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Voykit pocket guide · United States
Marshalltown
Skip unless you have a specific reason (family, work, or the blacksmith shop). Half a day is enough: see the Matthew Edel Blacksmith Shop, eat a loose-meat sandwich, then move on to Des Moines or Ames.
Marshalltown is a small city in Central Iowa, best known as a stop on US 30 and for the Matthew Edel Blacksmith Shop, a National Register site. The downtown has a few eateries and a bus stop, but most travellers will find more to do in Des Moines (50 min) or Ames (30 min).
- Country
- United States
- Best months
- May–Sep
- Avoid
- Dec–Feb (cold, fewer hours at outdoor sites)
- Stay
- 0 nights
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 $50–80 · Mid $80–150 · High $150+ (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.
Get in
By air
- DSM · Des Moines International Airport
- Nearest major airport; about 50 min drive. No scheduled passenger service to Marshalltown Municipal Airport.
Typical fares
- Des Moines Airport → Marshalltown by car
- about 50 min, rental car or taxi (check)
- Greyhound Des Moines → Marshalltown
- about 1 h, check schedule and fare
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Phrase card, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get around
Car is easiest. Marshalltown Municipal Transit (MMT) runs a few routes weekdays 8 AM–6 PM; the free D-Line covers downtown. Walking is fine for the compact centre.
See and do
Known for
- Matthew Edel Blacksmith Shop
- Loose-meat sandwiches at Taylor's Made Rite Restaurant
- Marshalltown Municipal Transit (free D-Line)
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Des Moines | US 30 east then I-35 south, about 50 min by car | 50 min |
| Ames | US 30 west, about 30 min by car | 30 min |
| Grinnell | US 30 east, about 25 min by car | 25 min |
| Newton, Iowa | US 30 east then IA 14 south, about 20 min by car | 20 min |
Sleep
- South Center Street
- Hotels near US 30, including Rock Island Inn & Suites. Car needed.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Hello | HelloHEH-loh |
| Thank you | Thank youTHANK yoo |
| How much? | How much?HOW MUCH |
| Where is the bus stop? | Where is the bus stop?WAIR iz thuh BUS stop |
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
- Matthew Edel Blacksmith Shop open only Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day weekend, noon–4 PM daily.
- No Uber or Lyft coverage confirmed; check before relying on rideshare.
- Greyhound and Burlington Trailways stop at 2101 South Center St, not downtown.
Marshalltown is a quiet, low-crime city. Standard precautions apply: lock your car, keep valuables out of sight.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Marshalltown yet. Suggested stay: 0 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Matthew Edel Blacksmith Shop
- Loose-meat sandwiches at Taylor's Made Rite Restaurant
- Marshalltown Municipal Transit (free D-Line)
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Wikivoyage: Marshalltown, revision 4975182 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=4975182
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Marshalltown
Take me to this address, please
Take me to this address, please
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
- Police, Fire, Ambulance911
Embassies are in Washington, DC; consulates in Chicago or Des Moines (check).
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/marshalltown). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.