Origin
Mattawa, WA
Morning in Mattawa on Sunday
Local time
11:05 AM
PDT
Current temp
50°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Mattawa, WA to Seattle, WA
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
2h 58m
Distance
153.4 mi
247 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$32
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
2h 47m
★
6 AM
2h 59m
8 AM
3h 21m
10 AM
3h 7m
12 PM
3h 4m
3 PM
3h 8m
5 PM
3h 20m
8 PM
2h 52m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Mattawa, WA
Wikimedia Commons
Seattle, WA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
This 153.4-mile drive from Mattawa, WA to Seattle, WA is a straightforward, single-day journey that can be completed in under 3 hours. Primarily utilizing I-90 and WA 26, it's a highway-focused route with 98% of the travel on interstates, making it efficient for getting from point A to point B. With a projected fuel cost of around $32, this trip is budget-friendly. The route is best tackled in one go, as there's no need to split it into multiple days. You'll experience a classic Pacific Northwest drive, moving from a more rural setting to the bustling urban environment of Seattle.
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
76.7 miles from Mattawa, WA
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 1h 31m into the drive .
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 90 | 135.4 mi | 2h 30m |
| State Route 243 | 14.3 mi | 21m |
| WA 26 | 1 mi | 1m |
| Government Road | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| Road 24 Southwest | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| Madison Street | 0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 90
— 135.4 mi, about 2h 30m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Mattawa, WA and Seattle, WA.
1
Start on Government Road
0.3 mi
·
35 sec
·
Government Road
2
Continue on Road 24 Southwest
0.3 mi
·
35 sec
·
Road 24 Southwest
3
Enter roundabout onto WA 243
10 ft
·
0 sec
·
State Route 243
Toward Vantage
4
Continue on WA 243
14 mi
·
21 min
·
State Route 243
Toward Vantage
5
At end of road, turn left onto WA 26
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
WA 26
6
Continue on this road
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
this road
Toward I 90 West: Seattle
7
Merge onto I 90
135 mi
·
2 hr 30 min
·
I 90
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Take the exit
0.7 mi
·
1 min
Exit 2C
Toward I 5 North: Vancouver British Columbia, James Street, Madison Street
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Keep slight left at fork
0.2 mi
·
21 sec
Toward I 5 North: Vancouver British Columbia, Madison Street, Convention Center
10
Keep slight right at fork
0.3 mi
·
54 sec
Toward Madison Street, Convention Place
Use the slight right lane.
11
Turn left onto Madison Street
0.1 mi
·
35 sec
·
Madison Street
Use the left / straight lanes.
12
Turn left
31 ft
·
2 sec
13
Arrive at destination
Trip Plan
Given the short 2-hour and 58-minute duration, this trip offers plenty of flexibility for departure times. You can easily leave mid-morning and still arrive in Seattle with plenty of daylight. With only one recommended stop, you can choose to make it a quick fuel and stretch break or forgo it altogether if needed. Keep an eye on your fuel gauge, especially during the 135.4-mile stretch on I-90, as services can be spaced out. The $32 fuel cost suggests planning for at least one fill-up along the way.
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 76.7 miles from Mattawa, WA, or about 1h 31m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 135.4 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 34 miles or 44m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 76.7 miles or 1h 31m 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 26m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Seattle, WA than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Mattawa, 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 Mattawa, WA
This is one driving day of about 153.4 miles and 2h 58m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 34 miles from Mattawa, 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 90 for about 135.4 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
77 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 34 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 76.7 miles from Mattawa, WA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Before the longest stretch
Fuel checkTop up before I 90 if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 135.4 miles.
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 85 decision points cluster between mile 0.7 and 153.3 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
0.7 mi into trip
|
~1m in
|
WA 243 / State Route 243
Enter roundabout onto WA 243 / State Route 243 toward Vantage
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering
Toward Vantage
8
152 mi into trip
|
~2h 55m in
Take the exit toward I 5 North: Vancouver British Columbia, James Street, Madison Street
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.
Exit 2C
Toward I 5 North: Vancouver British Columbia, J...
6
152.8 mi into trip
|
~2h 56m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 5 North: Vancouver British Columbia, Madison Street, Convention Center
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I 5 North: Vancouver British Columbia, M...
8
152.9 mi into trip
|
~2h 57m in
Keep slight right at fork toward Madison Street, Convention Place
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Toward Madison Street, Convention Place
6
153.3 mi into trip
|
~2h 58m in
|
Madison Street
Turn left onto Madison Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left / straight lanes.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$32.11 one way
$64.21 round trip
$5.32/gal
25.4 MPG avg
54 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $5.58 | $33.67 | $67.34 |
| premium | $5.77 | $34.84 | $69.67 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $33.87 | $67.74 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$32
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$57–$82
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 53.7 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $16 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 46 | 0 | $16.11 | $7.36 |
| Efficient EV | 38.4 | 0 | $13.42 | $6.14 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 61.4 | 0 | $21.48 | $9.82 |
Gas CO2
54 kg
EV CO2
18 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
Seattle, WA
Morning in Seattle on Sunday
Local time
11:05 AM
PDT
Current temp
49°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 58m 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 very highway-centric experience on this 153.4-mile route, with 98% of your journey spent on major roadways like I-90 and WA 26. The road offers a consistent pace, allowing you to cover ground quickly. You'll encounter a longest uninterrupted stretch of 135.4 miles on I-90, which means you can settle in for a good period without significant changes in road type. While not overly varied, this profile means less time navigating local roads and more time cruising towards your destination.
98% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
13 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 135.4 mi on I 90.
How Hard Is This Drive?
5/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 90 and State Route 243. You will hit about 8 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 0.7 miles in near WA 243 / State Route 243.
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 153.4 miles you will encounter 8 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 0.7 miles (WA 243 / State Route 243): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering; at 152 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 152.8 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
About the Cities
Arriving in Seattle, WA
Full guide →Seattle, Washington sits at one of the most beautiful spots in the United States. Occupying a narrow isthmus between the Puget Sound and Lake Washington, it is the biggest city in the Pacific Northwest, with 780,000 people in Seattle and over four million people in the metro area. Seen from above, carpets of evergreen trees, pristine blue waters, and snowy white mountains surround the downtown's metallic skyscrapers, earning the city its nickname The Emerald City. On the ground, you will find a vibrant and cosmopolitan city. Next to the progressive downtown and the freewheeling feel of Capitol Hill, you can find a laid-back atmosphere in the districts to the north and ethnically diverse neighborhoods to the south.
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 2h 58m. Total distance: 153.4 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
2h 58m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (98%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 135.4 miles on I 90. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes, with realistic expectations. Build in a stop roughly every 2 hours, have snacks and activities ready, and check the Nearby Places tabs for kid-friendly stops along the way.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.7 miles (WA 243 / State Route 243): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering; at 152 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 152.8 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Seattle, 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, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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