Iowa City to Tripoli is 100.3 miles and takes about 2h 8m via Avenue of the Saints, with a fuel budget near $16 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within the Midwest, specifically crossing Iowa. The route primarily uses surface roads, making it a good option for a relaxed drive. With only a couple of hours of travel time, this is a straightforward one-day excursion. You'll find this drive offers a clear path across the state.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Midpoint
50.1 miles from Iowa City, IA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Avenue of the Saints
65.7 mi
1h 12m
North Raymond Road
10 mi
15m
Piedmont Avenue
5.8 mi
7m
Reed Avenue
5 mi
8m
I 80
4.1 mi
4m
230th Street
2 mi
2m
South Raymond Road
1.9 mi
2m
North Dubuque Street
1.2 mi
3m
Longest stretch:
Avenue of the Saints
— 65.7 mi, about 1h 12m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Iowa City, IA and Tripoli, 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
4.1 mi·4 min·I 80
6
Take the exit
0.4 mi·45 sec
Toward I 380, US 218, IA 27
7
Keep slight right at fork
0.6 mi·1 min
Toward I 380, US 218 North, IA 27 North: Cedar Rapids, Waterloo
8
Merge onto I 380; US 218; IA 27
66 mi·1 hr 12 min·Avenue of the Saints
9
Take the exit
0.4 mi·52 sec
10
Turn right onto CR V49
0.4 mi·32 sec·South Raymond Road
11
Continue on CR V49
0.8 mi·1 min·South 3rd Street
12
At end of road, turn right onto CR V49
160 ft·8 sec·Lafayette Road
13
Turn left onto CR V49
0.5 mi·53 sec·North 3rd Street
14
Continue on CR V49
1.5 mi·2 min·South Raymond Road
15
Enter roundabout onto CR V49
113 ft·2 sec·North Raymond Road
16
Continue on CR V49
10.0 mi·15 min·North Raymond Road
17
Continue on Reed Avenue
5.0 mi·8 min·Reed Avenue
18
Turn left onto IA 3
2.0 mi·2 min·230th Street
19
Turn right onto Piedmont Avenue
5.8 mi·7 min·Piedmont Avenue
20
Continue on South Main Street
0.6 mi·1 min·South Main Street
21
Arrive at destination
IA 93
Trip Plan
Since this is a relatively short, 2-hour drive, you have a lot of flexibility with your departure time. Leaving Iowa City in the morning allows you to arrive in Tripoli with plenty of the day left. The estimated fuel cost is around $16, so factor that into your budget. Given the longest stretch is over 65 miles, plan for a brief stop before you hit that segment if you prefer to break up driving. Keep an eye on local road conditions, as surface roads can sometimes be more susceptible to weather impacts.
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 50.1 miles from Iowa City, IA, or about 1h into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 65.7 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 22 miles or 29m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 50.1 miles or 1h 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 40m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Tripoli, 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 100.3 miles and 2h 8m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 22 miles from Iowa City, 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 65.7 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 13
5 decision points cluster between mile 6.6 and 76.9 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
6.6 mi into trip|~11m 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
6.9 mi into trip|~12m 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
74.9 mi into trip|~1h 29m in|CR V49 / Lafayette Road
At end of road, turn right onto CR V49 / Lafayette Road
Navigation decision point
4
74.9 mi into trip|~1h 29m in|CR V49 / North 3rd Street
Turn left onto CR V49 / North 3rd Street
Navigation decision point
4
76.9 mi into trip|~1h 32m in|CR V49 / North Raymond Road
Enter roundabout onto CR V49 / North Raymond Road
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$15.68 one way
$31.36 round trip
$3.97/gal25.4 MPG avg35 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.36
$17.22
$34.43
premium
$4.89
$19.30
$38.60
diesel
$5.61
$22.14
$44.29
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$16
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$41–$66
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 35.1 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Station data from NREL Alternative Fuel Stations database.
Driving Electric?
About $11 in charging
· 0 stops
· 66% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
30.1
0
$10.53
$4.81
Efficient EV
25.1
0
$8.78
$4.01
EV Truck/SUV
40.1
0
$14.04
$6.42
Gas CO2
35 kg
EV CO2
12 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 Apr 15, 2026
Origin
Iowa City, IA
Night
in Iowa City on Saturday
Local time
9:54 PM
CDT
Current temp
73°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Tripoli, IA
Night
in Tripoli on Saturday
Local time
9:54 PM
CDT
Current temp
70°F
Unavailable
Live 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
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
2h 8m 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?
This 100.3-mile route is mostly surface roads, with about a 40% highway share. Your longest stretch on a single road will be 65.7 miles on Avenue of the Saints. After the highway portion, you'll transition to surface roads, offering a more rural cruising experience. Expect to navigate through towns and countryside rather than high-speed interchanges.
Only 4% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
21 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 65.7 mi on Avenue of the Saints.
How Hard Is This Drive?
5/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. You will hit about 13 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 6.6 miles in.
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 100.3 miles you will encounter 13 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: at 6.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 6.9 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 74.9 miles (CR V49 / Lafayette Road): Navigation decision point.
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 Tripoli, IA, road signs begin pointing toward Waterloo along the way.
Waterloo
6.9 mi in|~12m
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 2h 8m. Total distance: 100.3 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
2h 8m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (4%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 65.7 miles on Avenue of the Saints. 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 6.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 6.9 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 74.9 miles (CR V49 / Lafayette Road): Navigation decision point.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Tripoli, IA before heading back.
