The drive from Cedar Rapids, IA to Ackley, IA covers 95.3 miles and takes about 1h 54m behind the wheel.
This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Avenue of the Saints, County Highway S56, 32nd Street Northeast for much of the mileage,
and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive.
The longest uninterrupted segment is about 86.2 miles on Avenue of the Saints.
At current regular gas prices, budget about $14.90 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.
Midpoint
47.7 miles from Cedar Rapids, IA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 53m into the drive
.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 54m. Total distance: 95.3 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Expect a 1h 54m drive with frequent turns across 95.3 miles of local and secondary roads.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 12 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Avenue of the Saints is the longest continuous segment at about 86.2 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
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 around 0.1 miles in near Crystal Drive Northeast.
Driving Effort3/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 1h 54m drive. You will face about 8 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (Crystal Drive Northeast): Navigation decision point; at 49.9 miles (US 20; IA 27 / Avenue of the Saints): Highway fork - watch signs carefully; at 87.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 8 key points
These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
3
0.1 mi into trip|~0m in|Crystal Drive Northeast
Continue onto Crystal Drive Northeast
Navigation decision point
4
49.9 mi into trip|~56m in|US 20; IA 27 / Avenue of the Saints
Keep slight left at fork onto US 20; IA 27 / Avenue of the Saints
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
5
87.8 mi into trip|~1h 40m in
Take the exit toward CR S56: Ackley, Eldora
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward CR S56: Ackley, Eldora
4
88.2 mi into trip|~1h 41m in|County Highway S56
Turn right onto County Highway S56
Navigation decision point
4
95 mi into trip|~1h 52m in|Park Avenue
Turn left onto Park Avenue
Navigation decision point
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Cedar Rapids, IA and Ackley, IA, road signs point toward Cr S56: Ackley and Eldora.
Cr S56: Ackley
87.8 mi in|~1h 40m
Eldora
87.8 mi in|~1h 40m
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Avenue of the Saints
86.2 mi
1h 36m
County Highway S56
5.9 mi
10m
32nd Street Northeast
1.2 mi
2m
Butler Street
0.8 mi
1m
Park Avenue
0.3 mi
1m
Tiperary Drive Northeast
0.1 mi
<1m
Crystal Drive Northeast
<0.1 mi
<1m
Main Street
<0.1 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
Avenue of the Saints
— 86.2 mi, about 1h 36m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Cedar Rapids, IA and Ackley, IA.
1
Start on Tiperary Drive Northeast
0.1 mi·32 sec·Tiperary Drive Northeast
2
Continue on Crystal Drive Northeast
184 ft·13 sec·Crystal Drive Northeast
3
Turn left onto 32nd Street Northeast
1.2 mi·2 min·32nd Street Northeast
4
Take the ramp
0.2 mi·30 sec
5
Merge onto I 380; IA 27
48 mi·52 min·Avenue of the Saints
6
Keep slight left at fork onto US 20; IA 27
38 mi·43 min·Avenue of the Saints
7
Take the exit
0.4 mi·56 sec
Toward CR S56: Ackley, Eldora
8
Turn right onto County Highway S56
5.9 mi·10 min·County Highway S56
9
Continue on Butler Street
0.8 mi·1 min·Butler Street
10
Turn left onto Park Avenue
0.3 mi·1 min·Park Avenue
11
Turn slight right onto Main Street
115 ft·5 sec·Main Street
12
Arrive at destination
Main Street
Trip Plan
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 47.7 miles from Cedar Rapids, IA, or about 53m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 86.2 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 21 miles or 24m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 47.7 miles or 53m 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 28m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Ackley, IA than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Cedar Rapids, IA so your first major turns are already loaded.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Cedar Rapids, IA
This is one driving day of about 95.3 miles and 1h 54m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 21 miles from Cedar Rapids, IA.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on Avenue of the Saints for about 86.2 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 47.7 mi from Cedar Rapids, IA
· 53m into the drive
The midpoint is around 47.7 miles from Cedar Rapids, IA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Before the longest stretch
Fuel check
Top up before Avenue of the Saints if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 86.2 miles.
Arriving in Ackley, IA
The final approach into Ackley, IA usually feels slower than the middle of the drive, so avoid planning your tightest schedule at the very end.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$14.90 one way
$29.80 round trip
$3.97/gal25.4 MPG avg33 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.36
$16.36
$32.72
premium
$4.89
$18.34
$36.68
diesel
$5.61
$21.04
$42.08
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$15
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$40–$65
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 33.3 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $10 in charging
· 0 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
28.6
0
$10.01
$4.57
Efficient EV
23.8
0
$8.34
$3.81
EV Truck/SUV
38.1
0
$13.34
$6.10
Gas CO2
33 kg
EV CO2
11 kg (67% 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 18, 2026
Origin
Cedar Rapids, IA
Morning
in Cedar Rapids on Saturday
Local time
6:58 AM
CDT
Current temp
34°F
Mostly Cloudy
NW 15 mph0% chanceLive forecast
Red Flag Warning
Red Flag Warning issued April 18 at 2:33AM CDT until April 18 at 8:00PM CDT by NWS Omaha/Valley NE
Flood Watch
Flood Watch issued April 17 at 10:38PM CDT until April 24 at 7:00AM CDT by NWS Quad Cities IA IL
Destination
Ackley, IA
Morning
in Ackley on Saturday
Local time
6:58 AM
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
37 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
1h 54m on the road
The weather snapshot is not static. If you are leaving later, give both cities one more quick forecast check before departure.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
Frequently Asked Questions
The drive from Cedar Rapids, IA to Ackley, IA covers 95.3 miles and takes about 1h 54m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Avenue of the Saints, County Highway S56, 32nd Street Northeast. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 47.7 miles from Cedar Rapids, IA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $14.90 one way. This estimate uses 25.4 MPG — your actual cost will vary with your vehicle's fuel efficiency and current gas prices.
Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch. Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.
This is a straightforward 1h 54m drive. You will face about 8 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (Crystal Drive Northeast): Navigation decision point; at 49.9 miles (US 20; IA 27 / Avenue of the Saints): Highway fork - watch signs carefully; at 87.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Between Cedar Rapids, IA and Ackley, IA, road signs point toward Cr S56: Ackley and Eldora.
