Origin
Arnolds Park, IA
Late night in Arnolds Park on Saturday
Local time
5:28 AM
CDT
Current temp
49°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Arnolds Park, IA to Cedar Rapids, IA
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
5h 20m
Distance
261.7 mi
421 km
Drive Score
9/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$39
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
5h 7m
★
6 AM
5h 21m
8 AM
5h 47m
10 AM
5h 30m
12 PM
5h 27m
3 PM
5h 31m
5 PM
5h 46m
8 PM
5h 13m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Arnolds Park, IA
Tom Fisk
Trip Overview
The drive from Arnolds Park, IA to Cedar Rapids, IA covers 261.7 miles and takes about 5h 20m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on US 20, Avenue of the Saints, 130th Avenue for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mixed drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 153.3 miles on US 20. At current regular gas prices, budget about $38.85 one way before food or hotel costs.
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
130.8 miles from Arnolds Park, IA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 2h 50m into the drive .
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 5h 20m. Total distance: 261.7 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
5h 20m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (59%). Straightforward navigation.
Drive Character
The drive from Arnolds Park, IA to Cedar Rapids, IA covers 261.7 miles and takes about 5h 20m, using a mix of highways and local roads.
Expect a mix of faster highway mileage and slower local approaches near the beginning or end.
There are about 28 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
US 20 is the longest continuous segment at about 153.3 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near Iowa Street.
Driving Effort
4/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 5h 20m drive. You will face about 18 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 (Iowa Street): Navigation decision point; at 16.8 miles (West 2nd Street): Navigation decision point; at 64 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 18 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
4
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
Iowa Street
Turn left onto Iowa Street
Navigation decision point
5
16.8 mi into trip
|
~26m in
|
West 2nd Street
At end of road, turn left onto West 2nd Street
Navigation decision point
5
64 mi into trip
|
~1h 33m in
Take the exit toward US 20 East: Fort Dodge
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Toward US 20 East: Fort Dodge
6
217.7 mi into trip
|
~4h 31m in
|
I 380; IA 27 / Avenue of the Saints
Keep slight right at fork onto I 380; IA 27 / Avenue of the Saints toward I 380 South, IA 27 South: Cedar Rapids
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I 380 South, IA 27 South: Cedar Rapids
5
260.2 mi into trip
|
~5h 17m in
Keep slight left at fork
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| US 20 | 153.3 mi | 2h 56m |
| Avenue of the Saints | 42.3 mi | 45m |
| 130th Avenue | 29.1 mi | 39m |
| Okoboji Grove Road North | 15.4 mi | 22m |
| 215th Avenue | 13.4 mi | 18m |
| 11th Avenue Southwest | 1.5 mi | 2m |
| 32nd Street Northeast | 1.3 mi | 2m |
| County Highway 71 | 1.1 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
US 20
— 153.3 mi, about 2h 56m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Arnolds Park, IA and Cedar Rapids, IA.
1
Start on Kruse Beach
125 ft
·
10 sec
·
Kruse Beach
2
Turn left onto Iowa Street
0.1 mi
·
35 sec
·
Iowa Street
3
Turn right onto Linden Drive
0.1 mi
·
21 sec
·
Linden Drive
4
Turn left onto US 71
15 mi
·
22 min
·
Okoboji Grove Road North
5
Continue on US 18; US 71
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
Grand Avenue
6
Turn right onto West 8th Street
384 ft
·
12 sec
·
West 8th Street
7
Turn left onto 1st Avenue West
0.4 mi
·
50 sec
·
1st Avenue West
8
At end of road, turn left onto West 2nd Street
389 ft
·
11 sec
·
West 2nd Street
9
Turn right onto US 18; US 71
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
Grand Avenue
10
Turn right onto 4th Street Southwest
0.3 mi
·
38 sec
·
4th Street Southwest
11
Turn left onto 4th Avenue Southwest
0.5 mi
·
56 sec
·
4th Avenue Southwest
12
Turn right onto US 71
0.5 mi
·
58 sec
·
11th Street Southwest
13
Turn left onto US 71
1.5 mi
·
2 min
·
11th Avenue Southwest
14
Continue on US 71
13 mi
·
18 min
·
215th Avenue
15
Continue on US 71
1.3 mi
·
1 min
·
130th Avenue
16
Continue on US 71
1.1 mi
·
1 min
·
County Highway 71
17
Continue on US 71
28 mi
·
37 min
·
130th Avenue
18
Continue on IA 471
0.2 mi
·
20 sec
·
US 71
19
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
50 sec
Toward US 20 East: Fort Dodge
20
Merge onto US 20; US 71
153 mi
·
2 hr 56 min
·
US 20; US 71
21
Keep slight right at fork onto I 380; IA 27
42 mi
·
45 min
·
Avenue of the Saints
Toward I 380 South, IA 27 South: Cedar Rapids
22
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
34 sec
23
Keep slight left at fork
121 ft
·
4 sec
24
Turn left onto 32nd Street Northeast
1.3 mi
·
2 min
·
32nd Street Northeast
25
Turn right onto Crystal Drive Northeast
184 ft
·
10 sec
·
Crystal Drive Northeast
26
Continue on Crystal Drive Northeast
177 ft
·
7 sec
·
Crystal Drive Northeast
27
Continue on Tiperary Drive Northeast
428 ft
·
18 sec
·
Tiperary Drive Northeast
28
Arrive at destination
Tiperary Drive Northeast
Trip Plan
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 130.8 miles from Arnolds Park, IA, or about 2h 50m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 153.3 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 58 miles or 1h 24m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 130.8 miles or 2h 50m 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 27m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Cedar Rapids, IA than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Arnolds Park, 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 Arnolds Park, IA
This is one driving day of about 261.7 miles and 5h 20m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 58 miles from Arnolds Park, 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 US 20 for about 153.3 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 130.8 mi from Arnolds Park, IA · 2h 50m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
131 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 58 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 130.8 miles from Arnolds Park, IA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Before the longest stretch
Fuel checkTop up before US 20 if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 153.3 miles.
Arriving in Cedar Rapids, IA
The final approach into Cedar Rapids, IA usually feels slower than the middle of the drive, so avoid planning your tightest schedule at the very end.
Try to arrive with enough fuel left to skip an immediate station stop unless you already know the area around Cedar Rapids, IA.
After long uninterrupted mileage, take five minutes before the last urban segment to reset and refocus on exits, merges, and city traffic.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$38.85 one way
$77.71 round trip
$3.77/gal
25.4 MPG avg
92 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.25 | $43.82 | $87.64 |
| premium | $4.65 | $47.95 | $95.90 |
| diesel | $5.30 | $54.65 | $109.30 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$39
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$64–$89
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 91.6 kg one way.
Driving Electric?
About $27 in charging · 0 stops · 66% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 78.5 | 0 | $27.48 | $12.56 |
| Efficient EV | 65.4 | 0 | $22.90 | $10.47 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 104.7 | 1 | $36.64 | $16.75 |
Gas CO2
92 kg
EV CO2
31 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.
Destination
Cedar Rapids, IA
Late night in Cedar Rapids on Saturday
Local time
5:28 AM
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
Very similar conditions
Both ends of the route are sitting at about the same temperature right now.
Road read
5h 20m 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.
Frequently Asked Questions
The drive from Arnolds Park, IA to Cedar Rapids, IA covers 261.7 miles and takes about 5h 20m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are US 20, Avenue of the Saints, 130th Avenue. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 130.8 miles from Arnolds Park, IA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $38.85 one way. This estimate uses 25.4 MPG — your actual cost will vary with your vehicle's fuel efficiency and current gas prices.
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left. A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.
Plan about 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, or rest. Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
This is a straightforward 5h 20m drive. You will face about 18 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
The main spots that need attention: near the start (Iowa Street): Navigation decision point; at 16.8 miles (West 2nd Street): Navigation decision point; at 64 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early.
The route from Arnolds Park, IA to Cedar Rapids, IA does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
How this page is built
Compiled by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy from open government datasets — OSRM over OpenStreetMap for geometry. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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