Origin
Walla Walla, WA
Late night in Walla Walla on Tuesday
Local time
2:26 AM
PDT
Current temp
66°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Walla Walla, WA to Kennewick, 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
1h 4m
Distance
49 mi
79 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$10
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 59m
★
6 AM
1h 4m
8 AM
1h 15m
10 AM
1h 8m
12 PM
1h 7m
3 PM
1h 9m
5 PM
1h 14m
8 PM
1h 1m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Walla Walla, WA
Alex Stone
Kennewick, WA
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Connecting Walla Walla to Kennewick is a straightforward 49-mile journey that typically takes about 1 hour and 4 minutes to complete. Because of the manageable distance, this route is perfectly suited for a quick day trip rather than an overnight excursion. You will primarily navigate via US 12, transitioning through East A Street and West Pine Street to reach your destination. Budgeting approximately $10 for fuel will comfortably cover the needs of this trip. Both cities are situated within the Pacific Coast region of Washington, ensuring a consistent geographic experience from start to finish. It is a highly practical drive, ideal for those looking to move between these two hubs efficiently.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| US 12 | 40.8 mi | 47m |
| East A Street | 3 mi | 5m |
| West Pine Street | 0.9 mi | 1m |
| West Kennewick Avenue | 0.8 mi | 2m |
| South 10th Avenue | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| East Columbia Drive | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| North Gum Street | 0.4 mi | <1m |
| North 9th Avenue | 0.4 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
US 12
— 40.8 mi, about 47m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Walla Walla, WA and Kennewick, WA.
1
Start on South 5th Avenue
0.1 mi
·
23 sec
·
South 5th Avenue
2
Turn left onto West Rose Street
0.3 mi
·
29 sec
·
West Rose Street
3
Turn right onto WA 125
0.4 mi
·
37 sec
·
North 9th Avenue
4
Turn left onto WA 125
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
West Pine Street
5
Enter roundabout onto WA 125 Spur
11 ft
·
0 sec
·
Northeast Myra Road
6
Continue on WA 125 Spur
0.2 mi
·
10 sec
·
Northeast Myra Road
7
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
53 sec
8
Merge onto US 12
27 mi
·
31 min
·
US 12
9
Keep slight right at fork
287 ft
·
3 sec
10
Merge onto US 12
14 mi
·
16 min
·
US 12
11
Turn left onto East A Street
3.0 mi
·
5 min
·
East A Street
12
Turn left onto South 10th Avenue
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
South 10th Avenue
13
Continue on WA 397
0.4 mi
·
44 sec
·
North Gum Street
14
Turn slight right
0.1 mi
·
23 sec
15
Turn straight onto East Columbia Drive
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
East Columbia Drive
16
Turn left onto North Benton Street
0.2 mi
·
50 sec
·
North Benton Street
17
Turn right onto West Kennewick Avenue
0.8 mi
·
2 min
·
West Kennewick Avenue
18
Turn right onto North Newport Street
0.1 mi
·
31 sec
·
North Newport Street
19
Arrive at destination
North Newport Street
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
25 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 11 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 24.5 miles from Walla Walla, 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 135 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 46.2 — 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
|
West Rose Street
Turn left onto West Rose Street
Navigation decision point
4
0.4 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
WA 125 / North 9th Avenue
Turn right onto WA 125 / North 9th Avenue
Navigation decision point
4
1.7 mi into trip
|
~2m in
|
WA 125 Spur / Northeast Myra Road
Enter roundabout onto WA 125 Spur / Northeast Myra Road
Roundabout - know your exit number before entering
4
29.1 mi into trip
|
~35m in
Keep slight right at fork
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
4
46.2 mi into trip
|
~57m in
|
South 10th Avenue
Turn left onto South 10th Avenue
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$10.26 one way
$20.51 round trip
$5.32/gal
25.4 MPG avg
17 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $5.58 | $10.75 | $21.51 |
| premium | $5.77 | $11.13 | $22.25 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $10.82 | $21.64 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$10
Estimated CO2 emission: 17.1 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 65% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 14.7 | 0 | $5.15 | $2.35 |
| Efficient EV | 12.3 | 0 | $4.29 | $1.96 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 19.6 | 0 | $6.86 | $3.14 |
Gas CO2
17 kg
EV CO2
6 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.
Destination
Kennewick, WA
Late night in Kennewick on Tuesday
Local time
2:26 AM
PDT
Current temp
68°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
1h 4m 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?
Expect a highway-focused experience, as 83% of this route consists of high-speed travel. You will spend the vast majority of your time on US 12, which accounts for your longest uninterrupted stretch of 40.8 miles. The transition from the rural feel of Walla Walla toward the Kennewick area is defined by these open highway miles, providing a consistent pace behind the wheel. While the route begins and ends on local connectors like East A Street and West Pine Street, the bulk of your time will be spent cruising on the main thoroughfare. It is a functional, no-nonsense drive that prioritizes speed and directness over technical maneuvers or winding backroads.
83% 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: 40.8 mi on US 12.
How Hard Is This Drive?
6/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on US 12 and East A Street. 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 West Rose 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 49 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 (West Rose Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.4 miles (WA 125 / North 9th Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 1.7 miles (WA 125 Spur / Northeast Myra Road): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
941 ft
366 ft
Total Climb
222 ft
Total Descent
755 ft
Highest Point
941 ft
Elevation Range
575 ft
About the Cities
Starting in Walla Walla, WA
Full guide →Known for its funny name and its famous Sweet Onions, Walla Walla in the Columbia River Plateau of Washington State is a pleasant stop with a charming downtown and booming wine industry. This guide includes the neighboring city of College Place.
Arriving in Kennewick, WA
Full guide →Kennewick is a city in Benton County along the Columbia River of Washington State, roughly between the Yakima and Snake Rivers on the south bank of the Columbia. Kennewick is the largest of the Tri-Cities of Washington, which also includes Pasco and Richland. The Tri-Cities are the third most populous metropolitan area in the state, after Seattle-Tacoma and Spokane.
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 1h 4m. Total distance: 49 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 4m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (83%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 40.8 miles on US 12. 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 Kennewick, 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 (West Rose Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.4 miles (WA 125 / North 9th Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 1.7 miles (WA 125 Spur / Northeast Myra Road): Roundabout - know your exit number before entering.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Kennewick, 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 USGS 3DEP for elevation. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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