Origin
Bainbridge Island, WA
Afternoon in Bainbridge Island on Monday
Local time
3:08 PM
PDT
Current temp
40°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Bainbridge Island, WA to Bellingham, WA
Drive Time
2h 48m
Distance
101 mi
163 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$21
one way
EV Charging
Loading...
station data
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
2h 38m
★
6 AM
2h 49m
8 AM
3h 10m
10 AM
2h 56m
12 PM
2h 54m
3 PM
2h 57m
5 PM
3h 9m
8 PM
2h 42m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Bainbridge Island, WA
Wikimedia Commons
Bellingham, WA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from Bainbridge Island, WA to Bellingham, WA covers 101 miles and takes about 2h 48m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on High School Road Northeast, Highway 305, WA 3 South for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. At current regular gas prices, budget about $21.20 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
50.5 miles from Bainbridge Island, WA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 1h 24m into the drive .
Drive Character
Expect a 2h 48m drive with frequent turns across 101 miles of local and secondary roads.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 27 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
High School Road Northeast is one of the defining roads on this drive.
How Hard Is This Drive?
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. Navigation is very simple — set it and forget it for most of the drive.
Route Complexity
1/10
Very easy - short and simple to drive
The drive from Bainbridge Island, WA to Bellingham, WA is easy. At 2h 48m with 0% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.
Where does it get tricky?
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Bainbridge Island, WA to Bellingham, WA is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| High School Road Northeast | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Highway 305 | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| WA 3 South | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Highway 3 | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Highway 3 West | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| State Route 16 | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Highway 16 | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| I 5 North | Unavailable | Refreshing |
Per-road distance and duration are being refreshed from OSRM for this route.
Longest stretch:
High School Road Northeast
— detailed segment metrics are refreshing.
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Bainbridge Island, WA and Bellingham, WA.
1
Start on Madison Avenue North
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Madison Avenue North
2
Enter the roundabout and take exit 1 toward High School Road Northeast
13 ft
·
1 sec
·
High School Road Northeast
3
Exit the roundabout onto High School Road Northeast
0.3 mi
·
52 sec
·
High School Road Northeast
4
Turn left onto State Highway 305
5.0 mi
·
7 min
·
State Highway 305
5
Enter the roundabout and take exit 2 toward State Highway 305
102 ft
·
2 sec
·
State Highway 305
6
Exit the roundabout onto State Highway 305
0.3 mi
·
44 sec
·
State Highway 305
7
Enter the roundabout and take exit 1 toward State Highway 305
82 ft
·
1 sec
·
State Highway 305
8
Exit the roundabout onto State Highway 305
3.7 mi
·
6 min
·
State Highway 305
9
Enter the roundabout and take exit 2 toward State Highway 305 Northeast
108 ft
·
2 sec
·
State Highway 305 Northeast
10
Exit the roundabout onto State Highway 305 Northeast
3.4 mi
·
6 min
·
State Highway 305 Northeast
11
Take the ramp slight right toward WA 3 South: Bremerton
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
WA 3 South: Bremerton
12
Merge slight left onto State Highway 3 Northwest
16 mi
·
20 min
·
State Highway 3 Northwest
13
Continue on State Highway 3 West
2.1 mi
·
3 min
·
State Highway 3 West
14
Continue on West State Route 16
0.2 mi
·
20 sec
·
West State Route 16
15
Continue on State Highway 16
27 mi
·
33 min
·
State Highway 16
16
Keep slight left
1.0 mi
·
2 min
17
Keep slight left to continue on I 5 North: Seattle
0.1 mi
·
17 sec
·
I 5 North: Seattle
18
Merge slight left
0.3 mi
·
19 sec
19
Keep slight right
120 mi
·
2 hr 24 min
20
Take the exit slight right toward Lakeway Drive
0.1 mi
·
25 sec
·
Lakeway Drive
21
Turn right onto King Street
472 ft
·
9 sec
·
King Street
22
Turn right onto Lakeway Drive
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
Lakeway Drive
23
Continue on East Holly Street
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
East Holly Street
24
Turn right onto Bay Street
79 ft
·
5 sec
·
Bay Street
25
Turn left onto Prospect Street
0.3 mi
·
41 sec
·
Prospect Street
26
Continue on Dupont Street
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
Dupont Street
27
Arrive at your destination
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 50.5 miles from Bainbridge Island, WA, or about 1h 24m into the drive.
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 80 miles or 2h 13m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 50.5 miles or 1h 24m 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 18m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Bellingham, WA than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Bainbridge Island, 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 Bainbridge Island, WA
This is one driving day of about 101 miles and 2h 48m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 80 miles from Bainbridge Island, 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.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 50.5 mi from Bainbridge Island, WA · 1h 24m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
51 mi into the route
Best for: Lunch, fuel, and a longer reset
This sits close to the middle of the route, so it works well for the longest stop of the day.
Pacing Suggestions
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 80 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 50.5 miles from Bainbridge Island, WA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Bellingham, WA
The final approach into Bellingham, 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 Bellingham, WA.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$21.20 one way
$42.40 round trip
$5.33/gal
25.4 MPG avg
35 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $5.57 | $22.14 | $44.27 |
| premium | $5.77 | $22.95 | $45.90 |
| diesel | $5.64 | $22.44 | $44.88 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$21
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$46–$71
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 35.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-06.
Driving Electric?
About $11 in charging · 0 stops · 66% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 30.3 | 0 | $10.60 | $4.85 |
| Efficient EV | 25.3 | 0 | $8.84 | $4.04 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 40.4 | 0 | $14.14 | $6.46 |
Gas CO2
35 kg
EV CO2
12 kg (66% 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.
Destination
Bellingham, WA
Afternoon in Bellingham on Monday
Local time
3:08 PM
PDT
Current temp
40°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
Very similar conditions
Both ends of the route are sitting at about the same temperature right now.
Road read
2h 48m 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 Bainbridge Island, WA to Bellingham, WA covers 101 miles and takes about 2h 48m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are High School Road Northeast, Highway 305, WA 3 South. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 50.5 miles from Bainbridge Island, WA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $21.20 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.
The drive from Bainbridge Island, WA to Bellingham, WA is easy. At 2h 48m with 0% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Bainbridge Island, WA to Bellingham, WA is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
The route from Bainbridge Island, WA to Bellingham, WA does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
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