Origin
Winthrop Harbor, IL
Evening in Winthrop Harbor on Friday
Local time
7:56 PM
CDT
Current temp
65°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Winthrop Harbor, IL to Arlington Heights, IL
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
51m
Distance
42.1 mi
68 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$7
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 47m
★
6 AM
0h 52m
8 AM
1h 0m
10 AM
0h 55m
12 PM
0h 54m
3 PM
0h 55m
5 PM
1h 0m
8 PM
0h 49m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Winthrop Harbor, IL
Tom Fisk
Arlington Heights, IL
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
This 42.1-mile drive from Winthrop Harbor to Arlington Heights in Illinois is a straightforward trip that can easily be completed in about 51 minutes. Designed as a single-day adventure, this route is budget-friendly with an estimated fuel cost of just $6. You'll be navigating local roads for the entirety of this journey, so expect a more engaged driving experience. This drive is well within the Midwest region, connecting two points within the same state, making it a simple point-to-point excursion. Given its short duration, it's perfect for a quick trip without the need for an overnight stay.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 51m. Total distance: 42.1 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
51m 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
Prepare for a 'turn-heavy local drive' for this entire 42.1-mile stretch, as indicated by the 0% highway share. There's no longest uninterrupted stretch to note, meaning you'll be consistently navigating through towns and intersections. This route won't offer long, monotonous highway miles; instead, you'll be directly experiencing the local road network for the full 51 minutes. The character of the drive will be one of constant engagement with traffic signals and turns, offering a direct feel for the communities you pass through.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 14 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
West Greenwood 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 Winthrop Harbor, IL to Arlington Heights, IL is easy. At 51m 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 Winthrop Harbor, IL to Arlington Heights, IL is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| West Greenwood Avenue | — | — |
| IL 137 | — | — |
| Buckley Road | — | — |
| I 94 | — | — |
| Tri-State Tollway | — | — |
| Willow Road | — | — |
| Palatine Road | — | — |
| North Arlington Heights Road | — | — |
Some road-level metrics are being recalculated.
Longest stretch:
West Greenwood Avenue
— detailed segment metrics are refreshing.
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Winthrop Harbor, IL and Arlington Heights, IL.
1
Start on Sheridan Road
6.6 mi
·
14 min
·
Sheridan Road
2
Turn left onto West Greenwood Avenue
0.3 mi
·
32 sec
·
West Greenwood Avenue
3
Take the ramp slight right toward IL 137
5.5 mi
·
7 min
·
IL 137
4
Turn right onto Buckley Road
3.0 mi
·
4 min
·
Buckley Road
5
Take the ramp slight left toward I 94 Toll East: Chicago
0.4 mi
·
52 sec
·
I 94 Toll East: Chicago
6
Merge slight left onto Tri-State Tollway
11 mi
·
12 min
·
Tri-State Tollway
7
Keep slight right to continue on Tri-State Tollway
3.5 mi
·
4 min
·
Tri-State Tollway
8
Take the exit slight right toward Willow Road
0.2 mi
·
26 sec
·
Willow Road
9
Keep slight right
0.2 mi
·
25 sec
10
Turn right onto Willow Road
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
Willow Road
11
Continue on Palatine Road
5.0 mi
·
7 min
·
Palatine Road
12
Turn left onto North Arlington Heights Road
1.5 mi
·
4 min
·
North Arlington Heights Road
13
Turn right onto East Euclid Avenue
49 ft
·
2 sec
·
East Euclid Avenue
14
Arrive at your destination
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 21 mi from Winthrop Harbor, IL · 25m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
21 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 42 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 21 miles from Winthrop Harbor, IL, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Arlington Heights, IL
Allow a few extra minutes for the final approach into Arlington Heights, IL if you are unfamiliar with the area.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$6.58 one way
$13.16 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
15 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $7.23 | $14.45 |
| premium | $4.89 | $8.10 | $16.20 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $9.30 | $18.59 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$7
Estimated CO2 emission: 14.7 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 12.6 | 0 | $4.42 | $2.02 |
| Efficient EV | 10.5 | 0 | $3.68 | $1.68 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 16.8 | 0 | $5.89 | $2.69 |
Gas CO2
15 kg
EV CO2
5 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
Arlington Heights, IL
Evening in Arlington Heights on Friday
Local time
7:56 PM
CDT
Current temp
69°F
Isolated Rain Showers
NNW 10 mph
24% chance
Live forecast
Severe Thunderstorm Watch
Severe Thunderstorm Watch issued April 16 at 2:08PM CDT until April 16 at 9:00PM CDT by NWS Paducah KY
Flood Warning
Flood Warning issued April 16 at 12:33PM CDT until April 18 at 7:00PM CDT by NWS Chicago IL
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
4 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
51m on the road
The weather snapshot is not static. If you are leaving later, give both cities one more quick forecast check before departure.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
Frequently Asked Questions
The drive from Winthrop Harbor, IL to Arlington Heights, IL covers 42.1 miles and takes about 51m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are West Greenwood Avenue, IL 137, Buckley Road. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 21 miles from Winthrop Harbor, IL. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $6.58 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 Winthrop Harbor, IL to Arlington Heights, IL is easy. At 51m 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 Winthrop Harbor, IL to Arlington Heights, IL is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
The route from Winthrop Harbor, IL to Arlington Heights, IL does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
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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