Sioux City

Understand

Sioux City sits on the cusp of the westernmost reaches of the industrial Midwest. Most of the rest of the United States between it and Denver is dominated by wide expanse of sparsely populated prairie. Sioux City is proud of its frontier history and you can find markings all over town dedicated to the western exploration done by Lewis and Clark. The Sioux City metropolitan area (Siouxland) covers portions of three US states; it is primarily in Iowa, but extends westward into South Dakota (North Sioux City) and Nebraska (South Sioux City).

Orientation

Sioux City sits on a major bend in the Missouri River and this dominates its geography. The state boundaries are marked by rivers. The Missouri River divides Nebraska on the South side from Iowa and South Dakota on the North Side. The Big Sioux River divides Iowa on the east side from South Dakota on the west side. Interstate 29 (I-29) runs along the Missouri River in Iowa until it enters South Dakota where it then follows the Big Sioux River. I-29 is the major highway used to access Sioux city. In Sioux City, Gordon Drive divides Sioux City into North and South. Lewis Blvd is the main thoroughfare that runs North and South on the East Side of town while Hamilton Boulevard is on the west side of town. In Sioux City street numbers increase as you move north away from the river. In South Sioux City, Nebraska street numbers increase as you move south away from the river. U.S. Hwy 20/75, sometimes referred to as "the bypass" is on Sioux City's easternmost side and curves around the mall area eventually crossing into Nebraska.

Get in

By car

Sioux City is accessible by a number of highways. Interstate 29 connects Sioux City to as far north as the Canadian border, and as far south as Kansas City. Highway 75 extends to the northeast and southwest of Sioux City, to cities such as Le Mars, Iowa, and Tekamah, Nebraska. Highway 20 brings motorists for the east or west to Sioux City, all the way from Indiana and Wyoming, respectively.

By plane

By bus

By boat

Yes, it sounds crazy but you can arrive in Sioux City by boat from any coastal city on the planet. Sioux City sits at the northernmost reach of the navigable Missouri River, a major tributary of the Mississippi River which is the only in the lower 48 to be longer than the Mississippi itself. This means you can take your boat (or perhaps shallow draft luxury yacht) from Sioux City all the way to the Gulf of Mexico by way of the Mississippi River through St. Louis, Memphis, and New Orleans. From the Gulf it is to anywhere you are adventurous enough to go.

Get around

Public transit

• Taxi Service-several taxi companies operate in the Siouxland area.

On foot

• Trails- Sioux City, Iowa and the major suburbs of South Sioux City, Nebraska, and North Sioux City, South Dakota, all maintain a network of walking trails that connect to each other through Sioux City. Trails are walking and bicycle friendly and include a connection over the Siouxland Veterans Memorial Bridge which connects downtown South Sioux City, Nebraska, to downtown Sioux City, Iowa.

Ride sharing

Lyft and Uber operate in the Siouxland Region.

Car rental

Many car rental companies operate at Sioux City Airport and throughout town.

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