Origin
Urbandale, IA
Night in Urbandale on Saturday
Local time
11:19 PM
CDT
Current temp
52°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Urbandale, IA to Vinton, IA
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
2h 24m
Distance
114.2 mi
184 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$18
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
2h 15m
★
6 AM
2h 25m
8 AM
2h 45m
10 AM
2h 32m
12 PM
2h 30m
3 PM
2h 33m
5 PM
2h 44m
8 PM
2h 19m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Urbandale, IA
Wikimedia Commons
Vinton, IA
Tom Fisk
Trip Overview
Urbandale, IA to Vinton, IA is 114.2 miles and takes about 2h 24m via Lincoln Highway, with a fuel budget near $18 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This drive stays within the Midwest region, specifically within Iowa, offering a straightforward journey between two points. Given its relatively short duration and minimal highway travel, it's a practical choice for a single-day trip. Expect a local feel throughout, as you'll be navigating a series of connected roadways rather than a high-speed interstate. This makes it an approachable option if you're looking for a less intense driving experience.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Midpoint
57.1 miles from Urbandale, IA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 1h 10m into the drive .
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Lincoln Highway | 37 mi | 42m |
| Northeast Hubbell Road | 33.5 mi | 39m |
| 73rd Street | 11.7 mi | 13m |
| 24th Avenue | 10 mi | 14m |
| I 80 | 9 mi | 10m |
| 70th Street | 3.7 mi | 7m |
| 21st Avenue | 2.9 mi | 5m |
| Northeast Hubbell Avenue | 1.2 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
Lincoln Highway
— 37 mi, about 42m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Urbandale, IA and Vinton, IA.
1
Start on Maryland Drive
13 ft
·
2 sec
·
Maryland Drive
2
Turn right onto 70th Street
1.2 mi
·
2 min
·
70th Street
3
At end of road, turn right onto Meredith Drive
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
Meredith Drive
4
Turn left onto IA 28
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
Merle Hay Road
5
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
40 sec
Toward I-35 north, I-80 east
6
Merge onto I 80; I 35
4.0 mi
·
4 min
·
I 80; I 35
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Continue on I 35; I 80
0.7 mi
·
50 sec
·
I 35; I 80
8
Continue on I 80; I 35
0.6 mi
·
40 sec
·
I 80; I 35
9
Keep slight left at fork onto I 80
4.5 mi
·
5 min
·
I 80
Use the slight left lane.
10
Take the exit onto US 65
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
US 65
Exit 142
Toward US 6 West, US 65 North, IA 330 North: Marshalltown, Bondurant
Use the slight right lane.
11
Turn left onto US 65; IA 330
1.2 mi
·
1 min
·
Northeast Hubbell Avenue
12
Continue on US 65; IA 330
33 mi
·
39 min
·
Northeast Hubbell Road
13
Take the exit
0.5 mi
·
1 min
14
Merge onto US 30
37 mi
·
42 min
·
Lincoln Highway
15
Continue on US 30
12 mi
·
13 min
·
73rd Street
16
Turn left onto CR V66
2.9 mi
·
5 min
·
21st Avenue
17
Continue on CR V66
0.1 mi
·
17 sec
·
1st Street
18
Turn right onto CR E44
0.3 mi
·
29 sec
·
1st Avenue
19
Continue on State Highway 199
0.1 mi
·
10 sec
·
State Highway 199
20
Continue on CR E44
2.5 mi
·
4 min
·
70th Street
21
Turn left onto US 218
10.0 mi
·
14 min
·
24th Avenue
22
Turn straight onto IA 150
0.2 mi
·
16 sec
·
State Highway 150
23
Continue on IA 150
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
C Avenue
24
Turn right onto West 3rd Street
0.2 mi
·
51 sec
·
West 3rd Street
25
Arrive at destination
East 3rd Street
Trip Plan
With a drive of just over two hours, you have the flexibility to leave whenever you wish, perhaps mid-morning to avoid early rush hour. Since there are no designated stops and the longest stretch is manageable, you might not need to break up the drive, but rest areas are available if needed. Keep an eye on your fuel, as the estimated cost is $18, and it's always wise to top off before heading out on local roads where services can be more spaced out. A good tip for this route is to familiarize yourself with the Lincoln Highway section, as it's a significant portion of your travel and can sometimes have lower speed limits or more local traffic.
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 57.1 miles from Urbandale, IA, or about 1h 10m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 37 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 32m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 57.1 miles or 1h 10m 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 53m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Vinton, IA than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Urbandale, 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 Urbandale, IA
This is one driving day of about 114.2 miles and 2h 24m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 25 miles from Urbandale, IA.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on Lincoln Highway for about 37 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
57 mi into the route
Best for: Lunch, fuel, and a longer reset
This sits close to the middle of the route, so it works well for the longest stop of the day.
Pacing Suggestions
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 25 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 57.1 miles from Urbandale, IA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 125 decision points cluster between mile 1.2 and 12.5 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
1.2 mi into trip
|
~2m in
|
Meredith Drive
At end of road, turn right onto Meredith Drive
Navigation decision point
5
2.5 mi into trip
|
~5m in
Take the ramp toward I-35 north, I-80 east
Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I-35 north, I-80 east
5
2.8 mi into trip
|
~5m in
|
I 80; I 35
Merge onto I 80; I 35
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
8.1 mi into trip
|
~12m in
|
I 80
Keep slight left at fork onto I 80
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left lane.
8
12.5 mi into trip
|
~17m in
|
US 65
Take the exit onto US 65 toward US 6 West, US 65 North, IA 330 North: Marshalltown, Bondurant
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 142
Toward US 6 West, US 65 North, IA 330 North: Ma...
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$17.85 one way
$35.71 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
40 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $19.60 | $39.21 |
| premium | $4.89 | $21.98 | $43.95 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $25.21 | $50.43 |
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: 40 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $12 in charging · 0 stops · 68% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 34.3 | 0 | $11.99 | $5.48 |
| Efficient EV | 28.6 | 0 | $9.99 | $4.57 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 45.7 | 0 | $15.99 | $7.31 |
Gas CO2
40 kg
EV CO2
13 kg (68% 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.
Destination
Vinton, IA
Night in Vinton on Saturday
Local time
11:19 PM
CDT
Current temp
49°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
3 degrees cooler at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
2h 24m 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.
What kind of drive is this?
This is a turn-heavy local drive, with only about 9% of the journey on highways. You'll spend most of your time on roads like Lincoln Highway and Northeast Hubbell Road. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 37 miles, which is along the historic Lincoln Highway. The road's personality is more about navigating local thoroughfares and connecting routes than high-speed cruising. Be prepared for frequent changes in direction and speed as you transition between different local roads.
Only 9% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
25 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 37 mi on Lincoln Highway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
6/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. You will hit about 12 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 1.2 miles in near Meredith Drive.
Driving Effort
6/10
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 114.2 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: at 1.2 miles (Meredith Drive): Navigation decision point; at 2.5 miles: Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 2.8 miles (I 80; I 35): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
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 Urbandale, IA to Vinton, IA, road signs begin pointing toward Bondurant along the way.
Bondurant
12.5 mi in
|
~17m
|
via US 65
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 2h 24m. Total distance: 114.2 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
2h 24m drive, comfortable solo distance.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 37 miles on Lincoln Highway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
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 Vinton, 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. Dedicated rest areas are limited, so plan gas or food stops as your bathroom breaks.
The main spots that need attention: at 1.2 miles (Meredith Drive): Navigation decision point; at 2.5 miles: Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 2.8 miles (I 80; I 35): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Vinton, IA before heading back.
How this page is built
Compiled by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy from open government datasets — OSRM over OpenStreetMap for geometry, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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