Overview
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.
3 sights · 4 things to do · 2 places to eat · 1 bars & cafés · 1 places to stay
Updated from Wikivoyage on 1 October 2026 · Something wrong or missing? Improve it on Wikivoyage
Best things about Waterloo
Grout Museum
Waterloo Center for the Arts
A large collection of Haitian art.
Lost Island Theme Park
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 …
Snowden House
Lost Island Waterpark
Hansen’s Dairy Farm
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 oppor…
Plan your trip
Best time to visit & weather
Most comfortable: May–Oct. Summer highs reach about 85°F; winter lows dip to about 11°F. Cold months (Jan, Feb, Dec) can bring snow and ice; check road conditions. Wettest: Jun and May.
Blue bars: average daily high and low (°F). Purple columns: average monthly rain and melted snow (inches).
Getting there
- From you: to see whether to drive or fly, and how long it takes.
- ALO Waterloo Regional Airport, Waterloo — 5 mi away. Directions
- CID The Eastern Iowa Airport, Cedar Rapids — 53 mi away. Directions
- DSM Des Moines International Airport, Des Moines — 95 mi away (major hub). Directions
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.
Full “Get in” guide ↓Budget & where to stay
No prices are listed for this place yet. See the Sleep guide ↓ for options.
Sample 2-day itinerary
Day 1
- Morning Grout Museum, Lost Island Waterpark, Lost Island Theme Park
- Lunch Rudy's Tacos
- Afternoon John Deere's Tractor Cab Assembly Operations tour, Snowden House
- Dinner Newton's Paradise Cafe
- Evening Lava Lounge
Day 2
- Morning Hansen’s Dairy Farm
- Afternoon Waterloo Center for the Arts
Stops are grouped by area so each day needs little backtracking. Check opening hours before you go.
Food for you
Cuisine (tap to filter)
What to ask about, for your diet
Diet labels come from each listing's description and cuisine; “likely” means the cuisine usually has good choices, not a promise. Check with the restaurant. Open the food finder
Photos
Map
Every listing with a location. Tap a pin for its Google Maps link.
Understand
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.
Get in
By car
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.
By plane
By bus
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.
Go Union bus depot
Get around
MET Transit offers local bus service.
See
See Snowden House
Do
- - in Waterloo
Do Hansen’s Dairy Farm
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.
Do John Deere's Tractor Cab Assembly Operations tour
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.
Eat
Eat Newton's Paradise Cafe (Newton's)
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.
Eat Rudy's Tacos
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.
Drink
Drink Lava Lounge
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.
Sleep
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.
Nearby
Cedar Falls
City / town · 27 listings · 6 mi away
Independence
City / town · 7 listings · 23 mi away
Marshalltown
City / town · 3 listings · 43 mi away
Cedar Rapids
City / town · 24 listings · 49 mi away
Spillville
City / town · 1 listings · 53 mi away
Amana Colonies
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Grinnell
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Anamosa
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My experience
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