Waterloo to Windsor Heights is 116.4 miles and takes about 2h 33m via IA 330, with a fuel budget near $18 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within Iowa, connecting two points in the Midwest. The route offers a mix of highway and surface roads, making it a straightforward drive. With only one recommended stop and a short duration, this is an easy day trip that doesn't require extensive planning.
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
58.2 miles from Waterloo, IA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 19m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
IA 330
35.9 mi
42m
Avenue of the Saints
18.4 mi
21m
Sanford Avenue
15.9 mi
21m
John MacVicar Freeway
9.4 mi
12m
240th Street
6.3 mi
9m
Marsh Avenue
5.9 mi
8m
N Avenue
4.5 mi
6m
US 65
4.5 mi
5m
Longest stretch:
IA 330
— 35.9 mi, about 42m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Waterloo, IA and Windsor Heights, 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
18 mi·21 min·Avenue of the Saints
9
Take the exit
0.4 mi·59 sec
Toward IA 14: Parkersburg, Grundy Center
10
Turn left onto IA 14
4.5 mi·6 min·N Avenue
11
Turn right onto 210th Street
1.0 mi·1 min·210th Street
12
Turn sharp left onto County Road T37
1.0 mi·1 min·County Road T37
13
Continue on M Avenue
1.5 mi·2 min·M Avenue
14
Turn right onto IA 14; IA 175
6.3 mi·9 min·240th Street
15
Turn left onto IA 14
16 mi·21 min·Sanford Avenue
16
Turn right onto IA 330
4.3 mi·5 min·160th Street
17
Keep slight left at fork onto IA 330
1.2 mi·1 min·North Main Street
18
Continue on IA 330
5.9 mi·8 min·Marsh Avenue
19
Turn right onto IA 330
36 mi·42 min·IA 330
20
Take the exit onto US 65
4.5 mi·5 min·US 65
Toward I 80 west, US 65 south: Des MoinesUse the straight / slight right lanes.
21
Take the exit
0.6 mi·1 min
Exit 137AToward I 235 West: Des MoinesUse the slight left lane.
22
Continue on John MacVicar Freeway
9.4 mi·12 min·John MacVicar Freeway
Toward I 235 West: Des MoinesUse the straight / slight right lanes.
23
Take the exit
0.3 mi·35 sec
Exit 4Toward IA 28: 63rd Street, Windsor HeightsUse the straight / slight right lanes.
24
Turn right onto IA 28
0.5 mi·1 min·63rd Street
25
Turn left onto University Avenue
0.3 mi·41 sec·University Avenue
26
Turn left onto 66th Street
0.2 mi·42 sec·66th Street
Use the left lane.
27
Arrive at destination
66th Street
Trip Plan
This is a quick, one-day trip, so you have flexibility with your departure time. Leaving in the morning allows ample time to reach Windsor Heights with daylight to spare. Plan for one stop along the way to break up the drive, perhaps around the halfway point. Keep an eye on your fuel gauge, especially on the longer stretches of IA 330, as services may be less frequent. The $18 fuel estimate is a good baseline for budgeting.
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.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 58.2 miles from Waterloo, IA, or about 1h 19m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 35.9 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 26 miles or 34m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 58.2 miles or 1h 19m 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 4m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Windsor Heights, 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 116.4 miles and 2h 33m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 26 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 IA 330 for about 35.9 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 20
5 decision points cluster between mile 4.1 and 116.3 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
4.1 mi into trip|~7m in
Take the ramp
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
7
100.8 mi into trip|~2h 11m in|US 65
Take the exit onto US 65 toward I 80 west, US 65 south: Des Moines
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward I 80 west, US 65 south: Des Moines
7
105.3 mi into trip|~2h 17m in
Take the exit toward I 235 West: Des Moines
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left lane.
Exit 137A
Toward I 235 West: Des Moines
8
115.3 mi into trip|~2h 30m in
Take the exit toward IA 28: 63rd Street, Windsor Heights
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 4
Toward IA 28: 63rd Street, Windsor Heights
7
116.3 mi into trip|~2h 32m in|66th Street
Turn left onto 66th Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$18.20 one way
$36.40 round trip
$3.97/gal25.4 MPG avg41 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.36
$19.98
$39.96
premium
$4.89
$22.40
$44.80
diesel
$5.61
$25.70
$51.40
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: 40.7 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $12 in charging
· 0 stops
· 66% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
34.9
0
$12.22
$5.59
Efficient EV
29.1
0
$10.19
$4.66
EV Truck/SUV
46.6
0
$16.30
$7.45
Gas CO2
41 kg
EV CO2
14 kg (66% 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 20, 2026
Origin
Waterloo, IA
Late night
in Waterloo on Tuesday
Local time
3:58 AM
CDT
Current temp
59°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Windsor Heights, IA
Late night
in Windsor Heights on Tuesday
Local time
3:58 AM
CDT
Current temp
60°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
1 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 33m 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?
About 43% of this drive is on highways, with the remaining portion on surface roads. You'll encounter a 35.9-mile stretch on IA 330 as the longest continuous segment. The transition from highway cruising to surface streets will be noticeable as you approach your destination. Expect a mix of rural cruising and more local traffic as you get closer to Windsor Heights.
43% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
27 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 35.9 mi on IA 330.
How Hard Is This Drive?
7/10
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 4.1 miles in.
Driving Effort7/10
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a demanding drive. With 20 significant decision points across 116.4 miles, you will need to stay alert - especially through interchange areas and urban stretches. Consider splitting it into segments if you are not comfortable with fast highway navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 4.1 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 100.8 miles (US 65): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 105.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. 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.
On the drive from Waterloo, IA to Windsor Heights, IA, road signs begin pointing toward Grundy Center along the way.
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.
Doable as a same-day drive at 2h 33m. Total distance: 116.4 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
2h 33m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (43%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 35.9 miles on IA 330. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 6 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 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 Windsor Heights, 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 6 rest areas along the route for bathroom stops.
The main spots that need attention: at 4.1 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 100.8 miles (US 65): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 105.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Windsor Heights, IA before heading back.
