Origin
Central Park, WA
Late night in Central Park on Saturday
Local time
2:40 AM
PDT
Current temp
46°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Central Park, WA to Tacoma, WA
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 17m
Distance
72.5 mi
117 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$15
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 11m
★
6 AM
1h 17m
8 AM
1h 29m
10 AM
1h 21m
12 PM
1h 20m
3 PM
1h 22m
5 PM
1h 29m
8 PM
1h 14m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Central Park, WA
Hc Digital
Trip Overview
The drive from Central Park, WA to Tacoma, WA covers 72.5 miles and takes about 1h 17m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on WA 16 West, Sprague Avenue, Sprague Ramp for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. At current regular gas prices, budget about $15.17 one way before food or hotel costs.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 17m. Total distance: 72.5 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 17m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (0%). Straightforward navigation.
Scenic Drive
Turn-heavy local drive route profile.
Drive Character
Expect a 1h 17m drive with frequent turns across 72.5 miles of local and secondary roads.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 14 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
WA 16 West 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.
Driving Effort
1/10
Very easy - short and simple to drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
The drive from Central Park, WA to Tacoma, WA is easy. At 1h 17m 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 Central Park, WA to Tacoma, WA is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| WA 16 West | — | — |
| Sprague Avenue | — | — |
| Sprague Ramp | — | — |
| South Sprague Avenue | — | — |
| South 11th Street | — | — |
Some road-level metrics are being recalculated.
Longest stretch:
WA 16 West
— detailed segment metrics are refreshing.
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Central Park, WA and Tacoma, WA.
1
Start on Olympic Highway
15 mi
·
18 min
·
Olympic Highway
2
Continue straight
21 mi
·
26 min
3
Merge slight left
5.4 mi
·
7 min
4
Keep slight left
0.5 mi
·
53 sec
5
Merge slight left
27 mi
·
33 min
6
Take the exit slight right toward WA 16 West: Gig Harbor, Bremerton, South 38th Street
0.2 mi
·
21 sec
·
WA 16 West: Gig Harbor, Bremerton, South 38th Street
7
Keep slight left to continue on WA 16 West: Gig Harbor, Bremerton, South 38th Street West, Tacoma Mall
0.2 mi
·
19 sec
·
WA 16 West: Gig Harbor, Bremerton, South 38th Street West, Tacoma Mall
8
Keep slight left to continue on WA 16 West: Gig Harbor, Bremerton
0.3 mi
·
28 sec
·
WA 16 West: Gig Harbor, Bremerton
9
Keep slight left to continue on WA 16 West: Gig Harbor, Bremerton
0.5 mi
·
44 sec
·
WA 16 West: Gig Harbor, Bremerton
10
Take the exit slight right toward Sprague Avenue
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
Sprague Avenue
11
Continue on Sprague Ramp
0.3 mi
·
44 sec
·
Sprague Ramp
12
Continue on South Sprague Avenue
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
South Sprague Avenue
13
Turn right onto South 11th Street
0.9 mi
·
2 min
·
South 11th Street
14
Arrive at your destination
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 36.3 mi from Central Park, WA · 38m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
36 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 16 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 36.3 miles from Central Park, WA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
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.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$15.17 one way
$30.35 round trip
$5.32/gal
25.4 MPG avg
25 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $5.58 | $15.91 | $31.83 |
| premium | $5.77 | $16.46 | $32.93 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $16.01 | $32.01 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$15
Estimated CO2 emission: 25.4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $8 in charging · 0 stops · 68% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 21.8 | 0 | $7.61 | $3.48 |
| Efficient EV | 18.1 | 0 | $6.34 | $2.90 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 29 | 0 | $10.15 | $4.64 |
Gas CO2
25 kg
EV CO2
8 kg (68% 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
Tacoma, WA
Late night in Tacoma on Saturday
Local time
2:40 AM
PDT
Current temp
59°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
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
13 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
1h 17m 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 Central Park, WA to Tacoma, WA covers 72.5 miles and takes about 1h 17m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are WA 16 West, Sprague Avenue, Sprague Ramp. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 36.3 miles from Central Park, WA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $15.17 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.
The drive from Central Park, WA to Tacoma, WA is easy. At 1h 17m 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 Central Park, WA to Tacoma, WA is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
The route from Central Park, WA to Tacoma, WA does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
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, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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