This 110.8-mile journey from Hampton to Cedar Rapids, Iowa, is a straightforward drive that can comfortably be completed in about 1 hour and 54 minutes. Designed as a single-day trip, it's ideal for those looking for an efficient way to travel between these two Midwest locations. With an estimated fuel cost of $17, it's an economical option for your travels. The route primarily utilizes local roads, offering a more connected feel to the communities you pass through rather than a high-speed interstate experience. This drive is a good choice if you prefer a less hurried approach to covering ground within Iowa.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Midpoint
55.4 miles from Hampton, IA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 13m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Avenue of the Saints
57.6 mi
1h 3m
210th Street
18 mi
24m
State Highway 3
12.5 mi
17m
Leo P Rooff Expressway
6.7 mi
8m
I 380
6.5 mi
7m
Washington Street
2.4 mi
3m
South Street
1.7 mi
2m
230th Street
1.7 mi
2m
Longest stretch:
Avenue of the Saints
— 57.6 mi, about 1h 3m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Hampton, IA and Cedar Rapids, IA.
1
Start on US 65
27 ft·8 sec·4th Street Northeast
2
Turn left onto IA 3
1.1 mi·1 min·Central Avenue East
3
Continue on IA 3
8.2 mi·11 min·State Highway 3
4
Continue on IA 3
1.8 mi·2 min·210th Street
5
Continue on IA 3
1.7 mi·2 min·South Street
6
Continue on IA 3
7.4 mi·10 min·210th Street
7
Continue on IA 3; IA 14
1.0 mi·1 min·State Highway 3
8
Continue on IA 3
8.8 mi·11 min·210th Street
9
Continue on IA 3
3.4 mi·4 min·State Highway 3
10
Continue on IA 3
1.7 mi·2 min·230th Street
11
Take the ramp
0.4 mi·56 sec
12
Merge onto US 218; IA 27
15 mi·17 min·Avenue of the Saints
13
Take the exit
317 ft·7 sec
Toward US 218 south: Waterloo
14
Continue on US 218
0.3 mi·39 sec·US 218
Toward US 218 south: Waterloo
15
Merge onto US 218
6.7 mi·8 min·Leo P Rooff Expressway
16
Continue on US 218
2.4 mi·3 min·Washington Street
17
Keep slight right at fork onto I 380
6.5 mi·7 min·I 380
Toward I-380 south, US 20, IA 27: Cedar Rapids, Dubuque, Cedar Falls
18
Keep slight right at fork onto I 380; IA 27
42 mi·45 min·Avenue of the Saints
Toward I 380 South, IA 27 South: Cedar Rapids
19
Take the exit
0.3 mi·34 sec
20
Keep slight left at fork
121 ft·4 sec
21
Turn left onto 32nd Street Northeast
1.3 mi·2 min·32nd Street Northeast
22
Turn right onto Crystal Drive Northeast
184 ft·10 sec·Crystal Drive Northeast
23
Continue on Crystal Drive Northeast
177 ft·7 sec·Crystal Drive Northeast
24
Continue on Tiperary Drive Northeast
428 ft·18 sec·Tiperary Drive Northeast
25
Arrive at destination
Tiperary Drive Northeast
Trip Plan
Given the short duration of under two hours, this trip offers excellent flexibility; you can depart at your leisure without needing to plan for overnight stops. The estimated fuel cost is around $17, so ensure your tank is adequately filled before departing Hampton. Pay close attention to local road signs as you'll be using a combination of Central Avenue East, Highway 3, and 210th Street. Since there are no designated long stretches, you can easily incorporate brief pauses for rest or to grab a snack whenever you feel the need, making the drive comfortable and stress-free.
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.
You may only need one short stretch break if traffic stays light.
The halfway point lands around 55.4 miles from Hampton, IA, or about 1h 13m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 57.6 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 24 miles or 33m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 55.4 miles or 1h 13m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 1h 54m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Cedar Rapids, IA than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Hampton, 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 Hampton, IA
This is one driving day of about 110.8 miles and 2h 17m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 24 miles from Hampton, IA.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on Avenue of the Saints for about 57.6 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 109.4 — 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|IA 3 / Central Avenue East
Turn left onto IA 3 / Central Avenue East
Navigation decision point
4
50.8 mi into trip|~1h 7m in
Take the exit toward US 218 south: Waterloo
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Toward US 218 south: Waterloo
6
60.3 mi into trip|~1h 20m in|I 380
Keep slight right at fork onto I 380 toward I-380 south, US 20, IA 27: Cedar Rapids, Dubuque, Cedar Falls
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I-380 south, US 20, IA 27: Cedar Rapids,...
6
66.8 mi into trip|~1h 27m in|I 380; IA 27 / Avenue of the Saints
Keep slight right at fork onto I 380; IA 27 / Avenue of the Saints toward I 380 South, IA 27 South: Cedar Rapids
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I 380 South, IA 27 South: Cedar Rapids
5
109.4 mi into trip|~2h 14m in
Keep slight left at fork
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$17.32 one way
$34.64 round trip
$3.97/gal25.4 MPG avg39 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.36
$19.02
$38.04
premium
$4.89
$21.32
$42.64
diesel
$5.61
$24.46
$48.93
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$17
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$42–$67
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 38.8 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $12 in charging
· 0 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
33.2
0
$11.63
$5.32
Efficient EV
27.7
0
$9.69
$4.43
EV Truck/SUV
44.3
0
$15.51
$7.09
Gas CO2
39 kg
EV CO2
13 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 15, 2026
Origin
Hampton, IA
Late night
in Hampton on Sunday
Local time
12:58 AM
CDT
Current temp
47°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Cedar Rapids, IA
Late night
in Cedar Rapids on Sunday
Local time
12:58 AM
CDT
Current temp
49°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
68°F
Waterloo, IA
55 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
2 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 17m 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.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
Expect a turn-heavy local drive on this route, with 0% of the journey on highways. The main roads you'll navigate include Central Avenue East, Highway 3, and 210th Street. Given the absence of long highway stretches, this drive will feel more like navigating through towns and rural areas, offering frequent opportunities to observe the changing Iowa landscape. The character of the road is consistent throughout, so you won't encounter significant shifts in driving style or speed, making it predictable and easy to manage.
Only 23% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
25 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 57.6 mi on Avenue of the Saints.
How Hard Is This Drive?
6/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. You will hit about 11 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near IA 3 / Central Avenue East.
Driving Effort6/10
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 110.8 miles you will encounter 11 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 (IA 3 / Central Avenue East): Navigation decision point; at 50.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early; at 60.3 miles (I 380): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. 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.
Between Hampton, IA and Cedar Rapids, IA, road signs point toward Dubuque and Cedar Falls.
Cedar Rapids is a city in Eastern Iowa. In 2016, it was the second largest city in Iowa by population and is home to about 137,000 residents. Largely known as an industrial, working class city, Cedar Rapids has begun to grow and expand employment opportunities in the service sector, attracting new residents to the area. While out of the way of most major travel routes and destinations, a stop in Cedar Rapids may uncover a great taste of the Midwest. Typical Iowa hospitality is not lost here.
Doable as a same-day drive at 2h 17m. Total distance: 110.8 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
2h 17m drive, comfortable solo distance.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 57.6 miles on Avenue of the Saints. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
It helps. This route has a higher-than-average number of complex decision points, which get harder in the dark. If the last hour of the trip is on surface roads or mountain grades, aim to arrive at Cedar Rapids, 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. Dedicated rest areas are limited, so plan gas or food stops as your bathroom breaks.
The main spots that need attention: near the start (IA 3 / Central Avenue East): Navigation decision point; at 50.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early; at 60.3 miles (I 380): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Cedar Rapids, IA before heading back.
