Origin
Tacoma, WA
Afternoon in Tacoma on Friday
Local time
12:54 PM
PDT
Current temp
59°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Tacoma, WA to Amboy, WA
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 17, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
2h 39m
Distance
131.5 mi
212 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$28
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
2h 29m
★
6 AM
2h 39m
8 AM
3h 1m
10 AM
2h 47m
12 PM
2h 45m
3 PM
2h 48m
5 PM
2h 59m
8 PM
2h 33m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Amboy, WA
Gael LUSAMBA
Trip Overview
The drive from Tacoma, WA to Amboy, WA covers 131.5 miles and takes about 2h 39m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on I 5, Northeast Cedar Creek Road, Northwest Hayes Road for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is highway-focused drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 111.3 miles on I 5. At current regular gas prices, budget about $27.52 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.
Midpoint
65.8 miles from Tacoma, WA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 1h 16m into the drive .
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 2h 39m. Total distance: 131.5 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
2h 39m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (85%). Straightforward navigation.
Drive Character
This is a 2h 39m highway drive covering 131.5 miles, with most of the trip on I 5 and Northeast Cedar Creek Road. The longest continuous stretch is about 111.3 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 19 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 111.3 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 5 and Northeast Cedar Creek Road. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near Market Street.
Driving Effort
4/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 2h 39m drive. You will face about 12 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (Market Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.3 miles (South 13th Street): Navigation decision point; at 1.5 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 12 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
5
0.1 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
Market Street
Turn right onto Market Street
Navigation decision point
5
0.3 mi into trip
|
~1m in
|
South 13th Street
Turn left onto South 13th Street
Navigation decision point
7
1.5 mi into trip
|
~3m in
Keep slight left at fork 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
5
2.3 mi into trip
|
~4m in
|
I 5
Merge onto I 5
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
113.6 mi into trip
|
~2h 11m in
Take the exit toward WA 503 East: Woodland, Cougar
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward WA 503 East: Woodland, Cougar
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 Tacoma, WA to Amboy, WA, road signs begin pointing toward Cougar along the way.
Cougar
113.6 mi in
|
~2h 11m
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 5 | 111.3 mi | 2h 6m |
| Northeast Cedar Creek Road | 10.9 mi | 16m |
| Northwest Hayes Road | 4 mi | 6m |
| Northeast Hayes Road | 1.3 mi | 1m |
| I 705 | 0.8 mi | 1m |
| Pacific Avenue | 0.7 mi | 1m |
| Northeast 221st Avenue | 0.5 mi | <1m |
| East CC Street | 0.3 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 5
— 111.3 mi, about 2h 6m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Tacoma, WA and Amboy, WA.
1
Start on South 11th Street
0.1 mi
·
29 sec
·
South 11th Street
2
Turn right onto Market Street
0.1 mi
·
31 sec
·
Market Street
3
Turn left onto South 13th Street
0.2 mi
·
35 sec
·
South 13th Street
4
Turn right onto I 705 SB Ramp
213 ft
·
11 sec
·
I 705 SB Ramp
5
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
21 sec
Toward Port of Tacoma
6
Merge onto I 705
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
I 705
7
Keep slight left at fork
0.8 mi
·
1 min
Toward I 5 South: Portland
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Merge onto I 5
111 mi
·
2 hr 6 min
·
I 5
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
26 sec
Toward WA 503 East: Woodland, Cougar
10
Continue on Pacific Avenue
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Pacific Avenue
11
Continue on Pacific Avenue
175 ft
·
13 sec
·
Pacific Avenue
12
Turn left onto WA 503
0.1 mi
·
23 sec
·
Lewis River Road
13
Turn right onto East CC Street
0.3 mi
·
37 sec
·
East CC Street
14
Turn straight onto Northwest Hayes Road
4.0 mi
·
6 min
·
Northwest Hayes Road
15
Continue on Northeast Hayes Road
1.3 mi
·
1 min
·
Northeast Hayes Road
16
Continue on Northeast Cedar Creek Road
11 mi
·
16 min
·
Northeast Cedar Creek Road
17
Turn right onto Northeast 221st Avenue
0.5 mi
·
46 sec
·
Northeast 221st Avenue
18
Turn left onto Northeast Amboy Road
80 ft
·
1 sec
·
Northeast Amboy Road
19
Arrive at destination
Northeast Amboy Road
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.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 65.8 miles from Tacoma, WA, or about 1h 16m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 111.3 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 29 miles or 35m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 65.8 miles or 1h 16m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 2h 4m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Amboy, WA than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Tacoma, 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 Tacoma, WA
This is one driving day of about 131.5 miles and 2h 39m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 29 miles from Tacoma, 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.
The longest stretch is on I 5 for about 111.3 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 65.8 mi from Tacoma, WA · 1h 16m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
66 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 29 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 65.8 miles from Tacoma, WA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Before the longest stretch
Fuel checkTop up before I 5 if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 111.3 miles.
Arriving in Amboy, WA
The final approach into Amboy, 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 Amboy, WA.
After long uninterrupted mileage, take five minutes before the last urban segment to reset and refocus on exits, merges, and city traffic.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$27.52 one way
$55.04 round trip
$5.32/gal
25.4 MPG avg
46 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $5.58 | $28.86 | $57.73 |
| premium | $5.77 | $29.86 | $59.72 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $29.03 | $58.07 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$28
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$53–$78
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 46 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 | 39.4 | 0 | $13.81 | $6.31 |
| Efficient EV | 32.9 | 0 | $11.51 | $5.26 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 52.6 | 0 | $18.41 | $8.42 |
Gas CO2
46 kg
EV CO2
15 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.
Destination
Amboy, WA
Afternoon in Amboy on Friday
Local time
12:54 PM
PDT
Current temp
58°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
1 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
2h 39m 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 Tacoma, WA to Amboy, WA covers 131.5 miles and takes about 2h 39m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are I 5, Northeast Cedar Creek Road, Northwest Hayes Road. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 65.8 miles from Tacoma, WA. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $27.52 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.
Plan about 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, or rest. A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
This is a straightforward 2h 39m drive. You will face about 12 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (Market Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.3 miles (South 13th Street): Navigation decision point; at 1.5 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
On the drive from Tacoma, WA to Amboy, WA, road signs begin pointing toward Cougar along the way.
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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