Bettendorf to Indianola is 186.1 miles and takes about 3h 34m via I 80 and US 65, with a fuel budget near $30 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This drive stays within the Midwest, specifically Iowa, making it a straightforward trip across a familiar landscape. With over 90% of the route on highways, you can expect a relatively quick transit. This is a solid choice for a single-day excursion, offering efficient travel between these two Iowa cities.
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
93.1 miles from Bettendorf, IA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 44m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
I 80
154.6 mi
2h 47m
Military Order of the Purple Heart Highway
12.1 mi
13m
US 65
10.7 mi
17m
I 74
4.4 mi
5m
Hubbell Avenue
1.3 mi
2m
Kimberly Road
1 mi
2m
US 6
0.5 mi
1m
Middle Road
0.4 mi
1m
Longest stretch:
I 80
— 154.6 mi, about 2h 47m
Traffic on I-80
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 32 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
4 PM
~1,346 veh/hr typical
· worst 1,707
Quietest
2 AM
~167 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
8.1×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
12a6anoon6p11p
Averaged across 102 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 Bettendorf, IA and Indianola, IA.
1
Start on this road
74 ft·7 sec·this road
2
Turn right onto 12th Street
0.1 mi·33 sec·12th Street
3
Continue on Kimberly Road
1.0 mi·2 min·Kimberly Road
4
Turn right onto Middle Road
0.4 mi·1 min·Middle Road
5
Turn left
0.2 mi·24 sec
6
Merge onto I 74; US 6
4.4 mi·5 min·I 74; US 6
7
Merge onto I 80
155 mi·2 hr 47 min·I 80
8
Take the exit onto US 6
0.5 mi·1 min·US 6
Exit 142Toward US 6 West, US 65 North, IA 330 North: Marshalltown, Bondurant
9
Continue on US 6
0.3 mi·35 sec·Northeast Hubbell Avenue
10
Continue on US 6
1.3 mi·2 min·Hubbell Avenue
11
Turn left
0.5 mi·1 min
Use the straight / left lanes.
12
Merge onto US 65
12 mi·13 min·Military Order of the Purple Heart Highway
13
Take the exit onto US 65
11 mi·17 min·US 65
Exit 70AToward US 65 South, US 69 South: IndianolaUse the right lane.
14
Turn left onto IA 92
291 ft·6 sec·East 2nd Avenue
15
Turn right
79 ft·5 sec
16
Arrive at destination
Trip Plan
Given the 3h 34m duration, leaving Bettendorf in the morning is ideal to maximize your day. The 186.1-mile distance means you can comfortably complete this trip in one day without needing an overnight stop. With just one recommended stop, you have plenty of flexibility on when and where to take breaks. Keep an eye on your fuel gauge, as the estimated cost is around $30, and plan your refueling accordingly, especially before you leave the main interstate sections.
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 93.1 miles from Bettendorf, IA, or about 1h 44m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 154.6 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 41 miles or 48m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 93.1 miles or 1h 44m 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 48m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Indianola, IA than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Bettendorf, 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 Bettendorf, IA
This is one driving day of about 186.1 miles and 3h 34m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 41 miles from Bettendorf, 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 154.6 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 11
5 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 175.4 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0 mi into trip|~0m in|12th Street
Turn right onto 12th Street
Navigation decision point
4
1.1 mi into trip|~2m in|Middle Road
Turn right onto Middle Road
Navigation decision point
6
160.6 mi into trip|~2h 57m in|US 6
Take the exit onto US 6 toward US 6 West, US 65 North, IA 330 North: Marshalltown, Bondurant
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Exit 142
Toward US 6 West, US 65 North, IA 330 North: Ma...
5
162.7 mi into trip|~3h 1m in
Turn left
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / left lanes.
8
175.4 mi into trip|~3h 16m in|US 65
Take the exit onto US 65 toward US 65 South, US 69 South: Indianola
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the right lane.
Exit 70A
Toward US 65 South, US 69 South: Indianola
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$31.04 one way
$62.09 round trip
$4.24/gal25.4 MPG avg65 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.61
$33.74
$67.48
premium
$5.26
$38.53
$77.06
diesel
$6.18
$45.27
$90.54
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$31
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$56–$81
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 65.1 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-10-12.
Driving Electric?
About $20 in charging
· 0 stops
· 66% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
55.8
0
$19.54
$8.93
Efficient EV
46.5
0
$16.28
$7.44
EV Truck/SUV
74.4
0
$26.05
$11.91
Gas CO2
65 kg
EV CO2
22 kg (66% 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 Oct 18, 2026
Origin
Bettendorf, IA
Morning
in Bettendorf on Monday
Local time
9:03 AM
CDT
Current temp
72°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Indianola, IA
Morning
in Indianola on Monday
Local time
9:03 AM
CDT
Current temp
66°F
Sunny
S 7 to 16 mph0% chanceLive forecast
70°F
Brooklyn, IA
93 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
6 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
3h 34m 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?
You'll spend most of your time on the interstate, with 91% of the 186.1-mile trip on highways like I 80 and US 65. The longest continuous stretch on a highway is 154.6 miles, primarily on I 80. The Military Order of the Purple Heart Highway section will feel like typical interstate cruising. You'll transition to surface roads for the final portion of the drive as you approach Indianola.
91% 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: 154.6 mi on I 80.
How Hard Is This Drive?
3/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 80 and Military Order of the Purple Heart Highway. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near 12th 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 3h 34m drive. You will face about 11 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 (12th Street): Navigation decision point; at 1.1 miles (Middle Road): Navigation decision point; at 160.6 miles (US 6): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
979 ft569 ft
Total Climb
815 ft
Total Descent
412 ft
Highest Point
979 ft
~119.7 mi in
Elevation Range
410 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 Bettendorf, IA to Indianola, IA, road signs begin pointing toward Bondurant along the way.
The longest stretch is about 154.6 miles on I 80. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
We did not find dedicated rest areas on this route. For a drive this long, plan bathroom and stretch breaks around gas stations, fast-food stops, or small-town downtowns — check the Nearby Places section for options.
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 (12th Street): Navigation decision point; at 1.1 miles (Middle Road): Navigation decision point; at 160.6 miles (US 6): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Possible but tiring. At 3.6 hours each way, an in-and-out day trip would put you behind the wheel for 7.1 hours — manageable with a long break at Indianola, IA, but most travelers stay overnight.
