · Little Rock Road

Turn right

2.0 mi · 3 min

Continue straight

4.6 mi · 7 min

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 45.4 miles from Waukegan, IL, or about 1h 1m 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 20 miles or 27m in

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

Halfway reset

Around 45.4 miles or 1h 1m in

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

Final approach

Final hour starts around 1h 41m

Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Somonauk, 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.

Day 1

Settle into the route from Waukegan, IL

This is one driving day of about 90.7 miles and 2h 3m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 20 miles from Waukegan, IL.

This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.

Where to Stop

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

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 45.4 mi from Waukegan, IL · 1h 1m into the drive

village in Downers Grove, Lisle, and York Townships, DuPage County, Illinois, United States

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Downers Grove, IL

45 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

Buffalo Grove, IL

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 20 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Downers Grove, IL

Meal break

The midpoint is around 45.4 miles from Waukegan, IL, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Arriving in Somonauk, IL

The final approach into Somonauk, 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 Somonauk, 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

$14.18 one way

$28.36 round trip

$3.97/gal 25.4 MPG avg 32 kg CO₂

Fuel Type	$/gal	One Way	Round Trip
midgrade	$4.36	$15.57	$31.14
premium	$4.89	$17.45	$34.91
diesel	$5.61	$20.03	$40.05

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$14

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$39–$64

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

Estimated CO2 emission: 31.7 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $10 in charging · 0 stops · 66% less CO₂

Vehicle Type	kWh	DC Fast	Home Charge
Average EV	27.2	$9.52	$4.35
Efficient EV	22.7	$7.94	$3.63
EV Truck/SUV	36.3	$12.70	$5.80

Gas CO2

32 kg

EV CO2

11 kg (66% 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 as of Apr 15, 2026

Origin

Waukegan, IL

Afternoon in Waukegan on Thursday

Local time

12:36 PM

CDT

Current temp

62°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Somonauk, IL

Afternoon in Somonauk on Thursday

Local time

12:36 PM

CDT

Current temp

51°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

11 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

2h 3m 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 Somonauk, IL covers 90.7 miles and takes about 2h 3m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.

The main roads are Glen Rock Avenue, Belvidere Street, Belvidere Road. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.

This is a comfortable same-day trip.

The midpoint is about 45.4 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 $14.18 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 Somonauk, IL is easy. At 2h 3m 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 Somonauk, IL is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.

The route from Waukegan, IL to Somonauk, IL does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.

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