Waterloo travel guide

Waterloo Tourism | Waterloo Guide

You're Going to Love Waterloo

With a population of 68,406, Waterloo is a must-see destination in Iowa, United States. It is among the most popular tourist destinations in the country. Waterloo deserves at least 2 full days for you to see its main sights.

When to visit Waterloo

Waterloo in April
Estimated hotel price
$95
1 night at 3-star hotel
Waterloo in April
Estimated hotel price
$95
1 night at 3-star hotel

Looking for warm weather? Then head to Waterloo in July, when the average temperature is 73.4 °F, and the highest can go up to 84.2 °F. The coldest month, on the other hand, is January, when it can get as cold as 8.6 °F, with an average temperature of 19.4 °F. You’re likely to see more rain in June, when precipitation is around 5″. In contrast, January is usually the driest month of the year in Waterloo, with an average rainfall of 0.8″.

Data provided by weatherbase
Temperatures
Temperatures
Data provided by weatherbase

How to Get to Waterloo

Plane

When flying to Waterloo, you’ll arrive at Waterloo (ALO), which is located 9 km from the city center. The shortest domestic flight to Waterloo departs from Louisville and takes around 5h 41m.

Car

Another option to get to Waterloo is to pick up a car rental from Minneapolis, which is about 286 km from Waterloo. You’ll find branches of Ace and Thrifty, among others, in Minneapolis.

Bus

Waterloo’s bus station is located 0.8 km from the city center.

Plane

When flying to Waterloo, you’ll arrive at Waterloo (ALO), which is located 9 km from the city center. The shortest domestic flight to Waterloo departs from Louisville and takes around 5h 41m.

Car

Another option to get to Waterloo is to pick up a car rental from Minneapolis, which is about 286 km from Waterloo. You’ll find branches of Ace and Thrifty, among others, in Minneapolis.

Bus

Waterloo’s bus station is located 0.8 km from the city center.

Airports near Waterloo

Airlines serving Waterloo

Lufthansa
Good (4,669 reviews)
KLM
Good (844 reviews)
British Airways
Good (4,639 reviews)
Delta
Good (4,576 reviews)
Iberia
Good (1,600 reviews)
Air France
Good (982 reviews)
Emirates
Excellent (2,107 reviews)
Qatar Airways
Good (2,424 reviews)
United Airlines
Good (4,986 reviews)
Air Canada
Good (6,003 reviews)
Finnair
Good (854 reviews)
Alaska Airlines
Excellent (5,745 reviews)
Frontier
Okay (1,358 reviews)
Aer Lingus
Good (747 reviews)
Korean Air
Excellent (771 reviews)
ANA
Excellent (484 reviews)
Avianca
Good (1,320 reviews)
Japan Airlines
Excellent (960 reviews)
Aeromexico
Good (812 reviews)
Copa Airlines
Good (781 reviews)
Show more

Where to stay in Waterloo

If you’re on a budget, well-reviewed accommodations include Comfort Inn & Suites Waterloo - Cedar Falls and Suburban Studios Waterloo.

Where to stay in popular areas of Waterloo

Most booked hotels in Waterloo

Hampton Inn Cedar Falls Downtown
2 stars
Excellent (8.7, 164 reviews)
$159+
Comfort Suites Cedar Falls
2 stars
Excellent (8.4, 164 reviews)
$120+
Country Inn & Suites by Radisson, Cedar Falls, IA
2 stars
Excellent (8.3, 408 reviews)
$112+
Best Western Plus Executive Residency Waterloo & Cedar Falls
3 stars
Excellent (8.3, 233 reviews)
$114+
Hilton Garden Inn Cedar Falls
3 stars
Excellent (8.2, 159 reviews)
$139+
Super 8 by Wyndham Cedar Falls IA - University
2 stars
Excellent (8, 385 reviews)
$52+

Renting a car in Waterloo

Renting a car in Waterloo costs $79 per day, on average, or $159 if you want to rent if for 2 days.

It’s generally cheaper to rent your vehicle outside the airport: locations in the city are around 10% cheaper than airport locations in Waterloo.

Expect to pay $3.90 per gallon in Waterloo (average price from the past 30 days). Depending on the size of your rental car, filling up the tank will cost between $46.79 and $62.38. The most frequently booked car type in Waterloo is Mini (Chrysler Pacifica or similar). If you’re looking to save money, though, keep in mind that Compact rental cars (Toyota Corolla or similar) are, on average, 50% cheaper than other rental car types in the city.

Renting a car in Waterloo costs $79 per day, on average, or $159 if you want to rent if for 2 days.

It’s generally cheaper to rent your vehicle outside the airport: locations in the city are around 10% cheaper than airport locations in Waterloo.

Expect to pay $3.90 per gallon in Waterloo (average price from the past 30 days). Depending on the size of your rental car, filling up the tank will cost between $46.79 and $62.38. The most frequently booked car type in Waterloo is Mini (Chrysler Pacifica or similar). If you’re looking to save money, though, keep in mind that Compact rental cars (Toyota Corolla or similar) are, on average, 50% cheaper than other rental car types in the city.