If you are planning to travel from Oakland to Iowa City, expect a straightforward 149.9-mile journey across the Iowa landscape. This trip typically takes about 2 hours and 28 minutes to complete, making it an ideal candidate for a single-day excursion. You should budget approximately $22 for fuel to cover the distance. Because this is a turn-heavy local drive rather than a high-speed interstate haul, you will want to stay alert and focused on navigation. Whether you are heading east for business or a change of scenery, the route is manageable in one go, so there is no need to worry about booking an overnight stay unless you prefer a slower pace.
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
73.9 miles from Oakland, IA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 37m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Avenue of the Saints
64.7 mi
1h 11m
US 20
62.4 mi
1h 12m
County Highway S27
4.7 mi
8m
I 80
4.2 mi
4m
D Avenue
2.9 mi
7m
State Highway 941
2 mi
3m
Dogwood Avenue
1.6 mi
4m
Hardin Street
1 mi
2m
Longest stretch:
Avenue of the Saints
— 64.7 mi, about 1h 11m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Oakland, IA and Iowa City, IA.
1
Start on Oakland Drive
0.2 mi·42 sec·Oakland Drive
2
Turn right onto Dogwood Avenue
1.6 mi·4 min·Dogwood Avenue
3
Turn left onto Hardin Street
1.0 mi·2 min·Hardin Street
4
Turn right onto D Avenue
2.9 mi·7 min·D Avenue
5
Turn left onto CR D20
2.0 mi·3 min·State Highway 941
6
Turn right onto County Highway S27
4.7 mi·8 min·County Highway S27
7
Take the ramp
0.3 mi·36 sec
Toward US 20 East
8
Merge onto US 20
62 mi·1 hr 12 min·US 20
9
Keep slight right at fork onto I 380; IA 27
65 mi·1 hr 11 min·Avenue of the Saints
Toward I 380 South, IA 27 South: Cedar Rapids
10
Take the exit
0.3 mi·33 sec
Toward I 80
11
Keep slight left at fork
1.2 mi·2 min
Toward I 80 East: Davenport
12
Merge onto I 80
4.2 mi·4 min·I 80
13
Take the exit
0.4 mi·52 sec
Toward Downtown
14
Turn right onto North Dubuque Street
1.0 mi·2 min·North Dubuque Street
15
Turn left onto Kimball Road
477 ft·21 sec·Kimball Road
16
Keep slight right at fork onto North Gilbert Street
0.8 mi·2 min·North Gilbert Street
17
Arrive at destination
South Gilbert Street
Trip Plan
Since this 2-hour and 28-minute drive involves constant turns on local roads, it is best to depart during daylight hours to ensure clear visibility for navigation. You have plenty of flexibility with your schedule, but given the lack of major highway stretches, allow yourself extra time to adjust to the local speed limits. You will not find any designated stops on this route, so ensure your tank is ready for the $22 fuel expense before you head out. A smart tip for this specific trip is to double-check your GPS settings before leaving Oakland, as you will be making frequent transitions between Dogwood Avenue, Hardin Street, and D Avenue. Staying focused on these turns will make the transit to Iowa City much smoother.
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 73.9 miles from Oakland, IA, or about 1h 37m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 64.7 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 33 miles or 50m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 73.9 miles or 1h 37m 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 29m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Iowa City, IA than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Oakland, 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 Oakland, IA
This is one driving day of about 147.8 miles and 3h 4m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 33 miles from Oakland, 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 Avenue of the Saints for about 64.7 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 15
5 decision points cluster between mile 0.2 and 140.2 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
4
0.2 mi into trip|~0m in|Dogwood Avenue
Turn right onto Dogwood Avenue
Navigation decision point
4
1.8 mi into trip|~4m in|Hardin Street
Turn left onto Hardin Street
Navigation decision point
5
12.5 mi into trip|~26m in
Take the ramp toward US 20 East
Navigation decision point
Toward US 20 East
6
75.2 mi into trip|~1h 39m 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
140.2 mi into trip|~2h 51m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 80 East: Davenport
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Toward I 80 East: Davenport
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$23.11 one way
$46.21 round trip
$3.97/gal25.4 MPG avg52 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.36
$25.37
$50.74
premium
$4.89
$28.44
$56.89
diesel
$5.61
$32.63
$65.26
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$23
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$48–$73
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 51.7 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $16 in charging
· 0 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
44.3
0
$15.52
$7.09
Efficient EV
37
0
$12.93
$5.91
EV Truck/SUV
59.1
0
$20.69
$9.46
Gas CO2
52 kg
EV CO2
17 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 16, 2026
Origin
Oakland, IA
Morning
in Oakland on Sunday
Local time
9:01 AM
CDT
Current temp
50°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Iowa City, IA
Morning
in Iowa City on Sunday
Local time
9:01 AM
CDT
Current temp
73°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
49°F
Vinton, IA
74 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
23 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
3h 4m 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?
Prepare for a hands-on driving experience, as this route relies entirely on local roads like Dogwood Avenue, Hardin Street, and D Avenue. With a 0% highway share, you will not be dealing with the monotony of interstate cruising. The road profile is defined by frequent turns rather than long, straight stretches, meaning you will need to stay engaged with the steering wheel throughout the entire 149.9-mile distance. Since there is no single long stretch on Dogwood Avenue, the drive maintains a consistent, local feel from start to finish. Expect a technical, winding path that keeps you active behind the wheel as you navigate through the Midwest countryside.
46% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
17 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 64.7 mi on Avenue of the Saints.
How Hard Is This Drive?
6/10
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. You will hit about 15 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 0.2 miles in near Dogwood Avenue.
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 147.8 miles you will encounter 15 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 0.2 miles (Dogwood Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 1.8 miles (Hardin Street): Navigation decision point; at 12.5 miles: Navigation decision point.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 3h 4m. Total distance: 147.8 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
3h 4m drive, comfortable solo distance.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 64.7 miles on Avenue of the Saints. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
We did not find dedicated rest areas on this route. For a drive this long, plan bathroom and stretch breaks around gas stations, fast-food stops, or small-town downtowns — check the Nearby Places section for options.
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 Iowa City, 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. Plan at least 1 meaningful breaks. Dedicated rest areas are limited, so plan gas or food stops as your bathroom breaks.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.2 miles (Dogwood Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 1.8 miles (Hardin Street): Navigation decision point; at 12.5 miles: Navigation decision point.
Possible but tiring. At 3.1 hours each way, an in-and-out day trip would put you behind the wheel for 6.2 hours — manageable with a long break at Iowa City, IA, but most travelers stay overnight.
