How far is Island Lake, IL from Waukegan, IL?

The driving distance from Island Lake, IL to Waukegan, IL is about 22.9 miles (36.9 km), with a travel time of about 00h 39m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 18.8 miles (30.2 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 01h 18m of driving time before adding stops, traffic, or weather delays.
  • A comfortable departure window is usually 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM CDT.
Trip Tools

Reverse, save, or send this route

This is an easy same-day return drive. Copy the route link, send it to another device, or print a clean version before you head out.

Reverse Route
Quick Snapshot
Road
22.93 mi
00h 39m
Flight
18.74 mi
30.16 km direct

This is an easy same-day return drive.

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Island Lake.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
18.74 mi
Kilometers
30.16 km
Flight Time
00h 02m

Driving Distance

Road route
22.93 mi
Kilometers
36.9 km
Drive Time
00h 39m

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 39m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Waukegan
Wed, Apr 15, 2:01 AM CDT
Return by in Island Lake
Wed, Apr 15, 2:40 AM CDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Island Lake
2026-04-15T01:22
Arrive Waukegan
Wed, Apr 15, 2:01 AM CDT
Route Timing
00h 39m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
7:00 AM to 7:00 PM CDT
Leave when it suits your day
Arrive between
7:39 AM to 7:39 PM CDT

This is a short drive, so your comfort window is wide. Traffic and current weather matter more than the clock.

Leave by
7:12 PM CDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 01h 30m at the destination.
Back in Island Lake
10:00 PM CDT
Flexible departure

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
Hainesville
IL

United States

From Island Lake
11.9 mi
00h 19m
To Waukegan
11 mi
00h 19m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
71°F
Wednesday

Showers And Thunderstorms Likely

Starts
Wed, Apr 15 1:00 AM CDT
Wind
15 to 20 mph SW
Destination
62°F
Overnight

Chance Showers And Thunderstorms

Starts
Wed, Apr 15 12:00 AM CDT
Wind
10 mph SW

Driving Route Map

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

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Island Lake and Waukegan.

  1. 1

    Start on Rose Avenue

    63 m · 11 sec · Rose Avenue

  2. 2

    Turn right onto Greenleaf Avenue

    2157 ft · 2 min · Greenleaf Avenue

  3. 3

    Turn left onto East State Road

    1.2 km · 2 min · East State Road

  4. 4

    Turn left onto North Darrell Road

    1.1 km · 1 min · North Darrell Road

  5. 5

    Turn right onto West Bonner Road

    1.3 mi · 3 min · West Bonner Road

  6. 6

    Turn left

    2.6 mi · 3 min

  7. 7

    Continue straight

    1 km · 48 sec

  8. 8

    Turn right onto West Belvidere Road

    8.6 mi · 13 min · West Belvidere Road

  9. 9

    Continue on Belvidere Road

    6.3 mi · 9 min · Belvidere Road

  10. 10

    Continue on Belvidere Street

    1.6 mi · 3 min · Belvidere Street

  11. 11

    Turn left onto Glen Rock Avenue

    2495 ft · 1 min · Glen Rock Avenue

  12. 12

    Turn left onto South Jackson Street

    2647 ft · 1 min · South Jackson Street

  13. 13

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · North Jackson Street

Car Route Details

A richer read on the saved driving route between Island Lake 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
13 steps
8 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
0
0 merges, 0 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
56.8 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
West Belvidere Road
8.58 mi · 37%
Belvidere Road
6.3 mi · 27%
West Bonner Road
1.93 mi · 8%
Belvidere Street
1.65 mi · 7%
East State Road
0.76 mi · 3%
North Darrell Road
0.69 mi · 3%
Longest Stretch

West Belvidere Road

Turn right onto West Belvidere Road

8.58 mi · 00h 13m

Route Summary

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

Trip Read

A short regional drive

This route is short enough to handle as a quick errand, commute, or easy same-day return without much planning overhead.

Drive Time
00h 39m
Quick drive
Same-Day Return
01h 18m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+4.1 mi
18.8 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Hainesville
00h 19m from Island Lake
Leave By
7:12 PM CDT
Flexible departure
Weather Watch

Showers And Thunderstorms Likely leaving Island Lake and Chance Showers And Thunderstorms near Waukegan.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

How long does it take to drive from Island Lake to Waukegan?

The road trip is about 22.9 miles (36.9 km) and usually takes 00h 39m in normal driving conditions.

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

This route is short enough to handle as a quick errand, commute, or easy same-day return without much planning overhead.

What is the halfway point on this route?

Hainesville is a useful midpoint, sitting about 11.9 miles from Island Lake and 11 miles from Waukegan.

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

The direct path is about 18.8 miles (30.2 km), while the road route adds roughly 4.1 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 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM CDT. If you want a more comfortable same-day return, try to leave by 7:12 PM CDT.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $3.05 one way or $6.11 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 7.2 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Showers And Thunderstorms Likely around Island Lake and Chance Showers And Thunderstorms near Waukegan.

Stop Ideas Near Hainesville

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

Mid-route Guidance
Local place coverage is thin around Hainesville, 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 Hainesville.

RAIL

Glenview station

37 mi away
1116 Depot St.
RAIL

Sturtevant station

44 mi away
9900 East Exploration Court
RAIL

La Grange Road

61 mi away
25 West Burlington St.
RAIL

Chicago Union Station

63 mi away
225 South Canal Street

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Island Lake and Waukegan. Straight-line distance: 18.74 mi (30.16 km).

Island Lake

#1 Island Lake

City in Illinois, United States of America

Population7,951
Coordinates42.2761300, -88.1920300
Altitude238
CountryUnited States
Waukegan

#2 Waukegan

The second most populous city in Lake County, Illinois.

Population85,453
Coordinates42.3636300, -87.8447900
Altitude199
CountryUnited States
Start: Rose Avenue (-88.19203, 42.276126)
End: North Jackson Street (-87.844706, 42.363629)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 37 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)00h 45m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)00h 34m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)00h 27m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)00h 22m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)00h 19m
80 mph (129 km/h)00h 17m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
0.81 gal
3.06 L · about $3.05
Round trip
$6.11
1.62 gal · 6.12 L
Estimated CO2
7.2 kg one way
Round trip: 14.4 kg / 32 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $3.77 $3.05 $6.11
Mid-grade $4.25 $3.44 $6.89
Premium $4.65 $3.77 $7.54
Diesel $5.30 $4.30 $8.59

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 Illinois · Apr 15, 2026

There is no time difference between Island Lake and Waukegan. The current time is 01:22:19.

Distance to Other Cities

Planning a road trip? See the full trip guide on Trip.ovh — stops, fuel costs, weather, and departure timing.

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