Tipton to Sioux City is 305.1 miles and takes about 6h 3m via Avenue of the Saints and Highway 20, with a fuel budget near $48 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within Iowa, moving from the Midwest region to another part of the Midwest. You'll primarily be on surface roads, so expect a more leisurely pace than a pure interstate run. With only one recommended stop and a manageable duration, this route is well-suited for a single-day excursion if you're looking to get from point A to point B efficiently without extensive highway driving.
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
152.5 miles from Tipton, IA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 3h into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Avenue of the Saints
214.7 mi
4h 5m
Highway 20
42.9 mi
53m
US 30
28.3 mi
34m
State Highway 38
7.4 mi
10m
160th Street
6.4 mi
7m
United States Highway 20
1.9 mi
2m
6th Street
0.9 mi
2m
Cedar Street
0.8 mi
2m
Longest stretch:
Avenue of the Saints
— 214.7 mi, about 4h 5m
Traffic on I-380
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 44 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
4 PM
~1,813 veh/hr typical
· worst 2,325
Quietest
2 AM
~94 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
19.3×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
12a6anoon6p11p
Averaged across 104 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 Tipton, IA and Sioux City, IA.
1
Start on this road
118 ft·12 sec·this road
2
Turn left onto East 5th Street
50 ft·4 sec·East 5th Street
3
Turn right onto IA 38
0.8 mi·2 min·Cedar Street
4
Continue on IA 38
7.4 mi·10 min·State Highway 38
5
Turn left onto US 30
28 mi·34 min·US 30
6
Take the exit
0.7 mi·1 min
Toward I 380 North, IA 27 North: Cedar Rapids
7
Merge onto I 380; IA 27
54 mi·1 hr·Avenue of the Saints
8
Keep slight left at fork onto US 20; IA 27
160 mi·3 hr 4 min·Avenue of the Saints
9
Continue on US 20
6.4 mi·7 min·160th Street
10
Continue on US 20
1.9 mi·2 min·United States Highway 20
11
Continue on US 20
43 mi·53 min·Highway 20
Use the straight lane.
12
Turn right onto South Fairmount Street
0.6 mi·1 min·South Fairmount Street
Use the right lane.
13
Continue on 6th Street
0.9 mi·2 min·6th Street
14
Turn right onto Court Street
0.2 mi·39 sec·Court Street
15
Turn left onto 9th Street
0.2 mi·45 sec·9th Street
16
Turn right
115 ft·8 sec
17
Arrive at destination
Trip Plan
Given the 6-hour duration, starting your drive in Tipton in the morning will allow ample time to reach Sioux City before evening. Plan for one stop to break up the 305.1 miles; with 214.7 miles on the Avenue of the Saints being the longest stretch, consider timing your break after that section. The fuel cost is estimated at $48, so ensure your tank is sufficiently full before departing, especially as you'll be on surface roads for a significant portion. This route is easily completed in one day, offering flexibility to depart at your convenience.
Morning Departure
Start early — leave by 6-7 AM to arrive at a reasonable hour.
Evening Departure
This is a long drive — plan for a morning departure or consider splitting it into two days.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 152.5 miles from Tipton, IA, or about 3h into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 214.7 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 67 miles or 1h 22m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 152.5 miles or 3h in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 4h 52m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Sioux City, IA than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Tipton, 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 Tipton, IA
This is one driving day of about 305.1 miles and 6h 3m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 67 miles from Tipton, 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 214.7 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 10
5 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 305 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
4
0 mi into trip|~0m in|East 5th Street
Turn left onto East 5th Street
Navigation decision point
5
36.5 mi into trip|~47m in
Take the exit toward I 380 North, IA 27 North: Cedar Rapids
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I 380 North, IA 27 North: Cedar Rapids
6
303.1 mi into trip|~5h 58m in|South Fairmount Street
Turn right onto South Fairmount Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
5
304.9 mi into trip|~6h 2m in|9th Street
Turn left onto 9th Street
Navigation decision point
5
305 mi into trip|~6h 3m in
Turn right
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$50.89 one way
$101.79 round trip
$4.24/gal25.4 MPG avg107 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.62
$55.53
$111.06
premium
$5.25
$63.10
$126.20
diesel
$6.28
$75.39
$150.77
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$51
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$76–$101
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 106.7 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-10-19.
Driving Electric?
About $32 in charging
· 1 stop
· 66% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
91.5
1
$32.04
$14.64
Efficient EV
76.3
0
$26.70
$12.20
EV Truck/SUV
122
1
$42.71
$19.53
Gas CO2
107 kg
EV CO2
36 kg (66% less)
Plan for 1 charging stop. A 30-minute DC fast charge mid-route should be enough to complete the trip comfortably.
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 Oct 19, 2026
Origin
Tipton, IA
Late night
in Tipton on Sunday
Local time
2:44 AM
CDT
Current temp
40°F
Mostly Clear
0 mph0% chanceLive forecast
Destination
Sioux City, IA
Late night
in Sioux City on Sunday
Local time
2:44 AM
CDT
Current temp
43°F
Mostly Cloudy
SE 5 mph0% chanceLive 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 warmer at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
6h 3m on the road
Start early — leave by 6-7 AM to arrive at a reasonable hour.
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 drive features 26% highway travel, meaning you'll spend most of your time on surface roads. The longest continuous stretch on a more direct route covers 214.7 miles along the Avenue of the Saints. After the highway segments conclude, you'll transition to surface roads, which typically means navigating through smaller towns and encountering more varied speed limits. Be prepared for a less consistent driving experience as you move between these road types.
Only 26% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
17 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 214.7 mi on Avenue of the Saints.
How Hard Is This Drive?
3/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near East 5th Street.
Driving Effort3/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
The route itself is not hard, but at 6h 3m, endurance matters. Plan breaks every 2-3 hours. The 10 decision points are all manageable with basic attention.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (East 5th Street): Navigation decision point; at 36.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 303.1 miles (South Fairmount Street): Lane positioning matters here.
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
The longest stretch is about 214.7 miles on Avenue of the Saints. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 11 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.
It helps. This is a long drive, so arriving tired and in the dark compounds. If the last hour of the trip is on surface roads or mountain grades, aim to arrive at Sioux 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. There are 11 rest areas along the route for bathroom stops.
The main spots that need attention: near the start (East 5th Street): Navigation decision point; at 36.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 303.1 miles (South Fairmount Street): Lane positioning matters here.
Not recommended in a single day. At 6.1 hours each way, a round trip means 12.1 hours of driving — that is an unsafe level of fatigue for most drivers. Plan at least one night at Sioux City, IA before the return drive.
