Potsdam, NY Road Trips
With 4 routes heading out and 5 heading in, Potsdam, NY works well as a modest departure point in the Northeast. Routes from here tend to cover serious ground — the average trip runs 262 miles, so plan for multi-day adventures. Most routes from Potsdam, NY head south, giving the route network a clear directional lean.
Photo: Wikimedia Commons
Trip Routes
9
Longest Drive
363.6 mi
Oyster Bay, NY
Quickest Drive
25m
Nicholville, NY
Plan Around Potsdam, NY
Popular Incoming Routes
Useful if Potsdam, NY is the arrival point and you want the strongest routes into the city first.
Continue From Potsdam, NY
Good next legs if this city is only one stop in a longer road trip.
Trips from Potsdam, NY
Driving from Potsdam, NY
On average, trips departing from Potsdam, NY run 262 miles with a drive time of roughly 5h 43m. This is long-haul territory. Most routes stretch past the 250-mile mark, so pack snacks and plan fuel stops. The longest mapped route runs 352 miles (7h 42m), while the shortest is just 16 miles.
Popular Destinations
The most popular drives from Potsdam, NY include Jamaica, NY (351.8 mi, 7h 42m), The Bronx, NY (340.6 mi, 7h 25m), Yonkers, NY (339.9 mi, 7h 20m), and Nicholville, NY (16.1 mi, 25m). Most destinations stay within the same state, perfect for exploring the local region thoroughly.
Planning & Costs
Regular gas in NY currently averages around $4.01 per gallon. For the typical 262-mile trip from Potsdam, NY, budget about $41 in fuel one way, assuming 25 MPG. Longer hauls and premium fuel will cost proportionally more.
The majority of destinations are to the south. Morning starts help you avoid the midday heat on longer drives. Most trips take a half-day, so a morning start gets you there in time for lunch or an afternoon of exploring.
Frequently Asked Questions
There are 4 mapped routes leaving Potsdam, NY and 5 routes heading into Potsdam, NY, covering 9 total connections. Distances range from 16 to 352 miles.
The longest mapped route from Potsdam, NY covers 352 miles and takes approximately 7h 42m. Shorter options start at just 16 miles.
The average route from Potsdam, NY runs about 262 miles with a drive time of roughly 5h 43m. This includes both short day trips and longer multi-day drives.
At current gas prices (about $4.01/gallon for regular), the average 262-mile trip from Potsdam, NY costs roughly $41 in fuel one way, based on 25 MPG. Your actual cost depends on your vehicle's efficiency.
The most popular road trip destinations from Potsdam, NY include Jamaica, NY, The Bronx, NY, Yonkers, NY and Nicholville, NY. Each route page has detailed drive times, fuel estimates, stop suggestions, and turn-by-turn directions.
Potsdam, NY by the Numbers
Recent demographic snapshot from the US Census Bureau's American Community Survey.
Population
8,507
Median Income
$32,061
Median Home Value
$144,200
Median Age
21.7
Source: US Census Bureau ACS 5-year (public domain). See our methodology for details.
Traveler Guide to Potsdam, NY
Potsdam (pop 9,000) is a village in the town of Potsdam in northern New York State.
Founded in 1806 and named after the orange Potsdam sandstone found in Central St. Lawrence County.
1 Clarkson University, 8 Clarkson Ave., ☏ +1 315 268-6400. Private university founded 1896, 3500 undergraduate and postgraduate students on two campuses; arts, science, business and engineering. 2 SUNY Potsdam (State University of New York), 44 Pierrepont Ave., ☏ +1 315 267-2000. Founded 1816 as the St. Lawrence Academy, which became the Potsdam Normal School to train teachers of music, mathematics and the arts. 4500 students, two libraries and an art gallery. Orchestra of Northern NY, ☏ +1 315 267-3251. Live performances at SUNY Potsdam's Hosmer Concert Hall and around the region (Watertown, Massena). $22/person. 3 Potsdam Public Museum, 2 Park St. (Civic Center), ☏ +1 315 265-6910. Local and civil war history, archives.
1 Potsdam Town and Country Club, 6194 State Highway 56, ☏ +1 315 265-2141, fax: +1 315 261-4652. Golf course with restaurant (+1 315 265-1234), pro shop. 9 holes $15-17, 18 holes $25-32, cart +$9-15. There is a riverside state park in Colton for swimming, fishing and hiking.
1844 House, 6885 US Hwy 11, ☏ +1 315 268-1844. Tu-Sa 4:30-9PM. American bistro, local produce, regional cuisine. Becky's Place, Pratt Commons, SUNY Potsdam. M-Th 7:30AM-7PM, F 7:30AM-3PM. Salads, pizza, baked pastas, paninis, soups and takeout items. Grill, adjacent Tim Horton's café. Cactus Grill and Cantina, 11 Raymond St., ☏ +1 315 265-0240. Mexican.
1 McDuff's Tavern, 59 Market St, ☏ +1 315 261-4089. M-Sa 11AM-11:30PM, Su noon-11:30PM. Tavern in restored 1860s brick building, full menu and selection of cocktails, beers, and wines. Pool, darts, flat screen TVs. Second bar with dance floor and DJ downstairs.
Clarkson Inn, One Main St, ☏ +1 315 265-3050, toll-free: +1 800-790-6970, fax: +1 315 268-5848, [email protected]. Check-in: 3PM, check-out: 11AM content=Boutique hotel near university campuses, 40 rooms, wi-fi, small meeting space, refrigerator/microwave in room, free local calls.. Varies. (updated Feb 2023) Potsdam Inn, 7518 US Highway 11, ☏ +1 315 265-0709. 16-room family-owned motel, non-smoking, wi-fi, refrigerators, continental breakfast included. $80-100/night.
Take US 11 north from Watertown or NY 56 south from Massena. 1 Trailways Bus Line, Market Square Mall, 22 Depot St., toll-free: +1-800-776-7548. M-F 5:45AM-12:50PM, Sa 5:45-8:30AM & noon-12:50PM, closed Sunday/holidays. Intercity bus from Massena, Potsdam, Canton, Gouverneur, Evans Mills, Watertown and Pulaski to Syracuse. Air and rail connection at Syracuse. Onward bus connection from Syracuse to NYC. There is no Amtrak service in the region. The closest passenger rail is in Brockville (VIA) or Utica-Rome (Amtrak). The closest passenger rail to connect directly to the bus to Potsdam is in Syracuse. There is a tiny one-runway Potsdam municipal airport which houses thirteen single-engine planes for general aviation (FAA LID: PTD), but the closest scheduled Essential Air Service is in Massena (MSS IATA) or Ogdensburg (OGS IATA), each with two daily Cape Air flights from Albany. Massena and Ogdensburg are reachable from Canton-Potsdam by county-level commuter bus: St. Lawrence NYSARC, Save-A-Lot, 200 Market St. or Wal-Mart, US Route 11, ☏ +1 315 386-2600. Weekday commuter bus service to Ogdensburg, Massena (three runs daily), Canton and Morristown. $2.
Potsdam Taxi, 123 Market St., ☏ +1 315 268-8868.
Travel tips adapted from Potsdam (New York) on Wikivoyage, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Content summarized; visit the source for the full article. See our methodology for how we use it.
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