This 330.4-mile journey from Bettendorf, IA to Spencer, IA is best tackled in a single day, taking approximately 6 hours and 32 minutes of driving time. The route utilizes a mix of major highways, including the Avenue of the Saints, I-80, and US-71, with about 33% of the drive on highways. Given the estimated fuel cost of $50, this trip offers a straightforward drive through the Midwest. It's a manageable distance for a day trip, allowing for a single, significant stop along the way. You'll experience a mixed drive profile as you make your way across Iowa.
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
165.2 miles from Bettendorf, IA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 3h 8m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Avenue of the Saints
218.5 mi
4h 9m
I 80
57.5 mi
1h 3m
US 71
45.6 mi
1h 3m
I 74
4.4 mi
5m
Kimberly Road
1 mi
2m
11th Street Southwest
0.5 mi
1m
South Grand Avenue
0.5 mi
1m
4th Avenue Southwest
0.5 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
Avenue of the Saints
— 218.5 mi, about 4h 9m
Traffic on I-380
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 26 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
4 PM
~1,943 veh/hr typical
· worst 2,357
Quietest
2 AM
~105 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
18.5×
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 Bettendorf, IA and Spencer, 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
57 mi·1 hr 3 min·I 80
8
Take the exit
0.4 mi·45 sec
Toward I 380, US 218, IA 27
9
Keep slight right at fork
0.6 mi·1 min
Toward I 380, US 218 North, IA 27 North: Cedar Rapids, Waterloo
10
Merge onto I 380; US 218; IA 27
71 mi·1 hr 18 min·Avenue of the Saints
11
Keep slight left at fork onto US 20; IA 27
148 mi·2 hr 50 min·Avenue of the Saints
12
Take the exit onto US 71
0.4 mi·57 sec·US 71
Toward IA 471 South, US 71 NORTH: Early, Storm Lake
13
Turn right onto US 71
45 mi·1 hr 2 min·US 71
Use the straight lane.
14
Turn right onto US 71
0.5 mi·1 min·11th Street Southwest
15
Turn left onto 4th Avenue Southwest
0.5 mi·53 sec·4th Avenue Southwest
16
At end of road, turn right onto 4th Street Southwest
0.3 mi·41 sec·4th Street Southwest
17
Turn left onto US 18; US 71
0.5 mi·1 min·South Grand Avenue
18
Turn right onto East 4th Street
70 ft·1 sec·East 4th Street
19
Arrive at destination
East 4th Street
Trip Plan
For this 6-hour and 32-minute drive, consider an early morning departure from Bettendorf to maximize your daylight hours. With only one recommended stop, you have flexibility in pacing, but ensure you account for the 218.5-mile stretch on the Avenue of the Saints, which is the longest continuous segment. Keep an eye on your fuel, especially as you approach the midpoint of your journey, and aim to refuel strategically. The estimated $50 fuel cost is a good baseline, but always have a little extra budgeted for unexpected needs.
Morning Departure
Start early — leave by 6-7 AM to arrive at a reasonable hour.
Evening Departure
This is a long drive — plan for a morning departure or consider splitting it into two days.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 165.2 miles from Bettendorf, IA, or about 3h 8m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 218.5 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 73 miles or 1h 24m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 165.2 miles or 3h 8m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 5h 10m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Spencer, 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 330.4 miles and 6h 32m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 73 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 Avenue of the Saints for about 218.5 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 15
5 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 283.3 — 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
5
63.5 mi into trip|~1h 13m in
Take the exit toward I 380, US 218, IA 27
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I 380, US 218, IA 27
6
63.9 mi into trip|~1h 13m in
Keep slight right at fork toward I 380, US 218 North, IA 27 North: Cedar Rapids, Waterloo
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I 380, US 218 North, IA 27 North: Cedar...
5
283 mi into trip|~5h 24m in|US 71
Take the exit onto US 71 toward IA 471 South, US 71 NORTH: Early, Storm Lake
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward IA 471 South, US 71 NORTH: Early, Storm...
5
283.3 mi into trip|~5h 25m in|US 71
Turn right onto US 71
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$54.93 one way
$109.86 round trip
$4.22/gal25.4 MPG avg116 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.60
$59.84
$119.67
premium
$5.18
$67.42
$134.84
diesel
$5.35
$69.59
$139.18
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$55
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$80–$105
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 115.6 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-06-01.
Driving Electric?
About $35 in charging
· 1 stop
· 66% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
99.1
1
$34.69
$15.86
Efficient EV
82.6
0
$28.91
$13.22
EV Truck/SUV
132.2
1
$46.26
$21.15
Gas CO2
116 kg
EV CO2
39 kg (66% less)
Plan for 1 charging stop. A 30-minute DC fast charge mid-route should be enough to complete the trip comfortably.
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 Jun 1, 2026
Origin
Bettendorf, IA
Afternoon
in Bettendorf on Wednesday
Local time
2:10 PM
CDT
Current temp
60°F
Partly Cloudy
E 5 mph13% chanceLive forecast
Destination
Spencer, IA
Afternoon
in Spencer on Wednesday
Local time
2:10 PM
CDT
Current temp
58°F
Partly Cloudy
E 5 mph7% chanceLive 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
2 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
6h 32m on the road
Start early — leave by 6-7 AM to arrive at a reasonable hour.
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 route offers a mixed driving experience, blending efficient highway travel with stretches on notable roads. You'll spend roughly 33% of your time on highways, providing a comfortable pace for much of the journey. The longest uninterrupted stretch covers 218.5 miles on the Avenue of the Saints, offering a substantial period of consistent driving. The road character will likely change as you transition between these different types of thoroughfares, moving from the broader interstate to more direct state routes.
33% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
19 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 218.5 mi on Avenue of the Saints.
How Hard Is This Drive?
5/10
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. You will hit about 15 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near 12th Street.
Driving Effort5/10
Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 330.4 miles you will encounter 15 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (12th Street): Navigation decision point; at 63.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 63.9 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
1,379 ft569 ft
Total Climb
940 ft
Total Descent
189 ft
Highest Point
1,379 ft
~283.2 mi in
Elevation Range
811 ft
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Bettendorf, IA and Spencer, IA, road signs point toward Waterloo and Storm Lake.
Waterloo
63.9 mi in|~1h 13m
Storm Lake
283 mi in|~5h 24m|via US 71
Detours Along the Way
Tagged by where each one fits in your drive — first break, midpoint, final stretch.
Spencer is in Western Iowa. A small town with a population of roughly 11,000. It is the county seat of Clay county. It is surrounded by a large area of agricultural land. The Little Sioux River runs through the town and divides it into North and South. Spencer is home to one of the largest county fairs in the world, the Clay County Fair. Being the largest community in the area attracts many people from smaller surrounding communities for both recreation and work.
Spencer was put on the map in the late 1980s, when the town library adopted an abandoned kitten and named him Dewey. Dewey became the unofficial town mascot over his 19-year lifespan. The head librarian's best-selling book, Dewey: The Small-Town Library Cat Who Touched the World offers an indelibly vivid portrait, not just of the beloved cat, but also of the town, and rural Iowa in general.
Top landmarks
•Clay County Courthouse — historic courthouse in Spencer, Iowa, USA
Doable as a same-day drive at 6h 32m. Total distance: 330.4 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
6h 32m drive, plan rest stops for pacing.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (33%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Mixed highway & surface route profile.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 218.5 miles on Avenue of the Saints. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 28 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.
It helps. This is a long drive, so arriving tired and in the dark compounds. If the last hour of the trip is on surface roads or mountain grades, aim to arrive at Spencer, IA before sunset when you can. Check the Trip Plan for departure windows that land you in daylight.
Only with planning. This is a long drive for kids — consider splitting it into two days rather than pushing through. Plan at least 1 meaningful breaks. There are 28 rest areas along the route for bathroom stops.
The main spots that need attention: near the start (12th Street): Navigation decision point; at 63.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 63.9 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Not recommended in a single day. At 6.5 hours each way, a round trip means 13.1 hours of driving — that is an unsafe level of fatigue for most drivers. Plan at least one night at Spencer, IA before the return drive.
