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Trip from Tacoma, WA to Kingston, 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 20m

Distance

56.4 mi

91 km

Drive Score

7/10

Good drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$12

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 19 min
4 AM
1h 14m ★
6 AM
1h 21m
8 AM
1h 33m
10 AM
1h 25m
12 PM
1h 24m
3 PM
1h 26m
5 PM
1h 33m
8 PM
1h 17m

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

Downtown Kingston, WA, WA

Kingston, WA

Harrison Reilly

Trip Overview

Tacoma to Kingston is 56.4 miles and takes about 1 hour 20 minutes via WA 16, with a fuel budget near $12 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within Washington State, connecting two points in the Pacific Coast region. Expect a drive that predominantly uses highways, making it a straightforward journey. It's a short enough drive that you can easily fit it into a single day, allowing for flexibility in your schedule. Consider this route if you're looking for an efficient way to travel between these two locations without extensive planning.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
WA 16 28.3 mi 36m
State Highway 3 Northwest 15.8 mi 19m
Bond Road Northeast 5.2 mi 8m
Northeast State Highway 104 3.8 mi 7m
South 11th Street 0.9 mi 2m
State Highway 305 Northeast 0.6 mi 1m
South Sprague Avenue 0.6 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 Kingston, 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

16 mi · 19 min · State Highway 3 Northwest
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8

Take the exit

0.3 mi · 44 sec
Toward WA 305 South: Poulsbo, Bainbridge Island Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9

Keep slight right at fork

218 ft · 5 sec
10

Turn straight onto WA 305

0.6 mi · 1 min · State Highway 305 Northeast
11

Turn left onto WA 307

5.2 mi · 8 min · Bond Road Northeast
Use the left lane.
12

Continue on WA 104

3.8 mi · 7 min · Northeast State Highway 104
Use the straight lane.
13

Arrive at destination

WA 104

Where to Stop

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

Downtown Rocky Point, WA, WA

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Rocky Point, WA

28 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

Gig Harbor, WA

Fuel and coffee

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

Navy Yard City, WA

Meal break

The midpoint is around 28.2 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 7

5 decision points cluster between mile 1.7 and 47.4 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.

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
46.4 mi into trip | ~1h 2m in

Take the exit toward WA 305 South: Poulsbo, Bainbridge Island

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 WA 305 South: Poulsbo, Bainbridge Island
5
47.4 mi into trip | ~1h 4m in | WA 307 / Bond Road Northeast

Turn left onto WA 307 / Bond Road Northeast

Lane positioning matters here

Use the left lane.

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$11.80 one way

$23.61 round trip

$5.32/gal 25.4 MPG avg 20 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $5.58 $12.38 $24.76
premium $5.77 $12.81 $25.62
diesel $5.61 $12.45 $24.90

No toll roads detected on this route.

Drive Cost (one way)

Fuel

$12

Estimated CO2 emission: 19.7 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $6 in charging · 0 stops · 65% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 16.9 0 $5.92 $2.71
Efficient EV 14.1 0 $4.94 $2.26
EV Truck/SUV 22.6 0 $7.90 $3.61

Gas CO2

20 kg

EV CO2

7 kg (65% 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 15, 2026

Origin

Tacoma, WA

Late night in Tacoma on Sunday

Local time

2:54 AM

PDT

Current temp

59°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Kingston, WA

Late night in Kingston on Sunday

Local time

2:54 AM

PDT

Current temp

63°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

43°F

Rocky Point, WA

28 mi in

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

4 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 20m 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 is largely a highway-focused drive, with 86% of the journey utilizing major roadways. You'll find yourself on WA 16 for a significant stretch, including the longest uninterrupted segment of 28.3 miles. The route transitions onto State Highway 3 Northwest and then Bond Road Northeast, offering a mix of high-speed travel and potentially more local road conditions as you approach your destination. The character of the road is geared towards efficient travel, minimizing time spent on slower, winding paths.

86% 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: 28.3 mi on WA 16.

How Hard Is This Drive?

5/10

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on WA 16 and State Highway 3 Northwest. You will hit about 7 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 1.7 miles in.

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 56.4 miles you will encounter 7 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 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; at 2.3 miles (WA 16): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.

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 Kingston, WA, road signs begin pointing toward Bainbridge Island along the way.

Bainbridge Island

46.4 mi in | ~1h 2m

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 20m. Total distance: 56.4 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

1h 20m drive, comfortable solo distance.

EV Driver

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

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (86%). Some complex stretches to watch for.

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 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; at 2.3 miles (WA 16): Merge point - match speed before joining. 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 Kingston, 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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