Skip to content
Voykit
Draft data. Times, fares and step counts are desk estimates awaiting field checks. How we verify
Source checked
A source and a date are on record: we read it from an official or published page. Not yet confirmed on the ground.
Field checked
Someone checked it on the ground, with the date shown.
Plan calculated
Worked out by Voykit from its own data (times, distances, budgets). A calculation, not a measurement.

Unknown times stay unknown. How we verify

Back to Audubon

In the print dialog pick “Save as PDF” to keep it on your phone. A5 makes a pocket booklet; A4 suits a desk printer.

Voykit pocket guide · United States

Audubon

A 20-minute stop for Albert the Bull, not a base: skip unless you need a bed between Council Bluffs and Storm Lake.

Audubon is a small Iowa town known for one thing: Albert the Bull, a 30-ton concrete statue that claims to be the world's largest bull. The town itself has a handful of services and one B&B. Most travellers pass through on Highway 71 and stop for a photo. A night here only makes sense if you are driving the route and want a cheap, quiet sleep.

New YorkAbbeville, LouisianaAbbeville, South Caro…AbercrombieAberdeenAberdeenAberdeenAberdeenAbernathyAbilene, KansasAbileneAbington TownshipAbiquiuAbita SpringsAudubon500 kmdots: other places in this guide
Sketch, not to navigate by: shapes follow this guide’s areas and places, not official boundaries. North is up.
Country
United States
Best months
May–Oct
Avoid
Jan–Feb (cold, icy roads)
Stay
1 night

Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.

Essentials

Currency
USD
Money
Currency is the US dollar (USD, $). Cards and phone payments work almost everywhere; carry a little cash for tips and small vendors.
Daily spend
Budget $70–100 incl. bed · Mid $100–150 incl. bed · High $150+ incl. bed (estimate; check)
SIM and data
AT&T, Verizon and T-Mobile cover the country; prepaid SIMs at their stores and Walmart/Target (passport required), or an eSIM before you fly.
Emergency
Police, fire, ambulance 911
Plugs
Types A, B · 120 V · 60 Hz · Chargers are dual-voltage; hair dryers and straighteners from 230 V countries need a converter.
Tipping
Sit-down restaurant: 18–22% of the pre-tax bill.; Bar: US$1–2 per drink or 20% of the tab.; Taxi / ride-hailing: 15–20%, in the app.; Hotel housekeeping: US$3–5 a night.; Porter / valet: US$2–5 per bag or car.; Tour guide: US$10–20 per person for a day tour.; Counter service / tablet prompts: Optional; 0–15%.
Water
Tap water is drinkable nearly everywhere; boil or treat water from streams in parks.
Toilets
Free public toilets are scarce in big cities; use cafés, department stores, libraries, stations. Rest areas on highways are free.

What things cost

ItemPrice
Gas (per gallon)$3.00–3.50
Dinner (basic diner meal)$10–15
Coffee$2–4

Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.

Get in

By air

AUD · Audubon County Airport
General aviation only; no scheduled flights.

Typical fares

Council Bluffs → Audubon (US 71)
About 1 h, 50 miles
Atlantic → Audubon (US 71)
About 20 min, 15 miles
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Language, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card

Get around

You need a car. The town is walkable for the statue, but the B&B is 5 miles north on Highway 71.

See and do

Known for

  • Albert the Bull statue

Day trips

WhereHowTime
Atlantic, IowaDrive south on US 71, about 20 min20 min
Council BluffsDrive south on US 71, about 1 h1 h
Missouri ValleyDrive south on US 71, about 45 min45 min
VilliscaDrive east on IA 44 then south, about 1 h 15 min1 h 15 min
ClarindaDrive south on US 71 then east, about 1 h 30 min1 h 30 min

Sleep

Highway 71 corridor
The only accommodation is Taylor Hill Lodge, about 5 miles north of town.

Language

English everywhere, with strong regional accents; Spanish is the second language in the Southwest, Texas, Florida, California and New York. Some words differ from British English: restroom (toilet), check (bill), gas (petrol), trunk (boot), first floor (ground floor).

  • Measurements are imperial: miles, Fahrenheit, gallons, pounds. 100 km ≈ 62 miles; 30 °C ≈ 86 °F.
  • Small talk with strangers is normal and friendly; it is not a sales tactic.

Etiquette, safety and scams

Etiquette

  • Greeting: Handshake and 'hi, how are you?' — reply 'good, thanks'; avoid: Treating the question as a real health enquiry
  • Restaurants: Tip 18–22% and wait for the check; avoid: Leaving without tipping
  • Personal space: Keep an arm's length in queues; avoid: Standing close to strangers
  • Politics and religion: Listen more than you speak; avoid: Opening with hot-button topics
  • Smoking: Smoke only in marked areas; avoid: Smoking near doors or in parks where banned

Scams and watch-outs

  • No restaurants open late; plan to eat before 20:00.
  • Gas stations are limited; fill up in Council Bluffs or Atlantic.
  • Albert the Bull is on the highway shoulder — no dedicated parking, just a pull-off.

Very safe. The main risk is winter driving on US 71: check road conditions before you go.

One and two days

No timed day plan for Audubon yet. Suggested stay: 1 night. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.

  • Albert the Bull statue

Sources

Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.

Pocket card

Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.

Audubon

To this address, please

To this address, please

My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)

  • Police, fire, ambulance911

No public transport; you need a car.

Voykit · checked 2026-09

Printed from Voykit (/audubon). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.