Connecting Pleasant Hill to Iowa City covers 113.4 miles, a trip that typically takes about 1 hour and 46 minutes to complete. Because this journey is relatively short, it functions perfectly as a straightforward day trip, eliminating the need for an overnight stay. You should budget approximately $17 for fuel to make the trek across the Iowa landscape. Navigating this route requires sticking to local roads rather than high-speed interstates, which gives the trip a more grounded feel. If you are looking for a simple, direct connection between these two Midwest locations, this route offers a reliable path.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Midpoint
56.1 miles from Pleasant Hill, IA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 3m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
I 80
97.3 mi
1h 44m
Military Order of the Purple Heart Highway
9.9 mi
11m
East University Avenue
1.1 mi
2m
South Pleasant Hill Boulevard
1 mi
2m
North Dubuque Street
1 mi
2m
North Gilbert Street
0.8 mi
2m
Maple Drive
0.2 mi
<1m
Kimball Road
<0.1 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
I 80
— 97.3 mi, about 1h 44m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Pleasant Hill, IA and Iowa City, IA.
1
Start on Doanes Park Road
62 ft·6 sec·Doanes Park Road
2
Turn right onto South Pleasant Hill Boulevard
1.0 mi·2 min·South Pleasant Hill Boulevard
3
Turn right onto Maple Drive
0.2 mi·39 sec·Maple Drive
4
Turn left onto North Hickory Boulevard
367 ft·7 sec·North Hickory Boulevard
5
Turn right onto IA 163
1.1 mi·2 min·East University Avenue
6
Turn left
0.4 mi·55 sec
7
Merge onto US 65
9.9 mi·11 min·Military Order of the Purple Heart Highway
8
Continue on I 80; US 6
97 mi·1 hr 44 min·I 80; US 6
9
Take the exit
0.4 mi·52 sec
Toward Downtown
10
Turn right onto North Dubuque Street
1.0 mi·2 min·North Dubuque Street
11
Turn left onto Kimball Road
477 ft·21 sec·Kimball Road
12
Keep slight right at fork onto North Gilbert Street
0.8 mi·2 min·North Gilbert Street
13
Arrive at destination
South Gilbert Street
Trip Plan
Since this is a manageable drive of under two hours, you have plenty of flexibility regarding your departure time. You can easily complete the 113.4-mile journey in a single session without needing to plan for intermediate stops. To keep your travel budget near the $17 fuel estimate, ensure your vehicle is fueled up before departing Pleasant Hill, as local road driving can be less fuel-efficient than consistent highway cruising. Pay close attention to the transition between South Pleasant Hill Boulevard, Maple Drive, and North Hickory Boulevard to avoid unnecessary detours. Embracing the lack of highway miles allows you to enjoy a steady, controlled pace all the way to Iowa City.
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 56.1 miles from Pleasant Hill, IA, or about 1h 3m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 97.3 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 25 miles or 30m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 56.1 miles or 1h 3m 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 42m
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 Pleasant Hill, 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 Pleasant Hill, IA
This is one driving day of about 112.3 miles and 2h 8m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 25 miles from Pleasant Hill, IA.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on I 80 for about 97.3 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 8
5 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 111.5 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
3
0 mi into trip|~0m in|South Pleasant Hill Boulevard
Turn right onto South Pleasant Hill Boulevard
Navigation decision point
5
1.2 mi into trip|~2m in|North Hickory Boulevard
Turn left onto North Hickory Boulevard
Navigation decision point
4
2.4 mi into trip|~5m in
Turn left
Navigation decision point
4
110 mi into trip|~2h 1m in
Take the exit toward Downtown
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Toward Downtown
4
111.5 mi into trip|~2h 5m in|North Gilbert Street
Keep slight right at fork onto North Gilbert Street
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$17.56 one way
$35.11 round trip
$3.97/gal25.4 MPG avg39 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.36
$19.28
$38.55
premium
$4.89
$21.61
$43.22
diesel
$5.61
$24.79
$49.59
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$18
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$43–$68
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 39.3 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $12 in charging
· 0 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
33.7
0
$11.79
$5.39
Efficient EV
28.1
0
$9.83
$4.49
EV Truck/SUV
44.9
0
$15.72
$7.19
Gas CO2
39 kg
EV CO2
13 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
Pleasant Hill, IA
Morning
in Pleasant Hill on Sunday
Local time
9:59 AM
CDT
Current temp
53°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Iowa City, IA
Morning
in Iowa City on Sunday
Local time
9:59 AM
CDT
Current temp
73°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
50°F
Brooklyn, IA
56 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
20 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
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?
Expect a turn-heavy local drive rather than a monotonous interstate grind, as this route contains zero percent highway travel. Your journey relies on navigating South Pleasant Hill Boulevard, Maple Drive, and North Hickory Boulevard to reach your destination. Because the entire 113.4-mile distance consists of local roads, you will experience constant shifts in your surroundings as you progress. You won't encounter long, uninterrupted stretches of highway here, so stay alert and ready for frequent adjustments. It is a practical drive that demands more driver engagement than a standard highway cruise.
87% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
13 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 97.3 mi on I 80.
How Hard Is This Drive?
3/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 80 and Military Order of the Purple Heart Highway. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near South Pleasant Hill Boulevard.
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 8m drive. You will face about 8 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (South Pleasant Hill Boulevard): Navigation decision point; at 1.2 miles (North Hickory Boulevard): Navigation decision point; at 2.4 miles: Navigation decision point.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
1,004 ft666 ft
Total Climb
359 ft
Total Descent
557 ft
Highest Point
1,004 ft
~48.1 mi in
Elevation Range
337 ft
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 2h 8m. Total distance: 112.3 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
The longest stretch is about 97.3 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: near the start (South Pleasant Hill Boulevard): Navigation decision point; at 1.2 miles (North Hickory Boulevard): Navigation decision point; at 2.4 miles: Navigation decision point.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Iowa City, IA before heading back.
