Origin
Mount Vernon, WA
Late night in Mount Vernon on Tuesday
Local time
2:22 AM
PDT
Current temp
45°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Mount Vernon, WA to Bellingham, WA
Pin this tripCompiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 21, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
39m
Distance
28.5 mi
46 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$6
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 36m
★
6 AM
0h 39m
8 AM
0h 46m
10 AM
0h 42m
12 PM
0h 41m
3 PM
0h 42m
5 PM
0h 46m
8 PM
0h 37m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Mount Vernon, WA
Wikimedia Commons
Bellingham, WA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Traveling between Mount Vernon and Bellingham is a quick, straightforward journey covering 28.5 miles along the Pacific Coast. With a total drive time of approximately 39 minutes, this route is easily managed as a single-day excursion, requiring no overnight stays. You can expect to spend about $6 on fuel, making it a budget-friendly option for a short trip. The drive utilizes I-5 as its primary artery, transitioning into local roads like Riverside Drive and East Holly Street upon arrival. Since both cities are located within the Pacific Coast region of Washington, the transition is seamless and familiar. It is a highly practical connection for those looking to move efficiently between these two Washington hubs.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 5 | 24.9 mi | 29m |
| East Holly Street | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| Riverside Drive | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| Dupont Street | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| Lakeway Drive | 0.4 mi | 1m |
| North 4th Street | 0.4 mi | <1m |
| Prospect Street | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| East College Way | 0.2 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 5
— 24.9 mi, about 29m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Mount Vernon, WA and Bellingham, WA.
1
Start on North 5th Street
0.1 mi
·
39 sec
·
North 5th Street
2
At end of road, turn left onto East Fulton Street
276 ft
·
11 sec
·
East Fulton Street
3
Turn right onto North 4th Street
0.4 mi
·
40 sec
·
North 4th Street
4
Continue on Riverside Drive
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
Riverside Drive
5
Turn left onto WA 538
0.2 mi
·
35 sec
·
East College Way
6
Take the ramp
0.4 mi
·
51 sec
Toward I 5 North: Vancouver British Columbia
Use the slight right lane.
7
Merge onto I 5
25 mi
·
29 min
·
I 5
8
Take the exit
0.1 mi
·
27 sec
Exit 253
Toward Lakeway Drive
9
Turn right onto King Street
471 ft
·
9 sec
·
King Street
10
Turn right onto Lakeway Drive
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
Lakeway Drive
11
Continue on East Holly Street
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
East Holly Street
12
Turn right onto Bay Street
77 ft
·
2 sec
·
Bay Street
13
Turn left onto Prospect Street
0.3 mi
·
38 sec
·
Prospect Street
14
Continue on Dupont Street
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
Dupont Street
15
Arrive at destination
Dupont Street
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 95 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 26.7 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0.1 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
East Fulton Street
At end of road, turn left onto East Fulton Street
Navigation decision point
4
1.1 mi into trip
|
~3m in
|
WA 538 / East College Way
Turn left onto WA 538 / East College Way
Navigation decision point
5
1.2 mi into trip
|
~3m in
Take the ramp toward I 5 North: Vancouver British Columbia
Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Toward I 5 North: Vancouver British Columbia
5
26.6 mi into trip
|
~33m in
Take the exit toward Lakeway Drive
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Exit 253
Toward Lakeway Drive
4
26.7 mi into trip
|
~34m in
|
King Street
Turn right onto King Street
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$5.96 one way
$11.93 round trip
$5.32/gal
25.4 MPG avg
10 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $5.58 | $6.26 | $12.51 |
| premium | $5.77 | $6.47 | $12.94 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $6.29 | $12.58 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$6
Estimated CO2 emission: 10 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 70% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 8.5 | 0 | $2.99 | $1.37 |
| Efficient EV | 7.1 | 0 | $2.49 | $1.14 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 11.4 | 0 | $3.99 | $1.82 |
Gas CO2
10 kg
EV CO2
3 kg (70% 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
Bellingham, WA
Late night in Bellingham on Tuesday
Local time
2:22 AM
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
2 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
39m 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?
This 28.5-mile journey is heavily highway-focused, with 87% of your time spent on major thoroughfares. You will spend the vast majority of your trip, specifically 24.9 miles, cruising uninterrupted on I-5. Because the route relies so heavily on the interstate, you can expect a consistent, high-speed pace rather than a winding or technical drive. The personality of the road shifts only at the very beginning and end as you navigate off the highway onto Riverside Drive and East Holly Street. Behind the wheel, it feels like a standard, functional transit route where the focus is on speed and efficiency rather than leisurely exploration.
87% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
15 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 24.9 mi on I 5.
How Hard Is This Drive?
4/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 5 and East Holly Street. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near East Fulton Street.
Driving Effort
4/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 39m drive. You will face about 9 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (East Fulton Street): Navigation decision point; at 1.1 miles (WA 538 / East College Way): Navigation decision point; at 1.2 miles: Lane positioning matters here.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
535 ft
31 ft
Total Climb
514 ft
Total Descent
538 ft
Highest Point
535 ft
~20.4 mi in
Elevation Range
504 ft
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 39m. Total distance: 28.5 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
39m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (87%). Straightforward navigation.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 24.9 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 0.1 miles (East Fulton Street): Navigation decision point; at 1.1 miles (WA 538 / East College Way): Navigation decision point; at 1.2 miles: Lane positioning matters here.
Yes — 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, USGS 3DEP for elevation, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
Was this helpful?
Thanks for your feedback!
Your tip has been submitted. Thanks!
/500
Recent Tips
·
Explore More
Continue From Bellingham, WA
More trips to Bellingham, WA
Explore more options from Mount Vernon, WA or browse trips ending in Bellingham, WA.
Looking for more statewide routes? Browse WA road trips.