Iowa City to Manning is 196.8 miles and takes about 3 hours 59 minutes via I 80, with a fuel budget near $31 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This drive stays within the Midwest, connecting two points in Iowa. Expect a straightforward trip with a good chunk on the interstate, making it a practical option for a quick transit between these locations. It's a solid choice if you need to get from A to B without much fuss, offering a direct path through the state.
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
98.4 miles from Iowa City, IA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 51m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
I 80
115.9 mi
2h 6m
George P. Soumas Memorial Highway
54.5 mi
1h 15m
Northwest Granger Drive
16.5 mi
19m
Southeast Grimes Boulevard
2.6 mi
3m
Northwest 114th Street
2.6 mi
3m
North Dubuque Street
1.2 mi
3m
Northeast Grimes Boulevard
1 mi
1m
South Gilbert Street
0.8 mi
2m
Longest stretch:
I 80
— 115.9 mi, about 2h 6m
Traffic on I-80
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 18 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
4 PM
~2,166 veh/hr typical
· worst 2,588
Quietest
2 AM
~205 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
10.6×
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 Iowa City, IA and Manning, IA.
1
Start on South Gilbert Street
0.8 mi·2 min·South Gilbert Street
2
Turn slight left onto Kimball Road
477 ft·22 sec·Kimball Road
3
Turn right onto North Dubuque Street
1.2 mi·3 min·North Dubuque Street
4
Turn left
0.4 mi·58 sec
5
Merge onto I 80
116 mi·2 hr 6 min·I 80
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Take the exit
0.4 mi·53 sec
Exit 127Toward IA 141 West: Urbandale, GrimesUse the slight right lane.
7
Turn right onto IA 141
195 ft·3 sec·Northwest Urbandale Drive
8
Continue on IA 141
2.6 mi·3 min·Southeast Grimes Boulevard
9
Continue on IA 141
1.0 mi·1 min·Northeast Grimes Boulevard
10
Continue on IA 141
2.6 mi·3 min·Northwest 114th Street
11
Continue on IA 141
16 mi·18 min·Northwest Granger Drive
12
Continue on IA 141
0.9 mi·1 min·Northwest Granger Drive
13
Continue on IA 141
21 mi·28 min·George P. Soumas Memorial Highway
14
Continue on IA 141
0.5 mi·55 sec·Railway Street
15
Continue on IA 141
34 mi·47 min·George P. Soumas Memorial Highway
Use the left / straight lanes.
16
Turn right onto Main Street
0.2 mi·26 sec·Main Street
17
Turn right onto 3rd Street
42 ft·1 sec·3rd Street
18
Arrive at destination
3rd Street
Trip Plan
With a drive time under 4 hours, you can easily complete this trip in a single day, offering flexibility in your departure. Consider leaving in the morning to make the most of daylight, especially since the longest stretch on I 80 is over 115 miles. While the fuel cost is estimated at $31, it's always wise to top off your tank before leaving Iowa City. Since there's only one recommended stop, plan it strategically to break up the drive without adding significant time.
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 98.4 miles from Iowa City, IA, or about 1h 51m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 115.9 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 43 miles or 50m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 98.4 miles or 1h 51m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 3h 9m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Manning, IA than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Iowa City, 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 Iowa City, IA
This is one driving day of about 196.8 miles and 3h 59m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 43 miles from Iowa City, 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 115.9 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 7
5 decision points cluster between mile 0.9 and 196.8 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
3
0.9 mi into trip|~2m in|North Dubuque Street
Turn right onto North Dubuque Street
Navigation decision point
3
2.1 mi into trip|~5m in
Turn left
Navigation decision point
5
2.5 mi into trip|~6m in|I 80
Merge onto I 80
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
118.4 mi into trip|~2h 12m in
Take the exit toward IA 141 West: Urbandale, Grimes
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 127
Toward IA 141 West: Urbandale, Grimes
4
196.8 mi into trip|~3h 59m in|3rd Street
Turn right onto 3rd Street
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$32.72 one way
$65.44 round trip
$4.22/gal25.4 MPG avg69 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.60
$35.64
$71.28
premium
$5.18
$40.16
$80.32
diesel
$5.35
$41.45
$82.90
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$33
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$58–$83
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 68.9 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-06-01.
Driving Electric?
About $21 in charging
· 0 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
59
0
$20.66
$9.45
Efficient EV
49.2
0
$17.22
$7.87
EV Truck/SUV
78.7
0
$27.55
$12.60
Gas CO2
69 kg
EV CO2
23 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 May 31, 2026
Origin
Iowa City, IA
Afternoon
in Iowa City on Wednesday
Local time
3:09 PM
CDT
Current temp
82°F
Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms
SE 10 mph19% chanceLive forecast
Destination
Manning, IA
Afternoon
in Manning on Wednesday
Local time
3:09 PM
CDT
Current temp
79°F
Mostly Sunny
SE 10 mph10% chanceLive forecast
67°F
Mitchellville, IA
98 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
3 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
3h 59m 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 route covers 196.8 miles, with 59% on highways. You'll spend approximately 115.9 miles on I 80 before transitioning to other roads. Expect a shift from interstate cruising to more varied surface roads as you get closer to Manning. The change in road type means you'll notice a difference in speed and the surrounding environment.
59% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
18 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 115.9 mi on I 80.
How Hard Is This Drive?
2/10
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. Navigation is very simple - set it and forget it for most of the drive. The trickiest moment comes around 0.9 miles in near North Dubuque Street.
Driving Effort2/10
Very easy - short and simple to drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
The drive from Iowa City, IA to Manning, IA is easy. At 3h 59m with 59% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.9 miles (North Dubuque Street): Navigation decision point; at 2.1 miles: Navigation decision point; at 2.5 miles (I 80): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
1,362 ft666 ft
Total Climb
982 ft
Total Descent
287 ft
Highest Point
1,362 ft
~196.8 mi in
Elevation Range
695 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 Iowa City, IA to Manning, IA, road signs begin pointing toward Grimes along the way.
Hip and urban, Iowa City is a prominent college town primarily known as the home of the University of Iowa. Along with its adjacent suburb of Coralville, just to the west. Iowa City sits at the center of a metro area home to 171,000 people (2020) in the I-380 Corridor region of Eastern Iowa.
Top landmarks
•University of Iowa Stanley Museum of Art — museum in Iowa City, Iowa
•Vogt House — historic building located in Iowa City, Iowa, United States
•First Johnson County Asylum — historic building located on the far west side of Iowa City, Iowa, United States
The longest stretch is about 115.9 miles on I 80. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 20 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: at 0.9 miles (North Dubuque Street): Navigation decision point; at 2.1 miles: Navigation decision point; at 2.5 miles (I 80): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Possible but tiring. At 4.0 hours each way, an in-and-out day trip would put you behind the wheel for 8.0 hours — manageable with a long break at Manning, IA, but most travelers stay overnight.
