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Trip from Marysville, WA to Oak Harbor, WA

Data updated 3 hours ago

Drive Time

1h 19m

Distance

56 mi

90 km

Drive Score

7/10

Good drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$12

one way

EV Charging

None

0 DC fast

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 18 min
4 AM
1h 13m ★
6 AM
1h 19m
8 AM
1h 31m
10 AM
1h 23m
12 PM
1h 22m
3 PM
1h 24m
5 PM
1h 31m
8 PM
1h 15m

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

Best Time Drive vs Fly
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city in Washington, United States

Marysville, WA

Wikimedia Commons

Downtown Oak Harbor, WA, WA

Oak Harbor, WA

William Jacobs

Trip Overview

The drive from Marysville, WA to Oak Harbor, WA covers 56 miles and takes about 1h 19m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on I 5, State Route 20, Memorial Highway for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is highway-focused drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 26.7 miles on I 5. At current regular gas prices, budget about $11.72 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

28 miles from Marysville, WA

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 32m into the drive .

Loading map...

Drive Character

This is a 1h 19m highway drive covering 56 miles, with most of the trip on I 5 and State Route 20. The longest continuous stretch is about 26.7 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 23 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 26.7 miles.

Elevation Profile

Mostly flat terrain

380 ft 11 ft

Total Climb

596 ft

Total Descent

524 ft

Highest Point

380 ft

~16 mi in

Elevation Range

369 ft

How Hard Is This Drive?

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 5 and State Route 20. You will hit about 14 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 0.3 miles in.

Route Complexity 5/10

Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing

This drive requires moderate attention. Across 56 miles you will encounter 14 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 0.3 miles: Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch; at 0.6 miles (I 5): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 27.8 miles (WA 536 / South 3rd Street): Navigation decision point.

Critical Maneuvers

5 of 14 key points

These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.

6
0.3 mi into trip | ~0m in

Take the ramp toward I 5 North: Vancouver British Columbia

Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch

Toward I 5 North: Vancouver British Columbia
5
0.6 mi into trip | ~1m in | I 5

Merge onto I 5

Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
27.8 mi into trip | ~32m in | WA 536 / South 3rd Street

Turn right onto WA 536 / South 3rd Street

Navigation decision point

6
40.1 mi into trip | ~52m in | WA 20 / State Route 20

Keep slight left at fork onto WA 20 / State Route 20 toward Oak Harbor, Port Townsend Ferry

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Toward Oak Harbor, Port Townsend Ferry
7
40.2 mi into trip | ~52m in | WA 20 / State Route 20

Enter roundabout onto WA 20 / State Route 20 toward Oak Harbor, Port Townsend Ferry

Roundabout - know your exit number before entering. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Toward Oak Harbor, Port Townsend Ferry

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 Marysville, WA to Oak Harbor, WA, road signs begin pointing toward Port Townsend Ferry along the way.

Port Townsend Ferry

40.1 mi in | ~52m | via WA 20

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
I 5 26.7 mi 30m
State Route 20 22 mi 34m
Memorial Highway 4 mi 6m
Northeast Midway Boulevard 0.9 mi 2m
West Division Street 0.8 mi 2m
WA 536 0.3 mi <1m
4th Street 0.3 mi <1m
South 3rd Street 0.3 mi <1m
Longest stretch: I 5 — 26.7 mi, about 30m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Marysville, WA and Oak Harbor, WA.

1

Start on WA 529

24 ft · 6 sec · State Avenue
2

Turn left onto WA 528

0.3 mi · 38 sec · 4th Street
3

Take the ramp

0.3 mi · 40 sec
Toward I 5 North: Vancouver British Columbia
4

Merge onto I 5

27 mi · 30 min · I 5
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5

Take the exit

0.2 mi · 33 sec
Toward WA 536 West: Kincaid Street
6

Turn left onto WA 536

0.2 mi · 22 sec · East Kincaid Street
7

Turn right onto WA 536

0.3 mi · 27 sec · South 3rd Street
8

Continue on WA 536

0.8 mi · 2 min · West Division Street
Use the straight lane.
9

Continue on WA 536

4.0 mi · 6 min · Memorial Highway
10

Take the ramp onto WA 536

0.3 mi · 29 sec · WA 536
11

Merge onto WA 20

7.0 mi · 9 min · State Route 20
12

Keep slight left at fork onto WA 20

302 ft · 4 sec · State Route 20
Toward Oak Harbor, Port Townsend Ferry
13

Enter roundabout onto WA 20

286 ft · 3 sec · State Route 20
Toward Oak Harbor, Port Townsend Ferry
14

Continue on WA 20

0.6 mi · 1 min · State Route 20
Toward Oak Harbor, Port Townsend Ferry
15

Enter roundabout onto WA 20

110 ft · 2 sec · State Route 20
16

Continue on WA 20

7.9 mi · 14 min · State Route 20
17

Enter roundabout onto WA 20

87 ft · 1 sec · State Route 20
18

Continue on WA 20

4.7 mi · 6 min · State Route 20
19

Continue on WA 20

255 ft · 4 sec · State Route 20
20

Enter roundabout onto WA 20

52 ft · 0 sec · State Route 20
21

Continue on WA 20

1.5 mi · 2 min · State Route 20
22

Turn left onto Northeast Midway Boulevard

0.9 mi · 2 min · Northeast Midway Boulevard
23

Arrive at destination

Southeast Midway Boulevard

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 28 miles from Marysville, WA, or about 32m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 26.7 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 56 miles or 1h 19m in

Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.

Halfway reset

Around 28 miles or 32m 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 5m

Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Oak Harbor, WA than in the middle of the route.

Before You Leave

+

Open the route before leaving Marysville, 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 Marysville, WA

This is one driving day of about 56 miles and 1h 19m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 80 miles from Marysville, 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 I 5 for about 26.7 miles.

Where to Stop

Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 28 mi from Marysville, WA · 32m into the drive

city in, and the county seat of, Whatcom County in the State of Washington, United States

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Bellingham, WA

28 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

Bellingham, WA

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 56 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Bellingham, WA

Meal break

The midpoint is around 28 miles from Marysville, WA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Arriving in Oak Harbor, WA

The final approach into Oak Harbor, 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 Oak Harbor, WA.

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.

San Juan Island National Historical Park

San Juan Island National Historical Park

National Historical Park

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...

20 mi from route ~51 min detour Free near mile 46.4
Caution: Wildlife Viewing Guidelines
View on nps.gov

Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$11.72 one way

$23.44 round trip

$5.32/gal 25.4 MPG avg 20 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $5.58 $12.29 $24.58
premium $5.77 $12.72 $25.43
diesel $5.61 $12.36 $24.73

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$12

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$37–$62

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

Estimated CO2 emission: 19.6 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $6 in charging · 0 stops · 65% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 16.8 0 $5.88 $2.69
Efficient EV 14 0 $4.90 $2.24
EV Truck/SUV 22.4 0 $7.84 $3.58

Gas CO2

20 kg

EV CO2

7 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 data refreshed 4 hours ago

Origin

Marysville, WA

Late night in Marysville on Wednesday

Local time

2:31 AM

PDT

Current temp

56°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Oak Harbor, WA

Late night in Oak Harbor on Wednesday

Local time

2:31 AM

PDT

Current temp

39°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

17 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 19m 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 Marysville, WA to Oak Harbor, WA covers 56 miles and takes about 1h 19m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are I 5, State Route 20, Memorial Highway. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 28 miles from Marysville, WA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $11.72 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 56 miles you will encounter 14 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 0.3 miles: Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch; at 0.6 miles (I 5): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 27.8 miles (WA 536 / South 3rd Street): Navigation decision point.
On the drive from Marysville, WA to Oak Harbor, WA, road signs begin pointing toward Port Townsend Ferry along the way.

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