How far is Cary, NC from Lake Zurich, IL?
The driving distance from Cary, NC to Lake Zurich, IL is about 828.7 miles (1333.6 km), with a travel time of about 16h 08m by car.
- The straight-line flight distance is about 667 miles (1073.5 km).
- For a round trip, plan for roughly 32h 16m of driving time before adding stops, traffic, or weather delays.
- A comfortable departure window is usually 6:00 AM to 7:30 AM EDT.
Reverse, save, or send this route
This drive is better planned with a longer stop or an overnight stay. Copy the route link, send it to another device, or print a clean version before you head out.
This drive is better planned with a longer stop or an overnight stay.
Flight Distance
Driving Distance
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 16h 08m.
Starting early still helps, but most travelers will want a longer stop or an overnight stay on a route this long.
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.
City in and the county seat of Ross County, Ohio, United States
Route Weather Snapshot
Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.
Chance Light Rain
Mostly Cloudy
Driving Route Map
The map below follows the saved road route between Cary and Lake Zurich.
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Cary and Lake Zurich.
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1
Start on North Academy Street
7 m · 6 sec · North Academy Street
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2
Turn right onto Chapel Hill Road
625 ft · 19 sec · Chapel Hill Road
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3
Turn right onto North Harrison Avenue
3.3 mi · 6 min · North Harrison Avenue
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4
Take the ramp left
1937 ft · 41 sec
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5
Merge slight left onto Dan K. Moore Frwy.
59.8 mi · 1 hr 9 min · Dan K. Moore Frwy.
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6
Keep slight right
7.7 mi · 9 min
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7
Keep slight right
12.6 mi · 15 min
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8
Keep slight right to continue on Salem Parkway
6.5 mi · 8 min · Salem Parkway
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9
Take the exit slight right toward NC 74 West
1.3 km · 2 min
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10
Continue on Winston-Salem Northern Beltway
11.1 mi · 13 min · Winston-Salem Northern Beltway
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11
Keep slight left to continue on US 52 North: Mount Airy
1.8 mi · 2 min
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12
Merge slight left onto John Gold Memorial Expressway
20.9 mi · 24 min · John Gold Memorial Expressway
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13
Keep slight right to continue on South Andy Griffith Parkway
10.7 mi · 13 min · South Andy Griffith Parkway
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14
Continue on Fancy Gap Highway
9.4 mi · 11 min · Fancy Gap Highway
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15
Turn left
1.1 km · 48 sec
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16
Take the exit slight right
1276 ft · 31 sec
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17
Merge slight left
30.7 mi · 35 min
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18
Continue straight
1.3 mi · 1 min
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19
Keep slight right to continue on I 77 North: Bluefield, Charleston W. Va.
127.1 mi · 2 hr 25 min
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20
Keep slight left to continue on I 64 West: Huntington
17.8 mi · 20 min
-
21
Take the exit slight right toward US 35: Winfield, Point Pleasant
2419 ft · 59 sec
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22
Keep slight left to continue on Scott Depot
674 ft · 21 sec
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23
Turn right onto Fruth-Lanham Highway
96.3 mi · 1 hr 52 min · Fruth-Lanham Highway
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24
Keep slight left to continue on US 35 West: Dayton
76.3 mi · 1 hr 26 min
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25
Take the exit slight right toward SR 48: Main Street, Jefferson Street
3027 ft · 1 min
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26
Keep slight right to continue on Jefferson Street, Day Air Ballpark, Patterson boulevard
98 m · 8 sec
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27
Turn slight right onto South Jefferson Street
1.2 km · 1 min · South Jefferson Street
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28
At the end of the road, turn left onto East Monument Avenue
1.1 km · 1 min · East Monument Avenue
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29
Turn left onto West Riverview Avenue
677 ft · 18 sec · West Riverview Avenue
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30
Turn right onto Salem Avenue
101.9 mi · 1 hr 59 min · Salem Avenue
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31
Take the exit slight right toward I 465 South, I 465 North
1463 ft · 26 sec
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32
Keep slight right to continue on I 465 North
2479 ft · 54 sec
-
33
Merge slight right
6.1 mi · 7 min
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34
Keep slight left
1477 ft · 20 sec
-
35
Continue on I-465 WB
1.3 km · 57 sec · I-465 WB
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36
Continue straight
10.9 mi · 13 min
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37
Keep slight left to continue on I 865 West: Chicago
5 mi · 6 min
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38
Merge slight left
12.3 mi · 13 min
-
39
Take the exit slight right toward US 52 West
1281 ft · 16 sec
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40
Keep slight left
786 ft · 10 sec
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41
Merge slight left
116.8 mi · 2 hr 7 min
-
42
Take the exit slight right toward I 80 West, I 94 West, US 6 West: Chicago
1.4 mi · 3 min
-
43
Merge slight left onto Borman Expressway
9.4 mi · 13 min · Borman Expressway
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44
Take the exit slight right toward US 41 North: Calumet Avenue, Hammond, Munster
1047 ft · 16 sec
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45
Keep slight left to continue on Calumet Avenue South
1187 ft · 18 sec
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46
Keep slight left
1805 ft · 28 sec
-
47
Merge slight left onto Borman Expressway
2724 ft · 42 sec · Borman Expressway
-
48
Continue on Kingery Expressway
1.3 km · 1 min · Kingery Expressway
-
49
Take the exit slight right toward IL 394 South, I 94 West: Danville, Chicago
1.5 mi · 2 min
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50
Keep slight left to continue on I 80 West, I 294 North
1703 ft · 26 sec
-
51
Merge slight left onto Tri-State Tollway
4.8 mi · 7 min · Tri-State Tollway
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52
Keep slight left to continue on Tri-State Tollway
1.3 km · 1 min · Tri-State Tollway
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53
Keep slight left to continue on Tri-State Tollway
24.3 mi · 30 min · Tri-State Tollway
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54
Keep slight left to continue on Tri-State Tollway
1.2 mi · 1 min · Tri-State Tollway
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55
Take the exit slight right toward I 290 West, I 294 North, I 290 East: Rockford, Milwaukee, Chicago
98 m · 8 sec · Tri-State Tollway
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56
Keep slight left to continue on Tri-State Tollway
1.3 km · 2 min · Tri-State Tollway
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57
Keep slight left to continue on I 290 West: Rockford
1.4 km · 2 min
-
58
Keep slight left to continue on Saint Charles Road West
1751 ft · 43 sec
-
59
Merge slight left
13.4 mi · 17 min
-
60
Keep slight left
8.9 mi · 12 min
-
61
Continue on Lake Cook Road
1.2 km · 1 min · Lake Cook Road
-
62
Continue on North Rand Road
2.7 mi · 3 min · North Rand Road
-
63
Turn right onto South Old Rand Road
1.5 mi · 4 min · South Old Rand Road
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64
Arrive at your destination
0 m · 1 sec · North Old Rand Road
Car Route Details
A richer read on the saved driving route between Cary and Lake Zurich.
Long-distance drive
This route is long enough that fuel, rest stops, weather, and timing matter more than any single maneuver.
I 77 North
Keep slight right to continue on I 77 North: Bluefield, Charleston W. Va.
127 mi · 02h 25m
Route Summary
A quick read on whether this route feels easy, ambitious, or worth planning around.
Better with a longer stop
This route is long enough that most travelers will be better off planning an overnight stay or a more deliberate stop window.
Chance Light Rain leaving Cary and Mostly Cloudy near Lake Zurich.
Trip Questions
Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.
How long does it take to drive from Cary to Lake Zurich?
The road trip is about 828.7 miles (1333.6 km) and usually takes 16h 08m in normal driving conditions.
Is this a same-day trip or an overnight route?
This route is long enough that most travelers will be better off planning an overnight stay or a more deliberate stop window.
What is the halfway point on this route?
Chillicothe is a useful midpoint, sitting about 411.4 miles from Cary and 417.3 miles from Lake Zurich.
How much longer is the road route than the straight-line distance?
The direct path is about 667 miles (1073.5 km), while the road route adds roughly 161.7 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 6:00 AM to 7:30 AM EDT. Starting early still helps, but most travelers will want a longer stop or an overnight stay on a route this long.
How much will gas cost for this route?
Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $120.70 one way or $241.41 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 259.9 kg one way.
Do you cross a time zone on this route?
Yes. There is about a 1 hour time difference between Cary and Lake Zurich, so arrival and return times should be read in local time.
What should you check before leaving?
Before you leave, expect Chance Light Rain around Cary and Mostly Cloudy near Lake Zurich.
Stop Ideas Near Chillicothe
Useful break, food, and waypoint ideas within about 15 miles of the route midpoint.
Transit and Meeting Points
Useful pickup, handoff, or rendezvous points close to Chillicothe.
South Portsmouth–South Shore station
Columbus, OH
Ashland Transportation Center
Maysville
Flight Path Map
This map shows the direct air route between Cary and Lake Zurich. Straight-line distance: 667.04 mi (1073.5 km).
#1 Cary
Town in North Carolina, United States
| Population | 173,587 |
| Coordinates | 35.7915400, -78.7811200 |
| Altitude | 152 |
| Country | United States |
#2 Lake Zurich
Village in Lake County, Illinois, United States
| Population | 19,760 |
| Coordinates | 42.1969700, -88.0934100 |
| Altitude | 267 |
| Country | United States |
End: Lake Zurich (-88.09341, 42.19697)
Estimated Travel Time
Distance: 1334 km by road
| Speed | Time |
|---|---|
| 30 mph (48.3 km/h) | 27h 36m |
| 40 mph (64.37 km/h) | 20h 43m |
| 50 mph (80.47 km/h) | 16h 34m |
| 60 mph (96.56 km/h) | 13h 48m |
| 70 mph (112.65 km/h) | 11h 50m |
| 80 mph (129 km/h) | 10h 20m |
Fuel, Round Trip and CO2
Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.
| Fuel | $/gal | One way | Round trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Regular gas | $4.13 | $120.70 | $241.41 |
| Mid-grade | $4.57 | $133.71 | $267.43 |
| Premium | $4.98 | $145.53 | $291.05 |
| Diesel | $6.23 | $182.28 | $364.56 |
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 North Carolina · Sep 23, 2026