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Major city · United States

GurneeGurnee, Illinois

Go for one day, two if you add the water park: Six Flags and Gurnee Mills fill a day, and there is little else in town.

Weather
see forecast
Currency
USD
Best months
May–Sep for the parks; Dec for holiday lights at Six Flags
avoid Nov–Mar (parks closed or limited), peak July weekends
Airports
ORD · MKE
Nights
1–2
Not field-verifiedbasic guide
Print / PDF guide
3 pages, for the metro and roaming-off days
Map
Google Maps Apple Maps Street View
Rules in force · 7Crossing between the US, Canada and Mexico by land needs …Cannabis is legal in Canada and in many US states, but ta…
  • North America ↗Crossing between the US, Canada and Mexico by land needs your passport even on a day trip; rental cars need the company's written permission to cross, and most US and Canadian rental insurance stops at the Mexican border.
  • North America ↗Cannabis is legal in Canada and in many US states, but taking any amount across the US, Canadian or Mexican border is a federal crime — including edibles and vapes.
  • North America ↗The busiest US and Canadian national parks need timed-entry, campsite or lodge reservations in summer; release dates are months ahead.
  • United States ↗Check whether you need an ESTA (Visa Waiver Program) or a visa on the official CBP and State Department sites; apply only through esta.cbp.dhs.gov, not third-party sites, and allow time before you book.
  • United States ↗Several popular national parks use timed-entry or vehicle reservations in peak season; check each park's page on nps.gov and book on recreation.gov before fixing your dates.
  • United States ↗Medical care is very expensive for visitors; buy travel insurance with high medical cover before you fly.
  • United States ↗Tipping is expected: about 15–20% at sit-down restaurants and bars, and a tip for taxis, hotel staff and guides.

Gurnee is a village of about 30,000 people midway between Chicago and Milwaukee, built around two big draws: Six Flags Great America and the Gurnee Mills outlet mall. Most visitors come for a single day from Chicago or a one-night stay beside the park. Outside the Grand Avenue strip there is almost nothing to see, so treat it as an amusement-park stop, not a base for the region.

Essentials

Quick answers and what things cost

Quick answers

The questions people ask first about Gurnee, one line each. Tap a card for the full answer.

Cost cheat-sheet

2026 desk estimate · check

Typical prices for the everyday things, as ranges. Your currency is shown next to the local price.

  • Coffee$3–6
  • Sit-down mealSit-down dinner, per person before tip$20–40
  • Beerdraught in a bar$6–9
  • Taxi, about 5 kmRideshare, 5 kmSurge pricing after park closing.$12–20
  • SIM or eSIM, a weekeSIM or data SIM, about a week$15–30
  • Budget bedBudget chain hotel double room, a night, per roomUS$90
  • Mid-range bedBudget chain hotel double room, a night, per roomUS$130
  • High-end bedBudget chain hotel double room, a night, per roomUS$190

A day, not counting the bed: Budget US$80 · Mid US$150 · High US$280

Prices in local money; change the currency in the header to see yours next to them. Every price and the budget calculator →

Decide

What it is known for, and when the weather works

At a glance

What the city is known for, how you fly in, and where to find the phrases.

Six Flags Great AmericaHurricane Harbor Chicago water parkGurnee Mills outlet mallGreat Wolf Lodge indoor water park
Airports
ORD Chicago O'Hare International (Closest major airport; about 45–60 min by car via I-94, longer in rush hour.) · MKE Milwaukee Mitchell International (Second option, about 45 min north on I-94.)

Weather and climate

Forecast from Open-Meteo · averages rounded

Gurnee: next 7 days

Loading forecast…

Forecast: Open-Meteo (CC BY 4.0), model data for this point.

Air quality

Loading…

Model estimate (CAMS via Open-Meteo), not a street-level station; readings near busy roads run higher.

Jan

−1°C

−10°C

8 rd

Feb

1°C

−8°C

7 rd

Mar

8°C

−3°C

9 rd

Apr

14°C

3°C

11 rd

May

20°C

8°C

11 rd

Jun

26°C

14°C

10 rd

Jul

29°C

17°C

9 rd

Aug

28°C

17°C

9 rd

Sep

24°C

12°C

8 rd

Oct

17°C

6°C

9 rd

Nov

9°C

−1°C

9 rd

Dec

1°C

−7°C

9 rd

High / low °C · rd = rain days

Arrive & move

Airports are listed under At a glance; this is how to move once you are in

Getting around

A car is the default: I-94 runs through town and Grand Avenue (Illinois 132) is the main strip. Pace buses serve the Gurnee Mills area, including route 565 from the Waukegan Metra station. Metra does not stop in Gurnee itself — the UP-North line serves Waukegan and the North Central Service serves Grayslake, both a short drive away.

See & do

Day-trips, door to door

Day-trips

Door-to-door, not ride time
Chicagogo

Door to door: 1–1.5 h by car; about 1.5 h by train plus the drive to Waukegan

Drive I-94 south, or Metra UP-North from Waukegan to Ogilvie Transportation Center

A full day minimum; the train avoids downtown parking costs.

Milwaukee

go

Door to door: About 45–60 min

Drive I-94 north

Easy half-day for the lakefront and breweries.

Waukegan

caution

Door to door: 15–25 min

Drive or Pace bus south on Grand Avenue

Useful mainly for the Metra station and the lakefront.

Libertyville

go

Door to door: 15–20 min

Drive west on Grand Avenue and Route 21

Walkable small-town centre with independent restaurants.

North Chicago

skip

Door to door: About 15 min

Drive south on Route 41

Naval base and little for visitors.

Eat & sleep

Which area to sleep in

Where to sleep

Areas, not hotels: pick the one that fits your arrival time and plans.

Grand Avenue strip (Gurnee Mills area)

Hotels, the mall and chain restaurants within walking distance of each other; the practical choice without a car.

Six Flags / Great Wolf cluster

Walk to the park gate; Great Wolf Lodge has its own indoor water park, useful on a rainy day.

Waukegan or Libertyville

Cheaper or quieter beds 10–20 min away, with Metra access to Chicago.

Practical

What a day costs, what to watch out for, and the pocket card

Cost per day

2026 estimate, excluding the bed unless stated
Budget
$80–130 excl. bed
Mid
$130–220 excl. bed
High
$220+ excl. bed

Trip budget

2026 estimate · converts to your currency
Mid-range hotel double room1 × 1 night × US$180US$180
Food, local transport, entries2 × 1 day × US$150US$300
Six Flags Great America one-day ticket2 × US$70 · check — gate price varies by dateUS$140
Hurricane Harbor Chicago add-on2 × US$40 · checkUS$80
Rideshare, Gurnee Mills to Six Flags1 × US$15 · checkUS$15
eSIM, about a week of data2 × US$20US$40
Buffer 10%Price creep, a taxi you did not plan, one splurgeUS$76
Trip total≈ US$416 per person per day, bed includedUS$831

2026 estimate in US dollars; park tickets and flights excluded. Your choices stay in this browser.

Prices of common things

Coffee$3–6
Fast-food burger meal$10–15
Sit-down dinner, per person before tip$20–40
Beer, draught in a bar$6–9
Rideshare, 5 kmSurge pricing after park closing.$12–20
Six Flags parkingFree (check)
eSIM or data SIM, about a week$15–30

2026 estimate; check locally.

Watch out

Safety

Gurnee is a low-crime suburban village and feels safe day and night around the mall and hotels. The real risks are traffic on Grand Avenue, summer heat in the park queues, and leaving valuables visible in a parked car.
  • Six Flags is seasonal, roughly April–November; Hurricane Harbor is separately gated and costs extra.
  • Parking at Six Flags and Gurnee Mills is free but fills on summer weekends — arrive before opening.
  • Illinois sales tax is added at the till, so shelf prices are not what you pay.
  • Suburban roads are wide and fast; jaywalking across Grand Avenue is genuinely risky.

Emergency numbers

Police, fire, ambulance
911
Gurnee Police non-emergency
847-599-7000
Poison control (US)
1-800-222-1222

Pocket card

One page · print or save as PDF

Fill in, then print or save as PDF

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GurneeGurnee, Illinois

Pocket card · Voykit

My bed tonight

—

—

—

To this address, pleaseTo this address, please

Emergency

  • Police, fire, ambulance911
  • Gurnee Police non-emergency847-599-7000
  • Poison control1-800-222-1222

Embassy

No embassies in Gurnee; consulates-general are in Chicago, about an hour south.

My embassy: —

Fare anchors (2026 estimate)

  • Rideshare, O'Hare → Gurnee: $45–70, about 45–60 min (check)
  • Metra UP-North, Waukegan → Chicago: about $7–9 one way, about 1 h 10 min (check)
  • Pace bus 565, Waukegan Metra → Gurnee Mills: about $2, exact fare (check)

Say or show

  • Where is the entrance? — Where is the entrance?
  • One adult ticket, please — One adult ticket, please
  • Can I pay by card? — Can I pay by card?
  • Is parking free? — Is parking free?
  • How long is the wait? — How long is the wait?
  • Where is the nearest restroom? — Where is the nearest restroom?

Tipping is expected: 18–22% at sit-down restaurants, $1–2 a drink, 15–20% for taxis and rideshares.

Deep dive

What this guide covers so far, and its sources

Not a trip line yet

This is a basic guide: no airport-to-bed contract, walking clusters or day plans are published for Gurnee. Airport, fare and schedule details are unverified; check the operators before you fly.

What we know, and what is coming

On this page

  1. Best months: May–Sep for the parks; Dec for holiday lights at Six Flags · avoid Nov–Mar (parks closed or limited), peak July weekends · month by month →
  2. 2 airports and 3 areas to sleep in
  3. Weather: a 7-day forecast and monthly averages
  4. Cost per day in 3 bands
  5. 5 day-trips, door to door
  6. 4 things to watch out for, with emergency numbers

Coming as the guide grows

  1. Airport-to-bed contracts for ORD and MKE: last Metra and Pace departures field-checked, rideshare fallback, overnight rung.
  2. Walking clusters with rescue anchors: Grand Avenue strip, Six Flags gate, Great Wolf Lodge.
  3. Place pages with verified opening seasons and gate prices for Six Flags Great America and Hurricane Harbor.
  4. Hostile-weather fixtures (rain, July heat) so the indoor water park and mall can go green.

Meanwhile

Back to United States

Sources