Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 21, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
26m
Distance
21.5 mi
35 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$5
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Blaine, WA
Wikimedia Commons
Bellingham, WA
Wikimedia Commons
This short 21.5-mile drive from Blaine to Bellingham, WA, is easily manageable in about 26 minutes, making it a perfect day trip. You'll primarily be on I-5, which accounts for 88% of the journey, offering a straightforward highway-focused experience. With a modest fuel cost estimated at $4, this route is budget-friendly and requires no overnight stays. Since both your origin and destination are within the Pacific Coast region and the state of Washington, you're staying within familiar territory. It's a quick hop that gets you where you need to go without much fuss.
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 5 | 18.8 mi | 20m |
| Northwest Avenue | 1.4 mi | 2m |
| Elm Street | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| H Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| Peace Portal Drive | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| 257 | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| Dupont Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Step-by-step road directions between Blaine, WA and Bellingham, WA.
Start on H Street
At end of road, turn right onto WA 548
Take the ramp
Merge onto I 5
Take the exit
Continue on 257
Turn straight onto Northwest Avenue
Enter roundabout onto Northwest Avenue
Continue on Northwest Avenue
Continue on Elm Street
Turn slight left onto Dupont Street
Arrive at destination
5 decision points cluster between mile 0.2 and 19.7 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
At end of road, turn right onto WA 548 / Peace Portal Drive
Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch
Take the ramp toward I 5 South
Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch
Merge onto I 5
Merge point - match speed before joining
Take the exit toward Northwest Avenue
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Enter roundabout onto Northwest Avenue
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering
Regular Gas
$4.50 one way
$9.00 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $5.58 | $4.72 | $9.44 |
| premium | $5.77 | $4.88 | $9.76 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $4.75 | $9.49 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$5
Estimated CO2 emission: 7.5 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 63% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 6.5 | 0 | $2.26 | $1.03 |
| Efficient EV | 5.4 | 0 | $1.88 | $0.86 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 8.6 | 0 | $3.01 | $1.38 |
Gas CO2
8 kg
EV CO2
3 kg (63% 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.
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Origin
Late night in Blaine on Tuesday
Local time
2:00 AM
PDT
Current temp
67°F
Partly Sunny
Flood Warning
Flood Warning issued April 20 at 9:24AM PDT by NWS Spokane WA
Destination
Late night in Bellingham on Tuesday
Local time
2:00 AM
PDT
Current temp
70°F
Partly Sunny
Flood Warning
Flood Warning issued April 20 at 9:24AM PDT by NWS Spokane WA
Time zone
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
The weather snapshot is not static. If you are leaving later, give both cities one more quick forecast check before departure.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
Expect a predominantly highway-focused drive for this trip, with 88% of the mileage on I-5. You'll experience a longest uninterrupted stretch of 18.8 miles on the interstate, allowing for a consistent pace. While the majority of the route utilizes the efficiency of I-5, there are brief transitions onto Northwest Avenue and Elm Street as you approach your destination. This means the character shifts slightly from open highway to more local road conditions near the end of your journey.
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 5 and Northwest Avenue. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 0.2 miles in near WA 548 / Peace Portal Drive.
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 26m drive. You will face about 5 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.2 miles (WA 548 / Peace Portal Drive): Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch; at 0.4 miles: Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch; at 0.6 miles (I 5): Merge point - match speed before joining.
Blaine is a city in the Northwest Washington region of Washington (state). "The Peace Arch City" is the major land border crossing between Western Washington and the Lower Mainland region of British Columbia, Canada. It is on the coast of the Pacific Ocean, on Semiahmoo Bay and immediately north of Birch Bay.
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 26m. Total distance: 21.5 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
26m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (88%). Straightforward navigation.
Compiled by the US Trip Planner 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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