Origin
Alderwood Manor, WA
Night in Alderwood Manor on Saturday
Local time
9:47 PM
PDT
Current temp
62°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Alderwood Manor, WA to Federal Way, WA
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
50m
Distance
37.9 mi
61 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$8
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 47m
★
6 AM
0h 51m
8 AM
0h 59m
10 AM
0h 54m
12 PM
0h 53m
3 PM
0h 54m
5 PM
0h 59m
8 PM
0h 48m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Alderwood Manor, WA
Jan Simpson
Trip Overview
Spanning 37.9 miles, this straightforward trip from Alderwood Manor to Federal Way is a quick journey that typically takes about 50 minutes. Because the route is entirely contained within the Pacific Coast region of Washington, it is perfectly suited for a single-day excursion. You can expect to spend approximately $8 on fuel, making this an economical option for your travel plans. Since the drive is quite short, there is no need to split this into an overnight trip. It serves as a practical, highway-focused connection through the heart of the region, allowing you to reach your destination efficiently without the need for multiple stops.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 5 | 33.8 mi | 42m |
| Pacific Highway South | 2.5 mi | 4m |
| South 272nd Street | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| 36th Avenue West | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| 195th Place Southwest | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| South 312th Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 5
— 33.8 mi, about 42m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Alderwood Manor, WA and Federal Way, WA.
1
Start on this road
83 ft
·
9 sec
·
this road
2
At end of road, turn right onto 195th Place Southwest
242 ft
·
18 sec
·
195th Place Southwest
3
Turn left onto 36th Avenue West
406 ft
·
10 sec
·
36th Avenue West
4
Take the ramp
0.5 mi
·
1 min
Toward I 5 South
Use the straight / right lanes.
5
Merge onto I 5
34 mi
·
42 min
·
I 5
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
54 sec
Exit 147
Toward South 272nd Street
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Turn right onto South 272nd Street
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
South 272nd Street
Use the right lane.
8
Turn left onto WA 99; WA 509
2.5 mi
·
4 min
·
Pacific Highway South
Use the left / straight lanes.
9
Turn left onto South 312th Street
209 ft
·
9 sec
·
South 312th Street
10
Turn right
24 ft
·
1 sec
11
Arrive at destination
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
19 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 37.9 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 18.9 miles from Alderwood Manor, WA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 95 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 34.8 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
195th Place Southwest
At end of road, turn right onto 195th Place Southwest
Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch
5
0.1 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
36th Avenue West
Turn left onto 36th Avenue West
Navigation decision point
5
0.1 mi into trip
|
~0m in
Take the ramp toward I 5 South
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
Toward I 5 South
7
34.4 mi into trip
|
~44m in
Take the exit toward South 272nd Street
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 147
Toward South 272nd Street
6
34.8 mi into trip
|
~44m in
|
South 272nd Street
Turn right onto South 272nd Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$7.93 one way
$15.86 round trip
$5.32/gal
25.4 MPG avg
13 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $5.58 | $8.32 | $16.64 |
| premium | $5.77 | $8.61 | $17.21 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $8.37 | $16.74 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$8
Estimated CO2 emission: 13.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 69% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 11.4 | 0 | $3.98 | $1.82 |
| Efficient EV | 9.5 | 0 | $3.32 | $1.52 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 15.2 | 0 | $5.31 | $2.43 |
Gas CO2
13 kg
EV CO2
4 kg (69% 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
Federal Way, WA
Night in Federal Way on Saturday
Local time
9:47 PM
PDT
Current temp
47°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
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
15 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
50m 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.
What kind of drive is this?
Expect a high-speed experience, as 89% of this route consists of highway driving. You will spend the vast majority of your time on I-5, which accounts for a 33.8-mile stretch of uninterrupted travel. The road transitions from this major interstate artery onto Pacific Highway South and South 272nd Street as you approach your final destination. Because it is a highway-focused drive, you should prepare for a consistent, steady pace behind the wheel. It functions as a functional, no-nonsense path designed for getting you from point A to point B with minimal complexity.
89% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
11 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 33.8 mi on I 5.
How Hard Is This Drive?
5/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 5 and Pacific Highway South. You will hit about 9 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near 195th Place Southwest.
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 37.9 miles you will encounter 9 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: near the start (195th Place Southwest): Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch; at 0.1 miles (36th Avenue West): Navigation decision point; at 0.1 miles: Lane positioning matters here.
About the Cities
Arriving in Federal Way, WA
Full guide →Federal Way is a city in King County on the Puget Sound of Washington State. It is the home of the Pacific Bonsai Museum and Rhododendron Species Botanical Gardens. With a population of 96,000 (2016), Federal Way is one of Seattle's largest suburbs.
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 50m. Total distance: 37.9 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
50m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (89%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 33.8 miles on I 5. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes. At under 2 hours behind the wheel, this works well for families — plan one quick stop if you have younger kids.
The main spots that need attention: near the start (195th Place Southwest): Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch; at 0.1 miles (36th Avenue West): Navigation decision point; at 0.1 miles: Lane positioning matters here.
Yes — Klondike Gold Rush - Seattle Unit National Historical Park. See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Federal Way, WA before heading back.
How this page is built
Compiled by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy from open government datasets — OSRM over OpenStreetMap for geometry, EIA for fuel prices, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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