Bettendorf, IA to Pleasant Hill, IA is 167.7 miles and takes about 3h 11m via I 80, with a fuel budget near $27 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This route stays within Iowa, traversing the Midwest region for its entirety. You'll be on the road for just over three hours, making it a very manageable day trip. The majority of the drive is on the interstate, so expect a straightforward trip with minimal navigation challenges. It's a practical choice if you need to get between these two points efficiently.
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
83.9 miles from Bettendorf, IA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 34m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
I 80
154.6 mi
2h 47m
I 74
4.4 mi
5m
34th Avenue Southwest
1.6 mi
2m
Northeast 56th Street
1.5 mi
2m
North Pleasant Hill Boulevard
1.1 mi
2m
Kimberly Road
1 mi
2m
Northeast 12th Avenue
0.9 mi
1m
East 56th Street
0.7 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 Pleasant Hill, 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
0.5 mi·52 sec·Hubbell Avenue
11
Turn left onto 34th Avenue Southwest
1.6 mi·2 min·34th Avenue Southwest
Use the left lane.
12
Continue on East 56th Street
0.7 mi·1 min·East 56th Street
13
Continue on Northeast 56th Street
1.5 mi·2 min·Northeast 56th Street
14
Turn right onto Northeast 12th Avenue
0.9 mi·1 min·Northeast 12th Avenue
15
Continue on North Pleasant Hill Boulevard
1.1 mi·2 min·North Pleasant Hill Boulevard
16
Turn left onto Doanes Park Road
62 ft·4 sec·Doanes Park Road
17
Arrive at destination
Doanes Park Road
Trip Plan
Given the 3h 11m duration, leaving Bettendorf in the morning allows ample time to reach Pleasant Hill well before evening. The drive is short enough that you can be flexible with departure times and add stops as needed. With only one recommended stop, you can easily complete this trip without needing to break it into two days. Keep an eye on fuel levels, as the estimated cost is $27, and plan your last refueling before you get too far into the longest stretch on I 80 to ensure a smooth arrival.
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 83.9 miles from Bettendorf, IA, or about 1h 34m 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 37 miles or 43m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 83.9 miles or 1h 34m 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 32m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Pleasant Hill, 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 167.7 miles and 3h 11m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 37 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.
Early stretch
2.5 mi from route
~6 min detour
$1 to $10
Coralville, Iowa
Hours: 10 am–9 pm
+13196255568
Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 9
5 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 165.7 — 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...
4
162 mi into trip|~3h in|34th Avenue Southwest
Turn left onto 34th Avenue Southwest
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
4
165.7 mi into trip|~3h 6m in|Northeast 12th Avenue
Turn right onto Northeast 12th Avenue
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$27.97 one way
$55.95 round trip
$4.24/gal25.4 MPG avg59 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.61
$30.40
$60.81
premium
$5.26
$34.72
$69.44
diesel
$6.18
$40.80
$81.59
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$28
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$53–$78
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 58.7 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-10-12.
Driving Electric?
About $18 in charging
· 0 stops
· 66% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
50.3
0
$17.61
$8.05
Efficient EV
41.9
0
$14.67
$6.71
EV Truck/SUV
67.1
0
$23.48
$10.73
Gas CO2
59 kg
EV CO2
20 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
9:09 AM
CDT
Current temp
66°F
Sunny
S 10 to 15 mph0% chanceLive forecast
Destination
Pleasant Hill, IA
Morning
in Pleasant Hill on Monday
Local time
9:09 AM
CDT
Current temp
66°F
Sunny
S 9 to 14 mph0% chanceLive forecast
70°F
Williamsburg, IA
84 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
Very similar conditions
Both ends of the route are sitting at about the same temperature right now.
Road read
3h 11m 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?
This drive is primarily highway, with 95% of the 167.7 miles on major interstates like I 80. You'll experience a continuous stretch of 154.6 miles on I 80 before encountering surface roads. Expect a consistent cruising speed for most of the trip, with the transition to local roads happening closer to Pleasant Hill. The dense network of exits on the interstate is a notable feature throughout the majority of your travel.
95% 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: 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 I 74. 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 11m drive. You will face about 9 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.
The longest stretch is about 154.6 miles on I 80. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 30 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: 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 3.2 hours each way, an in-and-out day trip would put you behind the wheel for 6.4 hours — manageable with a long break at Pleasant Hill, IA, but most travelers stay overnight.
