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Trip from Seattle, WA to Stanwood, 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 9m

Distance

53.4 mi

86 km

Drive Score

7/10

Good drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$11

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 16 min
4 AM
1h 4m ★
6 AM
1h 9m
8 AM
1h 20m
10 AM
1h 13m
12 PM
1h 12m
3 PM
1h 14m
5 PM
1h 20m
8 PM
1h 6m

Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.

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

Seattle, WA

Wikimedia Commons

city in Washington State, United States

Stanwood, WA

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

This straightforward 53.4-mile drive from Seattle, WA, to Stanwood, WA, is easily manageable in about 1 hour and 9 minutes, making it a perfect day trip. With 95% of the journey on highways, you'll spend most of your time on Interstate 5. The estimated fuel cost is a budget-friendly $11, and since there are no recommended stops, you can complete this trip without much interruption. This route keeps you within the Pacific Coast region, offering a simple and efficient connection between two Washington locations.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
I 5 46.4 mi 57m
State Route 532 4.1 mi 6m
268th Street Northwest 1.8 mi 2m
Stanwood Bryant Road 0.2 mi <1m
4th Avenue 0.2 mi <1m
University Street 0.1 mi <1m
Madison Street <0.1 mi <1m
102nd Avenue Northwest <0.1 mi <1m
Longest stretch: I 5 — 46.4 mi, about 57m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Seattle, WA and Stanwood, WA.

1

Start on this road

31 ft · 7 sec · this road
2

Turn left onto Madison Street

204 ft · 11 sec · Madison Street
3

Turn right onto 4th Avenue

0.2 mi · 39 sec · 4th Avenue
Use the straight lane.
4

Turn right onto University Street

0.1 mi · 26 sec · University Street
5

Take the ramp

0.3 mi · 41 sec
Toward I 5 North
6

Merge onto I 5

46 mi · 57 min · I 5
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7

Take the exit

0.2 mi · 35 sec
Toward WA 532 West: Stanwood, Camano Island
8

Turn left onto WA 532

0.2 mi · 22 sec · Stanwood Bryant Road
9

Continue on WA 532

4.0 mi · 5 min · State Route 532
10

Continue on WA 532

1.8 mi · 2 min · 268th Street Northwest
11

Continue on WA 532

490 ft · 12 sec · State Route 532
12

Turn right onto 102nd Avenue Northwest

53 ft · 1 sec · 102nd Avenue Northwest
13

Arrive at destination

102nd Avenue Northwest

Where to Stop

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

city in Snohomish County, Washington, United States

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Lynnwood, WA

27 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

Shoreline, WA

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 12 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Alderwood Manor, WA

Meal break

The midpoint is around 26.7 miles from Seattle, WA, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

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 8

5 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 47.1 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.

5
0 mi into trip | ~0m in | Madison Street

Turn left onto Madison Street

Navigation decision point

7
0 mi into trip | ~0m in | 4th Avenue

Turn right onto 4th Avenue

Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight lane.
5
0.2 mi into trip | ~0m in | University Street

Turn right onto University Street

Navigation decision point

5
0.7 mi into trip | ~2m in | I 5

Merge onto I 5

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

Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
47.1 mi into trip | ~59m in

Take the exit toward WA 532 West: Stanwood, Camano Island

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Toward WA 532 West: Stanwood, Camano Island

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$11.18 one way

$22.35 round trip

$5.32/gal 25.4 MPG avg 19 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $5.58 $11.72 $23.44
premium $5.77 $12.13 $24.25
diesel $5.61 $11.79 $23.58

No toll roads detected on this route.

Drive Cost (one way)

Fuel

$11

Estimated CO2 emission: 18.7 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $6 in charging · 0 stops · 68% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 16 0 $5.61 $2.56
Efficient EV 13.4 0 $4.67 $2.14
EV Truck/SUV 21.4 0 $7.48 $3.42

Gas CO2

19 kg

EV CO2

6 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 17, 2026

Origin

Seattle, WA

Late night in Seattle on Sunday

Local time

12:32 AM

PDT

Current temp

56°F

Mostly Sunny

NNW 5 mph 0% chance Live forecast

Destination

Stanwood, WA

Late night in Stanwood on Sunday

Local time

12:32 AM

PDT

Current temp

78°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

22 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 9m on the road

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.

What kind of drive is this?

Expect a highway-focused drive for the vast majority of this trip, with 95% of the 53.4 miles on major roadways. You'll primarily be on I-5, experiencing a consistent driving pace for the longest stretch of 46.4 miles. This section is designed for efficiency, transitioning to State Route 532 and then 268th Street Northwest as you approach your destination. The road's character remains largely consistent, prioritizing direct travel over varied scenery.

95% 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: 46.4 mi on I 5.

How Hard Is This Drive?

3/10

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 5 and State Route 532. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near Madison Street.

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 9m drive. You will face about 8 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.

Where does it get tricky?

The main spots that need attention: near the start (Madison Street): Navigation decision point; near the start (4th Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 0.2 miles (University Street): Navigation decision point.

Towns Mentioned on Route Signs

Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.

On the drive from Seattle, WA to Stanwood, WA, road signs begin pointing toward Camano Island along the way.

Camano Island

47.1 mi in | ~59m

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 9m. Total distance: 53.4 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

1h 9m drive, comfortable solo distance.

EV Driver

0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (95%). Straightforward navigation.

Frequently Asked Questions

The longest stretch is about 46.4 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: near the start (Madison Street): Navigation decision point; near the start (4th Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 0.2 miles (University Street): Navigation decision point.

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 Stanwood, 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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Explore more options from Seattle, WA or browse trips ending in Stanwood, WA.

Looking for more statewide routes? Browse WA road trips.