Origin
Mill Creek, WA
Night in Mill Creek on Saturday
Local time
9:22 PM
PDT
Current temp
57°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Mill Creek, 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
38m
Distance
23.1 mi
37 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$5
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 35m
★
6 AM
0h 38m
8 AM
0h 44m
10 AM
0h 40m
12 PM
0h 40m
3 PM
0h 41m
5 PM
0h 44m
8 PM
0h 36m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Mill Creek, WA
Wikimedia Commons
Seattle, WA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
If you are planning to head from Mill Creek to Seattle, you are looking at a manageable 23.1-mile journey that typically takes about 38 minutes. This short distance makes it a perfect day trip, requiring no overnight stays or complex logistics. You will navigate primarily via 16th Avenue Southeast, Mill Creek Boulevard, and 153rd Street Southeast rather than major interstates. With a fuel budget of just $5, it is an economical commute between these two Pacific Coast locations. Because the entire route stays within Washington, you will find the transition between these areas straightforward and efficient. It is a practical path for anyone needing to get from the suburbs into the heart of the city without unnecessary detours.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 5 | 16.1 mi | 20m |
| 164th Street Southeast | 2.5 mi | 5m |
| Alderwood Mall Parkway | 0.8 mi | 1m |
| Bothell-Everett Highway | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| Mill Creek Boulevard | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| 16th Avenue Southeast | 0.4 mi | 1m |
| 5th Avenue | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| 151st Street Southeast | 0.2 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 5
— 16.1 mi, about 20m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Mill Creek, WA and Seattle, WA.
1
Start on 151st Street Southeast
0.2 mi
·
49 sec
·
151st Street Southeast
2
Continue on 16th Avenue Southeast
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
16th Avenue Southeast
3
At end of road, turn left onto Mill Creek Boulevard
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
Mill Creek Boulevard
4
Turn right onto 153rd Street Southeast
0.2 mi
·
49 sec
·
153rd Street Southeast
5
Turn left onto WA 527
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
Bothell-Everett Highway
6
Turn right onto 164th Street Southeast
2.5 mi
·
5 min
·
164th Street Southeast
Use the straight lane.
7
Turn left onto Alderwood Mall Parkway
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
Alderwood Mall Parkway
8
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
34 sec
Toward I 5 South, I 405 South, WA 525 South
Use the left lane.
9
Merge onto WA 525
519 ft
·
7 sec
·
WA 525
10
Take the exit
0.7 mi
·
1 min
Toward Seattle
Use the slight right lane.
11
Keep slight left at fork
491 ft
·
12 sec
Toward I 5 South: Seattle
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
12
Merge onto I 5
16 mi
·
20 min
·
I 5
Use the straight / left lanes.
13
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
25 sec
Exit 165B
Toward Union Street
Use the slight right lane.
14
Continue on Union Street
0.2 mi
·
41 sec
·
Union Street
Use the straight / left / right lanes.
15
Turn left onto 5th Avenue
0.3 mi
·
55 sec
·
5th Avenue
Use the left lane.
16
Turn right onto Madison Street
113 ft
·
9 sec
·
Madison Street
17
Turn left
31 ft
·
2 sec
18
Arrive at destination
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 155 decision points cluster between mile 5.2 and 22.8 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
8
5.2 mi into trip
|
~13m in
Take the ramp toward I 5 South, I 405 South, WA 525 South
Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the left lane.
Toward I 5 South, I 405 South, WA 525 South
6
5.6 mi into trip
|
~14m in
Take the exit toward Seattle
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Toward Seattle
7
6.3 mi into trip
|
~15m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 5 South: Seattle
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
Toward I 5 South: Seattle
7
22.5 mi into trip
|
~35m in
Take the exit toward Union Street
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 165B
Toward Union Street
7
22.8 mi into trip
|
~36m in
|
5th Avenue
Turn left onto 5th Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$4.83 one way
$9.67 round trip
$5.32/gal
25.4 MPG avg
8 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $5.58 | $5.07 | $10.14 |
| premium | $5.77 | $5.25 | $10.49 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $5.10 | $10.20 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$5
Estimated CO2 emission: 8.1 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 | 6.9 | 0 | $2.43 | $1.11 |
| Efficient EV | 5.8 | 0 | $2.02 | $0.92 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 9.2 | 0 | $3.23 | $1.48 |
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.
Travel Intel
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Destination
Seattle, WA
Night in Seattle on Saturday
Local time
9:22 PM
PDT
Current temp
49°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
8 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
38m 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 turn-heavy local drive rather than a high-speed interstate experience. Since this route maintains a 0% highway share, you will be navigating surface streets for the entire 23.1-mile duration. The road’s personality is defined by consistent turns and local navigation, requiring your full attention as you transition between Mill Creek Boulevard and 153rd Street Southeast. You won't find any long, uninterrupted highway stretches here, so prepare for a drive that demands steady engagement with stop-and-go traffic patterns. It is an urban-focused route that favors maneuverability over cruising speed.
74% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
18 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 16.1 mi on I 5.
How Hard Is This Drive?
8/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 5 and 164th Street Southeast. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 5.2 miles in.
Driving Effort
8/10
Focused - busy navigation packed into a short drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 15 decision points packed into just 23.1 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 38m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 5.2 miles: Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 5.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 6.3 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
About the Cities
Starting in Mill Creek, WA
Full guide →Everett is a city in the Puget Sound region of Washington State, 28 mi (45 km) north of Seattle at the edge of its metropolitan area. The city supports one of Boeing's oldest and largest airplane manufacturing centers, which includes the world's largest building by volume.
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 38m. Total distance: 23.1 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
38m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (74%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 16.1 miles on I 5. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
It helps. This route has a higher-than-average number of complex decision points, which get harder in the dark. If the last hour of the trip is on surface roads or mountain grades, aim to arrive at Seattle, WA before sunset when you can. Check the Trip Plan for departure windows that land you in daylight.
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 5.2 miles: Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 5.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 6.3 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. 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 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, EIA for fuel prices, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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