Origin
Tacoma, WA
Late night in Tacoma on Tuesday
Local time
2:24 AM
PDT
Current temp
45°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Tacoma, WA to Chico, 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
49m
Distance
35.6 mi
57 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$7
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 46m
★
6 AM
0h 50m
8 AM
0h 58m
10 AM
0h 53m
12 PM
0h 52m
3 PM
0h 53m
5 PM
0h 57m
8 PM
0h 47m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Chico, WA
Boko Shots
Trip Overview
This straightforward 35.6-mile drive from Tacoma to Chico, Washington, should take you about 49 minutes to complete. It's a perfect candidate for a day trip, requiring no overnight stays. The route is primarily highway-focused, with 91% of it on main roads like WA 16 and State Highway 3 Northwest. Expect a modest fuel cost of around $7 for the journey. Both your origin and destination are within the Pacific Coast region, so you won't be crossing major geographical divides on this relatively short hop.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| WA 16 | 28.3 mi | 36m |
| State Highway 3 Northwest | 4.2 mi | 5m |
| South 11th Street | 0.9 mi | 2m |
| South Sprague Avenue | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| Chico Way Northwest | 0.5 mi | <1m |
| Sprague Ramp | 0.3 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
WA 16
— 28.3 mi, about 36m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Tacoma, WA and Chico, WA.
1
Start on South 11th Street
0.9 mi
·
2 min
·
South 11th Street
2
Turn left onto South Sprague Avenue
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
South Sprague Avenue
3
Continue on Sprague Ramp
0.3 mi
·
41 sec
·
Sprague Ramp
4
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
23 sec
5
Keep slight right at fork
0.4 mi
·
52 sec
Toward WA 16 West: Gig Harbor, Bremerton
6
Merge onto WA 16
28 mi
·
36 min
·
WA 16
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Continue on WA 3
4.2 mi
·
5 min
·
State Highway 3 Northwest
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
42 sec
Toward Chico Way, Chico
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Turn right onto Chico Way Northwest
0.5 mi
·
59 sec
·
Chico Way Northwest
10
Arrive at destination
Chico Way Northwest
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
18 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 35.6 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 17.8 miles from Tacoma, 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 65 decision points cluster between mile 0.9 and 34.8 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
3
0.9 mi into trip
|
~2m in
|
South Sprague Avenue
Turn left onto South Sprague Avenue
Navigation decision point
4
1.7 mi into trip
|
~4m in
Take the exit
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
6
1.9 mi into trip
|
~5m in
Keep slight right at fork toward WA 16 West: Gig Harbor, Bremerton
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward WA 16 West: Gig Harbor, Bremerton
5
2.3 mi into trip
|
~5m in
|
WA 16
Merge onto WA 16
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
34.8 mi into trip
|
~47m in
Take the exit toward Chico Way, Chico
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.
Toward Chico Way, Chico
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$7.45 one way
$14.90 round trip
$5.32/gal
25.4 MPG avg
13 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $5.58 | $7.81 | $15.63 |
| premium | $5.77 | $8.08 | $16.17 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $7.86 | $15.72 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$7
Estimated CO2 emission: 12.5 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 10.7 | 0 | $3.74 | $1.71 |
| Efficient EV | 8.9 | 0 | $3.11 | $1.42 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 14.2 | 0 | $4.98 | $2.28 |
Gas CO2
12 kg
EV CO2
4 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
Chico, WA
Late night in Chico on Tuesday
Local time
2:24 AM
PDT
Current temp
45°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
Very similar conditions
Both ends of the route are sitting at about the same temperature right now.
Road read
49m 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?
You'll find this is largely a highway-focused drive, with a significant 91% of the miles covered on main roads. The longest uninterrupted stretch you’ll encounter is 28.3 miles on WA 16, offering a good period of consistent travel. Expect a smooth experience as you navigate through State Highway 3 Northwest and South 11th Street. This route is designed for efficient travel rather than winding scenic exploration.
91% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
10 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 28.3 mi on WA 16.
How Hard Is This Drive?
4/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on WA 16 and State Highway 3 Northwest. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 0.9 miles in near South Sprague Avenue.
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 49m drive. You will face about 6 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 (South Sprague Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 1.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early; at 1.9 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
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 Tacoma, WA to Chico, WA, road signs begin pointing toward Bremerton along the way.
Bremerton
1.9 mi in
|
~5m
About the Cities
Starting in Tacoma, WA
Full guide →Tacoma, a major port on the Puget Sound, is the third-largest city in Washington State, with about 220,000 residents. It has a dynamic art scene and a great ballet.
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 49m. Total distance: 35.6 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
49m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (91%). Straightforward navigation.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 28.3 miles on WA 16. 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 (South Sprague Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 1.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early; at 1.9 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
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 Chico, 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.
Was this helpful?
Thanks for your feedback!
Your tip has been submitted. Thanks!
/500
Recent Tips
·
Explore More
More trips to Chico, WA
Explore more options from Tacoma, WA or browse trips ending in Chico, WA.
Looking for more statewide routes? Browse WA road trips.