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Trip from Friday Harbor, 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

3h 18m

Distance

136.6 mi

220 km

Drive Score

6/10

Good drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$29

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 36 min
4 AM
3h 7m ★
6 AM
3h 19m
8 AM
3h 43m
10 AM
3h 27m
12 PM
3h 25m
3 PM
3h 29m
5 PM
3h 42m
8 PM
3h 12m

Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.

Downtown Friday Harbor, WA, WA

Friday Harbor, WA

William Jacobs

Trip Overview

The drive from Friday Harbor, WA to Tacoma, WA covers 136.6 miles and takes about 3h 18m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

This route mixes long travel segments with more detailed approach driving, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. At current regular gas prices, budget about $28.59 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.

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 3h 18m. Total distance: 136.6 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

3h 18m drive, comfortable solo distance.

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (0%). Straightforward navigation.

Scenic Drive

Turn-heavy local drive route profile.

Drive Character

Expect a 3h 18m drive with frequent turns across 136.6 miles of local and secondary roads.

This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.

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.

The drive from Friday Harbor, WA to Tacoma, WA is easy. At 3h 18m 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 Friday Harbor, WA to Tacoma, WA is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.

Trip Plan

Morning Departure

An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.

Evening Departure

A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.

You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.

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.

Before You Leave

+

Open the route before leaving Friday Harbor, 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 Friday Harbor, WA

This is one driving day of about 136.6 miles and 3h 18m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 30 miles from Friday Harbor, 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.

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$28.59 one way

$57.18 round trip

$5.32/gal 25.4 MPG avg 48 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $5.58 $29.98 $59.96
premium $5.77 $31.02 $62.04
diesel $5.61 $30.16 $60.32

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$29

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$54–$79

Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.

Estimated CO2 emission: 47.8 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 41 0 $14.34 $6.56
Efficient EV 34.2 0 $11.95 $5.46
EV Truck/SUV 54.6 0 $19.12 $8.74

Gas CO2

48 kg

EV CO2

16 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 15, 2026

Origin

Friday Harbor, WA

Late night in Friday Harbor on Saturday

Local time

12:32 AM

PDT

Current temp

61°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Tacoma, WA

Late night in Tacoma on Saturday

Local time

12:32 AM

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

2 degrees cooler at arrival

A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.

Road read

3h 18m 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 Friday Harbor, WA to Tacoma, WA covers 136.6 miles and takes about 3h 18m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.

This is a comfortable same-day trip.

At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $28.59 one way. This estimate uses 25.4 MPG — your actual cost will vary with your vehicle's fuel efficiency and current gas prices.

An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left. A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.

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 Friday Harbor, WA to Tacoma, WA is easy. At 3h 18m 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 Friday Harbor, WA to Tacoma, WA is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.

The route from Friday Harbor, 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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Explore more options from Friday Harbor, WA or browse trips ending in Tacoma, WA.

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