Origin
Tacoma, WA
Late night in Tacoma on Sunday
Local time
12:36 AM
PDT
Current temp
59°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Tacoma, WA to Tumwater, WA
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
44m
Distance
32.5 mi
52 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 41m
★
6 AM
0h 44m
8 AM
0h 52m
10 AM
0h 47m
12 PM
0h 46m
3 PM
0h 47m
5 PM
0h 51m
8 PM
0h 42m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Tumwater, WA
Ken Cheatham
Trip Overview
If you are looking to travel from Tacoma to Tumwater, you are in for a quick 32.5-mile journey that typically takes about 44 minutes. Because this is a short trip within the Pacific Coast region, you can easily complete it in a single day without needing an overnight stay. Your path will take you off the major interstates, utilizing local thoroughfares like Market Street, South 13th Street, and I-705. You should budget roughly $7 for fuel to cover this distance, making it a very economical excursion. This drive is best suited for those who prefer navigating local roads rather than sticking to high-speed corridors. It is an ideal, straightforward route for a quick change of scenery.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 5 | 28.9 mi | 36m |
| I 705 | 0.8 mi | 1m |
| Capitol Boulevard Southeast | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| Deschutes Way Southwest | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| South 13th Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| Market Street | 0.1 mi | <1m |
| South 11th Street | 0.1 mi | <1m |
| Boston Street Southeast | 0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
I 5
— 28.9 mi, about 36m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Tacoma, WA and Tumwater, WA.
1
Start on South 11th Street
0.1 mi
·
29 sec
·
South 11th Street
2
Turn right onto Market Street
0.1 mi
·
31 sec
·
Market Street
3
Turn left onto South 13th Street
0.2 mi
·
35 sec
·
South 13th Street
4
Turn right onto I 705 SB Ramp
213 ft
·
11 sec
·
I 705 SB Ramp
5
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
21 sec
Toward Port of Tacoma
6
Merge onto I 705
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
I 705
7
Keep slight left at fork
0.8 mi
·
1 min
Toward I 5 South: Portland
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Merge onto I 5
29 mi
·
36 min
·
I 5
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
37 sec
Toward Deschutes Way, 2nd Avenue
10
Continue on North 2nd Avenue Southwest
499 ft
·
16 sec
·
North 2nd Avenue Southwest
11
Turn left onto Custer Way Southwest
0.1 mi
·
15 sec
·
Custer Way Southwest
12
Turn right onto Boston Street Southeast
0.1 mi
·
20 sec
·
Boston Street Southeast
13
At end of road, turn left onto Deschutes Way Southwest
0.3 mi
·
27 sec
·
Deschutes Way Southwest
14
Turn left onto E Street Southwest
172 ft
·
3 sec
·
E Street Southwest
15
Turn slight right
197 ft
·
8 sec
16
Turn straight onto Capitol Boulevard Southeast
0.3 mi
·
47 sec
·
Capitol Boulevard Southeast
17
Turn right onto Linwood Avenue Southwest
406 ft
·
11 sec
·
Linwood Avenue Southwest
18
Turn slight right
53 ft
·
2 sec
19
Arrive at destination
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 135 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 31.2 — 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
|
Market Street
Turn right onto Market Street
Navigation decision point
5
0.3 mi into trip
|
~1m in
|
South 13th Street
Turn left onto South 13th Street
Navigation decision point
7
1.5 mi into trip
|
~3m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 5 South: Portland
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward I 5 South: Portland
5
2.3 mi into trip
|
~4m in
|
I 5
Merge onto I 5
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
31.2 mi into trip
|
~41m in
Take the exit toward Deschutes Way, 2nd Avenue
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward Deschutes Way, 2nd Avenue
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$6.80 one way
$13.60 round trip
$5.32/gal
25.4 MPG avg
11 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $5.58 | $7.13 | $14.27 |
| premium | $5.77 | $7.38 | $14.76 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $7.18 | $14.35 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$7
Estimated CO2 emission: 11.4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 64% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 9.8 | 0 | $3.41 | $1.56 |
| Efficient EV | 8.1 | 0 | $2.84 | $1.30 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 13 | 0 | $4.55 | $2.08 |
Gas CO2
11 kg
EV CO2
4 kg (64% 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
Tumwater, WA
Late night in Tumwater on Sunday
Local time
12:36 AM
PDT
Current temp
42°F
Chance Light Rain
SSW 7 mph
33% chance
Live forecast
Winter Weather Advisory
Winter Weather Advisory issued April 13 at 9:47PM PDT until April 15 at 11:00PM PDT by NWS Pendleton OR
Flood Warning
Flood Warning issued April 13 at 8:55PM PDT until April 14 at 7:06PM PDT by NWS Spokane WA
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
17 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
44m 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 turn-heavy, local driving experience rather than a monotonous interstate grind on this 32.5-mile trip. With a highway share of 0%, you will spend your time navigating through city streets and local connectors instead of maintaining a steady cruise on a major highway. The road demands your full attention due to the frequent turns required to navigate through the urban landscape. Because this route lacks long, uninterrupted stretches, you will find it to be a more technical drive than a typical highway cruise. You will feel the shift in character as you move away from the heart of Tacoma and wind your way toward Tumwater.
91% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
19 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 28.9 mi on I 5.
How Hard Is This Drive?
6/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 5 and I 705. You will hit about 13 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near Market Street.
Driving Effort
6/10
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 32.5 miles you will encounter 13 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 0.1 miles (Market Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.3 miles (South 13th Street): Navigation decision point; at 1.5 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 44m. Total distance: 32.5 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
44m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (91%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 28.9 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 Tumwater, 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 0.1 miles (Market Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.3 miles (South 13th Street): Navigation decision point; at 1.5 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 Tumwater, 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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