Indiana, IA to Vinton, IA is 124.7 miles and takes about 2h 52m via I 80 and State Highway 14, with a fuel budget near $20 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This route stays within Iowa, traversing the Midwest region. The drive is primarily on highways, making for efficient travel. With a recommended one-day duration, this trip is well-suited for a quick excursion or a segment of a larger road trip.
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
62.3 miles from Indiana, IA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 23m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
I 80
37.2 mi
39m
State Highway 14
23.3 mi
34m
24th Avenue
10 mi
14m
73rd Street
8 mi
9m
IA 5
7.6 mi
11m
B Avenue
5.8 mi
8m
15th Avenue
4.5 mi
7m
380th Avenue
4.2 mi
5m
Longest stretch:
I 80
— 37.2 mi, about 39m
Traffic on I-80
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 8 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
3 PM
~1,013 veh/hr typical
· worst 1,432
Quietest
2 AM
~148 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
6.8×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
12a6anoon6p11p
Averaged across 101 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 Indiana, IA and Vinton, IA.
1
Start on CR G76
1.9 mi·3 min·County Highway G76
2
Continue on CR G76
0.2 mi·26 sec·County Highway G76
3
Turn sharp left onto IA 5
6.1 mi·9 min·IA 5
4
Take the ramp onto IA 5
1.5 mi·1 min·IA 5
5
Take the exit
0.4 mi·52 sec
6
Turn right onto IA 14
2.2 mi·3 min·South Lincoln Street
7
Continue on IA 14
13 mi·18 min·State Highway 14
8
Continue on IA 14
1.0 mi·1 min·South Monroe Street
9
Continue on IA 14
11 mi·16 min·State Highway 14
10
Take the ramp
0.3 mi·41 sec
11
Merge onto I 80
37 mi·39 min·I 80
12
Take the exit
0.3 mi·35 sec
Toward IA 21: Belle Plain, What Cheer
13
Turn right onto IA 21
3.6 mi·5 min·220th Street
14
Turn right onto US 6
4.2 mi·5 min·380th Avenue
15
Turn left onto IA 21
5.8 mi·8 min·B Avenue
16
Continue on IA 21
2.5 mi·3 min·State Highway 21
17
Continue on IA 21
1.5 mi·2 min·11th Avenue
18
Continue on IA 21
0.8 mi·1 min·7th Avenue
19
Turn right onto 13th Street
1.5 mi·2 min·13th Street
20
Continue on 77th Street Drive
0.5 mi·59 sec·77th Street Drive
21
Turn left onto 15th Avenue
4.5 mi·7 min·15th Avenue
22
Turn right onto US 30
8.0 mi·9 min·73rd Street
23
Turn left onto CR V66
2.9 mi·5 min·21st Avenue
24
Continue on CR V66
0.1 mi·17 sec·1st Street
25
Turn right onto CR E44
0.3 mi·29 sec·1st Avenue
26
Continue on State Highway 199
0.1 mi·10 sec·State Highway 199
27
Continue on CR E44
2.5 mi·4 min·70th Street
28
Turn left onto US 218
10.0 mi·14 min·24th Avenue
29
Turn straight onto IA 150
0.2 mi·16 sec·State Highway 150
30
Continue on IA 150
1.0 mi·1 min·C Avenue
31
Turn right onto West 3rd Street
0.2 mi·51 sec·West 3rd Street
32
Arrive at destination
East 3rd Street
Trip Plan
Given the 2h 52m drive time, you can easily complete this trip in a single day. Consider leaving in the morning to allow for a leisurely pace and the flexibility to make an unscheduled stop if needed. The fuel cost is estimated at $20, so plan accordingly. With only one recommended stop, you have plenty of room to adjust your schedule. Keep an eye out for the transition from I 80 to State Highway 14, as this marks the shift from highway to surface road driving.
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.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 62.3 miles from Indiana, IA, or about 1h 23m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 37.2 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 27 miles or 40m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 62.3 miles or 1h 23m 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 18m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Vinton, IA than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Indiana, 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 Indiana, IA
This is one driving day of about 124.7 miles and 2h 52m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 27 miles from Indiana, 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 37.2 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 16
5 decision points cluster between mile 2 and 110.4 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
2 mi into trip|~3m in|IA 5
Turn sharp left onto IA 5
Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach
4
8.1 mi into trip|~12m in|IA 5
Take the ramp onto IA 5
Navigation decision point
5
74.1 mi into trip|~1h 35m in
Take the exit toward IA 21: Belle Plain, What Cheer
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward IA 21: Belle Plain, What Cheer
4
74.3 mi into trip|~1h 36m in|IA 21 / 220th Street
Turn right onto IA 21 / 220th Street
Navigation decision point
5
110.4 mi into trip|~2h 29m in|CR E44 / 1st Avenue
Turn right onto CR E44 / 1st Avenue
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$20.53 one way
$41.06 round trip
$4.18/gal25.4 MPG avg44 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.47
$21.93
$43.85
premium
$5.08
$24.95
$49.91
diesel
$6.07
$29.80
$59.60
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$21
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$46–$71
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 43.6 kg one way.
Driving Electric?
About $13 in charging
· 0 stops
· 66% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
37.4
0
$13.09
$5.99
Efficient EV
31.2
0
$10.91
$4.99
EV Truck/SUV
49.9
0
$17.46
$7.98
Gas CO2
44 kg
EV CO2
15 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 16, 2026
Origin
Indiana, IA
Morning
in Indiana on Saturday
Local time
9:28 AM
CDT
Current temp
51°F
Chance Rain Showers then Mostly Cloudy
NNW 17 to 23 mph21% chanceLive forecast
Freeze Warning
Freeze Warning issued October 16 at 6:12AM CDT until October 17 at 9:00AM CDT by NWS Quad Cities IA IL
Freeze Watch
Freeze Watch issued October 16 at 3:47AM CDT until October 17 at 8:00AM CDT by NWS Sioux Falls SD
Destination
Vinton, IA
Morning
in Vinton on Saturday
Local time
9:28 AM
CDT
Current temp
51°F
Chance Rain Showers then Mostly Cloudy
NW 20 to 25 mph35% chanceLive forecast
Freeze Warning
Freeze Warning issued October 16 at 6:12AM CDT until October 17 at 9:00AM CDT by NWS Quad Cities IA IL
Freeze Watch
Freeze Watch issued October 16 at 3:47AM CDT until October 17 at 8:00AM CDT by NWS Sioux Falls SD
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
2h 52m 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?
About 57% of this 124.7-mile route is on highways. You'll experience a longest stretch of 37.2 miles on I 80 before transitioning to State Highway 14 and 24th Avenue. Expect a mixed driving experience, starting with interstate cruising and then shifting to surface roads for the final leg. The change from highway to surface roads will be noticeable as you approach your destination.
57% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
32 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 37.2 mi on I 80.
How Hard Is This Drive?
3/10
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 2 miles in near IA 5.
Driving Effort3/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 2h 52m drive. You will face about 16 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 2 miles (IA 5): Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach; at 8.1 miles (IA 5): Navigation decision point; at 74.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
988 ft742 ft
Total Climb
355 ft
Total Descent
496 ft
Highest Point
988 ft
~62.3 mi in
Elevation Range
245 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 Indiana, IA to Vinton, IA, road signs begin pointing toward What Cheer along the way.
Indiana is a state in the heart of the Midwest region of the United States. Indiana is more than a fly-over state with one large metropolitan area, rural farmland, and cozy college towns.
Top landmarks
•Wyandotte Caves — park and its caverns in southern Indiana
•Eskenazi Museum of Art — museum at Indiana University in Bloomington, Indiana
•Miller House and Garden — historic home in Columbus, Indiana
The longest stretch is about 37.2 miles on I 80. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
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: at 2 miles (IA 5): Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach; at 8.1 miles (IA 5): Navigation decision point; at 74.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Vinton, IA before heading back.
