This 227.1-mile drive from Iowa City, IA to Villisca, IA will take approximately 4 hours and 24 minutes, making it a perfect day trip. You'll navigate using Kimball Road, North Dubuque Street, and I-80 West for a significant portion of the journey. With a fuel cost estimated at $34, this Midwest to Midwest route offers a straightforward travel experience. Expect a turn-heavy local drive, so plan for more frequent navigation adjustments. The single recommended stop suggests a brief pause to break up the travel time. This is a manageable drive that doesn't require an overnight stay.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is possible, but it will make for a full day on the road.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
Midpoint
113.5 miles from Iowa City, IA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 2h 7m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
I 80
182.2 mi
3h 17m
630th Street
30.8 mi
42m
650th Street
6.5 mi
9m
East 7th Street
2 mi
2m
Whitney Street
1.7 mi
2m
North Dubuque Street
1.2 mi
3m
South Gilbert Street
0.8 mi
2m
West 3rd Street
0.5 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
I 80
— 182.2 mi, about 3h 17m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Iowa City, IA and Villisca, 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
120 mi·2 hr 10 min·I 80
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Keep slight right at fork onto I 80
62 mi·1 hr 7 min·I 80
Toward I 80 West: OmahaUse the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Take the exit onto US 6
0.4 mi·48 sec·US 6
Toward US 6, US 71: Atlantic, Audubon
8
Turn left onto US 6; US 71
6.5 mi·9 min·650th Street
9
Turn right onto US 6; US 71
2.0 mi·2 min·East 7th Street
10
Turn left onto US 71
1.7 mi·2 min·Whitney Street
11
Continue on US 71
31 mi·42 min·630th Street
12
Turn left onto West High Street
323 ft·10 sec·West High Street
13
Turn right onto North U Avenue
0.4 mi·57 sec·North U Avenue
14
Turn left onto West 3rd Street
0.5 mi·52 sec·West 3rd Street
15
Arrive at destination
East 3rd Street
Trip Plan
For this 4-hour and 24-minute drive, departing in the morning is recommended to maximize daylight and allow for your single stop. Since the total mileage is 227.1 miles, you can easily complete this trip in one day. Keep an eye on your fuel levels, especially given the $34 estimated cost, and plan your refueling stop strategically. The 'turn-heavy local drive' profile means staying alert with your GPS or map is key to avoiding missed turns. Consider having a coffee or a snack at your designated stop to refresh before continuing the final leg to Villisca.
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 113.5 miles from Iowa City, IA, or about 2h 7m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 182.2 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 50 miles or 58m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 113.5 miles or 2h 7m 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 27m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Villisca, 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 227.1 miles and 4h 24m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 50 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 182.2 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 10
5 decision points cluster between mile 2.5 and 193.6 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
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.
7
122.4 mi into trip|~2h 17m in|I 80
Keep slight right at fork onto I 80 toward I 80 West: Omaha
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward I 80 West: Omaha
5
184.7 mi into trip|~3h 24m in|US 6
Take the exit onto US 6 toward US 6, US 71: Atlantic, Audubon
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward US 6, US 71: Atlantic, Audubon
4
191.6 mi into trip|~3h 34m in|US 6; US 71 / East 7th Street
Turn right onto US 6; US 71 / East 7th Street
Navigation decision point
4
193.6 mi into trip|~3h 37m in|US 71 / Whitney Street
Turn left onto US 71 / Whitney Street
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$35.50 one way
$71.01 round trip
$3.97/gal25.4 MPG avg80 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.36
$38.98
$77.97
premium
$4.89
$43.70
$87.41
diesel
$5.61
$50.14
$100.28
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$36
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$61–$86
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 79.5 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $24 in charging
· 0 stops
· 66% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
68.1
0
$23.85
$10.90
Efficient EV
56.8
0
$19.87
$9.08
EV Truck/SUV
90.8
1
$31.79
$14.53
Gas CO2
79 kg
EV CO2
27 kg (66% less)
Plan for 0 charging stops, roughly every 270 miles. Allow 25-40 minutes per stop at a DC fast charger.
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
Morning
in Iowa City on Sunday
Local time
7:04 AM
CDT
Current temp
73°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Villisca, IA
Morning
in Villisca on Sunday
Local time
7:04 AM
CDT
Current temp
75°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
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
4h 24m on the road
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
The character of this route is predominantly a turn-heavy local drive, with a 0% highway share. This means you'll be on a variety of roads, likely involving more turns and potentially lower speed limits than a typical interstate trip. While there's no specified longest uninterrupted stretch, the profile suggests a journey that requires consistent attention to navigation. You won't experience long, monotonous stretches of highway; instead, anticipate a more dynamic driving experience with frequent changes in direction. This type of drive can be engaging, keeping you more connected to the landscape as you move through it.
80% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
15 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 182.2 mi on I 80.
How Hard Is This Drive?
3/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 80 and 630th Street. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 2.5 miles in near I 80.
Driving Effort3/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 4h 24m drive. You will face about 10 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 2.5 miles (I 80): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 122.4 miles (I 80): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 184.7 miles (US 6): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. 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.
On the drive from Iowa City, IA to Villisca, IA, road signs begin pointing toward Audubon along the way.
Audubon
184.7 mi in|~3h 24m|via US 6
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 4h 24m. Total distance: 227.1 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
The longest stretch is about 182.2 miles on I 80. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 22 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 2.5 miles (I 80): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 122.4 miles (I 80): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 184.7 miles (US 6): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Possible but tiring. At 4.4 hours each way, an in-and-out day trip would put you behind the wheel for 8.8 hours — manageable with a long break at Villisca, IA, but most travelers stay overnight.
