This 218.2-mile drive from Alta, IA to Cedar Rapids, IA will take you approximately 4 hours and 15 minutes. Primarily utilizing roads like 220th Street and Avenue of the Saints, about 67% of this route involves highway driving. With a fuel cost estimated at $34 and a recommended one-day trip, this journey through the heart of the Midwest is a straightforward trek. It's designed for a single day, making it a convenient option for a quick getaway within Iowa. You'll experience a mix of driving styles as you make your way across the state.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is possible, but it will make for a full day on the road.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
Midpoint
109.1 miles from Alta, IA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 2h 10m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
220th Street
157.8 mi
3h 2m
Avenue of the Saints
42.3 mi
45m
Gard Avenue
5.9 mi
8m
Highway 7
3.3 mi
4m
90th Avenue
3.3 mi
4m
State Highway 110
3 mi
4m
32nd Street Northeast
1.3 mi
2m
630th Street
0.5 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
220th Street
— 157.8 mi, about 3h 2m
Traffic on I-380
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 16 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
4 PM
~2,006 veh/hr typical
Quietest
2 AM
~107 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
18.7×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
12a6anoon6p11p
Averaged across 52 weeks of 2023 FHWA Travel Monitoring Analysis System data. Weekday hours only (Mon–Fri).
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Alta, IA and Cedar Rapids, IA.
1
Start on 60th Avenue
0.1 mi·28 sec·60th Avenue
2
Turn left onto IA 7
3.3 mi·4 min·Highway 7
3
Turn right onto IA 110
0.3 mi·29 sec·90th Avenue
Use the right lane.
4
Continue on IA 110
3.0 mi·4 min·State Highway 110
5
Turn straight onto 85th Avenue
0.2 mi·22 sec·85th Avenue
6
Turn left onto CR C65
0.5 mi·43 sec·630th Street
7
Turn right onto CR M43
3.0 mi·4 min·90th Avenue
8
Continue on CR M43
5.9 mi·8 min·Gard Avenue
9
At end of road, turn left onto US 20
158 mi·3 hr 2 min·220th Street
10
Keep slight right at fork onto I 380; IA 27
42 mi·45 min·Avenue of the Saints
Toward I 380 South, IA 27 South: Cedar Rapids
11
Take the exit
0.3 mi·34 sec
12
Keep slight left at fork
121 ft·4 sec
13
Turn left onto 32nd Street Northeast
1.3 mi·2 min·32nd Street Northeast
14
Turn right onto Crystal Drive Northeast
184 ft·10 sec·Crystal Drive Northeast
15
Continue on Crystal Drive Northeast
177 ft·7 sec·Crystal Drive Northeast
16
Continue on Tiperary Drive Northeast
428 ft·18 sec·Tiperary Drive Northeast
17
Arrive at destination
Tiperary Drive Northeast
Trip Plan
To make the most of this 218.2-mile drive, consider an early morning departure from Alta to ensure you arrive in Cedar Rapids with plenty of daylight. With only one stop recommended and a total duration of 4 hours and 15 minutes, you have flexibility to pace yourself. Keep an eye on your fuel gauge, especially during the 157.8-mile stretch on 220th Street, as services might be less frequent. The $34 fuel cost is a good budget baseline for this one-day trip across Iowa.
Morning Departure
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Evening Departure
A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 109.1 miles from Alta, IA, or about 2h 10m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 157.8 miles.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
Departure
Before you leave
Start with fuel, water, and navigation already sorted so the first hour feels easy.
First stop
Around 48 miles or 59m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 109.1 miles or 2h 10m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 3h 30m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Cedar Rapids, IA than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Alta, IA so your first major turns are already loaded.
+
Leave with enough water and a charging cable within reach, not packed away.
+
Check your fuel range against the first long segment, especially if you are starting outside city service areas.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Alta, IA
This is one driving day of about 218.2 miles and 4h 15m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 48 miles from Alta, IA.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
Plan about 1 real break rather than only quick fuel stops.
The longest stretch is on 220th Street for about 157.8 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 10
5 decision points cluster between mile 3.4 and 216.7 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
3.4 mi into trip|~5m in|IA 110 / 90th Avenue
Turn right onto IA 110 / 90th Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
4
6.9 mi into trip|~10m in|CR C65 / 630th Street
Turn left onto CR C65 / 630th Street
Navigation decision point
4
7.4 mi into trip|~11m in|CR M43 / 90th Avenue
Turn right onto CR M43 / 90th Avenue
Navigation decision point
6
174.1 mi into trip|~3h 25m in|I 380; IA 27 / Avenue of the Saints
Keep slight right at fork onto I 380; IA 27 / Avenue of the Saints toward I 380 South, IA 27 South: Cedar Rapids
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I 380 South, IA 27 South: Cedar Rapids
5
216.7 mi into trip|~4h 12m in
Keep slight left at fork
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$32.22 one way
$64.45 round trip
$3.75/gal25.4 MPG avg76 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.14
$35.57
$71.15
premium
$4.72
$40.51
$81.03
diesel
$4.80
$41.20
$82.40
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$32
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$57–$82
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 76.3 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-07-13.
Driving Electric?
About $23 in charging
· 0 stops
· 66% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
65.5
0
$22.91
$10.47
Efficient EV
54.6
0
$19.09
$8.73
EV Truck/SUV
87.3
1
$30.55
$13.96
Gas CO2
76 kg
EV CO2
26 kg (66% less)
Plan for 0 charging stops, roughly every 270 miles. Allow 25-40 minutes per stop at a DC fast charger.
DC fast charging avg $0.35/kWh. Home charging avg $0.16/kWh. US grid CO2: 0.39 kg/kWh.
Travel Intel
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Forecast as of Jul 18, 2026
Origin
Alta, IA
Late night
in Alta on Sunday
Local time
4:37 AM
CDT
Current temp
88°F
Mostly Sunny
NE 10 mph0% chanceLive forecast
Heat Advisory
Heat Advisory issued July 18 at 3:26PM CDT until July 18 at 7:00PM CDT by NWS Quad Cities IA IL
Heat Advisory
Heat Advisory issued July 18 at 1:22PM CDT until July 20 at 10:00PM CDT by NWS Omaha/Valley NE
Destination
Cedar Rapids, IA
Late night
in Cedar Rapids on Sunday
Local time
4:37 AM
CDT
Current temp
89°F
Sunny
N 10 mph4% chanceLive forecast
Heat Advisory
Heat Advisory issued July 18 at 3:26PM CDT until July 18 at 7:00PM CDT by NWS Quad Cities IA IL
Heat Advisory
Heat Advisory issued July 18 at 1:22PM CDT until July 20 at 10:00PM CDT by NWS Omaha/Valley NE
86°F
Hudson, IA
109 mi in
Seasonal Notes
Summer travel usually means heavier construction, hotter rest stops, and busier weekend traffic around major cities.
Winter travel shortens daylight, so a route that looks manageable on paper can feel much longer after dark.
Holiday weekends tend to make both departure and arrival windows slower than the raw route time suggests.
Time zone
Same local time
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
1 degrees warmer at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
4h 15m on the road
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
Expect a turn-heavy local drive for a significant portion of this 4-hour, 15-minute journey. While 67% of the route is highway, the longest uninterrupted stretch is 157.8 miles on 220th Street, suggesting a good portion of open road before you transition to more local navigation. The Avenue of the Saints and Gard Avenue will likely offer a different feel, potentially involving more intersections and varied speed limits. This route offers a taste of both efficient highway travel and more engaging local road experiences.
Only 3% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
17 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 157.8 mi on 220th Street.
How Hard Is This Drive?
4/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 3.4 miles in near IA 110 / 90th Avenue.
Driving Effort4/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 4h 15m drive. You will face about 10 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 3.4 miles (IA 110 / 90th Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 6.9 miles (CR C65 / 630th Street): Navigation decision point; at 7.4 miles (CR M43 / 90th Avenue): Navigation decision point.
Cedar Rapids is a city in Eastern Iowa. In 2016, it was the second largest city in Iowa by population and is home to about 137,000 residents. Largely known as an industrial, working class city, Cedar Rapids has begun to grow and expand employment opportunities in the service sector, attracting new residents to the area. While out of the way of most major travel routes and destinations, a stop in Cedar Rapids may uncover a great taste of the Midwest. Typical Iowa hospitality is not lost here.
Top landmarks
•Mother Mosque of America — historic mosque in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, United States
•Douglas and Charlotte Grant House — historic house in Iowa, United States
The longest stretch is about 157.8 miles on 220th Street. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 9 rest areas or service plazas within a short detour of the route (from OpenStreetMap). See the Rest Stops tab under Nearby Places for locations and mile markers. Plan to stretch, use the bathroom, and top off fluids every 2–3 hours on longer drives.
Yes, with realistic expectations. Build in a stop roughly every 2 hours, have snacks and activities ready, and check the Nearby Places tabs for kid-friendly stops along the way.
The main spots that need attention: at 3.4 miles (IA 110 / 90th Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 6.9 miles (CR C65 / 630th Street): Navigation decision point; at 7.4 miles (CR M43 / 90th Avenue): Navigation decision point.
Possible but tiring. At 4.3 hours each way, an in-and-out day trip would put you behind the wheel for 8.5 hours — manageable with a long break at Cedar Rapids, IA, but most travelers stay overnight.
