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 4h 13m.

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 Thrifty and Ace, 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 4h 13m.

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 Thrifty and Ace, 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 (4,688 reviews)
KLM
Good (846 reviews)
British Airways
Good (4,573 reviews)
Delta
Good (4,608 reviews)
Air France
Good (979 reviews)
Iberia
Good (1,597 reviews)
Emirates
Excellent (2,113 reviews)
United Airlines
Good (4,953 reviews)
Qatar Airways
Good (2,441 reviews)
Air Canada
Good (5,925 reviews)
Finnair
Good (864 reviews)
Alaska Airlines
Excellent (5,712 reviews)
Frontier
Okay (1,355 reviews)
Aer Lingus
Good (766 reviews)
Korean Air
Excellent (771 reviews)
ANA
Excellent (487 reviews)
Avianca
Good (1,323 reviews)
Japan Airlines
Excellent (976 reviews)
Aeromexico
Good (813 reviews)
Copa Airlines
Good (775 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, 166 reviews)
$153+
Country Inn & Suites by Radisson, Cedar Falls, IA
2 stars
Excellent (8.4, 400 reviews)
$105+
Comfort Suites Cedar Falls
2 stars
Excellent (8.4, 165 reviews)
$114+
Best Western Plus Executive Residency Waterloo & Cedar Falls
3 stars
Excellent (8.3, 231 reviews)
$115+
Hilton Garden Inn Cedar Falls
3 stars
Excellent (8.3, 159 reviews)
$142+
Super 8 by Wyndham Cedar Falls IA - University
2 stars
Excellent (8, 379 reviews)
$59+

Renting a car in Waterloo

Renting a car in Waterloo costs $80 per day, on average, or $160 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 1% 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 Full-size (Ford Transit or similar). If you’re looking to save money, though, keep in mind that Compact rental cars (Toyota Corolla or similar) are, on average, 56% cheaper than other rental car types in the city.

Renting a car in Waterloo costs $80 per day, on average, or $160 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 1% 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 Full-size (Ford Transit or similar). If you’re looking to save money, though, keep in mind that Compact rental cars (Toyota Corolla or similar) are, on average, 56% cheaper than other rental car types in the city.