My first post on the US forum, as I usually haunt the Europe forum and the Lounge.
My daughter is conducting some research at the Herbert Hoover Presidential Library in West Branch, Iowa. She'll be flying from Ottawa to Chicago and then onwards to ... well, that's the question. Her first thought was Des Moines and then taking ground transportation to Iowa City, where she will be staying. We were looking at a map last evening and realized that the airport in Cedar Rapids is a lot closer.
Anyone have any counsel before she books Cedar Rapids? I apologize in advance for my appalling knowledge of Iowan geography.
(Her research, by the way, is on Canada-US relations during the Depression. The library has very kindly giving her a grant to cover travel expenses.)
Anselm
The Herbert Hoover Presidential Library
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I lived in Iowa for fourteen years, I've been to Iowa City and Cedar Rapids more times than I care to remember, and I've visited the Hoover Library.
It's about two to two and a half hours from Des Moines to Iowa City -- boring interstate the whole way. It's well less than an hour from Cedar Rapids to Iowa City -- equally boring freeway. No matter what, she'd save less than two hours by renting a car in Cedar Rapids as opposed to doing so in Des Moines. Most likely, she'd save a fair amount of money by going to DM, so that's where I'd fly into.
Thanks, PaulRabe.
Looks like Cedar Rapids is $12 Cdn more expensive each way than flying into Des Moines. For that difference I'd pick Cedar Rapids, but she's a poverty-stricken grad student (or so she keeps telling us), so the DM fare might be more attractive to her. She has spoken about renting a car on arrival, but I think she's also going to see if there is any public transportation between DM and Iowa City or Cedar Rapids and Iowa City.
AA
> she's also going to see if there is any public transportation
I checked Greyhound Bus Line, and the only trips into Iowa City are from Des Moines.
However, take a look at this link I found:
www.nps.gov/heho/planyourvisit/gettingaround.htm
If she's staying in Iowa City, she'll probably need a car to get between Iowa City and West Branch. So she may as well get a car right from the start.
Thanks again, PaulRabe. I'm passing this on, and she'll get it nailed down in the coming days.
AA
Rental car rates are typically less expensive in Des Moines. They tend to be $5-$10 lower per day. I typically get the best rental car rates on Hotwire.com. She could also research rates and then bid on Priceline to get a more economical rate.