Eight "host communities" are selected each year by RAGBRAI organizers, with the exception of the inaugural route (1973). Two of the communities are beginning or end points, while the other six serve as overnight stops for the participants.

From 1973 to 2016, the distance between consecutive host communities averaged about 67 miles. 1985 was the longest route at 540 miles and 1977 the shortest at 400 miles. On average, the length of the route has been 467 miles.

At the beginning of the ride, riders traditionally dip the rear wheel of their bikes in either the Missouri River or the Big Sioux River (depending on the starting point of the ride), and dip their front wheels in the Mississippi River at the end of the ride. There has been at least one incident of a rider losing his bike after riding into the Mississippi River.^{[citation needed]}

• As of 2022, 14 communities have served as the starting point, and 12 have hosted the finish.
• 108 communities have been overnight hosts.
• The ride has passed through all 99 of Iowa's counties in its history.
• Atlantic has served as an overnight host 8 times (1974, 1980, 1989, 1991, 2001, 2011, 2019, 2024)
• Two cities have served as the starting point 8 times: Sioux City (1973, 1978, 1988, 1993, 2001, 2010, 2015, 2023) and Glenwood (1980, 1984, 1989, 1992, 2003, 2011, 2016, 2024).
• In 2019, Burlington became the first community to have been both a finish point as well as an overnight host that was not a finish.
• 1978 was the first year with recurring host cities (Sioux City and Storm Lake).
• 1981 was the most recent year with all first-time host cities.
• 1999 was the first year with no first-time host city.
• 2022 was the most recent year with a first-time host city (Pocahontas).
• Iowa City has the distinction of being the city with longest time between hosting an overnight stay, at 42 years (1976 and 2018). Lansing is the next-longest at 40 years (1977 and 2017); and Centerville and Leon are tied for the third-longest at 35 years (both hosted in 1981 and 2016).
• Willamsburg has the distinction of being the city with longest time without a repeat (1973 to present).

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^ (a): Including the "century loop" and other additional "loops".
^ ǂ: The 2014 overnight Okoboji stay was hosted by five communities: Arnolds Park, Milford, Okoboji, Spirit Lake, and West Okoboji.
^ ǂǂ: There was no RAGBRAI in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The planned 2020 route was used in 2021, with modifications due to overnight town availability changing.^[1]

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^ ǂ: The 2014 overnight Okoboji stay was hosted by five communities: Spirit Lake, Okoboji, Arnolds Park, West Okoboji and Milford