By Car: Charles City, Iowa, is midway between Minneapolis-St. Paul and Des Moines:
- From Interstate 35 , exit US 18 east / Iowa 27 east at Mason City, Iowa, and follow about 40 miles.
- From Interstate 90 , exit US 218 south at Austin, Minnesota, and follow about 50 miles.
- From Interstate 80 , exit Interstate 380 north / Iowa 27 north at Iowa City, follow to Waterloo about 80 miles and continue on US 218 north / Iowa 27 north for 50 miles.
- Charles City is also served by Iowa 14 .
Local directions: From US 18 / US 218 / Iowa 27 (also known as the Avenue of the Saints, a four-lane freeway), exit 218 and turn south on county road T64 (Shadow Ave.). Follow two miles, then turn east (left) at 240th St., a gravel road. Follow one mile, then turn north (left) at Timber Ave.; follow a quarter-mile. The house is to the left; enter at the second driveway. Click here for a map.
Motor coach/bus operators: The driveway, a loop near the home, is designed to easily accommodate buses for entering, parking and exiting. No backing up is required.
Charter air service is available to Charles City Municipal Airport (5 minute drive), a Level II regional airport. Commercial flights and auto rental services are available at these area airports:
- Mason City, Iowa (35 minute drive via U.S. 18)
- Waterloo, Iowa (1 hour drive via U.S. 218)
- Rochester, Minnesota (1-1/2 hour drive via I-90 and U.S. 218)
- Des Moines, Iowa (3 hour drive via I-35 and U.S. 18, or via I-35, Iowa 3 and Iowa 14)
- Minneapolis-St. Paul (3 hour drive via I-35 and U.S. 218)
Amtrak passenger service is available at Winona, Minnesota, a scenic 2-1/2 hour drive via Interstate 90 and US 218, or via secondary roads through the Richard J. Dorer Memorial State Forest. Call (800) USA-RAIL . Auto rental service is available at Winona.
Why not? Iowa's gently rolling landscape is perfect for long-distance cycling. Many local rural roads are hard-surfaced, and the off-highway county roads are especially ideal for bicyclists. Check ahead for weather conditions and possible detours, and contact the appropriate state Department of Transportation and local authorities to plan your full route. For bicycle travel information in Iowa, go to the IDOT website iowabikes.com.
Charles City proudly hosted the 1982, 1996, and 2002 Register Annual Great Bike Ride Across Iowa (RAGBRAI®), sponsored by the Des Moines Register. Overnight in July on each occasion, the town's population doubled as thousands of cyclists arrived. For camping information, contact the Charles City Area Chamber of Commerce at (641) 228-4234.
