This 161.7-mile journey from Grundy Center to Davenport, Iowa, can be comfortably completed in about 3 hours and 11 minutes, making it an ideal one-day road trip. You'll primarily navigate via Avenue of the Saints, I-80, and US-20, with a moderate fuel cost estimated around $25. The drive offers a mixed experience, traversing the heart of the Midwest without significant regional changes. With only one recommended stop, this route is straightforward and efficient for a quick getaway or transit.
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
80.8 miles from Grundy Center, IA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 33m into the drive
.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 3h 11m. Total distance: 161.7 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
3h 11m drive, comfortable solo distance.
Drive Character
Expect a varied driving experience on this route, with 50% of your travel on highways. The longest uninterrupted stretch is a solid 64.7 miles on the Avenue of the Saints, offering a chance to settle in. The 'mixed drive' profile suggests you'll transition between faster highway speeds and potentially more local road segments, keeping the journey engaging. This blend means you won't be stuck in a monotonous interstate grind for the entire trip.
Expect a mix of faster highway mileage and slower local approaches near the beginning or end.
There are about 19 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 64.7 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. You will hit about 14 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 36.5 miles in near I 380; IA 27 / Avenue of the Saints.
Driving Effort6/10
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 161.7 miles you will encounter 14 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: at 36.5 miles (I 380; IA 27 / Avenue of the Saints): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 101.4 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully; at 152.3 miles (US 6): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 14 key points
These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
6
36.5 mi into trip|~44m 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
101.4 mi into trip|~1h 56m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 80 East: Davenport
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Toward I 80 East: Davenport
5
152.3 mi into trip|~2h 53m in|US 6
Take the exit onto US 6 toward I 280 East, US 6 East, US 61 South: Rock Island, Moline
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I 280 East, US 6 East, US 61 South: Rock...
5
153.5 mi into trip|~2h 55m in|US 6
Take the exit onto US 6 toward US 6 East, CR F58 West: Kimberly Road, Walcott
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward US 6 East, CR F58 West: Kimberly Road, W...
5
160.6 mi into trip|~3h 8m in|West 14th Street
Turn left onto West 14th Street
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 Grundy Center, IA and Davenport, IA, road signs point toward Moline and Walcott.
Moline
152.3 mi in|~2h 53m|via US 6
Walcott
153.5 mi in|~2h 55m|via US 6
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Avenue of the Saints
64.7 mi
1h 11m
I 80
49.7 mi
54m
US 20
29.1 mi
33m
N Avenue
6.2 mi
8m
West Kimberly Road
3 mi
4m
Hickory Grove Road
2.5 mi
5m
US 6
1.5 mi
2m
West Locust Street
0.9 mi
2m
Longest stretch:
Avenue of the Saints
— 64.7 mi, about 1h 11m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Grundy Center, IA and Davenport, IA.
1
Start on IA 14; IA 175
66 ft·6 sec·G Avenue
2
Turn left onto IA 14
0.8 mi·1 min·4th Street
3
Continue on IA 14
6.2 mi·8 min·N Avenue
4
Take the ramp
0.5 mi·58 sec
Toward US 20 East: Waterloo
5
Merge onto US 20
29 mi·33 min·US 20
6
Keep slight right at fork onto I 380; IA 27
65 mi·1 hr 11 min·Avenue of the Saints
Toward I 380 South, IA 27 South: Cedar Rapids
7
Take the exit
0.3 mi·33 sec
Toward I 80
8
Keep slight left at fork
1.2 mi·2 min
Toward I 80 East: Davenport
9
Merge onto I 80
50 mi·54 min·I 80
10
Take the exit onto US 6
1.1 mi·2 min·US 6
Toward I 280 East, US 6 East, US 61 South: Rock Island, Moline
11
Take the exit onto US 6
0.4 mi·51 sec·US 6
Toward US 6 East, CR F58 West: Kimberly Road, Walcott
12
Continue on US 6
3.0 mi·4 min·West Kimberly Road
13
Turn slight right onto Hickory Grove Road
2.5 mi·5 min·Hickory Grove Road
14
Turn left onto US 6 Hist
0.9 mi·2 min·West Locust Street
15
Turn right onto Gaines Street
0.3 mi·49 sec·Gaines Street
16
Turn left onto West 14th Street
0.3 mi·45 sec·West 14th Street
17
At end of road, turn right onto US 61 Business
0.7 mi·1 min·Harrison Street
18
Turn right onto West 4th Street
165 ft·4 sec·West 4th Street
19
Arrive at destination
West 4th Street
Trip Plan
Given the 3-hour duration, leaving Grundy Center in the morning allows ample time to reach Davenport with flexibility. Plan for your single recommended stop strategically, perhaps around the halfway point, to break up the 161.7 miles. Keep an eye on your fuel gauge, especially during the longer 64.7-mile segment on Avenue of the Saints, as services might be less frequent. The $25 fuel cost is a good baseline, but always be prepared for minor fluctuations.
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 80.8 miles from Grundy Center, IA, or about 1h 33m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 64.7 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 36 miles or 43m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 80.8 miles or 1h 33m 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 31m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Davenport, IA than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Grundy Center, 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 Grundy Center, IA
This is one driving day of about 161.7 miles and 3h 11m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 36 miles from Grundy Center, 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 64.7 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 80.8 mi from Grundy Center, IA
· 1h 33m into the drive
Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$25.28 one way
$50.56 round trip
$3.97/gal25.4 MPG avg57 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.36
$27.76
$55.51
premium
$4.89
$31.12
$62.24
diesel
$5.61
$35.70
$71.40
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$25
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$50–$75
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 56.6 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $17 in charging
· 0 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
48.5
0
$16.98
$7.76
Efficient EV
40.4
0
$14.15
$6.47
EV Truck/SUV
64.7
0
$22.64
$10.35
Gas CO2
57 kg
EV CO2
19 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 17, 2026
Origin
Grundy Center, IA
Evening
in Grundy Center on Friday
Local time
6:44 PM
CDT
Current temp
49°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Davenport, IA
Evening
in Davenport on Friday
Local time
6:44 PM
CDT
Current temp
56°F
Mostly Clear
SE 5 mph0% chanceLive forecast
Flood Watch
Flood Watch issued April 16 at 9:20PM CDT until April 24 at 1:00AM CDT by NWS Quad Cities IA IL
Flood Warning
Flood Warning issued April 16 at 9:20PM CDT by NWS Quad Cities IA IL
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
7 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 11m 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 Grundy Center, IA to Davenport, IA covers 161.7 miles and takes about 3h 11m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Avenue of the Saints, I 80, US 20. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 80.8 miles from Grundy Center, IA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $25.28 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. A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 161.7 miles you will encounter 14 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
The main spots that need attention: at 36.5 miles (I 380; IA 27 / Avenue of the Saints): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 101.4 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully; at 152.3 miles (US 6): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Between Grundy Center, IA and Davenport, IA, road signs point toward Moline and Walcott.
