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Trip from Sioux City, IA to Oakland, IA

Last recalculated Apr 16, 2026

Drive Time

2h 18m

Distance

118 mi

190 km

Drive Score

8/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$18

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 29 min
4 AM
2h 9m ★
6 AM
2h 19m
8 AM
2h 38m
10 AM
2h 25m
12 PM
2h 23m
3 PM
2h 26m
5 PM
2h 37m
8 PM
2h 13m

Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.

city ​​in Woodbury and Plymouth counties in Iowa, United States

Sioux City, IA

Wikimedia Commons

Downtown Oakland, IA, IA

Oakland, IA

Robert So

Trip Overview

The drive from Sioux City, IA to Oakland, IA covers 118 miles and takes about 2h 18m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on I 29, I 880, 380th Street for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is highway-focused drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 75.6 miles on I 29. At current regular gas prices, budget about $18.45 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

59 miles from Sioux City, IA

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 1h 6m into the drive .

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 2h 18m. Total distance: 118 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

2h 18m drive, comfortable solo distance.

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (83%). Some complex stretches to watch for.

Drive Character

This is a 2h 18m highway drive covering 118 miles, with most of the trip on I 29 and I 880. The longest continuous stretch is about 75.6 miles on I 29.

Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 22 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
I 29 is the longest continuous segment at about 75.6 miles.

How Hard Is This Drive?

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 29 and I 880. You will hit about 16 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near 9th Street.

Driving Effort 6/10

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 118 miles you will encounter 16 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 (9th Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.2 miles (Court Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.5 miles (5th Street): Lane positioning matters here.

Critical Maneuvers

5 of 16 key points

These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.

5
0 mi into trip | ~0m in | 9th Street

Turn left onto 9th Street

Navigation decision point

5
0.2 mi into trip | ~1m in | Court Street

Turn right onto Court Street

Navigation decision point

6
0.5 mi into trip | ~1m in | 5th Street

Turn left onto 5th Street

Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / right lanes.
6
0.7 mi into trip | ~2m in | Floyd Boulevard

Turn right onto Floyd Boulevard

Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / right lanes.
8
94 mi into trip | ~1h 45m in

Keep slight left at fork toward I 80 East: Des Moines

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight right lanes. Exit 16A Toward I 80 East: Des Moines

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 Sioux City, IA to Oakland, IA, road signs begin pointing toward Cr M16: Shelby along the way.

Cr M16: Shelby

101 mi in | ~1h 52m

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
I 29 75.6 mi 1h 21m
I 880 16 mi 17m
380th Street 11 mi 14m
I 80 6.3 mi 6m
Honeysuckle Road 3.4 mi 5m
385th Street 1.4 mi 2m
Floyd Boulevard 0.6 mi 1m
Tamarack Avenue 0.5 mi <1m
Longest stretch: I 29 — 75.6 mi, about 1h 21m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Sioux City, IA and Oakland, IA.

1

Start on this road

115 ft · 13 sec · this road
2

Turn left onto 9th Street

0.2 mi · 45 sec · 9th Street
3

Turn right onto Court Street

0.3 mi · 54 sec · Court Street
4

Turn left onto 5th Street

0.2 mi · 28 sec · 5th Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
5

Turn right onto Floyd Boulevard

0.6 mi · 1 min · Floyd Boulevard
Use the straight / right lanes.
6

Take the ramp

0.3 mi · 38 sec
Toward I 29 South
7

Merge onto I 29

76 mi · 1 hr 21 min · I 29
8

Take the exit

0.8 mi · 1 min
Exit 71 Toward I 880 East: Des Moines
9

Continue on I 880

16 mi · 17 min · I 880
10

Keep slight left at fork

0.7 mi · 43 sec
Exit 16A Toward I 80 East: Des Moines Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11

Merge onto I 80

6.3 mi · 6 min · I 80
12

Take the exit

0.3 mi · 44 sec
Toward CR M16: Shelby
13

Turn right onto CR M16

1.4 mi · 2 min · 385th Street
14

At end of road, turn right onto CR G18; CR M16

0.5 mi · 46 sec · Tamarack Avenue
15

Turn left onto CR M16

6.0 mi · 8 min · 380th Street
16

Continue on CR M16

5.0 mi · 6 min · 380th Street
17

Continue on CR G42

3.4 mi · 5 min · Honeysuckle Road
18

Continue on Oakland Avenue

0.2 mi · 41 sec · Oakland Avenue
19

At end of road, turn left onto US 6; US 59

450 ft · 15 sec · US 6; US 59
20

Turn right onto North Kearney Street

369 ft · 16 sec · North Kearney Street
21

Turn right onto Oakland Avenue

111 ft · 4 sec · Oakland Avenue
22

Arrive at destination

Oakland Avenue

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 59 miles from Sioux City, IA, or about 1h 6m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 75.6 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 26 miles or 30m in

Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.

Halfway reset

Around 59 miles or 1h 6m 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 48m

Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Oakland, IA than in the middle of the route.

Before You Leave

+

Open the route before leaving Sioux City, 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 Sioux City, IA

This is one driving day of about 118 miles and 2h 18m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 26 miles from Sioux City, IA.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on I 29 for about 75.6 miles.

Where to Stop

Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 59 mi from Sioux City, IA · 1h 6m into the drive

city in and the county seat of Washington County, Nebraska, United States

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Blair, NE

59 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

Sloan, IA

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 26 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Blair, NE

Meal break

The midpoint is around 59 miles from Sioux City, IA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Before the longest stretch

Fuel check

Top up before I 29 if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 75.6 miles.

Arriving in Oakland, IA

The final approach into Oakland, 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 Oakland, IA.

These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$18.45 one way

$36.90 round trip

$3.97/gal 25.4 MPG avg 41 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.36 $20.26 $40.51
premium $4.89 $22.71 $45.42
diesel $5.61 $26.05 $52.11

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: 41.3 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 35.4 0 $12.39 $5.66
Efficient EV 29.5 0 $10.33 $4.72
EV Truck/SUV 47.2 0 $16.52 $7.55

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 15, 2026

Origin

Sioux City, IA

Afternoon in Sioux City on Thursday

Local time

2:22 PM

CDT

Current temp

49°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Oakland, IA

Afternoon in Oakland on Thursday

Local time

2:22 PM

CDT

Current temp

53°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

4 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 18m 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.

Frequently Asked Questions

The drive from Sioux City, IA to Oakland, IA covers 118 miles and takes about 2h 18m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are I 29, I 880, 380th Street. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 59 miles from Sioux City, IA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $18.45 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 drive requires moderate attention. Across 118 miles you will encounter 16 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: near the start (9th Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.2 miles (Court Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.5 miles (5th Street): Lane positioning matters here.
On the drive from Sioux City, IA to Oakland, IA, road signs begin pointing toward Cr M16: Shelby along the way.

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Explore More

Return Trip

Oakland, IA to Sioux City, IA

Plan the drive back the other way.

117.4 mi 2h 17m

Explore more options from Sioux City, IA or browse trips ending in Oakland, IA.

Looking for more statewide routes? Browse IA road trips.

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