Waukegan, Illinois
Waukegan is a city of 89,076 people in Lake County, Illinois, founded in 1859.
Why visit Waukegan
Townapedia lists 77 museums and landmarks, 94 parks and trails, 172 places to eat, 25 places to stay and 19 attractions in and around town.
Highlights include Genesee Theater, Sky Trek Tower, Waukegan Public Library and Dewey House.
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 82°F; January lows average 16°F.
Weather in Waukegan
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Waukegan
Waukegan is a city in Lake County, Illinois, United States, and its county seat. Located 36 miles (58 km) north of Chicago, Waukegan is a satellite city within the greater Chicago metropolitan area. Its population was 89,321 at the 2020 census.
From the Wikipedia article Waukegan, Illinois (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Things to do19
Sky Trek Tower
Monument and historic site · 3.3 mi
Observation tower in Gurnee, Illinois
Adeline Jay Geo-Karis Illinois Beach State Park
Beach · 4.5 mi
State park on Lake Michigan in Lake County, Illinois
Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science
School · 4.8 mi
United States university
Waukegan Harbor Light
Lighthouse · 3.0 mi
Lighthouse in Illinois, United States
Belvidere Cinema Gallery
Cinema and theater · 1.5 mi
2145 Belvidere Road, Waukegan
Three Brothers Theatre
Cinema and theater · 2.1 mi
221 North Genesee Street, Waukegan
7 more on the map.
Museums and landmarks77
Waukegan Public Library
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 2.0 mi
Library in Waukegan, Illinois, United States
128 North County Street, Waukegan
Dewey House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 4.6 mi
House in North Chicago
Hotel Waukegan
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 2.2 mi
Historic hotel in Waukegan, Illinois, USA
Howard and Lucy Linn House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 5.2 mi
Historic house at 555 Shoreacres Drive in Lake Bluff, Illinois
Karcher Hotel
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 2.0 mi
Hotel in Waukegan, United States of America
Lester Armour House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 5.6 mi
United States historic place
National Museum of the American Sailor
Museum · 4.2 mi
Museum in Illinois
2531 Sheridan Road, Great Lakes
Naval Station Great Lakes
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 4.2 mi
Naval training base for the United States Navy, outside of Chicago, Illinois
Near North Historic District
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 2.1 mi
Historic district in Waukegan, Illinois
Shiloh House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 6.0 mi
House in Zion, Illinois
St. Sava's Serbian Orthodox Seminary
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 4.8 mi
Monastery
Waukegan Building
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 2.1 mi
Office building in Waukegan, Illinois, United States
65 more on the map.
Parks, trails and playgrounds94
Bowen Park
Park · National Register of Historic Places · 2.4 mi
Urban park in Waukegan, Illinois, USA
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Six Flags Great America
Sports field and stadium · 3.2 mi
Amusement park in Gurnee, Illinois, United States
1 Great America Parkway, Gurnee
Six Flags Hurricane Harbor Chicago
Sports field and stadium · 3.4 mi
82 more on the map.
Restaurants and cafes172
Chuck E. Cheese
Restaurant · Pizza · 3.7 mi
1512 Nations Drive, Gurnee
Su-Th 11:00-21:00; Fr 11:00-22:00; Sa 10:00-22:00
Cracker Barrel
Diner · American · 3.8 mi
5706 Northridge Drive, Gurnee
Su-Th 07:00-21:00; Fr,Sa 07:00-22:00
Golden Corral
Restaurant · American, Buffet · 3.6 mi
1455 North Dilleys Road, Gurnee
Mo-Fr 11:00-21:00; Sa 08:00-21:00; Su 08:00-20:30
Olive Garden
Restaurant · Italian · 3.6 mi
5590 Northridge Drive, Gurnee
Su-Th 11:00-22:00; Fr,Sa 11:00-23:00
Papa Marcos Grill And Kabob
Restaurant · Middle Eastern · 1.7 mi
622 Grand Avenue, Waukegan
Mo-Sa 11:00-20:30; Su 11:00-18:00
Pizza Hut
Restaurant · Pizza · 3.3 mi
5326 Grand Avenue, Gurnee
Mo-We 14:00-21:00; Th 14:00-22:00; Fr,Sa 10:30-23:00; Su 10:30-22:00
Post Marketplace Cafe
Cafe · Coffee Shop, Sandwich · 2.1 mi
224 Washington Street
Mo-Fr 07:00-17:00; Sa 08:00-14:00
Toppers Pizza
Restaurant · Pizza · 3.5 mi
5572 Grand Avenue, Gurnee
Su-Th 10:30-23:00; Fr,Sa 10:30-00:00
160 more on the map.
Where to stay25
Churches and places of worship57
Holy Family Church
Church · National Register of Historic Places · 3.4 mi
Saint Demetrios Greek Orthodox Church
Church · Greek Orthodox · 3.3 mi
1400 O'Plaine Road, Libertyville
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
Church · Mormon · 2.2 mi
411 North O'Plaine Road, Gurnee
First Baptist Church of Waukegan
Church · Baptist · 2.1 mi
401 North Genesee Street, Waukegan
Shopping36
Gas and EV charging40
Schools, colleges and libraries85
Warren Township High School O'Plaine Campus
School · 2.3 mi
500 North O'Plaine Road, Gurnee
Healthcare12
Healthcare Plus Caregivers
Clinic and pharmacy · 1.5 mi
2215 Belvidere Road, Waukegan
North Central Community Health Center
Clinic and pharmacy · 2.6 mi
2215 14th Street, North Chicago
Map of Waukegan
250 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 30°F | 16°F | 1.4 in |
| Feb | 34°F | 18°F | 1.5 in |
| Mar | 44°F | 27°F | 2.2 in |
| Apr | 55°F | 35°F | 3.8 in |
| May | 67°F | 47°F | 3.9 in |
| Jun | 76°F | 57°F | 4.5 in |
| Jul | 82°F | 63°F | 3.5 in |
| Aug | 80°F | 62°F | 3.6 in |
| Sep | 74°F | 54°F | 3.6 in |
| Oct | 61°F | 43°F | 3.2 in |
| Nov | 48°F | 31°F | 2.3 in |
| Dec | 36°F | 22°F | 1.9 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Waukegan (2 mi away), rain and snow from Chicago Waukegan Rgnl Ap, NOAA NCEI.
People and cost of living
American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020-2024, U.S. Census Bureau. Estimates have margins of error, larger for small towns.
Disaster history
Lake County has had 9 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for snowstorms.
- 2020-03-26: Covid-19 Pandemic (Biological)
- 2020-03-13: Covid-19 (Biological)
- 2013-05-10: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Flooding (Flood)
- 2011-03-17: Severe Winter Storm And Snowstorm (Snowstorm)
- 2008-06-24: Severe Storms And Flooding (Severe Storm)
- 2008-03-13: Record Snow And Near Record Snow (Snowstorm)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
Waukegan National Airport (UGN) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 4 miles away.
- Park City 2 mi southwest, about 2 min by car
- Gurnee 3 mi west, about 5 min by car
- North Chicago 4 mi south, about 6 min by car
- Beach Park 5 mi north, about 8 min by car
- Green Oaks 5 mi southwest, about 8 min by car
- Gages Lake 6 mi west, about 9 min by car
- Zion 6 mi north, about 10 min by car
- Lake Bluff 6 mi south, about 10 min by car
- Grandwood Park 6 mi west, about 10 min by car
- Knollwood 6 mi south, about 9 min by car
Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.
Local news
Headlines from INDB, the NEMICO news database.
Reviews, tips and questions
Loading what members have shared...
Sources and licences
- NCES EDGE (Public domain): public schools
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 (Public domain): climate by month
- OpenFEMA (Public domain): disaster declarations
- OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0): places, airports, map data
- U.S. Census Bureau (Public domain): population, income, housing, education, commute
- Wikidata (CC0 1.0): elevation, founding date, time zone, website, landmarks and historic places
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Photo credits
- Waukegan Downtown During the Holidays, Richie Diesterheft from Chicago, IL, USA, CC BY 2.0
- Shimer College Waukegan Godot Building, Shimer College, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Shimer College Waukegan Prairie Building, Shimer College, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Greetings from Waukegan, Illinois - Large Letter Postcard (6940829554), Steve Shook from Moscow, Idaho, USA, CC BY 2.0
- ST. ANSTASIA CHURCH WAUKEGAN, IL - panoramio, DOLL2011.ZION, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Christ Episcopal Church, Waukegan, IL, B Garrett from Kenosha, Wi, United States, CC BY 2.0
- Dance at the J.W.B. Servicemen's Center, Waukegan, Illinois, 1919 (4406683431), Center for Jewish History, NYC, No restrictions
- Souvenir Folder of Waukegan, Illinois - Large Letter Postcard Folder (8453806379), Steve Shook from Moscow, Idaho, USA, CC BY 2.0
- Former Karcher Hotel in 2006 - Waukegan, Illinois, David Wilson from Oak Park, Illinois, USA, CC BY 2.0
- The former Karcher Hotel in downtown Waukegan, Raas08, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Lake County Courthouse in Waukegan, Nyttend, Public domain
- Genesee and Cory in Waukegan, Nyttend, Public domain
- Columbia Carousel, Late June 2026, Feather Better, CC BY 4.0
- Waukegan Public Library, Carnegie building, Nyttend, Public domain
- Waukegan Historical Society Haines House (located on the former Bowen Country Club land), Raas08, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Holy Family Church North Chicago, Teemu08, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Zion Chapter House, American Women's League, Nyttend, Public domain
- 149 North Branch (8675706596), LakeCountyIL, CC BY 2.0
- 148 North Branch (8675706924), LakeCountyIL, CC BY 2.0
- 034 Des Plaines (8674478917), LakeCountyIL, CC BY 2.0
- 146 North Branch (8675707614), LakeCountyIL, CC BY 2.0
- 033 Des Plaines (8675584526), LakeCountyIL, CC BY 2.0
- 032 Des Plaines (8675584968), LakeCountyIL, CC BY 2.0
- 031 Des Plaines (8674480121), LakeCountyIL, CC BY 2.0
- 147 North Branch (8675707218), LakeCountyIL, CC BY 2.0
- 035 Des Plaines (8674478221), LakeCountyIL, CC BY 2.0
- Karcher Hotel (14314943703), Teemu008 from Palatine, Illinois, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Upton Park, Jim Trottier, CC BY-SA 2.0
- 030 Des Plaines (8674480553), LakeCountyIL, CC BY 2.0
- Saul Harmon Flinn House (14253355803), Teemu008 from Palatine, Illinois, CC BY-SA 2.0
- 638 North Genesee Road (14230867682), Teemu008 from Palatine, Illinois, CC BY-SA 2.0
- The historic former Karcher Hotel (now the Karcher Artspace Lofts) on Washington street., Raas08, CC BY-SA 3.0
- John B. Leonard House (14243693166), Teemu008 from Palatine, Illinois, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Robert Douglas House and Grounds (14287073373), Teemu008 from Palatine, Illinois, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Pipe nail, Fishal, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Warren H. Ellis House (14046470988), Teemu008 from Palatine, Illinois, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Isaac R. Lyon House (14263622031), Teemu008 from Palatine, Illinois, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Welcome Fame Events, Wendy Brandt, CC BY 3.0
- Joseph Miller House (14229805001), Teemu008 from Palatine, Illinois, CC BY-SA 2.0
- David Ballenstine House (14046474907), Teemu008 from Palatine, Illinois, CC BY-SA 2.0
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