How far is Avondale, IL from Waukegan, IL?

The driving distance from Avondale, IL to Waukegan, IL is about 34.9 miles (56.2 km), with a travel time of about 00h 50m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 30.1 miles (48.5 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 01h 40m of driving time before adding stops, traffic, or weather delays.
  • A comfortable departure window is usually 8:00 AM to 10:00 AM CST.
Trip Tools

Reverse, save, or send this route

This route works well as a day trip with time at the destination. Copy the route link, send it to another device, or print a clean version before you head out.

Reverse Route
Quick Snapshot
Road
34.9 mi
00h 50m
Flight
30.13 mi
48.49 km direct

This route works well as a day trip with time at the destination.

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Avondale.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
30.13 mi
Kilometers
48.49 km
Flight Time
00h 03m

Driving Distance

Road route
34.9 mi
Kilometers
56.17 km
Drive Time
00h 50m

Gas Cost Calculator

Leave and Arrive Planner

Pick a departure time to see your estimated arrival and same-day return window.

Drive time stays fixed at 00h 50m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Waukegan
Sat, Nov 7, 6:25 PM CST
Return by in Avondale
Sat, Nov 7, 7:15 PM CST
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Avondale
2026-11-07T17:35
Arrive Waukegan
Sat, Nov 7, 6:25 PM CST
Route Timing
00h 50m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
8:00 AM to 10:00 AM CST
Aim for a morning departure
Arrive between
8:50 AM to 10:50 AM CST

A morning start gives you useful time at the destination and keeps the return out of the late evening.

Leave by
4:50 PM CST
Keeps a same-day return open with about 03h 00m at the destination.
Back in Avondale
9:30 PM CST
Morning start is best

You are leaving earlier than the recommended window, which gives you extra margin for breaks and traffic.

Halfway Point

A useful midpoint for breaks, coffee, or meeting in the middle.

Mid-route stop
Highland Park
IL

City in Lake County, Illinois, United States

From Avondale
17.4 mi
00h 25m
To Waukegan
17.5 mi
00h 25m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
54°F
Saturday

Partly Sunny

Starts
Sat, Nov 7 6:00 AM CST
Wind
5 mph NW
Destination
52°F
This Afternoon

Sunny

Starts
Sat, Nov 7 5:00 PM CST
Wind
5 mph WSW

Driving Route Map

The map below follows the saved road route between Avondale and Waukegan.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Avondale and Waukegan.

  1. 1

    Start on North Christiana Avenue

    159 m · 28 sec · North Christiana Avenue

  2. 2

    Turn left onto West Barry Avenue

    102 m · 20 sec · West Barry Avenue

  3. 3

    Turn left onto North Spaulding Avenue

    652 ft · 29 sec · North Spaulding Avenue

  4. 4

    Turn left onto West Belmont Avenue

    685 ft · 39 sec · West Belmont Avenue

  5. 5

    Turn right onto North Kimball Avenue

    880 ft · 45 sec · North Kimball Avenue

  6. 6

    Take the ramp left toward I 90 West, I 94 West

    653 ft · 18 sec

  7. 7

    Merge slight left onto Kennedy Expressway

    2 mi · 3 min · Kennedy Expressway

  8. 8

    Continue on Edens Expressway

    13.5 mi · 17 min · Edens Expressway

  9. 9

    Keep slight left to continue on Skokie Highway

    3.8 mi · 4 min · Skokie Highway

  10. 10

    Continue on Skokie Valley Road

    3.4 mi · 4 min · Skokie Valley Road

  11. 11

    Continue on South Skokie Highway

    8.2 mi · 10 min · South Skokie Highway

  12. 12

    Take the exit slight right toward IL 120 East

    1323 ft · 36 sec

  13. 13

    Turn straight onto Belvidere Road

    1830 ft · 33 sec · Belvidere Road

  14. 14

    Continue on Belvidere Street

    1.6 mi · 3 min · Belvidere Street

  15. 15

    Turn left onto Glen Rock Avenue

    2495 ft · 1 min · Glen Rock Avenue

  16. 16

    Turn left onto South Jackson Street

    2647 ft · 1 min · South Jackson Street

  17. 17

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · North Jackson Street

Car Route Details

A richer read on the saved driving route between Avondale and Waukegan.

OSRM road route
Drive Character

Turn-heavy local drive

The route has frequent decision points for its length, so lane choice and turn timing will matter more than cruising speed.

Directions
17 steps
7 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
3
1 merges, 2 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
48.7 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
Edens Expressway
13.5 mi · 39%
South Skokie Highway
8.22 mi · 24%
Skokie Highway
3.84 mi · 11%
Skokie Valley Road
3.38 mi · 10%
Kennedy Expressway
1.96 mi · 6%
Belvidere Street
1.65 mi · 5%
Longest Stretch

Edens Expressway

Continue on Edens Expressway

13.5 mi · 00h 17m

Route Summary

A quick read on whether this route feels easy, ambitious, or worth planning around.

Trip Read

A comfortable day-trip route

This route works well as a day trip. You can leave in the morning, spend meaningful time at the destination, and still return the same day.

Drive Time
00h 50m
Day trip friendly
Same-Day Return
01h 40m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+4.8 mi
30.1 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Highland Park
00h 25m from Avondale
Leave By
4:50 PM CST
Morning start is best
Weather Watch

Partly Sunny leaving Avondale and Sunny near Waukegan.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

How long does it take to drive from Avondale to Waukegan?

The road trip is about 34.9 miles (56.2 km) and usually takes 00h 50m in normal driving conditions.

Is this a same-day trip or an overnight route?

This route works well as a day trip. You can leave in the morning, spend meaningful time at the destination, and still return the same day.

What is the halfway point on this route?

Highland Park is a useful midpoint, sitting about 17.4 miles from Avondale and 17.5 miles from Waukegan.

How much longer is the road route than the straight-line distance?

The direct path is about 30.1 miles (48.5 km), while the road route adds roughly 4.8 extra miles because roads do not follow the straight air line.

When is the best time to leave for this route?

A good departure window is usually 8:00 AM to 10:00 AM CST. If you want a more comfortable same-day return, try to leave by 4:50 PM CST.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $5.61 one way or $11.22 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 10.9 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Partly Sunny around Avondale and Sunny near Waukegan.

Stop Ideas Near Highland Park

Useful break, food, and waypoint ideas within about 15 miles of the route midpoint.

Mid-route Guidance
Local place coverage is thin around Highland Park, so nearby transit and meeting points are shown instead.
Reviewed stop coverage is still thin around this midpoint, so practical transit waypoints are shown on the right.

Transit and Meeting Points

Useful pickup, handoff, or rendezvous points close to Highland Park.

RAIL

Glenview station

12 mi away
1116 Depot St.
RAIL

Chicago Union Station

36 mi away
225 South Canal Street
RAIL

La Grange Road

41 mi away
25 West Burlington St.
RAIL

Summit

43 mi away
Archer Ave. and South Center Ave.

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Avondale and Waukegan. Straight-line distance: 30.13 mi (48.49 km).

Photo coming soon

#1 Avondale

Avondale is a place in Illinois, United States.

Population0
Coordinates41.9389200, -87.7111700
Altitude182
CountryUnited States
Waukegan

#2 Waukegan

The second most populous city in Lake County, Illinois.

Population85,453
Coordinates42.3636300, -87.8447900
Altitude199
CountryUnited States
Start: North Christiana Avenue (-87.711252, 41.938919)
End: North Jackson Street (-87.844706, 42.363629)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 56 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)01h 09m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)00h 52m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)00h 41m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)00h 34m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)00h 29m
80 mph (129 km/h)00h 26m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
1.23 gal
4.66 L · about $5.61
Round trip
$11.22
2.46 gal · 9.32 L
Estimated CO2
10.9 kg one way
Round trip: 21.9 kg / 48 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $4.56 $5.61 $11.22
Mid-grade $5.19 $6.38 $12.76
Premium $5.75 $7.07 $14.14
Diesel $6.56 $8.07 $16.14

Assumes 8.3 L/100 km (about 28.3 MPG). CO2 is an estimate and varies by vehicle, fuel blend, traffic, and terrain.

Prices in Illinois · Nov 07, 2026

There is no time difference between Avondale and Waukegan. The current time is 17:35:16.

Distance to Other Cities

How did we calculate? Place names are translated into coordinates. The Haversine formula calculates straight-line distance; driving distance uses road network data.