Waterloo (Iowa) Voyage Tips and guide

Contents

Waterloo is a city of 68,000 people (2020) in of Black Hawk County in Northeast Iowa. It adjoins the city of Cedar Falls. It is home to an important John Deere tractor factory, which offers tours.

Long a site for Meskwaki seasonal camps, permanent year-round settlement began when white settlers started the modern city in 1845 under the name Prairie Rapids Crossing.

At the start of the 20th century, manufacturing, railways, and warehouses drove city growth. Labor disputes led businesses to recruit Black workers. The eastern part of the city has long been home to Black communities.

Climate change has put the city at greater risk for flooding, with a record-breaking flood in June 2008.

Waterloo is at the north end of Interstate 380. From the east or west U.S. Route 20 goes through the southern end of Waterloo. U.S. Routes 63 and 218 are the fastest routes from the north.

• 42.556944-92.4002781 Waterloo Regional Airport (ALO  ^IATA also known as Livingston Betsworth Field) (4 mi (6.4 km) northwest of the central business district). American Eagle provides non-stop air service from Chicago.  

There is one bus arrival and departure from Chicago and Des Moines every day, provided by Burlington Trailways. There is a service from Mason City and Minneapolis-St. Paul provided by Jefferson Lines.

• 42.499183-92.3376532 Union bus depot, 416 Sycamore St. (updated Jul 2019)

MET Transit offers local bus service.

• 42.4923-92.3441 Grout Museum.  
• Snowden House. 
• Waterloo Center for the Arts. A large collection of Haitian art. (updated Dec 2018)

• 42.4454-92.3141 Lost Island Waterpark.  - in Waterloo
• 42.393151-92.4755762 Hansen’s Dairy Farm, 8461 Lincoln Rd., Hudson (take US Highway 63 about 8 miles southwest of central Waterloo), ☏ +1 319-988-9834. 9AM–1PM for regular tours; extended tours start at 3:30PM. This Silos and Smokestacks National Heritage Site shows kids how milk gets from the cow to their grocery store. All tours end with ice cream made onsite by the farm's creamery. The hands-on extended tour offers the opportunity to milk a cow, pet goats and kangaroos, make butter, and try out other farm activities. Reservations required. Payment by cash or check only. $8 per person; $12 for extended tour. (updated May 2018)
• 42.5233-92.274153 John Deere's Tractor Cab Assembly Operations tour, 3500 E Donald St, ☏ +1 319-292-7668, [email protected]. 8AM, 10AM, 1PM. Tours are offered at five John Deere factories in Iowa, and this one features the big tractors. Reservations for this popular 90-minute tour must be made at least 48 hours in advance, and it's worth booking your tour as soon as you know that you'll be in the Waterloo area. Teenagers and adults only. Closed-toed shoes are required. Free. (updated May 2018)
• 42.442003-92.305324 Lost Island Theme Park, 2600 E. Shaulis Rd, ☏ +1 319-455-6701, [email protected]. 10:30AM-6:30PM. A 90-acre theme park comprised of five Polynesian realms, with each realm patterned after a different element (fire, water, earth, air, spirit). The park features numerous attractions; including three roller coasters, a log flume, and an award winning dark ride. (updated Jun 2023)

• NOT EXISTING LISTING IMAGE Newton's Paradise Cafe (Newton's), 128 East 4th Street (look for the old-school neon spinning column-sign at the first intersection on east fourth after going east over the river; for further instruction, go to the location section of their website), ☏ +1 319-234-0280. M-Sa 6AM-9PM, Su 8AM-4PM. Newton's is a restaurant that has been with Waterloo for many years. They are especially well known for their tenderloins -- if you aren't from the mid-west and haven't yet had one, this is a good place to try them -- and other mid-west centric foods. (updated Dec 2017)
• 42.49991-92.377221 Rudy's Tacos, 2401 Falls Avenue, ☏ +1 319-234-5686. M-Sa 11AM-9PM. Serves standard Mexican food, especially tacos. Also has ice cream. Go inside the Falls Mall and walk to the end of the hallway. Drinks are also available from the Lava Lounge, in the same building. $7-17. (updated May 2018)

• 42.49982-92.377321 Lava Lounge, 2401 Falls Avenue, ☏ +1 319-234-5686. M-Sa 11AM-11PM. In the same building as Rudy's Tacos; as you're walking down the hallway from the entrance you'll see it on the left. Nice little low-key bar featuring some craft beers. You can play the music on the jukebox for free. (updated May 2018)

There are a lot of ordinary cookie cutter corporate hotels in Waterloo, but not much in terms of places with genuine local color and really nothing in the way of hostels or budget accommodations. The cookie cutter hotels cluster along I-385 near the San Marnon exit.

• 42.49094-92.3462971 Weis Mansion, 800 W 4th St., ☏ +1 319-493 7271. Check-in: 3PM, check-out: 11AM. Large 1902 house operating as a bed and breakfast. Every room is unique and furnished with period antiques. No children under 18 allowed. Cozy, friendly taste of a bygone era. $150. 

• 42.4964-92.34071 Waterloo Public Library, 415 Commercial Street. M–Sa 9AM–5PM. Free wi-fi access is available at city library even when the building is closed. (updated Aug 2020)

Routes through Waterloo

END ←	N  S	→ Cedar Rapids → Iowa City
Fort Dodge ← Cedar Falls ←	W  E	→ Independence → Dubuque
Rochester ← Jct E ←	N  S	→ Jct W E → Jct W → Ottumwa
Austin ← Cedar Falls ←	N  S	→ Cedar Rapids → Iowa City