Origin
Kirkland, WA
Late night in Kirkland on Wednesday
Local time
3:37 AM
PDT
Current temp
41°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Kirkland, WA to Bainbridge Island, WA
Data updated 0 seconds ago
Drive Time
1h 3m
Distance
21.3 mi
34 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$4
one way
EV Charging
Loading...
station data
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 58m
★
6 AM
1h 3m
8 AM
1h 13m
10 AM
1h 7m
12 PM
1h 6m
3 PM
1h 7m
5 PM
1h 13m
8 PM
1h 0m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Kirkland, WA
Wikimedia Commons
Bainbridge Island, WA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from Kirkland, WA to Bainbridge Island, WA covers 21.3 miles and takes about 1h 3m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Seattle–Bainbridge Ferry, WA 520, I 5 for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mixed drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 8.5 miles on Seattle–Bainbridge Ferry. At current regular gas prices, budget about $4.46 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
0 planned breaks
A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
Midpoint
10.7 miles from Kirkland, WA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 18m into the drive .
Loading map...
Drive Character
The drive from Kirkland, WA to Bainbridge Island, WA covers 21.3 miles and takes about 1h 3m, using a mix of highways and local roads.
Expect a mix of faster highway mileage and slower local approaches near the beginning or end.
There are about 26 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Seattle–Bainbridge Ferry is the longest continuous segment at about 8.5 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 2.8 miles in.
Route Complexity
8/10
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
This is a demanding drive. With 16 significant decision points across 21.3 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 2.8 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 8.5 miles (WA 520): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 11 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 16 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
7
2.8 mi into trip
|
~7m in
Take the ramp toward WA 520 Toll West: Seattle
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
Toward WA 520 Toll West: Seattle
7
8.5 mi into trip
|
~15m in
|
WA 520
Keep slight left at fork onto WA 520 toward I 5 South: Portland
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward I 5 South: Portland
7
11 mi into trip
|
~18m in
Take the exit toward James Street
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 165A
Toward James Street
6
11.3 mi into trip
|
~19m in
|
Columbia Street
Turn right onto Columbia Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / left lanes.
7
11.6 mi into trip
|
~20m in
|
1st Avenue
Turn left onto 1st Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / left lanes.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
On the drive from Kirkland, WA to Bainbridge Island, WA, road signs begin pointing toward Ferry along the way.
Ferry
12 mi in
|
~22m
|
via WA 304; WA 305
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Seattle–Bainbridge Ferry | 8.5 mi | 37m |
| WA 520 | 5.8 mi | 8m |
| I 5 | 2 mi | 2m |
| Lake Washington Boulevard Northeast | 1.7 mi | 3m |
| Lake Street | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| 1st Street | 0.4 mi | <1m |
| Winslow Way East | 0.3 mi | 1m |
| Columbia Street | 0.3 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
Seattle–Bainbridge Ferry
— 8.5 mi, about 37m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Kirkland, WA and Bainbridge Island, WA.
1
Start on 1st Street
0.4 mi
·
51 sec
·
1st Street
2
At end of road, turn left onto Central Way
306 ft
·
19 sec
·
Central Way
3
Turn right onto Lake Street
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
Lake Street
4
Continue on Lake Washington Boulevard Northeast
1.7 mi
·
3 min
·
Lake Washington Boulevard Northeast
5
Continue on Bellevue Way Northeast
342 ft
·
13 sec
·
Bellevue Way Northeast
Use the straight / right lanes.
6
Take the ramp
0.4 mi
·
49 sec
Toward WA 520 Toll West: Seattle
Use the straight / right lanes.
7
Merge onto WA 520
5.3 mi
·
7 min
·
WA 520
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Keep slight left at fork onto WA 520
0.5 mi
·
57 sec
·
WA 520
Toward I 5 South: Portland
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Merge onto I 5
2.0 mi
·
2 min
·
I 5
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
43 sec
Exit 165A
Toward James Street
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Turn straight onto 6th Avenue
185 ft
·
8 sec
·
6th Avenue
12
Turn right onto Columbia Street
0.3 mi
·
1 min
·
Columbia Street
Use the straight / left lanes.
13
Turn left onto 1st Avenue
0.2 mi
·
41 sec
·
1st Avenue
Use the straight / left lanes.
14
Turn right onto South Washington Street
360 ft
·
16 sec
·
South Washington Street
15
Turn right onto WA 519
320 ft
·
16 sec
·
Alaskan Way South
Use the right lane.
16
Turn left onto WA 304; WA 305
213 ft
·
11 sec
·
Colman Dock
17
Take the exit
226 ft
·
6 sec
18
Merge onto WA 304; WA 305
354 ft
·
22 sec
·
Colman Dock
Toward ferry
19
Continue on WA 305
288 ft
·
18 sec
·
Colman Dock
20
Continue on WA 305
157 ft
·
9 sec
·
Colman Dock
21
Turn straight onto WA 305
8.5 mi
·
37 min
·
Seattle–Bainbridge Ferry
22
Continue on WA 305
424 ft
·
36 sec
·
Bainbridge Island Ferry Terminal
23
Continue on WA 305
0.2 mi
·
38 sec
·
Olympic Drive Southeast
24
Turn left onto Winslow Way East
0.3 mi
·
1 min
·
Winslow Way East
Use the straight / left lanes.
25
Turn right onto Madison Avenue North
490 ft
·
16 sec
·
Madison Avenue North
Use the right lane.
26
Arrive at destination
Madison Avenue North
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 10.7 miles from Kirkland, WA, or about 18m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 8.5 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 21.3 miles or 1h 3m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 10.7 miles or 18m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 49m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Bainbridge Island, 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.
+
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 Kirkland, WA
This is one driving day of about 21.3 miles and 1h 3m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 80 miles from Kirkland, WA.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
You may only need one short stretch stop if conditions stay smooth.
The longest stretch is on Seattle–Bainbridge Ferry for about 8.5 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 10.7 mi from Kirkland, WA · 18m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
11 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 21.3 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 10.7 miles from Kirkland, WA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Bainbridge Island, WA
The final approach into Bainbridge Island, 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 Bainbridge Island, 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
$4.46 one way
$8.92 round trip
$5.32/gal
25.4 MPG avg
8 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $5.58 | $4.68 | $9.35 |
| premium | $5.77 | $4.84 | $9.67 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $4.70 | $9.41 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$4
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$29–$54
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 7.5 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 71% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 6.4 | 0 | $2.24 | $1.02 |
| Efficient EV | 5.3 | 0 | $1.86 | $0.85 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 8.5 | 0 | $2.98 | $1.36 |
Gas CO2
7 kg
EV CO2
2 kg (71% 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
Bainbridge Island, WA
Late night in Bainbridge Island on Wednesday
Local time
3:37 AM
PDT
Current temp
45°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
4 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 3m 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 Kirkland, WA to Bainbridge Island, WA covers 21.3 miles and takes about 1h 3m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Seattle–Bainbridge Ferry, WA 520, I 5. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 10.7 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 $4.46 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 is a demanding drive. With 16 significant decision points across 21.3 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 2.8 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 8.5 miles (WA 520): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 11 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
On the drive from Kirkland, WA to Bainbridge Island, WA, road signs begin pointing toward Ferry along the way.
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