How far is Waukegan, IL from Wood Dale, IL?

The driving distance from Waukegan, IL to Wood Dale, IL is about 39.2 miles (63.1 km), with a travel time of about 00h 53m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 28.5 miles (45.9 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 01h 46m of driving time before adding stops, traffic, or weather delays.
  • A comfortable departure window is usually 8:00 AM to 10:00 AM CDT.
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
39.18 mi
00h 53m
Flight
28.5 mi
45.86 km direct

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

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Waukegan.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
28.5 mi
Kilometers
45.86 km
Flight Time
00h 03m

Driving Distance

Road route
39.18 mi
Kilometers
63.06 km
Drive Time
00h 53m

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 53m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Wood Dale
Sun, Apr 19, 2:34 AM CDT
Return by in Waukegan
Sun, Apr 19, 3:27 AM CDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Waukegan
2026-04-19T01:41
Arrive Wood Dale
Sun, Apr 19, 2:34 AM CDT
Route Timing
00h 53m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
8:00 AM to 10:00 AM CDT
Aim for a morning departure
Arrive between
8:53 AM to 10:53 AM CDT

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

Leave by
4:44 PM CDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 03h 00m at the destination.
Back in Waukegan
9:30 PM CDT
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
Ridgeland
IL

Township in Iroquois County, Illinois

From Waukegan
19.6 mi
00h 26m
To Wood Dale
19.6 mi
00h 26m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
49°F
Sunday

Mostly Sunny

Starts
Sun, Apr 19 6:00 AM CDT
Wind
15 mph WNW
Destination
52°F
Sunday

Mostly Sunny

Starts
Sun, Apr 19 6:00 AM CDT
Wind
15 mph WNW

Driving Route Map

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

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Waukegan and Wood Dale.

  1. 1

    Start on North Jackson Street

    2647 ft · 1 min · North Jackson Street

  2. 2

    Turn right onto Glen Rock Avenue

    2495 ft · 1 min · Glen Rock Avenue

  3. 3

    Turn right onto Belvidere Street

    1.6 mi · 3 min · Belvidere Street

  4. 4

    Continue on Belvidere Road

    2.2 mi · 3 min · Belvidere Road

  5. 5

    Take the ramp slight right toward I 94 East Toll: Chicago

    1511 ft · 37 sec

  6. 6

    Merge slight left onto Tri-State Tollway

    13.9 mi · 16 min · Tri-State Tollway

  7. 7

    Keep slight right to continue on Tri-State Tollway

    13.7 mi · 17 min · Tri-State Tollway

  8. 8

    Take the exit slight right toward IL 19: Irving Park Road, O'Hare Oasis

    1162 ft · 28 sec

  9. 9

    Keep slight left

    2715 ft · 1 min

  10. 10

    Keep slight right to continue on IL 19 West: Irving Park Road

    1011 ft · 25 sec

  11. 11

    Turn straight onto Irving Park Road

    5.5 mi · 9 min · Irving Park Road

  12. 12

    Continue on Irving Park Road

    88 m · 5 sec · Irving Park Road

  13. 13

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · Irving Park Road

Car Route Details

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

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
3 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
3
1 merges, 2 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
33.2 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
Tri-State Tollway
27.6 mi · 70%
Irving Park Road
5.6 mi · 14%
Belvidere Road
2.15 mi · 5%
Belvidere Street
1.65 mi · 4%
IL 19
0.73 mi · 2%
North Jackson Street
0.5 mi · 1%
Longest Stretch

Tri-State Tollway

Merge slight left onto Tri-State Tollway

13.9 mi · 00h 16m

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 53m
Day trip friendly
Same-Day Return
01h 46m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+10.7 mi
28.5 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Ridgeland
00h 26m from Waukegan
Leave By
4:44 PM CDT
Morning start is best
Weather Watch

Mostly Sunny leaving Waukegan and Mostly Sunny near Wood Dale.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

How long does it take to drive from Waukegan to Wood Dale?

The road trip is about 39.2 miles (63.1 km) and usually takes 00h 53m 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?

Ridgeland is a useful midpoint, sitting about 19.6 miles from Waukegan and 19.6 miles from Wood Dale.

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

The direct path is about 28.5 miles (45.9 km), while the road route adds roughly 10.7 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 8:00 AM to 10:00 AM CDT. If you want a more comfortable same-day return, try to leave by 4:44 PM CDT.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $5.20 one way or $10.41 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 12.3 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Mostly Sunny around Waukegan and Mostly Sunny near Wood Dale.

Stop Ideas Near Ridgeland

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

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

RAIL

Glenview station

8 mi away
1116 Depot St.
RAIL

La Grange Road

34 mi away
25 West Burlington St.
RAIL

Chicago Union Station

34 mi away
225 South Canal Street
RAIL

Summit

37 mi away
Archer Ave. and South Center Ave.

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Waukegan and Wood Dale. Straight-line distance: 28.5 mi (45.86 km).

Waukegan

#1 Waukegan

The second most populous city in Lake County, Illinois.

Population85,453
Coordinates42.3636300, -87.8447900
Altitude199
CountryUnited States
Wood Dale

#2 Wood Dale

Addison Township, DuPage County, Illinois, United States

Population13,483
Coordinates41.9633600, -87.9789600
Altitude211
CountryUnited States
Start: Waukegan (-87.84479, 42.36363)
End: Wood Dale (-87.97896, 41.96336)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 63 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)01h 18m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)00h 58m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)00h 47m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)00h 39m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)00h 33m
80 mph (129 km/h)00h 29m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
1.38 gal
5.23 L · about $5.20
Round trip
$10.41
2.76 gal · 10.46 L
Estimated CO2
12.3 kg one way
Round trip: 24.5 kg / 54 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $3.77 $5.20 $10.41
Mid-grade $4.25 $5.87 $11.74
Premium $4.65 $6.42 $12.85
Diesel $5.30 $7.32 $14.64

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 19, 2026

There is no time difference between Waukegan and Wood Dale. The current time is 01:41:10.

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.