If you are planning a trip from Ames to Brooklyn, IA, you are looking at a straightforward 81.3-mile journey across the heart of the Midwest. Expect the drive to take approximately 1 hour and 45 minutes, making it an easy day trip that requires no overnight stay. With a fuel budget of about $12, this is a budget-friendly way to navigate between these two Iowa towns. The route relies primarily on US 30, supplemented by stretches on 100th Street and 380th Avenue. Because the distance is relatively short, you have plenty of flexibility to complete the trip at your own pace without needing to plan for additional stops.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Midpoint
40.7 miles from Ames, IA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 50m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
US 30
51.1 mi
59m
100th Street
8 mi
12m
380th Avenue
7.5 mi
10m
J Avenue
6.3 mi
9m
13th Street
2.4 mi
5m
I 35
1.6 mi
1m
State Street
1.5 mi
2m
175th Street
0.5 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
US 30
— 51.1 mi, about 59m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Ames, IA and Brooklyn, IA.
1
Start on I 35 Business
2.4 mi·5 min·13th Street
2
Take the ramp
0.3 mi·40 sec
Toward I 35 South: Des Moines
3
Merge onto I 35
1.6 mi·1 min·I 35
4
Take the exit
0.2 mi·42 sec
Toward US 30 East: Nevada
5
Merge onto US 30
51 mi·59 min·US 30
6
Take the exit
0.5 mi·1 min
7
Turn right onto US 63
0.3 mi·22 sec·South County Road
8
Continue on US 63
0.4 mi·43 sec·Harding Street
9
Turn left onto US 63
0.3 mi·24 sec·West 13th Street
10
Turn right onto US 63
1.5 mi·2 min·State Street
11
Continue on US 63
6.3 mi·9 min·J Avenue
12
Continue on US 63
8.0 mi·12 min·100th Street
13
Turn left onto US 6; US 63
7.5 mi·10 min·380th Avenue
14
Turn right onto CR V18
0.5 mi·53 sec·175th Street
15
Continue on CR V18
0.4 mi·38 sec·Jackson Street
16
Arrive at destination
CR V18
Trip Plan
Since this 1-hour and 45-minute drive is quite manageable, you do not need to worry about splitting the trip into multiple days. You can easily depart whenever it suits your schedule, though keeping an eye on your fuel gauge is a good habit given the $12 estimated cost. Because there are no mandatory stops listed, you have the freedom to drive straight through or build in your own breaks along the main roads. For the most comfortable experience, prioritize your navigation settings to handle the transition from US 30 to the local roads of 100th Street and 380th Avenue. Staying alert during the 51.1-mile stretch on US 30 will ensure you stay on track for your arrival in Brooklyn.
Morning Departure
Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch.
Evening Departure
Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
You may only need one short stretch break if traffic stays light.
The halfway point lands around 40.7 miles from Ames, IA, or about 50m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 51.1 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 18 miles or 23m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 40.7 miles or 50m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 1h 27m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Brooklyn, IA than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Ames, IA so your first major turns are already loaded.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Ames, IA
This is one driving day of about 81.3 miles and 1h 45m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 18 miles from Ames, IA.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on US 30 for about 51.1 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 2.4 and 80.4 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
4
2.4 mi into trip|~5m in
Take the ramp toward I 35 South: Des Moines
Navigation decision point
Toward I 35 South: Des Moines
4
4.4 mi into trip|~7m in
Take the exit toward US 30 East: Nevada
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Toward US 30 East: Nevada
4
56.8 mi into trip|~1h 9m in|US 63 / West 13th Street
Turn left onto US 63 / West 13th Street
Navigation decision point
4
57.1 mi into trip|~1h 10m in|US 63 / State Street
Turn right onto US 63 / State Street
Navigation decision point
4
80.4 mi into trip|~1h 43m in|CR V18 / 175th Street
Turn right onto CR V18 / 175th Street
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$12.71 one way
$25.42 round trip
$3.97/gal25.4 MPG avg28 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.36
$13.96
$27.91
premium
$4.89
$15.65
$31.29
diesel
$5.61
$17.95
$35.90
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$13
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$38–$63
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 28.4 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $9 in charging
· 0 stops
· 64% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
24.4
0
$8.54
$3.90
Efficient EV
20.3
0
$7.11
$3.25
EV Truck/SUV
32.5
0
$11.38
$5.20
Gas CO2
28 kg
EV CO2
10 kg (64% less)
This trip is well within single-charge range for most EVs. No charging stops needed if you start fully charged.
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 Apr 15, 2026
Origin
Ames, IA
Night
in Ames on Saturday
Local time
11:14 PM
CDT
Current temp
70°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Brooklyn, IA
Night
in Brooklyn on Saturday
Local time
11:14 PM
CDT
Current temp
50°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
49°F
Ferguson, IA
41 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
20 degrees cooler at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
1h 45m on the road
Use the two city cards together: check the sky where you start, then compare it with the local time and temperature at arrival.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
This drive is heavily highway-focused, with 65% of your time spent on major thoroughfares. You will spend the bulk of your journey on US 30, which accounts for a 51.1-mile uninterrupted stretch. While the highway sections allow for steady progress, the transition onto 100th Street and 380th Avenue shifts the pace as you move toward your destination. You should anticipate a consistent road experience rather than a technical or winding path. Overall, the trip offers a functional, direct connection through the region that lets you cover the 81.3 miles efficiently.
65% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
16 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 51.1 mi on US 30.
How Hard Is This Drive?
4/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on US 30 and 100th Street. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 2.4 miles in.
Driving Effort4/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 1h 45m 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 2.4 miles: Navigation decision point; at 4.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early; at 56.8 miles (US 63 / West 13th Street): Navigation decision point.
Ames is a pleasant college town in Central Iowa, sitting astride the Skunk River roughly 30 miles north of Des Moines. Life in Ames follows the ebb and flow of the academic year at Iowa State University, which is the city's primary draw.
The longest stretch is about 51.1 miles on US 30. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes. At under 2 hours behind the wheel, this works well for families — plan one quick stop if you have younger kids.
The main spots that need attention: at 2.4 miles: Navigation decision point; at 4.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early; at 56.8 miles (US 63 / West 13th Street): Navigation decision point.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Brooklyn, IA before heading back.
