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Trip from Martha Lake, WA to Bellingham, WA

Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

1h 31m

Distance

71.6 mi

115 km

Drive Score

7/10

Good drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$15

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 21 min
4 AM
1h 25m ★
6 AM
1h 32m
8 AM
1h 46m
10 AM
1h 37m
12 PM
1h 35m
3 PM
1h 37m
5 PM
1h 45m
8 PM
1h 28m

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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Downtown Martha Lake, WA, WA

Martha Lake, WA

JOHN CALLERY

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

Bellingham, WA

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

This 71.6-mile drive from Martha Lake, WA, to Bellingham, WA, is easily manageable in about 1 hour and 31 minutes, making it a perfect day trip. The journey is primarily on I-5, accounting for 93% of the route, so expect a highway-focused experience. With an estimated fuel cost of $15, this is an economical option for exploring the Pacific Coast region within Washington state. You'll spend most of your time on the interstate, with the longest continuous stretch being 66.3 miles on I-5, so plan for minimal detours. This route offers a straightforward and efficient way to travel north through Washington.

Trip Pace

Same-day drive is realistic

A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.

Midpoint

35.8 miles from Martha Lake, WA

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 46m into the drive .

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
I 5 66.3 mi 1h 17m
Cascadian Way 1.3 mi 3m
East Holly Street 0.6 mi 1m
Dupont Street 0.5 mi 1m
East Shore Drive 0.5 mi 1m
Lakeway Drive 0.4 mi 1m
155th Street Southwest 0.4 mi <1m
Prospect Street 0.3 mi <1m
Longest stretch: I 5 — 66.3 mi, about 1h 17m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Martha Lake, WA and Bellingham, WA.

1

Start on Pitner Drive

427 ft · 19 sec · Pitner Drive
2

Turn right onto East Shore Drive

0.5 mi · 1 min · East Shore Drive
3

Continue on 155th Street Southwest

0.4 mi · 57 sec · 155th Street Southwest
4

Turn left onto Cascadian Way

1.3 mi · 3 min · Cascadian Way
5

Continue on Meadow Place Southeast

0.1 mi · 24 sec · Meadow Place Southeast
6

Turn right onto Meridian Avenue South

0.2 mi · 32 sec · Meridian Avenue South
7

Continue on 130th Street Southeast

0.2 mi · 32 sec · 130th Street Southeast
8

Continue on 3rd Avenue Southeast

0.1 mi · 23 sec · 3rd Avenue Southeast
9

Turn left onto WA 96

0.1 mi · 17 sec · 128th Street Southeast
10

Take the ramp

0.3 mi · 42 sec
Toward I 5 North: Vancouver British Columbia Use the right lane.
11

Merge onto I 5

66 mi · 1 hr 17 min · I 5
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
12

Take the exit

0.1 mi · 27 sec
Exit 253 Toward Lakeway Drive
13

Turn right onto King Street

471 ft · 9 sec · King Street
14

Turn right onto Lakeway Drive

0.4 mi · 1 min · Lakeway Drive
15

Continue on East Holly Street

0.6 mi · 1 min · East Holly Street
16

Turn right onto Bay Street

77 ft · 2 sec · Bay Street
17

Turn left onto Prospect Street

0.3 mi · 38 sec · Prospect Street
18

Continue on Dupont Street

0.5 mi · 1 min · Dupont Street
19

Arrive at destination

Dupont Street

Trip Plan

Given the efficient 1 hour and 31 minute duration for this 71.6-mile drive, you have great flexibility in when you depart. Leaving Martha Lake, WA, early in the morning can help you avoid potential I-5 traffic as you head north. The longest stretch is 66.3 miles on I-5, so consider a brief stop around the halfway point for a quick stretch, even though no specific stops are listed. With a fuel cost estimated at $15, keeping your tank topped up is straightforward. As you near Bellingham, be prepared to transition from I-5 to local streets like East Holly Street, so pay attention to your navigation.

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 35.8 miles from Martha Lake, WA, or about 46m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 66.3 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 16 miles or 23m in

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

Halfway reset

Around 35.8 miles or 46m 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 15m

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

Before You Leave

+

Open the route before leaving Martha Lake, WA so your first major turns are already loaded.

Day 1

Settle into the route from Martha Lake, WA

This is one driving day of about 71.6 miles and 1h 31m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 16 miles from Martha Lake, WA.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on I 5 for about 66.3 miles.

Where to Stop

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

plantation estate of George Washington, in Fairfax County, Virginia, United States

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Mount Vernon, WA

36 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.

Popular next leg

Mount Vernon, WA to Bellingham, WA

28.5 mi · 39m

Pacing Suggestions

Everett, WA

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 16 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Mount Vernon, WA

Meal break

The midpoint is around 35.8 miles from Martha Lake, WA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Before the longest stretch

Fuel check

Top up before I 5 if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 66.3 miles.

These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.

Nearby Places

Restaurants, cafes, gas stations and more along your route.

Top Restaurant

Taste of Thai by Wipa

4.8 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Burlington, Washington

Around the midpoint, right off the route

0.5 mi from route ~1 min detour $20 to $30 mile 46

Hours: 11 am–9 pm

+13608995823

Visit website

Tepic Mexican Restaurant Burlington

4.4 ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

Burlington, Washington

0.3 mi

The Curious Chef

4.4 ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

Burlington, Washington

0.2 mi

Top Coffee Stop

Quantum Café

4.9 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Burlington, Washington

Around the midpoint, short detour

1.2 mi from route ~3 min detour $10 to $20 mile 46

Hours: 7 am–5 pm

+13602301349

Visit website

Taste of Thai by Wipa

4.8 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Around the midpoint, right off the route

0.5 mi from route ~1 min detour $20 to $30 mile 46

Burlington, Washington

Hours: 11 am–9 pm

+13608995823

Visit website

Tepic Mexican Restaurant Burlington

4.4 ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

Around the midpoint, right off the route

0.3 mi from route ~1 min detour $20 to $30 mile 46

Burlington, Washington

Hours: 9 am–9 pm

+13608994172

Visit website

The Curious Chef

4.4 ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

Around the midpoint, right off the route

0.2 mi from route ~1 min detour $10 to $20 mile 46

Burlington, Washington

Hours: 7 am–3 pm

+13607570300

Bellingham Cider Company Restaurant

4.6 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Near the end, right off the route

0.5 mi from route ~1 min detour $20 to $30 mile 71.6

Bellingham, Washington

Hours: 12–8 pm

+13605108494

Visit website

Fanny's Restaurant

4.5 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Early in the drive, right off the route

0.5 mi from route ~1 min detour $10 to $20 mile 15.3

Marysville, Washington

Hours: 7 am–2 pm

+13606538164

The Loft Restaurant

4.2 ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

Near the end, right off the route

0.4 mi from route ~1 min detour $20 to $30 mile 71.6

Bellingham, Washington

Hours: 12–9 pm

+13603065668

Visit website

Arlis's Restaurant

4.6 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Near the end, right off the route

0.7 mi from route ~2 min detour $10 to $20 mile 71.6

Bellingham, Washington

Hours: 7:30 am–1:30 pm

+13606471788

Visit website

Luca Italian Restaurant

4.7 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Near the start, right off the route

0.8 mi from route ~2 min detour mile 10.2

Everett, Washington

Hours: 4–10 pm

+14257891279

Visit website

Quantum Café

4.9 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Around the midpoint, short detour

1.2 mi from route ~3 min detour $10 to $20 mile 46

Burlington, Washington

Hours: 7 am–5 pm

+13602301349

Visit website

Escape Everett

5.0 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Near the start, right off the route

0.2 mi from route mile 10.2

Everett, Washington

Visit website

North Creek Park

4.6 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Near the start, short detour

1.6 mi from route ~4 min detour

Bothell, Washington

Hours: 7 am–6 pm

+14253886600

Visit website

Jetty Island

4.6 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Near the start, short detour

2.6 mi from route ~6 min detour mile 10.2

Everett, Washington

Hours: 9 am–4 pm

+14252578304

Flying Heritage & Combat Armor Museum

4.9 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Near the start, short detour

3.2 mi from route ~8 min detour mile 5.1

Everett, Washington

Hours: 10 am–4 pm

+18773423404

Visit website

Boeing Future of Flight​

4.5 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Near the start, ~9 min detour

3.8 mi from route ~9 min detour mile 5.1

Mukilteo, Washington

Hours: 8:30 am–5:30 pm

+18004641476

Visit website

Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.

Heads-up: tricky spots

5 of 10

5 decision points cluster between mile 0.9 and 69.7 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.

4
0.9 mi into trip | ~2m in | Cascadian Way

Turn left onto Cascadian Way

Navigation decision point

4
2.4 mi into trip | ~6m in | Meridian Avenue South

Turn right onto Meridian Avenue South

Navigation decision point

5
3.1 mi into trip | ~7m in

Take the ramp toward I 5 North: Vancouver British Columbia

Lane positioning matters here

Use the right lane. Toward I 5 North: Vancouver British Columbia
5
3.4 mi into trip | ~8m in | I 5

Merge onto I 5

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

Use the straight / slight left lanes.
5
69.7 mi into trip | ~1h 26m in

Take the exit toward Lakeway Drive

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early

Exit 253 Toward Lakeway Drive

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$14.99 one way

$29.97 round trip

$5.32/gal 25.4 MPG avg 25 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $5.58 $15.72 $31.43
premium $5.77 $16.26 $32.52
diesel $5.61 $15.81 $31.62

No toll roads detected on this route.

Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)

Fuel

$15

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$40–$65

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

Estimated CO2 emission: 25.1 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $8 in charging · 0 stops · 68% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 21.5 0 $7.52 $3.44
Efficient EV 17.9 0 $6.26 $2.86
EV Truck/SUV 28.6 0 $10.02 $4.58

Gas CO2

25 kg

EV CO2

8 kg (68% 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 as of Apr 15, 2026

Origin

Martha Lake, WA

Afternoon in Martha Lake on Sunday

Local time

1:22 PM

PDT

Current temp

46°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Bellingham, WA

Afternoon in Bellingham on Sunday

Local time

1:22 PM

PDT

Current temp

59°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

58°F

Mount Vernon, WA

36 mi in

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

13 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 31m 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.

National Parks Near This Route

Worth a detour if your schedule allows.

Klondike Gold Rush - Seattle Unit National Historical Park

Klondike Gold Rush - Seattle Unit National Historical Park

National Historical Park

Seattle flourished during and after the Klondike Gold Rush. Merchants supplied people from around the world passing through this port city on their way to a remarkable adventure in the Yukon Territory...

18 mi from route ~45 min detour Free
View on nps.gov
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...

30 mi from route ~75 min detour Free near mile 66.7
View on nps.gov

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

What kind of drive is this?

Expect a predominantly highway-focused drive for this 71.6-mile trip. With 93% of the journey on major highways like I-5, you'll experience a consistent pace for most of the 1 hour and 31 minute duration. The longest uninterrupted segment is a significant 66.3 miles on I-5, indicating long stretches of consistent driving. While the profile is highway-focused, you will transition onto local roads like Cascadian Way and East Holly Street as you approach your destination in Bellingham, offering a slight change of pace.

93% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
19 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 66.3 mi on I 5.

How Hard Is This Drive?

3/10

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 5 and Cascadian Way. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 0.9 miles in near Cascadian Way.

Driving Effort 3/10

Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

This is a straightforward 1h 31m drive. You will face about 10 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.

Where does it get tricky?

The main spots that need attention: at 0.9 miles (Cascadian Way): Navigation decision point; at 2.4 miles (Meridian Avenue South): Navigation decision point; at 3.1 miles: Lane positioning matters here.

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 31m. Total distance: 71.6 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

1h 31m drive, comfortable solo distance.

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (93%). Straightforward navigation.

Frequently Asked Questions

The longest stretch is about 66.3 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: at 0.9 miles (Cascadian Way): Navigation decision point; at 2.4 miles (Meridian Avenue South): Navigation decision point; at 3.1 miles: Lane positioning matters here.

Yes — Klondike Gold Rush - Seattle Unit National Historical Park and San Juan Island 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 Bellingham, 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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