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Trip from Brentwood, NY to Manhattan, NY

Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

1h 9m

Distance

44.3 mi

71 km

Drive Score

7/10

Good drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$7

one way

EV Charging

Good

8 stations

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 16 min
4 AM
1h 4m ★
6 AM
1h 9m
8 AM
1h 20m
10 AM
1h 13m
12 PM
1h 12m
3 PM
1h 14m
5 PM
1h 20m
8 PM
1h 6m

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

census-designated place in Suffolk County, New York, United States

Brentwood, NY

Wikimedia Commons

borough of New York City, New York, United States

Manhattan, NY

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

If you are planning to travel from Brentwood to Manhattan, expect a 47.7-mile journey that typically takes about 1 hour and 11 minutes. This trip is perfectly suited as a single-day excursion, requiring no overnight stays along the way. With an estimated fuel cost of just $8, it is a budget-friendly option for those heading into the city. You will navigate primarily via local roads like Wicks Road, Crooked Hill Road, and the North Service Road. Because this route stays within the Northeast region, you will experience a consistent environment throughout the drive. Consider this a straightforward, practical connection between Long Island and the heart of New York City.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
Long Island Expressway 35.1 mi 48m
Crooked Hill Road 2.3 mi 4m
Ed Koch Queensboro Bridge Lower Level 0.9 mi 2m
Suffolk Avenue 0.8 mi 1m
Queensboro Plaza 0.7 mi <1m
Madison Avenue 0.7 mi 2m
3rd Avenue 0.6 mi 1m
North Service Road 0.4 mi <1m
Longest stretch: Long Island Expressway — 35.1 mi, about 48m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Brentwood, NY and Manhattan, NY.

1

Start on CR 100

0.8 mi · 1 min · Suffolk Avenue
2

Turn right onto CR 13

0.2 mi · 23 sec · Wicks Road
Use the right lane.
3

Keep slight left at fork onto CR 13

2.3 mi · 4 min · Crooked Hill Road
4

Turn left onto North Service Road

0.4 mi · 37 sec · North Service Road
5

Take the ramp

0.2 mi · 21 sec
Toward I 495 West: New York
6

Merge onto I 495

35 mi · 48 min · Long Island Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7

Take the exit

0.4 mi · 43 sec
Exit 16 Toward Ed Koch Queensboro Bridge, Hunters Point Avenue, Greenpoint Avenue Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8

Turn straight onto Laurel Hill Boulevard

80 ft · 2 sec · Laurel Hill Boulevard
9

Keep slight right at fork onto Hunters Point Avenue

0.4 mi · 1 min · Hunters Point Avenue
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
10

Turn right onto Van Dam Street

0.4 mi · 1 min · Van Dam Street
11

Continue on Van Dam Street

113 ft · 8 sec · Van Dam Street
12

Turn left onto NY 25

0.4 mi · 35 sec · Queens Boulevard
13

Continue on NY 25

0.7 mi · 57 sec · Queensboro Plaza
14

Continue on NY 25

0.9 mi · 2 min · Ed Koch Queensboro Bridge Lower Level
15

Keep slight right at fork onto NY 25

317 ft · 11 sec · NY 25
Toward 60th Street West Use the slight right lane.
16

Turn left onto East 60th Street

0.1 mi · 28 sec · East 60th Street
17

Turn right onto 3rd Avenue

0.6 mi · 1 min · 3rd Avenue
Use the right lane.
18

Turn left onto East 72nd Street

0.3 mi · 40 sec · East 72nd Street
Use the left lane.
19

Turn right onto Madison Avenue

0.7 mi · 2 min · Madison Avenue
20

Turn left onto East 85th Street

507 ft · 12 sec · East 85th Street
21

Continue on 86th Street Transverse

0.4 mi · 1 min · 86th Street Transverse
Toward West Side
22

Arrive at destination

86th Street Transverse

Where to Stop

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

Downtown North Hills, NY, NY

Mid-route town

Meal stop

North Hills, NY

22 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

Hicksville, NY

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 10 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

North Hills, NY

Meal break

The midpoint is around 22.1 miles from Brentwood, NY, 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 15

5 decision points cluster between mile 0.8 and 42.3 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.

6
0.8 mi into trip | ~1m in | CR 13 / Wicks Road

Turn right onto CR 13 / Wicks Road

Lane positioning matters here

Use the right lane.
8
38.9 mi into trip | ~55m in

Take the exit toward Ed Koch Queensboro Bridge, Hunters Point Avenue, Greenpoint Avenue

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. Exit 16 Toward Ed Koch Queensboro Bridge, Hunters Point...
6
39.4 mi into trip | ~56m in | Hunters Point Avenue

Keep slight right at fork onto Hunters Point Avenue

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
7
42.1 mi into trip | ~1h 2m in | NY 25

Keep slight right at fork onto NY 25 toward 60th Street West

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the slight right lane. Toward 60th Street West
6
42.3 mi into trip | ~1h 3m in | 3rd Avenue

Turn right onto 3rd Avenue

Lane positioning matters here

Use the right lane.

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$7.29 one way

$14.58 round trip

$4.18/gal 25.4 MPG avg 16 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.52 $7.89 $15.77
premium $4.92 $8.59 $17.17
diesel $5.61 $9.78 $19.56

No toll roads detected on this route.

Drive Cost (one way)

Fuel

$7

Estimated CO2 emission: 15.5 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 13.3 0 $4.65 $2.13
Efficient EV 11.1 0 $3.88 $1.77
EV Truck/SUV 17.7 0 $6.20 $2.84

Gas CO2

15 kg

EV CO2

5 kg (67% 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

Brentwood, NY

Late night in Brentwood on Sunday

Local time

12:25 AM

EDT

Current temp

44°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Manhattan, NY

Late night in Manhattan on Sunday

Local time

12:25 AM

EDT

Current temp

49°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

49°F

North Hills, NY

22 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

5 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 9m 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 turn-heavy local drive rather than a high-speed interstate cruise, as this route features a 0% highway share. You will navigate a series of surface roads, meaning you should be prepared for frequent turns and steady attention to local traffic patterns. Because the longest stretch is 0 miles on Wicks Road, the driving experience is characterized by constant movement through intersections and community thoroughfares. This is not a route for cruising at high speeds; instead, it demands engagement with the nuances of local roadway navigation. Your time behind the wheel will be defined by these technical, stop-and-go conditions as you transition from suburban Brentwood into the urban density of Manhattan.

79% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
22 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 35.1 mi on Long Island Expressway.

How Hard Is This Drive?

9/10

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Long Island Expressway and Crooked Hill Road. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.8 miles in near CR 13 / Wicks Road.

Driving Effort 9/10

Demanding - stay alert through the decision-heavy sections

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

This drive requires moderate attention. Across 44.3 miles you will encounter 15 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 0.8 miles (CR 13 / Wicks Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 38.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 39.4 miles (Hunters Point Avenue): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.

About the Cities

Starting in Brentwood, NY

Full guide →

Arriving in Manhattan, NY

Full guide →

Founded 1624

Wall Street. Madison Avenue. 34th Street. Broadway. Times Square. Manhattan is so well known that even the names of its streets have become iconic and understood the world over. This long, thin island is only one of New York City's five boroughs, but it's Manhattan that has the concrete canyons and the inimitable skyline; Manhattan that has the world's brightest theater district; Manhattan that has Central Park, Rockefeller Center, the Empire State Building, and the Met; and Manhattan that includes iconic neighborhoods like Harlem, the Upper East Side, Times Square, and Greenwich Village. The rest of New York City has much to see and do, but it's Manhattan that represents the city—and sometimes the entire United States—to the world. You could spend a month on this tiny island and still not see all there is to see.

Top landmarks

  • Empire State Building — skyscraper located in Midtown Manhattan, New York City, USA

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 9m. Total distance: 44.3 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

1h 9m drive, comfortable solo distance.

EV Driver

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

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (79%). Some complex stretches to watch for.

Frequently Asked Questions

The longest stretch is about 35.1 miles on Long Island Expressway. 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 Manhattan, NY 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 0.8 miles (CR 13 / Wicks Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 38.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 39.4 miles (Hunters Point Avenue): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.

Yes — General Grant National Memorial, Hamilton Grange National Memorial and Stonewall National Monument (6 total within detour distance). 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 Manhattan, NY 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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