Origin
Cedar Falls, IA
Night in Cedar Falls on Saturday
Local time
11:39 PM
CDT
Current temp
50°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Cedar Falls, IA to Charles City, IA
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
55m
Distance
45.4 mi
73 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$7
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 51m
★
6 AM
0h 56m
8 AM
1h 5m
10 AM
0h 59m
12 PM
0h 58m
3 PM
0h 59m
5 PM
1h 4m
8 PM
0h 53m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Cedar Falls, IA
Wikimedia Commons
Charles City, IA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
This straightforward 45.4-mile journey from Cedar Falls, IA, to Charles City, IA, is easily managed as a day trip, taking approximately 55 minutes to complete. With a modest fuel cost estimate of $7, it's an economical option for exploring the Midwest. The route primarily utilizes local roads like Avenue of the Saints and South Grand Avenue, offering a more connected driving experience than a pure interstate trip. Given its short duration and lack of designated stops in the data, you'll have plenty of flexibility to depart at your convenience and enjoy a relaxed pace. This drive is perfect for a quick excursion within Iowa.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Avenue of the Saints | 42.2 mi | 48m |
| South Grand Avenue | 0.9 mi | 1m |
| Shadow Avenue | 0.8 mi | 1m |
| Waterloo Road | 0.4 mi | <1m |
| US 218 Business | 0.4 mi | <1m |
| Brantingham Street | 0.4 mi | <1m |
| Gilbert Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| Main Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Avenue of the Saints
— 42.2 mi, about 48m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Cedar Falls, IA and Charles City, IA.
1
Start on Main Street
52 ft
·
8 sec
·
Main Street
2
Continue on Main Street
61 ft
·
1 sec
·
Main Street
3
Enter roundabout onto Waterloo Road
179 ft
·
3 sec
·
Waterloo Road
4
Continue on Waterloo Road
0.4 mi
·
53 sec
·
Waterloo Road
5
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
33 sec
Toward IA 27 north, IA 58 north
6
Merge onto IA 27; IA 58
42 mi
·
48 min
·
Avenue of the Saints
7
Take the exit onto US 218 Business
0.4 mi
·
52 sec
·
US 218 Business
Toward US 18 East, US 218 Business, CR T64: Charles City, New Hampton
8
Turn right onto US 18; US 218 Business
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
Shadow Avenue
9
Continue on US 18; US 218 Business
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
South Grand Avenue
10
Continue on US 18; US 218 Business
383 ft
·
15 sec
·
Gilbert Street
11
Turn right onto US 18
0.4 mi
·
57 sec
·
Brantingham Street
12
Arrive at destination
US 18
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
23 mi into the route
Best for: Lunch, fuel, and a longer reset
This sits close to the middle of the route, so it works well for the longest stop of the day.
Pacing Suggestions
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 10 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 22.7 miles from Cedar Falls, IA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 75 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 45 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
3
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
Main Street
Continue onto Main Street
Navigation decision point
6
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
Waterloo Road
Enter roundabout onto Waterloo Road
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering
6
0.5 mi into trip
|
~1m in
Take the ramp toward IA 27 north, IA 58 north
Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward IA 27 north, IA 58 north
5
42.9 mi into trip
|
~50m in
|
US 218 Business
Take the exit onto US 218 Business toward US 18 East, US 218 Business, CR T64: Charles City, New Hampton
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward US 18 East, US 218 Business, CR T64: Cha...
4
45 mi into trip
|
~54m in
|
US 18 / Brantingham Street
Turn right onto US 18 / Brantingham Street
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$7.10 one way
$14.20 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
16 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $7.79 | $15.59 |
| premium | $4.89 | $8.74 | $17.47 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $10.02 | $20.05 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$7
Estimated CO2 emission: 15.9 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 69% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 13.6 | 0 | $4.77 | $2.18 |
| Efficient EV | 11.4 | 0 | $3.97 | $1.82 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 18.2 | 0 | $6.36 | $2.91 |
Gas CO2
16 kg
EV CO2
5 kg (69% 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.
Destination
Charles City, IA
Night in Charles City on Saturday
Local time
11:39 PM
CDT
Current temp
49°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
48°F
Waverly, IA
23 mi in
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
1 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
55m 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.
What kind of drive is this?
Expect a turn-heavy local drive on this route, with a significant portion on non-highway roads. While 100% of the drive is on local roads and highways, the longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 42.2 miles on Avenue of the Saints. This suggests a continuous journey primarily on well-traveled local arteries rather than a rapid interstate transit. The profile indicates a more engaging driving experience with frequent turns, characteristic of navigating through smaller towns and rural landscapes in the Midwest.
Only 1% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
12 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 42.2 mi on Avenue of the Saints.
How Hard Is This Drive?
1/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. Navigation is very simple - set it and forget it for most of the drive. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near Main Street.
Driving Effort
1/10
Very easy - short and simple to drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
The drive from Cedar Falls, IA to Charles City, IA is easy. At 55m with 1% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (Main Street): Navigation decision point; near the start (Waterloo Road): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering; at 0.5 miles: Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Cedar Falls, IA and Charles City, IA, road signs point toward Cr T64: Charles City and New Hampton.
Cr T64: Charles City
42.9 mi in
|
~50m
|
via US 218 Business
New Hampton
42.9 mi in
|
~50m
|
via US 218 Business
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 55m. Total distance: 45.4 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
55m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (1%). Straightforward navigation.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 42.2 miles on Avenue of the Saints. 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: near the start (Main Street): Navigation decision point; near the start (Waterloo Road): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering; at 0.5 miles: Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Charles City, IA before heading back.
How this page is built
Compiled by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy from open government datasets — OSRM over OpenStreetMap for geometry, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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