Taking Either I-82/I-90 Or I-84/I-5 Into The Seattle Tacoma Area?

Traveling to the Seattle/Tacoma area around the first week in September. Heading up from Idaho. When I get to Hermiston, Oregon I have two ways to go. Im debating if I should take I-82 to I-90 through Snoqualmie Pass or go east on the I-84 and then north on the I-5 through Portland. My biggest concern is the elevation on I-90 through Snoqualmie. Is it that bad? Or is taking the I-84/I-5 route through Portland an easier drive? I know the 85/5 route would take longer but I would much rather have a nice easy drive with plenty of gas stations and rest stops. Any help is greatly appreciated.

 

In a taco? Whichever, tbh.

 

@STOCKTRD Go thru the Columbia River Gorge on I84 then go to Seattle on I5 North. Either way there are plenty of gas stations. Scenery is better thru I84. Much!!!! I used to drive between Portland and Spokane before I moved to Spokane. Trust me on this one. Dry nothingness in Eastern WA until you get north of I90 and in Central WA. Snoqualmie Pass in nothing really in elevation. Have taken the Taco over it before. no big deal. Definitely go thru the Gorge.

 

I84 is cool, I5 is boring and sucks. I90 is very pretty from about Easton going west. I would take 90 just because of how much time it would save

 

If you're going to Seattle, I-90 is the easy choice.

You say Seattle / Tacoma area. Depending on which one your going to and when may also help you make your decision. Traffic between Olympia and Seattle can vary greatly and that drive can easily take you 2 hours during rush hour.

 

I live here in Washington been on both routes multiple times. Take i-82 then i-5 north less traffic and more laid back

 

Y'all are nuts! I-82 to I-90 to I-5 is the easy choice... anything to avoid Portland traffic.

As far as scenery goes, all routes are about the same. Sure, I-84 follows the Columbia, but I-82 follows the Yakima, and the I-90 pass is not an extreme pass. I'd take I-90 any day.

 

Either one is a nonevent.

 

if you hit either close to Labor Day you will wish you stayed away.

 

I hear they’re going to be working on I90 a lot here this summer so maybe one of the other routes. I90 is an easy mountain pass though I wouldn’t be afraid to drive it in September. The other routes are probably nicer.

 

I used to travel back and forth from Hood River OR all the time, and it was a flip if I took 84/5 or 82/90. Usually chose based on traffic/time of year. 82/90 is a more relaxed drive IMO, no Portland/Tacoma mess. That is, unless you are traveling when everyone is trying to get back across the pass end of weekend or something, and there is the inevitable crash in the pass with the requisite 2 hour traffic jam starting in Cle Elum. I love the Gorge though, and the time you spend on 84 enjoying the view is worth the boring drive on I-5 north. If you've never done 84 to Portland and north, I'd do that, if you have already seen it, 82->90. The pass is still a nice scenic drive, and like everyone else said it ain't Imogene so no worries at all about not making it over.

Just do best of both worlds, take one on the way in and the other on the way out.

 

I would take I90.. the gorge is pretty, but so is Snoqualmie pass. I90 is much faster. I used to do the drive all the time back and forth from Seattle to Ketchum, ID when I lived there. I never went through Portland. It would haver added hours

 

I'd go 90. It's faster. Elevation isn't an issue at all. I drove from Olympia to Spokane last month and it's easy. I'd hate to deal with PDX traffic. Going through 90 at least gives you an option to end up closer to Tacoma or in Seattle. If you go the other route you're hitting pretty much each traffic jam spot from PDX north (Olympia, JBLM, Tacoma Dome, Fife, Federal Way, Seattle).

 

If you fill your tank in Hermiston, you will have no problem reaching Seattle/Tacoma on 1 tank on I-90. I drive from 3-hours north of Seattle to Pendleton, OR monthly and I use 1 tank there and 1 tank back. If I am towing, it is a different story.