Introduction
What to do
When to visit
How to get there
Where to stay
Renting a car

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 January
Estimated hotel price
$87
1 night at 3-star hotel
Waterloo in January
Estimated hotel price
$87
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 5 miles from the city center. The shortest domestic flight to Waterloo departs from Nashville and takes around 6h 01m.

Car

Another option to get to Waterloo is to pick up a car rental from Minneapolis, which is about 178 miles from Waterloo. You’ll find branches of Ace and Turo, among others, in Minneapolis.

Bus

Waterloo’s bus station is located 0.5 miles from the city center.

Plane

When flying to Waterloo, you’ll arrive at Waterloo (ALO), which is located 5 miles from the city center. The shortest domestic flight to Waterloo departs from Nashville and takes around 6h 01m.

Car

Another option to get to Waterloo is to pick up a car rental from Minneapolis, which is about 178 miles from Waterloo. You’ll find branches of Ace and Turo, among others, in Minneapolis.

Bus

Waterloo’s bus station is located 0.5 miles from the city center.

Airports near Waterloo

ALOWaterloo
DSMDes Moines
CIDCedar Rapids

Airlines serving Waterloo

Lufthansa
Good (7,029 reviews)
KLM
Good (1,333 reviews)
British Airways
Good (6,806 reviews)
Delta
Excellent (7,920 reviews)
Iberia
Good (2,685 reviews)
Air France
Good (1,442 reviews)
United Airlines
Good (8,685 reviews)
Emirates
Excellent (3,206 reviews)
Qatar Airways
Good (3,560 reviews)
Air Canada
Good (9,195 reviews)
Scandinavian Airlines
Good (1,344 reviews)
Finnair
Good (1,272 reviews)
Alaska Airlines
Excellent (9,918 reviews)
Aer Lingus
Good (1,068 reviews)
Frontier
Okay (3,283 reviews)
Avianca
Good (2,317 reviews)
ANA
Excellent (851 reviews)
Korean Air
Excellent (1,062 reviews)
Japan Airlines
Excellent (1,453 reviews)
LATAM Airlines
Good (1,767 reviews)
Show more
Find flights to Waterloo

Where to stay in Waterloo

If you’re on a budget, well-reviewed accommodations include Country Inn & Suites by Radisson, Waterloo, IA and Baymont by Wyndham Waterloo.

Where to stay in popular areas of Waterloo

Most booked hotels in Waterloo

See all
Hampton Inn Cedar Falls Downtown
2 stars
Excellent (8.4, 158 reviews)
$148+
View
Hilton Garden Inn Cedar Falls
3 stars
Excellent (8.2, 221 reviews)
$121+
View
Best Western Plus Executive Residency Waterloo & Cedar Falls
3 stars
Excellent (8.2, 161 reviews)
$115+
View
Country Inn & Suites by Radisson, Cedar Falls, IA
2 stars
Excellent (8.1, 545 reviews)
$95+
View
Super 8 by Wyndham Cedar Falls IA - University
2 stars
Excellent (8.1, 510 reviews)
$79+
View
Comfort Suites Cedar Falls
2 stars
Excellent (8, 223 reviews)
$104+
View

Renting a car in Waterloo

Renting a car in Waterloo costs $75 per day, on average, or $150 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 27% cheaper than airport locations in Waterloo.

Expect to pay $3.41 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 $40.88 and $54.51. Compact (Nissan Versa or similar) is the most popular car type to rent in Waterloo, while also 55% cheaper than other types, on average.

Renting a car in Waterloo costs $75 per day, on average, or $150 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 27% cheaper than airport locations in Waterloo.

Expect to pay $3.41 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 $40.88 and $54.51. Compact (Nissan Versa or similar) is the most popular car type to rent in Waterloo, while also 55% cheaper than other types, on average.

Best car rental deals in Waterloo

Economy

2 Adults, 2 Bags

$44/day

Economy

Compact

4 Adults, 2 Bags

$44/day

Compact
Find car rentals in Waterloo

Waterloo Travel Guide - View the KAYAK Waterloo city guide for the best Waterloo travel tips. To help you organize your Waterloo trip ideas, this Waterloo visitors guide provides travel information and trip tips about how to get there, where to stay, what to do, where to eat and more.