The drive from Amboy, WA to Tacoma, WA covers 130.7 miles and takes about 2h 39m behind the wheel.
This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on I 5, Northeast Cedar Creek Road, Northwest Hayes Road for much of the mileage,
and the overall profile is highway-focused drive.
The longest uninterrupted segment is about 109.3 miles on I 5.
At current regular gas prices, budget about $27.35 one way before food or hotel costs.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
Midpoint
65.3 miles from Amboy, WA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 21m into the drive
.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 2h 39m. Total distance: 130.7 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
2h 39m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (84%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Drive Character
This is a 2h 39m highway drive covering 130.7 miles, with most of the trip on I 5 and Northeast Cedar Creek Road. The longest continuous stretch is about 109.3 miles on I 5.
Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 19 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
I 5 is the longest continuous segment at about 109.3 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 5 and Northeast Cedar Creek Road. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 16.9 miles in near WA 503 / Lewis River Road.
Driving Effort7/10
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a demanding drive. With 11 significant decision points across 130.7 miles, you will need to stay alert - especially through interchange areas and urban stretches. Consider splitting it into segments if you are not comfortable with fast highway navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 16.9 miles (WA 503 / Lewis River Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 127.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 127.4 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 11 key points
These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
7
16.9 mi into trip|~25m in|WA 503 / Lewis River Road
At end of road, turn left onto WA 503 / Lewis River Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
8
127.2 mi into trip|~2h 31m in
Take the exit toward WA 16 West: Gig Harbor, Bremerton, South 38th Street
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 132
Toward WA 16 West: Gig Harbor, Bremerton, South...
9
127.4 mi into trip|~2h 32m in
Keep slight left at fork toward WA 16 West: Gig Harbor, Bremerton, South 38th Street West, Tacoma Mall
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward WA 16 West: Gig Harbor, Bremerton, South...
8
127.6 mi into trip|~2h 32m in
Keep slight left at fork toward WA 16 West: Gig Harbor, Bremerton
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward WA 16 West: Gig Harbor, Bremerton
7
128.4 mi into trip|~2h 33m in
Take the exit toward Sprague Avenue
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 1A
Toward Sprague Avenue
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
I 5
109.3 mi
2h 3m
Northeast Cedar Creek Road
10.9 mi
16m
Northwest Hayes Road
4.1 mi
6m
Northeast Hayes Road
1.3 mi
1m
South 11th Street
0.9 mi
2m
Atlantic Avenue
0.7 mi
1m
South Sprague Avenue
0.6 mi
1m
WA 16
0.5 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
I 5
— 109.3 mi, about 2h 3m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Amboy, WA and Tacoma, WA.
1
Start on Northeast Amboy Road
80 ft·2 sec·Northeast Amboy Road
2
Turn right onto WA 503
0.5 mi·49 sec·Northeast 221st Avenue
3
Turn left onto Northeast Cedar Creek Road
11 mi·16 min·Northeast Cedar Creek Road
4
Continue on Northeast Hayes Road
1.3 mi·1 min·Northeast Hayes Road
5
Continue on Northwest Hayes Road
4.1 mi·6 min·Northwest Hayes Road
6
Continue on East CC Street
0.2 mi·37 sec·East CC Street
7
At end of road, turn left onto WA 503
125 ft·6 sec·Lewis River Road
Use the left lane.
8
Turn right onto Atlantic Avenue
0.7 mi·1 min·Atlantic Avenue
Use the right lane.
9
Take the ramp
0.3 mi·36 sec
10
Merge onto I 5
109 mi·2 hr 3 min·I 5
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Take the exit
0.2 mi·21 sec
Exit 132Toward WA 16 West: Gig Harbor, Bremerton, South 38th StreetUse the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Keep slight left at fork
0.2 mi·18 sec
Toward WA 16 West: Gig Harbor, Bremerton, South 38th Street West, Tacoma MallUse the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Keep slight left at fork
0.3 mi·28 sec
Toward WA 16 West: Gig Harbor, BremertonUse the straight / slight right lanes.
14
Keep slight left at fork onto WA 16
0.5 mi·43 sec·WA 16
Toward WA 16 West: Gig Harbor, Bremerton
15
Take the exit
0.5 mi·1 min
Exit 1AToward Sprague AvenueUse the straight / slight right lanes.
16
Continue on Sprague Ramp
0.3 mi·43 sec·Sprague Ramp
17
Continue on South Sprague Avenue
0.6 mi·1 min·South Sprague Avenue
18
Turn right onto South 11th Street
0.9 mi·2 min·South 11th Street
19
Arrive at destination
South 11th Street
Trip Plan
Morning Departure
Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch.
Evening Departure
Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 65.3 miles from Amboy, WA, or about 1h 21m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 109.3 miles.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
Departure
Before you leave
Start with fuel, water, and navigation already sorted so the first hour feels easy.
First stop
Around 29 miles or 40m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 65.3 miles or 1h 21m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 2h 9m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Tacoma, WA than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Amboy, WA so your first major turns are already loaded.
+
Leave with enough water and a charging cable within reach, not packed away.
+
Check your fuel range against the first long segment, especially if you are starting outside city service areas.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Amboy, WA
This is one driving day of about 130.7 miles and 2h 39m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 29 miles from Amboy, WA.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
Plan about 1 real break rather than only quick fuel stops.
The longest stretch is on I 5 for about 109.3 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 65.3 mi from Amboy, WA
· 1h 21m into the drive
The midpoint is around 65.3 miles from Amboy, WA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Before the longest stretch
Fuel check
Top up before I 5 if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 109.3 miles.
Arriving in Tacoma, WA
The final approach into Tacoma, WA usually feels slower than the middle of the drive, so avoid planning your tightest schedule at the very end.
Try to arrive with enough fuel left to skip an immediate station stop unless you already know the area around Tacoma, WA.
After long uninterrupted mileage, take five minutes before the last urban segment to reset and refocus on exits, merges, and city traffic.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
National Parks Near This Route
Worth a detour if your schedule allows.
Klondike Gold Rush - Seattle Unit National Historical Park
National Historical Park
Seattle flourished during and after the Klondike Gold Rush. Merchants supplied people from around the world passing through this port city on their way to a remarkable adventure in the Yukon Territory...
25 mi from route
~61 min detour
Free
near mile 130.7
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$27.35 one way
$54.71 round trip
$5.32/gal25.4 MPG avg46 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$5.58
$28.69
$57.37
premium
$5.77
$29.68
$59.36
diesel
$5.61
$28.86
$57.71
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$27
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$52–$77
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 45.7 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $14 in charging
· 0 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
39.2
0
$13.72
$6.27
Efficient EV
32.7
0
$11.44
$5.23
EV Truck/SUV
52.3
0
$18.30
$8.36
Gas CO2
46 kg
EV CO2
15 kg (67% less)
This trip is well within single-charge range for most EVs. No charging stops needed if you start fully charged.
DC fast charging avg $0.35/kWh. Home charging avg $0.16/kWh. US grid CO2: 0.39 kg/kWh.
Travel Intel
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Forecast as of Apr 13, 2026
Origin
Amboy, WA
Night
in Amboy on Friday
Local time
10:22 PM
PDT
Current temp
58°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Tacoma, WA
Night
in Tacoma on Friday
Local time
10:22 PM
PDT
Current temp
59°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Seasonal Notes
Summer travel usually means heavier construction, hotter rest stops, and busier weekend traffic around major cities.
Winter travel shortens daylight, so a route that looks manageable on paper can feel much longer after dark.
Holiday weekends tend to make both departure and arrival windows slower than the raw route time suggests.
Time zone
Same local time
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
1 degrees warmer at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
2h 39m on the road
Use the two city cards together: check the sky where you start, then compare it with the local time and temperature at arrival.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
Frequently Asked Questions
The drive from Amboy, WA to Tacoma, WA covers 130.7 miles and takes about 2h 39m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are I 5, Northeast Cedar Creek Road, Northwest Hayes Road. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 65.3 miles from Amboy, WA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $27.35 one way. This estimate uses 25.4 MPG — your actual cost will vary with your vehicle's fuel efficiency and current gas prices.
Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch. Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.
Plan about 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, or rest. A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
This is a demanding drive. With 11 significant decision points across 130.7 miles, you will need to stay alert - especially through interchange areas and urban stretches. Consider splitting it into segments if you are not comfortable with fast highway navigation.
The main spots that need attention: at 16.9 miles (WA 503 / Lewis River Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 127.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 127.4 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
The route from Amboy, WA to Tacoma, WA does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
Yes. Nearby national parks include Klondike Gold Rush - Seattle Unit National Historical Park.
How this page is built
Compiled by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy from open government datasets — OSRM over OpenStreetMap for geometry, EIA for fuel prices, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
