How far is Vernon Hills, IL from Des Plaines, IL?

The driving distance from Vernon Hills, IL to Des Plaines, IL is about 19.8 miles (31.8 km), with a travel time of about 00h 29m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 13.8 miles (22.2 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 00h 59m 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
19.78 mi
00h 29m
Flight
13.77 mi
22.16 km direct

This is an easy same-day return drive.

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Vernon Hills.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
13.77 mi
Kilometers
22.16 km
Flight Time
00h 01m

Driving Distance

Road route
19.78 mi
Kilometers
31.83 km
Drive Time
00h 29m

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 29m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Des Plaines
Thu, Oct 15, 4:58 PM CDT
Return by in Vernon Hills
Thu, Oct 15, 5:28 PM CDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Vernon Hills
2026-10-15T16:28
Arrive Des Plaines
Thu, Oct 15, 4:58 PM CDT
Route Timing
00h 29m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
7:00 AM to 7:00 PM CDT
Leave when it suits your day
Arrive between
7:30 AM to 7:30 PM CDT

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

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

This departure sits inside the recommended comfort window for the route.

Halfway Point

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

Mid-route stop
Wheeling
IL

City in West Virginia

From Vernon Hills
7.7 mi
00h 14m
To Des Plaines
12.1 mi
00h 14m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
61°F
This Afternoon

Showers And Thunderstorms

Starts
Thu, Oct 15 2:00 PM CDT
Wind
5 to 10 mph SE
Destination
63°F
This Afternoon

Showers And Thunderstorms

Starts
Thu, Oct 15 2:00 PM CDT
Wind
5 to 10 mph SE

Driving Route Map

The map below follows the saved road route between Vernon Hills and Des Plaines.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Vernon Hills and Des Plaines.

  1. 1

    Start on Oakwood Road

    11 m · 7 sec · Oakwood Road

  2. 2

    Turn left onto Westmoreland Drive

    670 ft · 32 sec · Westmoreland Drive

  3. 3

    Turn right onto Cherry Valley Road

    584 ft · 27 sec · Cherry Valley Road

  4. 4

    Turn right onto Camden Place

    1058 ft · 54 sec · Camden Place

  5. 5

    Turn left onto Evergreen Drive

    1279 ft · 1 min · Evergreen Drive

  6. 6

    At the end of the road, turn right

    2.4 mi · 4 min

  7. 7

    Turn right onto Milwaukee Avenue

    1771 ft · 34 sec · Milwaukee Avenue

  8. 8

    Continue on North Milwaukee Avenue

    4.2 mi · 7 min · North Milwaukee Avenue

  9. 9

    Continue on South Milwaukee Avenue

    2.7 mi · 4 min · South Milwaukee Avenue

  10. 10

    Turn right onto North Des Plaines River Road

    5 mi · 8 min · North Des Plaines River Road

  11. 11

    Turn right onto Henry Avenue

    557 ft · 24 sec · Henry Avenue

  12. 12

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · Henry Avenue

Car Route Details

A richer read on the saved driving route between Vernon Hills and Des Plaines.

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
12 steps
8 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
0
0 merges, 0 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
60.6 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
North Des Plaines River Road
5.02 mi · 25%
North Milwaukee Avenue
4.2 mi · 21%
South Milwaukee Avenue
2.68 mi · 14%
Milwaukee Avenue
0.34 mi · 2%
Evergreen Drive
0.24 mi · 1%
Camden Place
0.2 mi · 1%
Longest Stretch

North Des Plaines River Road

Turn right onto North Des Plaines River Road

5.02 mi · 00h 08m

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 29m
Quick drive
Same-Day Return
01h 00m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+6 mi
13.8 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Wheeling
00h 14m from Vernon Hills
Leave By
7:30 PM CDT
Flexible departure
Weather Watch

Showers And Thunderstorms leaving Vernon Hills and Showers And Thunderstorms near Des Plaines.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

How long does it take to drive from Vernon Hills to Des Plaines?

The road trip is about 19.8 miles (31.8 km) and usually takes 00h 29m 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?

Wheeling is a useful midpoint, sitting about 7.7 miles from Vernon Hills and 12.1 miles from Des Plaines.

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

The direct path is about 13.8 miles (22.2 km), while the road route adds roughly 6 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 7:30 PM CDT.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $3.27 one way or $6.53 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 6.2 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Showers And Thunderstorms around Vernon Hills and Showers And Thunderstorms near Des Plaines.

Stop Ideas Near Wheeling

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

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

RAIL

Glenview station

12 mi away
1116 Depot St.
RAIL

La Grange Road

36 mi away
25 West Burlington St.
RAIL

Chicago Union Station

38 mi away
225 South Canal Street
RAIL

Summit

40 mi away
Archer Ave. and South Center Ave.

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Vernon Hills and Des Plaines. Straight-line distance: 13.77 mi (22.16 km).

Vernon Hills

#1 Vernon Hills

City in United States of America

Population26,425
Coordinates42.2194700, -87.9795200
Altitude224
CountryUnited States
Des Plaines

#2 Des Plaines

The most populous city in Cook County, Illinois.

Population58,179
Coordinates42.0333600, -87.8834000
Altitude193
CountryUnited States
Start: Oakwood Road (-87.979511, 42.219456)
End: Henry Avenue (-87.883408, 42.033456)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 32 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)00h 39m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)00h 29m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)00h 23m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)00h 19m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)00h 16m
80 mph (129 km/h)00h 14m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
0.7 gal
2.64 L · about $3.27
Round trip
$6.53
1.4 gal · 5.28 L
Estimated CO2
6.2 kg one way
Round trip: 12.4 kg / 27 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $4.67 $3.27 $6.53
Mid-grade $5.29 $3.70 $7.41
Premium $5.84 $4.09 $8.17
Diesel $6.57 $4.60 $9.20

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 · Oct 15, 2026

There is no time difference between Vernon Hills and Des Plaines. The current time is 16:28:55.

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.