Ottumwa, IA Road Trips
With 8 routes heading out and 1 heading in, Ottumwa, IA works well as a modest departure point in the Midwest. Most drives stay under 136 miles, making this area well-suited for day trips and weekend getaways. Routes from Ottumwa, IA spread mainly east and west, covering a wide geographic range.
Photo: Quang Nguyen Vinh
Trip Routes
8
Longest Drive
217.4 mi
Council Bluffs, IA
Quickest Drive
1h 52m
West Des Moines, IA
Plan Around Ottumwa, IA
Popular Incoming Routes
Useful if Ottumwa, IA is the arrival point and you want the strongest routes into the city first.
Continue From Ottumwa, IA
Good next legs if this city is only one stop in a longer road trip.
Trips from Ottumwa, IA
Ottumwa, IA to Council Bluffs, IA
Ottumwa, IA to Dubuque, IA
Ottumwa, IA to Bettendorf, IA
Ottumwa, IA to Ames, IA
Ottumwa, IA to Cedar Rapids, IA
Ottumwa, IA to Iowa City, IA
Ottumwa, IA to West Des Moines, IA
Driving from Ottumwa, IA
On average, trips departing from Ottumwa, IA run 136 miles with a drive time of roughly 2h 40m. The majority of routes are short drives — quick enough to finish before lunch and be back for dinner. The longest mapped route runs 217 miles (4h 7m), while the shortest is just 94 miles.
Popular Destinations
The most popular drives from Ottumwa, IA include Council Bluffs, IA (217.4 mi, 4h 7m), Dubuque, IA (179.2 mi, 3h 6m), Bettendorf, IA (137.1 mi, 2h 53m), Davenport, IA (134.1 mi, 2h 47m), and Ames, IA (117.3 mi, 2h 19m). Most destinations stay within the same state, perfect for exploring the local region thoroughly.
Planning & Costs
Regular gas in IA currently averages around $3.77 per gallon. For the typical 136-mile trip from Ottumwa, IA, budget about $20 in fuel one way, assuming 25 MPG. Longer hauls and premium fuel will cost proportionally more.
Routes tend to go east, so afternoon departures put the sun at your back on the return leg. With an average drive under three hours, you have plenty of flexibility — leave whenever it suits you.
Frequently Asked Questions
There are 8 mapped routes leaving Ottumwa, IA and 1 routes heading into Ottumwa, IA, covering 9 total connections. Distances range from 94 to 217 miles.
The longest mapped route from Ottumwa, IA covers 217 miles and takes approximately 4h 7m. Shorter options start at just 94 miles.
The average route from Ottumwa, IA runs about 136 miles with a drive time of roughly 2h 40m. This includes both short day trips and longer multi-day drives.
At current gas prices (about $3.77/gallon for regular), the average 136-mile trip from Ottumwa, IA costs roughly $20 in fuel one way, based on 25 MPG. Your actual cost depends on your vehicle's efficiency.
The most popular road trip destinations from Ottumwa, IA include Council Bluffs, IA, Dubuque, IA, Bettendorf, IA and Davenport, IA. Each route page has detailed drive times, fuel estimates, stop suggestions, and turn-by-turn directions.
Ottumwa, IA by the Numbers
Recent demographic snapshot from the US Census Bureau's American Community Survey.
Population
25,352
Median Income
$56,994
Median Home Value
$92,400
Median Age
37.4
Source: US Census Bureau ACS 5-year (public domain). See our methodology for details.
Traveler Guide to Ottumwa, IA
Ottumwa is a city in South Central Iowa.
1 Wapello County Courthouse, 101 N 4th St (at Court St). Constructed in 1894 in the Romanesque Revival style. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
1 Canteen Lunch in the Alley, 112 E 2nd St (in the back alley parallel to 2nd and Main Sts, perpendicular to Court and Market Sts), ☏ +1 641 682-5320. M-W 10AM-7PM, Th-Sa 10AM-8PM. The Canteen has been around since the 1930s and is known for their loose-meat sandwiches. The restaurant was the model for the Lanford Lunch Box on the 1990s sitcom Roseanne. 2 Bubba-Q's, 1110 N Quincy Ave, ☏ +1 641-682-0082. Su–Th 11AM–9PM; F Sa 11AM–10PM. (updated Mar 2026)
1 AmericInn, 222 W 2nd St (between Marion and Washington Sts), ☏ +1 641-684-8222, fax: +1 641-683-1881, [email protected]. Check-in: 3PM, check-out: 11AM. 2 Hampton Inn, 943 N Quincy Ave (across from Quincy Place Mall), ☏ +1 641-814-8888, fax: +1 641-814-8889. Check-in: 3PM, check-out: noon. 3 Quality Inn & Suites, 125 Joseph Ave (at Court Rd), ☏ +1 641-682-8526, fax: +1 641-682-7124, [email protected]. Check-in: 3PM, check-out: 11AM.
Ottumwa is at the junction of US Highways 34 and 63. Amtrak serves Ottumwa via its California Zephyr route, running between Chicago to the San Francisco Bay Area. 1 Ottumwa railway station, 210 W Main St. (updated Oct 2019) Buses stop at the Amtrak station at 210 West Main St. Trailways (+1 641-682-2009) Greyhound Bus Lines (+1 641 682-2009) 2 Ottumwa Regional Airport (OTM IATA). General aviation airport. No scheduled passenger service. (updated Aug 2020)
Ottumwa Transit runs Monday through Friday from 6:46AM until 6PM. Fare is $1.50.
Travel tips adapted from Ottumwa on Wikivoyage, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Content summarized; visit the source for the full article. See our methodology for how we use it.
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