This 191.6-mile drive from Sioux City, IA to Buffalo (historical), IA is a straightforward 3-hour and 38-minute journey, making it an ideal one-day trip. You'll primarily be on major interstates, with an 89% highway share, covering a total of 191.6 miles. Budget around $30 for fuel, and anticipate a mostly highway-focused experience across the Midwest. This route is designed for efficiency, allowing you to reach your destination with minimal fuss. It's a practical choice for getting from point A to point B without extensive detours.
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
95.8 miles from Sioux City, IA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 47m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
I 80
78.6 mi
1h 24m
I 29
75.6 mi
1h 21m
I 880
16 mi
17m
North Avenue
13.2 mi
20m
360th Street
3.3 mi
4m
Clark Tower Road
1.5 mi
2m
Floyd Boulevard
0.6 mi
1m
Court Street
0.3 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
I 80
— 78.6 mi, about 1h 24m
Traffic on I-29
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 10 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
4 PM
~1,189 veh/hr typical
· worst 1,473
Quietest
2 AM
~75 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
15.9×
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 Sioux City, IA and Buffalo (historical), IA.
1
Start on this road
115 ft·13 sec·this road
2
Turn left onto 9th Street
0.2 mi·45 sec·9th Street
3
Turn right onto Court Street
0.3 mi·54 sec·Court Street
4
Turn left onto 5th Street
0.2 mi·28 sec·5th Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
5
Turn right onto Floyd Boulevard
0.6 mi·1 min·Floyd Boulevard
Use the straight / right lanes.
6
Take the ramp
0.3 mi·38 sec
Toward I 29 South
7
Merge onto I 29
76 mi·1 hr 21 min·I 29
8
Take the exit
0.8 mi·1 min
Exit 71Toward I 880 East: Des Moines
9
Continue on I 880
16 mi·17 min·I 880
10
Keep slight left at fork
0.7 mi·43 sec
Exit 16AToward I 80 East: Des MoinesUse the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Merge onto I 80
79 mi·1 hr 24 min·I 80
12
Take the exit
0.2 mi·33 sec
Toward CR F90, CR P58
13
Turn right onto CR P58
3.3 mi·4 min·360th Street
14
Turn right onto US 169
13 mi·20 min·North Avenue
15
Continue on CR P71
1.5 mi·2 min·Clark Tower Road
16
Turn left onto CR G50
343 ft·10 sec·St Charles Road
17
Turn right onto Maple Lane
195 ft·8 sec·Maple Lane
18
Arrive at destination
Maple Lane
Trip Plan
Given this is a relatively short drive of just over three and a half hours, you have the flexibility to leave whenever suits you best. With only one recommended stop and a fuel cost estimate of $30, planning is minimal. It's worth noting the longest stretch is 78.6 miles on I-80, so ensure you have snacks or a full tank before embarking on that segment. Take advantage of the direct highway nature of this route to maximize your time at your destination or to start your journey later in the day.
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 95.8 miles from Sioux City, IA, or about 1h 47m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 78.6 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 42 miles or 48m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 95.8 miles or 1h 47m 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 52m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Buffalo (historical), IA than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Sioux 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 Sioux City, IA
This is one driving day of about 191.6 miles and 3h 38m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 42 miles from Sioux 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 78.6 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 12
5 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 94 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0 mi into trip|~0m in|9th Street
Turn left onto 9th Street
Navigation decision point
5
0.2 mi into trip|~1m in|Court Street
Turn right onto Court Street
Navigation decision point
6
0.5 mi into trip|~1m in|5th Street
Turn left onto 5th Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
6
0.7 mi into trip|~2m in|Floyd Boulevard
Turn right onto Floyd Boulevard
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
8
94 mi into trip|~1h 45m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 80 East: Des Moines
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 16A
Toward I 80 East: Des Moines
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$31.86 one way
$63.71 round trip
$4.22/gal25.4 MPG avg67 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.60
$34.70
$69.40
premium
$5.18
$39.10
$78.19
diesel
$5.35
$40.36
$80.71
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$32
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$57–$82
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 67 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-06-01.
Driving Electric?
About $20 in charging
· 0 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
57.5
0
$20.12
$9.20
Efficient EV
47.9
0
$16.77
$7.66
EV Truck/SUV
76.6
0
$26.82
$12.26
Gas CO2
67 kg
EV CO2
22 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 22, 2026
Origin
Sioux City, IA
Afternoon
in Sioux City on Wednesday
Local time
4:55 PM
CDT
Current temp
67°F
Showers And Thunderstorms
S 10 to 15 mph76% chanceLive forecast
Destination
Buffalo (historical), IA
Afternoon
in Buffalo (historical) on Wednesday
Local time
4:55 PM
CDT
Current temp
67°F
Mostly Cloudy
SE 13 mph9% chanceLive forecast
87°F
Avoca, IA
96 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
Very similar conditions
Both ends of the route are sitting at about the same temperature right now.
Road read
3h 38m 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?
Expect a highway-focused drive for the majority of this trip, with 89% of the route on interstates. The longest continuous stretch you'll encounter is 78.6 miles on I-80, offering a chance to settle into a rhythm. While predominantly interstate, the journey transitions smoothly between I-29 and I-880 before merging onto I-80. This character means you'll experience consistent speeds and straightforward navigation for most of the 3-hour and 38-minute duration.
89% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
18 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 78.6 mi on I 80.
How Hard Is This Drive?
5/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 80 and I 29. You will hit about 12 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near 9th Street.
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 191.6 miles you will encounter 12 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: near the start (9th Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.2 miles (Court Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.5 miles (5th Street): Lane positioning matters here.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
1,348 ft921 ft
Total Climb
365 ft
Total Descent
644 ft
Highest Point
1,348 ft
~136.9 mi in
Elevation Range
426 ft
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Sioux City, IA and Buffalo (historical), IA, road signs point toward Cr F90 and Cr P58.
Sioux City is on the western edge of the state of Iowa. It is on the Missouri River and many parts of Sioux City are among the unique Loess Hills formations.
Top landmarks
•Sergeant Floyd — museum boat in Sioux City, Iowa, United States
•Woodbury County Courthouse — county courthouse in Sioux City, United States of America
•St. Boniface Catholic Church — church building in Sioux City, United States of America
Doable as a same-day drive at 3h 38m. Total distance: 191.6 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
3h 38m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (89%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 78.6 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: near the start (9th Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.2 miles (Court Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.5 miles (5th Street): Lane positioning matters here.
Possible but tiring. At 3.6 hours each way, an in-and-out day trip would put you behind the wheel for 7.3 hours — manageable with a long break at Buffalo (historical), IA, but most travelers stay overnight.
