Iowa City, IA area guide

Things to Do Near University of Iowa Hospitals & Clinics

Groceries, food, days-off ideas and shopping close to University of Iowa Hospitals & Clinics in Iowa City, Iowa. Made for travel nurses and RTs on contract.

5 groceries8 restaurants8 to do5 shopping

Photo: Billwhittaker (talk) / CC BY-SA 3.0

Groceries

Closest grocery stores to stock the fridge on week one.

• Bread Garden Market

  Local grocery store

  ~1.1 mi / ~4 minMap
• ALDI

  Aldi budget grocery store. Listed hours 8:30 AM to 8 PM daily

  ~1.2 mi / ~4 minMap
• Walmart Supercenter

  Walmart with groceries and household basics. Listed as open 24 hours

  ~1.4 mi / ~5 minMap
• Natural Grocers

  Natural Grocers grocery store

  ~1.7 mi / ~6 minMap
• Hy-Vee

  Hy-Vee grocery store. Listed hours 5 AM to midnight daily

  ~2.0 mi / ~7 minMap

Restaurants

Local spots with working websites. Places marked open late or early are handy around a night shift.

• Power CafeOpen late

  Cafe

  ~0.7 mi / ~2 minWebsite
• Tiki Tacos ‘n Burgers ‘n WingsOpen late

  Chicken and burgers quick-service spot

  ~1.0 mi / ~3 minWebsite
• The Dandy LionSit-down

  Restaurant

  ~1.0 mi / ~3 minWebsite
• SosekiSit-down

  Japanese restaurant

  ~1.0 mi / ~3 minWebsite
• Iowa Chop HouseSit-down

  Local restaurant. Listed hours 10 AM to 10 PM daily

  ~1.1 mi / ~4 minWebsite
• Formosa Sushi BarSit-down

  Sushi restaurant. Listed hours 4 PM to 9 PM daily

  ~1.1 mi / ~4 minWebsite
• Devlin Family CafeQuick bite

  Cafe

  ~0.8 mi / ~3 minWebsite
• Dunkin’Opens early

  Coffee and donuts quick-service spot

  ~1.1 mi / ~4 minWebsite

Things to do

Parks, water, breweries and more for your days off.

• Old Capitol

  Nature preserve, a good spot for a quiet walk outside

  ~0.8 mi / ~3 minMap
• Riverfront Crossings Park

  Park, good for a walk between shifts

  ~1.6 mi / ~5 minMap
• Napoleon Park

  Local park with room to stretch your legs

  ~2.5 mi / ~6 minMap
• Coralville Lake

  Reservoir. If you fish, get an Iowa license first

  ~10 mi / ~18 minMap
• Big Grove Brewery

  Local brewery

  ~1.5 mi / ~5 minWebsite
• 30hop Coralville

  Local brewery

  ~2.3 mi / ~5 minWebsite
• Stanley Museum of Art

  Museum, good for a rainy day off

  ~0.6 mi / ~2 minMap
• Museum of Natural History

  Museum, good for a rainy day off

  ~0.9 mi / ~3 minWebsite

Shopping

Malls and big stores for anything you forgot to pack.

• Target

  Target for clothes, home goods and basics

  ~1.0 mi / ~3 minMap
• Coral Ridge Mall

  Shopping mall

  ~4.6 mi / ~11 minWebsite
• Dillard’s

  Dillard’s department store

  ~4.7 mi / ~11 minMap
• JCPenney

  JCPenney department store

  ~4.7 mi / ~11 minMap
• Gordmans

  Gordmans department store

  ~5.2 mi / ~12 minMap

Laundromats

Closest self-serve laundromats for scrubs and linens when your rental or RV park doesn’t have a washer.

• Spin City Laundry

  Laundromat

  ~1.5 mi / ~5 minMap
• Soapy Waters Laundromat

  Laundromat

  ~3.8 mi / ~9 minMap

Coffee shops

Nearest coffee shops, local spots first. Places marked “Opens early” are handy after a night shift.

• The Java House

  Local coffee shop

  ~0.7 mi / ~2 minMap
• Starbucks

  Starbucks coffee chain

  ~0.9 mi / ~3 minMap
• Fair Grounds

  Local coffee shop

  ~1.0 mi / ~3 minMap

Gyms

Closest gyms to keep your routine on contract. Ask about short-term or month-to-month memberships.

• 9Round

  9Round gym

  ~1.6 mi / ~5 minMap
• Fifth Street Fitness

  Local gym

  ~2.3 mi / ~6 minMap
• Orangetheory FitnessEarly and late

  Orangetheory Fitness gym

  ~2.7 mi / ~6 minMap

Nearby RV parks

Monthly-stay parks near University of Iowa Hospitals & Clinics from our RV parks list. Call to confirm the rate and a spot for your dates.

• Amana RV Park & Event Center

  Amana, IA

  ~$22.67/day for stays over one month (per listing)

  ~20 mi / ~25 minRates & phone
• West Park Village

  Cedar Rapids, IA 52404

  ~$900/mo (per listing)

  ~30 mi / ~35 minRates & phone
• Hunt’s Cedar River Campground

  Near I-80 exit 267, Tipton, IA area

  Call for monthly rate

  ~25 mi / ~25 minRates & phone

Need a license for Iowa? See the state licensing boards, then run through the contract checklists and housing tips.

Looking for your next contract? See Iowa travel contracts posted by staffing agencies.

Sources: place data © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL), plus each place’s own website and Wikidata. Last checked Oct 2026.