Waterloo to Orange City is 230 miles and takes about 4h 41m via Avenue of the Saints and Highway 20, with a fuel budget near $41 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within Iowa, traversing the heart of the Midwest. Expect a drive mostly on surface roads, offering a more relaxed pace compared to interstate travel. With only one recommended stop and a manageable duration, this route is well-suited for a single-day excursion, allowing you to reach your destination without feeling rushed.
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
115 miles from Waterloo, IA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 2h 15m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Avenue of the Saints
155.2 mi
2h 59m
Highway 20
19 mi
22m
State Highway 140
15.1 mi
20m
County Road L14
7 mi
9m
160th Street
6.4 mi
7m
Lee Avenue
5.4 mi
7m
Kiwi Avenue
5 mi
6m
450th Street
2.7 mi
4m
Longest stretch:
Avenue of the Saints
— 155.2 mi, about 2h 59m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Waterloo, IA and Orange City, IA.
1
Start on West 4th Street
76 ft·6 sec·West 4th Street
2
Turn right onto Washington Street
384 ft·10 sec·Washington Street
3
Turn right onto West 5th Street
0.3 mi·34 sec·West 5th Street
4
Continue on West 4th Street
2.4 mi·4 min·West 4th Street
5
Turn slight right onto West Ridgeway Avenue
0.6 mi·1 min·West Ridgeway Avenue
6
Turn left onto US 63
0.8 mi·1 min·Sergeant Road
Use the left lane.
7
Take the ramp
0.3 mi·35 sec
Use the left lane.
8
Merge onto US 20; IA 27
155 mi·2 hr 59 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
19 mi·22 min·Highway 20
12
Turn right onto L21
5.4 mi·7 min·Lee Avenue
13
Continue on Shamrock Avenue
2.0 mi·2 min·Shamrock Avenue
14
Turn left onto C66
2.0 mi·2 min·320th Street
15
Turn right onto IA 140
15 mi·20 min·State Highway 140
16
Continue on L14
7.0 mi·9 min·County Road L14
17
Continue on L14
5.0 mi·6 min·Kiwi Avenue
18
At end of road, turn left onto IA 10
1.8 mi·2 min·460th Street
19
Continue on IA 10
0.3 mi·24 sec·State Highway 10
20
Continue on IA 10
0.8 mi·1 min·Kennedy Avenue
21
Turn left onto IA 10
2.0 mi·2 min·450th Street
22
Enter roundabout onto 450th Street
81 ft·4 sec·450th Street
23
Continue on 450th Street
0.7 mi·1 min·450th Street
24
Continue on IA 10
0.2 mi·37 sec·8th Street Southeast
25
Turn right onto Albany Avenue Southeast
0.7 mi·1 min·Albany Avenue Southeast
26
Turn left onto 2nd Street Northeast
430 ft·20 sec·2nd Street Northeast
27
Arrive at destination
2nd Street Northwest
Trip Plan
Given the 4-hour drive time, leaving Waterloo in the morning allows ample time to reach Orange City before evening. Plan for one stop, perhaps around the halfway point, to stretch your legs and refuel if needed. Keep an eye on your fuel gauge, especially during the 155.2-mile stretch on Avenue of the Saints, as services might be less frequent than on major interstates. Since this is a single-day trip, you have the flexibility to adjust your departure time based on weather or personal preference.
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 115 miles from Waterloo, IA, or about 2h 15m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 155.2 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 51 miles or 1h 2m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 115 miles or 2h 15m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 3h 42m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Orange City, IA than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Waterloo, 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 Waterloo, IA
This is one driving day of about 230 miles and 4h 41m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 51 miles from Waterloo, 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 155.2 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 13
5 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 223.3 — 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|Washington Street
Turn right onto Washington Street
Navigation decision point
4
0.1 mi into trip|~0m in|West 5th Street
Turn right onto West 5th Street
Navigation decision point
4
3.3 mi into trip|~6m in|US 63 / Sergeant Road
Turn left onto US 63 / Sergeant Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
6
4.1 mi into trip|~7m in
Take the ramp
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
5
223.3 mi into trip|~4h 30m in|IA 10 / 460th Street
At end of road, turn left onto IA 10 / 460th Street
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$33.97 one way
$67.93 round trip
$3.75/gal25.4 MPG avg81 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.14
$37.50
$74.99
premium
$4.72
$42.70
$85.41
diesel
$4.80
$43.43
$86.86
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$34
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$59–$84
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 80.5 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-07-13.
Driving Electric?
About $24 in charging
· 0 stops
· 66% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
69
0
$24.15
$11.04
Efficient EV
57.5
0
$20.13
$9.20
EV Truck/SUV
92
1
$32.20
$14.72
Gas CO2
80 kg
EV CO2
27 kg (66% less)
Plan for 0 charging stops, roughly every 270 miles. Allow 25-40 minutes per stop at a DC fast charger.
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 Jul 18, 2026
Origin
Waterloo, IA
Late night
in Waterloo on Sunday
Local time
1:53 AM
CDT
Current temp
89°F
Mostly Sunny
N 9 mph4% chanceLive forecast
Special Weather Statement
Special Weather Statement issued July 18 at 10:14AM CDT by NWS Quad Cities IA IL
Heat Advisory
Heat Advisory issued July 18 at 9:57AM CDT until July 18 at 7:00PM CDT by NWS Quad Cities IA IL
Destination
Orange City, IA
Late night
in Orange City on Sunday
Local time
1:53 AM
CDT
Current temp
88°F
Chance Rain Showers
ENE 10 mph2% chanceLive forecast
Special Weather Statement
Special Weather Statement issued July 18 at 10:14AM CDT by NWS Quad Cities IA IL
Heat Advisory
Heat Advisory issued July 18 at 9:57AM CDT until July 18 at 7:00PM CDT by NWS Quad Cities IA IL
63°F
Somers, IA
115 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
1 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
4h 41m on the road
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
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 is primarily on surface roads, with only 16% of the 230 miles on highways. You'll experience a significant stretch of 155.2 miles on Avenue of the Saints before transitioning to other main roads like Highway 20 and State Highway 140. Expect less frequent exits and more opportunities for rural cruising as you navigate through Iowa.
Only 16% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
27 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 155.2 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 Washington Street.
Driving Effort3/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 4h 41m drive. You will face about 13 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 (Washington Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.1 miles (West 5th Street): Navigation decision point; at 3.3 miles (US 63 / Sergeant Road): Lane positioning matters here.
Waterloo is a city of 68,000 people (2020) in of Black Hawk County in Northeast Iowa. It adjoins the city of Cedar Falls. It is home to an important John Deere tractor factory, which offers tours.
Top landmarks
•Henry Weis House — house in Waterloo, Iowa, United States
•Rensselaer Russell House — house in Waterloo, Iowa, United States
•Waterloo Public Library-East Side Branch — historic Carnegie library in Iowa
The longest stretch is about 155.2 miles on Avenue of the Saints. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 7 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 (Washington Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.1 miles (West 5th Street): Navigation decision point; at 3.3 miles (US 63 / Sergeant Road): Lane positioning matters here.
Possible but tiring. At 4.7 hours each way, an in-and-out day trip would put you behind the wheel for 9.4 hours — manageable with a long break at Orange City, IA, but most travelers stay overnight.
