Origin
Tacoma, WA
Afternoon in Tacoma on Friday
Local time
3:38 PM
PDT
Current temp
59°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Tacoma, WA to Kingston, WA
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 17, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 20m
Distance
56.4 mi
91 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$12
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 14m
★
6 AM
1h 21m
8 AM
1h 33m
10 AM
1h 25m
12 PM
1h 24m
3 PM
1h 26m
5 PM
1h 33m
8 PM
1h 17m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Kingston, WA
Harrison Reilly
Trip Overview
Tacoma to Kingston is 56.4 miles and takes about 1 hour 20 minutes via WA 16, with a fuel budget near $12 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within Washington State, connecting two points in the Pacific Coast region. Expect a drive that predominantly uses highways, making it a straightforward journey. It's a short enough drive that you can easily fit it into a single day, allowing for flexibility in your schedule. Consider this route if you're looking for an efficient way to travel between these two locations without extensive planning.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 20m. Total distance: 56.4 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 20m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (86%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Drive Character
This is largely a highway-focused drive, with 86% of the journey utilizing major roadways. You'll find yourself on WA 16 for a significant stretch, including the longest uninterrupted segment of 28.3 miles. The route transitions onto State Highway 3 Northwest and then Bond Road Northeast, offering a mix of high-speed travel and potentially more local road conditions as you approach your destination. The character of the road is geared towards efficient travel, minimizing time spent on slower, winding paths.
Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 13 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
WA 16 is the longest continuous segment at about 28.3 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on WA 16 and State Highway 3 Northwest. You will hit about 7 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 1.7 miles in.
Driving Effort
5/10
Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 56.4 miles you will encounter 7 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 1.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early; at 1.9 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 2.3 miles (WA 16): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 7 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
4
1.7 mi into trip
|
~4m in
Take the exit
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
6
1.9 mi into trip
|
~5m in
Keep slight right at fork toward WA 16 West: Gig Harbor, Bremerton
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward WA 16 West: Gig Harbor, Bremerton
5
2.3 mi into trip
|
~5m in
|
WA 16
Merge onto WA 16
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
46.4 mi into trip
|
~1h 2m in
Take the exit toward WA 305 South: Poulsbo, Bainbridge Island
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 WA 305 South: Poulsbo, Bainbridge Island
5
47.4 mi into trip
|
~1h 4m in
|
WA 307 / Bond Road Northeast
Turn left onto WA 307 / Bond Road Northeast
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
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 Kingston, WA, road signs begin pointing toward Bainbridge Island along the way.
Bainbridge Island
46.4 mi in
|
~1h 2m
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| WA 16 | 28.3 mi | 36m |
| State Highway 3 Northwest | 15.8 mi | 19m |
| Bond Road Northeast | 5.2 mi | 8m |
| Northeast State Highway 104 | 3.8 mi | 7m |
| South 11th Street | 0.9 mi | 2m |
| State Highway 305 Northeast | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| South Sprague Avenue | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| Sprague Ramp | 0.3 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
WA 16
— 28.3 mi, about 36m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Tacoma, WA and Kingston, WA.
1
Start on South 11th Street
0.9 mi
·
2 min
·
South 11th Street
2
Turn left onto South Sprague Avenue
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
South Sprague Avenue
3
Continue on Sprague Ramp
0.3 mi
·
41 sec
·
Sprague Ramp
4
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
23 sec
5
Keep slight right at fork
0.4 mi
·
52 sec
Toward WA 16 West: Gig Harbor, Bremerton
6
Merge onto WA 16
28 mi
·
36 min
·
WA 16
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Continue on WA 3
16 mi
·
19 min
·
State Highway 3 Northwest
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
44 sec
Toward WA 305 South: Poulsbo, Bainbridge Island
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Keep slight right at fork
218 ft
·
5 sec
10
Turn straight onto WA 305
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
State Highway 305 Northeast
11
Turn left onto WA 307
5.2 mi
·
8 min
·
Bond Road Northeast
Use the left lane.
12
Continue on WA 104
3.8 mi
·
7 min
·
Northeast State Highway 104
Use the straight lane.
13
Arrive at destination
WA 104
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 28.2 mi from Tacoma, WA · 39m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
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
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 12 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 28.2 miles from Tacoma, WA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Kingston, WA
The final approach into Kingston, 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.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$11.80 one way
$23.61 round trip
$5.32/gal
25.4 MPG avg
20 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $5.58 | $12.38 | $24.76 |
| premium | $5.77 | $12.81 | $25.62 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $12.45 | $24.90 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$12
Estimated CO2 emission: 19.7 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 | 16.9 | 0 | $5.92 | $2.71 |
| Efficient EV | 14.1 | 0 | $4.94 | $2.26 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 22.6 | 0 | $7.90 | $3.61 |
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.
Destination
Kingston, WA
Afternoon in Kingston on Friday
Local time
3:38 PM
PDT
Current temp
63°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
43°F
Rocky Point, WA
28 mi in
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 20m 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 Kingston, WA covers 56.4 miles and takes about 1h 20m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are WA 16, State Highway 3 Northwest, Bond Road Northeast. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 28.2 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 $11.80 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 56.4 miles you will encounter 7 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 1.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early; at 1.9 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 2.3 miles (WA 16): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
On the drive from Tacoma, WA to Kingston, WA, road signs begin pointing toward Bainbridge Island 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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