This 122.6-mile journey from Ankeny, IA, to Villisca, IA, is a straightforward trip that can easily be completed in about 2 hours and 31 minutes. Primarily using I-80, with some local road segments on 630th Street and 650th Street, this drive is well-suited for a single-day excursion. The estimated fuel cost is around $19, making it an economical option. Given its manageable length and the mixed driving profile, you won't need to worry about an overnight stop, allowing for flexibility in your departure time. This route stays within the Midwest region, offering a consistent feel throughout.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
Midpoint
61.3 miles from Ankeny, IA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 11m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
I 80
73.6 mi
1h 20m
630th Street
30.8 mi
42m
650th Street
6.5 mi
9m
Northwest 2nd Street
2.6 mi
3m
Southwest State Street
2.5 mi
4m
East 7th Street
2 mi
2m
Whitney Street
1.7 mi
2m
Southwest Ordnance Road
0.9 mi
1m
Longest stretch:
I 80
— 73.6 mi, about 1h 20m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Ankeny, IA and Villisca, IA.
1
Start on Southwest 3rd Street
48 ft·7 sec·Southwest 3rd Street
2
Turn left onto Southwest Walnut Street
0.4 mi·1 min·Southwest Walnut Street
3
At end of road, turn right onto Southwest Ordnance Road
0.9 mi·1 min·Southwest Ordnance Road
4
Turn left onto Southwest State Street
2.5 mi·4 min·Southwest State Street
5
Continue on IA 415
2.6 mi·3 min·Northwest 2nd Street
6
Take the ramp
0.4 mi·49 sec
7
Merge onto I 80; I 35
11 mi·12 min·I 80; I 35
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Keep slight right at fork onto I 80
62 mi·1 hr 7 min·I 80
Toward I 80 West: OmahaUse the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Take the exit onto US 6
0.4 mi·48 sec·US 6
Toward US 6, US 71: Atlantic, Audubon
10
Turn left onto US 6; US 71
6.5 mi·9 min·650th Street
11
Turn right onto US 6; US 71
2.0 mi·2 min·East 7th Street
12
Turn left onto US 71
1.7 mi·2 min·Whitney Street
13
Continue on US 71
31 mi·42 min·630th Street
14
Turn left onto West High Street
323 ft·10 sec·West High Street
15
Turn right onto North U Avenue
0.4 mi·57 sec·North U Avenue
16
Turn left onto West 3rd Street
0.5 mi·52 sec·West 3rd Street
17
Arrive at destination
East 3rd Street
Trip Plan
With a total duration of just over 2.5 hours, this trip offers a great deal of flexibility. You can comfortably leave Ankeny in the morning and arrive in Villisca with plenty of daylight remaining. Plan for one main stop, perhaps midway, to stretch your legs and refuel if needed, though the $19 fuel estimate suggests you might not need a full tank. A practical tip for this route is to be mindful of the transition from I-80 to the local roads; ensure your navigation is set accurately for the final leg into Villisca to avoid any unexpected detours on the 630th or 650th Street sections.
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.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 61.3 miles from Ankeny, IA, or about 1h 11m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 73.6 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 27 miles or 34m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 61.3 miles or 1h 11m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 2h
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Villisca, IA than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Ankeny, 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 Ankeny, IA
This is one driving day of about 122.6 miles and 2h 31m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 27 miles from Ankeny, 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 I 80 for about 73.6 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Final third
3.4 mi from route
~8 min detour
$10 to $20
Atlantic, Iowa
Hours: 12 pm–2 am
+17122432426
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 0 and 80.3 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
4
0 mi into trip|~0m in|Southwest Walnut Street
Turn left onto Southwest Walnut Street
Navigation decision point
5
0.4 mi into trip|~1m in|Southwest Ordnance Road
At end of road, turn right onto Southwest Ordnance Road
Navigation decision point
5
6.7 mi into trip|~12m in|I 80; I 35
Merge onto I 80; I 35
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
18 mi into trip|~25m in|I 80
Keep slight right at fork onto I 80 toward I 80 West: Omaha
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward I 80 West: Omaha
5
80.3 mi into trip|~1h 32m in|US 6
Take the exit onto US 6 toward US 6, US 71: Atlantic, Audubon
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward US 6, US 71: Atlantic, Audubon
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$19.17 one way
$38.33 round trip
$3.97/gal25.4 MPG avg43 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.36
$21.04
$42.09
premium
$4.89
$23.59
$47.19
diesel
$5.61
$27.07
$54.14
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$19
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$44–$69
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 42.9 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Station data from NREL Alternative Fuel Stations database.
Driving Electric?
About $13 in charging
· 0 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
36.8
0
$12.87
$5.88
Efficient EV
30.7
0
$10.73
$4.90
EV Truck/SUV
49
0
$17.16
$7.85
Gas CO2
43 kg
EV CO2
14 kg (67% 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 21, 2026
Origin
Ankeny, IA
Late night
in Ankeny on Tuesday
Local time
3:48 AM
CDT
Current temp
53°F
Partly Cloudy
SSW 9 to 14 mph0% chanceLive forecast
Destination
Villisca, IA
Late night
in Villisca on Tuesday
Local time
3:48 AM
CDT
Current temp
75°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
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
22 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
2h 31m on the road
The weather snapshot is not static. If you are leaving later, give both cities one more quick forecast check before departure.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
The character of this drive is largely defined by its 60% highway share, with a significant 73.6-mile stretch on I-80. You'll experience periods of consistent highway speed, punctuated by transitions onto local roads like 630th Street and 650th Street. This mixed drive profile means you'll get a taste of both efficient interstate travel and more direct, potentially less trafficked, local routes. Expect the road to change from open highway to more contained local thoroughfares as you progress toward Villisca.
60% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
17 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 73.6 mi on I 80.
How Hard Is This Drive?
3/10
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near Southwest Walnut Street.
Driving Effort3/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 2h 31m 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: near the start (Southwest Walnut Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.4 miles (Southwest Ordnance Road): Navigation decision point; at 6.7 miles (I 80; I 35): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
1,421 ft793 ft
Total Climb
629 ft
Total Descent
547 ft
Highest Point
1,421 ft
~70.1 mi in
Elevation Range
629 ft
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
On the drive from Ankeny, IA to Villisca, IA, road signs begin pointing toward Audubon along the way.
Audubon
80.3 mi in|~1h 32m|via US 6
Detours Along the Way
Tagged by where each one fits in your drive — first break, midpoint, final stretch.
The longest stretch is about 73.6 miles on I 80. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
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: near the start (Southwest Walnut Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.4 miles (Southwest Ordnance Road): Navigation decision point; at 6.7 miles (I 80; I 35): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Villisca, IA before heading back.
