How far is Cary, NC from Wilmette, IL?
The driving distance from Cary, NC to Wilmette, IL is about 805.9 miles (1297 km), with a travel time of about 15h 40m by car.
- The straight-line flight distance is about 646.8 miles (1041 km).
- For a round trip, plan for roughly 31h 21m 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 15h 40m.
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 Ohio, United States of America
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 Wilmette.
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Cary and Wilmette.
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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
-
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
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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
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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
120.1 mi · 2 hr 12 min
-
42
Turn left onto East 5th Avenue
1.5 km · 2 min · East 5th Avenue
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43
Continue on East 4th Avenue
1.1 km · 1 min · East 4th Avenue
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44
Turn right onto Broadway
154 m · 22 sec · Broadway
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45
Turn left onto I 90 West
1482 ft · 38 sec
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46
Merge slight left onto Indiana Toll Road
13.1 mi · 14 min · Indiana Toll Road
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47
Turn straight onto Indiana Toll Road
963 ft · 2 min · Indiana Toll Road
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48
Merge slight right onto Indiana Toll Road
1.6 km · 2 min · Indiana Toll Road
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49
Continue on Chicago Skyway
2.9 mi · 5 min · Chicago Skyway
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50
Turn straight onto Chicago Skyway
724 ft · 18 sec · Chicago Skyway
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51
Merge slight left onto Chicago Skyway
4.1 mi · 6 min · Chicago Skyway
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52
Keep slight left to continue on Chicago Skyway
1987 ft · 31 sec · Chicago Skyway
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53
Merge slight left onto Dan Ryan Expressway (Express)
7.2 mi · 11 min · Dan Ryan Expressway (Express)
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54
Continue on Kennedy Expressway
8.2 mi · 12 min · Kennedy Expressway
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55
Continue on Edens Expressway
7.6 mi · 9 min · Edens Expressway
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56
Take the exit slight right toward Old Orchard Road
558 ft · 14 sec
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57
Keep slight right
87 m · 7 sec
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58
Turn straight onto Old Orchard Road
2073 ft · 48 sec · Old Orchard Road
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59
Turn left onto Skokie Boulevard
2374 ft · 56 sec · Skokie Boulevard
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60
Turn right onto Glenview Road
1.2 km · 1 min · Glenview Road
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61
Continue on Wilmette Avenue
2710 ft · 1 min · Wilmette Avenue
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62
Arrive at your destination
0 m · 1 sec · Wilmette Avenue
Car Route Details
A richer read on the saved driving route between Cary and Wilmette.
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 Wilmette.
Trip Questions
Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.
How long does it take to drive from Cary to Wilmette?
The road trip is about 805.9 miles (1297 km) and usually takes 15h 40m 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?
Londonderry is a useful midpoint, sitting about 400.1 miles from Cary and 405.8 miles from Wilmette.
How much longer is the road route than the straight-line distance?
The direct path is about 646.8 miles (1041 km), while the road route adds roughly 159.1 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 $117.40 one way or $234.80 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 252.7 kg one way.
Do you cross a time zone on this route?
Yes. There is about a 1 hour time difference between Cary and Wilmette, 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 Wilmette.
Stop Ideas Near Londonderry
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 Londonderry.
South Portsmouth–South Shore station
Columbus, OH
Ashland Transportation Center
Huntington
Flight Path Map
This map shows the direct air route between Cary and Wilmette. Straight-line distance: 646.85 mi (1041.01 km).
#1 Cary
Town in North Carolina, United States
| Population | 173,587 |
| Coordinates | 35.7915400, -78.7811200 |
| Altitude | 152 |
| Country | United States |
#2 Wilmette
Village in Cook County, Illinois, United States
| Population | 26,819 |
| Coordinates | 42.0722500, -87.7228400 |
| Altitude | 194 |
| Country | United States |
End: Wilmette (-87.72284, 42.07225)
Estimated Travel Time
Distance: 1297 km by road
| Speed | Time |
|---|---|
| 30 mph (48.3 km/h) | 26h 51m |
| 40 mph (64.37 km/h) | 20h 08m |
| 50 mph (80.47 km/h) | 16h 07m |
| 60 mph (96.56 km/h) | 13h 25m |
| 70 mph (112.65 km/h) | 11h 30m |
| 80 mph (129 km/h) | 10h 03m |
Fuel, Round Trip and CO2
Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.
| Fuel | $/gal | One way | Round trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Regular gas | $4.13 | $117.40 | $234.80 |
| Mid-grade | $4.57 | $130.06 | $260.11 |
| Premium | $4.98 | $141.55 | $283.09 |
| Diesel | $6.23 | $177.29 | $354.59 |
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