The drive from Kirkland, WA to Anacortes, WA covers 73.9 miles and takes about 1h 38m behind the wheel.
This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on I 5, I 405, State Route 20 for much of the mileage,
and the overall profile is highway-focused drive.
The longest uninterrupted segment is about 43.4 miles on I 5.
At current regular gas prices, budget about $15.47 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.
Midpoint
37 miles from Kirkland, WA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 46m into the drive
.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 38m. Total distance: 73.9 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 38m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (88%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Drive Character
This is a 1h 38m highway drive covering 73.9 miles, with most of the trip on I 5 and I 405. The longest continuous stretch is about 43.4 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 29 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 43.4 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 5 and I 405. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near 7th Avenue.
Driving Effort9/10
Demanding - stay alert through the decision-heavy sections
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 73.9 miles you will encounter 20 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (7th Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 0.2 miles (7th Avenue): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering; at 2.8 miles (I 405): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 20 key points
These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
5
0.1 mi into trip|~0m in|7th Avenue
Turn left onto 7th Avenue
Navigation decision point
5
0.2 mi into trip|~0m in|7th Avenue
Enter roundabout onto 7th Avenue
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering
6
2.8 mi into trip|~5m in|I 405
Keep slight right at fork onto I 405
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
13.1 mi into trip|~18m in
Take the exit toward I 5 North: Everett, Vancouver British Columbia
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.
Toward I 5 North: Everett, Vancouver British Co...
6
69.8 mi into trip|~1h 30m in|State Route 20 Spur
Keep slight right at fork onto State Route 20 Spur toward Anacortes, San Juans Ferry
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward Anacortes, San Juans Ferry
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Kirkland, WA and Anacortes, WA, road signs point toward Vancouver British Columbia and San Juans Ferry.
Vancouver British Columbia
13.1 mi in|~18m
San Juans Ferry
69.8 mi in|~1h 30m|via State Route 20 Spur
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
I 5
43.4 mi
51m
I 405
11.4 mi
14m
State Route 20
7 mi
9m
Memorial Highway
4 mi
6m
State Route 20 Spur
2.6 mi
3m
R Avenue
0.9 mi
2m
West Division Street
0.8 mi
2m
Northeast 85th Street
0.7 mi
1m
Longest stretch:
I 5
— 43.4 mi, about 51m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Kirkland, WA and Anacortes, WA.
1
Start on 1st Street
399 ft·16 sec·1st Street
2
Turn left onto 7th Avenue
0.1 mi·16 sec·7th Avenue
3
Continue on 7th Avenue
0.3 mi·52 sec·7th Avenue
4
Continue on 7th Avenue
0.1 mi·20 sec·7th Avenue
5
Turn right onto 6th Street
449 ft·14 sec·6th Street
6
Turn left onto Northeast 85th Street
0.7 mi·1 min·Northeast 85th Street
7
Take the ramp
0.4 mi·54 sec
8
Merge onto I 405
1.1 mi·1 min·I 405
9
Keep slight right at fork onto I 405
8.4 mi·10 min·I 405
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Keep slight right at fork onto I 405
1.9 mi·2 min·I 405
11
Take the exit
0.5 mi·48 sec
Toward I 5 North: Everett, Vancouver British ColumbiaUse the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Merge onto I 5
43 mi·51 min·I 5
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Take the exit
0.2 mi·33 sec
Toward WA 536 West: Kincaid Street
14
Turn left onto WA 536
0.2 mi·22 sec·East Kincaid Street
15
Turn right onto WA 536
0.3 mi·27 sec·South 3rd Street
16
Continue on WA 536
0.8 mi·2 min·West Division Street
Use the straight lane.
17
Continue on WA 536
4.0 mi·6 min·Memorial Highway
18
Take the ramp onto WA 536
0.3 mi·29 sec·WA 536
19
Merge onto WA 20
7.0 mi·9 min·State Route 20
20
Keep slight right at fork onto State Route 20 Spur
2.6 mi·3 min·State Route 20 Spur
Toward Anacortes, San Juans Ferry
21
Turn right onto R Avenue
0.3 mi·46 sec·R Avenue
22
Keep slight left at fork onto R Avenue
90 ft·5 sec·R Avenue
23
Keep slight right at fork onto R Avenue
0.4 mi·58 sec·R Avenue
24
Enter roundabout onto R Avenue
101 ft·5 sec·R Avenue
25
Continue on R Avenue
0.1 mi·20 sec·R Avenue
26
Turn left onto 20th Street
0.1 mi·25 sec·20th Street
27
Turn right onto WA 20 SPUR
0.5 mi·1 min·Commercial Avenue
28
Turn left onto WA 20 SPUR
11 ft·0 sec·12th Street
29
Arrive at destination
WA 20 SPUR
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.
You may only need one short stretch break if traffic stays light.
The halfway point lands around 37 miles from Kirkland, WA, or about 46m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 43.4 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 16 miles or 22m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 37 miles or 46m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 1h 21m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Anacortes, WA than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Kirkland, WA so your first major turns are already loaded.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Kirkland, WA
This is one driving day of about 73.9 miles and 1h 38m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 16 miles from Kirkland, WA.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on I 5 for about 43.4 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 37 mi from Kirkland, WA
· 46m into the drive
The midpoint is around 37 miles from Kirkland, WA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Anacortes, WA
The final approach into Anacortes, 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.
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...
San Juan Island is well known for its splendid vistas, saltwater shores, quiet woodlands, orca whales and one of the last remaining native prairies in the Puget Sound/Northern Straits region. But it w...
21 mi from route
~51 min detour
Free
near mile 73.9
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$15.47 one way
$30.93 round trip
$5.32/gal25.4 MPG avg26 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$5.58
$16.22
$32.44
premium
$5.77
$16.78
$33.56
diesel
$5.61
$16.32
$32.63
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$15
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$40–$65
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 25.9 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $8 in charging
· 0 stops
· 65% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
22.2
0
$7.76
$3.55
Efficient EV
18.5
0
$6.47
$2.96
EV Truck/SUV
29.6
0
$10.35
$4.73
Gas CO2
26 kg
EV CO2
9 kg (65% 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 16, 2026
Origin
Kirkland, WA
Late night
in Kirkland on Friday
Local time
1:45 AM
PDT
Current temp
57°F
Sunny
SSW 5 mph2% chanceLive forecast
Destination
Anacortes, WA
Late night
in Anacortes on Friday
Local time
1:45 AM
PDT
Current temp
47°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
58°F
Arlington, WA
37 mi in
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
10 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
1h 38m on the road
The weather snapshot is not static. If you are leaving later, give both cities one more quick forecast check before departure.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
Frequently Asked Questions
The drive from Kirkland, WA to Anacortes, WA covers 73.9 miles and takes about 1h 38m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are I 5, I 405, State Route 20. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 37 miles from Kirkland, WA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $15.47 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.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 73.9 miles you will encounter 20 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (7th Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 0.2 miles (7th Avenue): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering; at 2.8 miles (I 405): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Between Kirkland, WA and Anacortes, WA, road signs point toward Vancouver British Columbia and San Juans Ferry.
Yes. Nearby national parks include Klondike Gold Rush - Seattle Unit National Historical Park and San Juan Island National Historical Park.
How this page is built
Compiled and maintained by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy (Helsinki). Each route is built from authoritative open government and mapping datasets rather than crowdsourced reviews. Distances and geometry come from
OSRM
over
OpenStreetMap.
Fuel cost uses
EIA
weekly regional averages.
National park proximity is from the
NPS API.
Pages are published only after passing our data-quality checks; our
methodology page
documents refresh cadence, editorial standards, and known limitations.
