Origin
Atlantic, IA
Afternoon in Atlantic on Saturday
Local time
2:51 PM
CDT
Current temp
49°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Atlantic, IA to Mason City, IA
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
3h 48m
Distance
201.4 mi
324 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$31
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
3h 36m
★
6 AM
3h 49m
8 AM
4h 14m
10 AM
3h 58m
12 PM
3h 55m
3 PM
3h 59m
5 PM
4h 13m
8 PM
3h 41m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Atlantic, IA
Wikimedia Commons
Mason City, IA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from Atlantic, IA to Mason City, IA covers 201.4 miles and takes about 3h 48m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on I 35, US 6, I 80 for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mostly highway. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 103.6 miles on I 35. At current regular gas prices, budget about $31.49 one way before food or hotel costs.
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
100.7 miles from Atlantic, IA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 1h 54m into the drive .
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 35 | 103.6 mi | 1h 51m |
| US 6 | 62 mi | 1h 7m |
| I 80 | 14.4 mi | 16m |
| 650th Street | 6.4 mi | 8m |
| US 18 | 3.6 mi | 4m |
| East 7th Street | 3.5 mi | 6m |
| 19th Street Southwest | 2.5 mi | 4m |
| Mallard Avenue | 1.5 mi | 2m |
Longest stretch:
I 35
— 103.6 mi, about 1h 51m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Atlantic, IA and Mason City, IA.
1
Start on this road
227 ft
·
21 sec
·
this road
2
Turn left onto Chestnut Street
266 ft
·
9 sec
·
Chestnut Street
3
Turn right onto US 6; IA 83
3.5 mi
·
6 min
·
East 7th Street
4
Turn left onto US 6; US 71
6.4 mi
·
8 min
·
650th Street
5
Take the exit onto US 6
62 mi
·
1 hr 7 min
·
US 6
6
Keep slight right at fork onto I 80
14 mi
·
16 min
·
I 80
Exit 123B
Toward I 35, I 80 East: Chicago, Minneapolis, Kansas City
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Keep slight right at fork onto I 35
104 mi
·
1 hr 51 min
·
I 35
Toward I 35 North, I 235 South: Minneapolis, Des Moines
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Take the exit
1.0 mi
·
1 min
Toward US 18 East, IA 27 South: Mason City, Charles City
9
Merge onto US 18; IA 27
3.6 mi
·
4 min
·
US 18; IA 27
10
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
52 sec
Toward Airport
11
Turn left onto Mallard Avenue
1.5 mi
·
2 min
·
Mallard Avenue
12
Continue on South Eisenhower Avenue
0.5 mi
·
44 sec
·
South Eisenhower Avenue
13
Turn right onto 19th Street Southwest
2.5 mi
·
4 min
·
19th Street Southwest
14
Turn left onto South Monroe Avenue
1.3 mi
·
2 min
·
South Monroe Avenue
15
Turn right onto 1st Street Northwest
0.4 mi
·
47 sec
·
1st Street Northwest
16
Turn left onto North Federal Avenue
328 ft
·
16 sec
·
North Federal Avenue
17
Turn right onto 2nd Street Northeast
24 ft
·
1 sec
·
2nd Street Northeast
18
Arrive at destination
2nd Street 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 100.7 miles from Atlantic, IA, or about 1h 54m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 103.6 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 44 miles or 52m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 100.7 miles or 1h 54m 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 4m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Mason City, IA than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Atlantic, 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 Atlantic, IA
This is one driving day of about 201.4 miles and 3h 48m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 44 miles from Atlantic, 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 I 35 for about 103.6 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
101 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 44 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 100.7 miles from Atlantic, IA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Before the longest stretch
Fuel checkTop up before I 35 if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 103.6 miles.
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 155 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 201.4 — 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
|
Chestnut Street
Turn left onto Chestnut Street
Navigation decision point
9
72 mi into trip
|
~1h 22m in
|
I 80
Keep slight right at fork onto I 80 toward I 35, I 80 East: Chicago, Minneapolis, Kansas City
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 123B
Toward I 35, I 80 East: Chicago, Minneapolis, K...
8
86.4 mi into trip
|
~1h 39m in
|
I 35
Keep slight right at fork onto I 35 toward I 35 North, I 235 South: Minneapolis, Des Moines
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward I 35 North, I 235 South: Minneapolis, De...
5
190 mi into trip
|
~3h 31m in
Take the exit toward US 18 East, IA 27 South: Mason City, Charles City
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward US 18 East, IA 27 South: Mason City, Cha...
5
201.4 mi into trip
|
~3h 48m in
|
2nd Street Northeast
Turn right onto 2nd Street Northeast
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$31.49 one way
$62.97 round trip
$3.97/gal
25.4 MPG avg
71 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.36 | $34.57 | $69.14 |
| premium | $4.89 | $38.76 | $77.52 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $44.47 | $88.93 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$31
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$56–$81
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 70.5 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $21 in charging · 0 stops · 66% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 60.4 | 0 | $21.15 | $9.67 |
| Efficient EV | 50.4 | 0 | $17.62 | $8.06 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 80.6 | 1 | $28.20 | $12.89 |
Gas CO2
70 kg
EV CO2
24 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.
Destination
Mason City, IA
Afternoon in Mason City on Saturday
Local time
2:51 PM
CDT
Current temp
71°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
22 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
3h 48m 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?
201.4 mi in 3h 48m, mostly highway — 103.6 mi of that is on I 35.
91% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
18 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 103.6 mi on I 35.
How Hard Is This Drive?
5/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 35 and US 6. You will hit about 15 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near Chestnut Street.
Driving Effort
5/10
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 201.4 miles you will encounter 15 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: near the start (Chestnut Street): Navigation decision point; at 72 miles (I 80): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 86.4 miles (I 35): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
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.
Between Atlantic, IA and Mason City, IA, road signs point toward Minneapolis, Kansas City, Des Moines and Charles City.
Minneapolis
72 mi in
|
~1h 22m
|
via I 80
Kansas City
72 mi in
|
~1h 22m
|
via I 80
Des Moines
86.4 mi in
|
~1h 39m
|
via I 35
Charles City
190 mi in
|
~3h 31m
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 3h 48m. Total distance: 201.4 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
3h 48m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (91%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 103.6 miles on I 35. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
We did not find dedicated rest areas on this route. For a drive this long, plan bathroom and stretch breaks around gas stations, fast-food stops, or small-town downtowns — check the Nearby Places section for options.
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 (Chestnut Street): Navigation decision point; at 72 miles (I 80): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 86.4 miles (I 35): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Possible but tiring. At 3.8 hours each way, an in-and-out day trip would put you behind the wheel for 7.6 hours — manageable with a long break at Mason City, IA, but most travelers stay overnight.
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, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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