Spanning 60.3 miles across New York, this trip from Brookhaven to Kensington is a straightforward journey typically lasting about 1 hour and 28 minutes. Because the drive is relatively short, you can easily complete it in a single day without needing an overnight stay. You should expect to spend roughly $10 on fuel for the trip, making it an affordable excursion within the Northeast region. The route relies on a mix of thoroughfares, including Sunrise Highway, the Belt Parkway, and Linden Boulevard. Whether you are heading out for professional reasons or a visit, this drive provides a practical connection between these two points in the state.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Sunrise Highway
46 mi
1h 1m
Belt Parkway
4.7 mi
7m
Linden Boulevard
3.8 mi
6m
Church Avenue
2.8 mi
6m
Montauk Highway
0.8 mi
1m
North Conduit Avenue
0.6 mi
1m
South Country Road
0.4 mi
1m
Horseblock Road
0.3 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
Sunrise Highway
— 46 mi, about 1h 1m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Brookhaven, NY and Kensington, NY.
1
Start on CR 36
0.4 mi·46 sec·South Country Road
2
Continue on South Country Road
354 ft·16 sec·South Country Road
3
Turn straight onto CR 80
0.8 mi·1 min·Montauk Highway
4
Turn left onto CR 16
0.3 mi·29 sec·Horseblock Road
Use the left lane.
5
Take the ramp
0.3 mi·33 sec
Toward NY 27 West: New YorkUse the right lane.
6
Merge onto NY 27
46 mi·1 hr 1 min·Sunrise Highway
Use the straight / right lanes.
7
Take the exit
0.1 mi·18 sec
Toward Belt Parkway West, Verrazano Bridge
8
Merge onto BP
1.8 mi·2 min·Belt Parkway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Keep slight left at fork onto BP
2.9 mi·4 min·Belt Parkway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Take the exit
0.3 mi·32 sec
Exit 17WToward North Conduit AvenueUse the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Merge onto NY 27
0.6 mi·1 min·North Conduit Avenue
12
Turn straight onto NY 27
2.8 mi·4 min·Linden Boulevard
Use the straight lane.
13
Continue on NY 27
1.0 mi·1 min·Linden Boulevard
14
Turn slight left onto Church Avenue
2.8 mi·6 min·Church Avenue
Use the left lane.
15
Turn left onto Westminster Road
331 ft·18 sec·Westminster Road
16
Turn right onto Albemarle Road
0.1 mi·31 sec·Albemarle Road
17
Arrive at destination
Albemarle Road
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
The midpoint is around 30.1 miles from Brookhaven, 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 12
5 decision points cluster between mile 1.5 and 52.6 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
1.5 mi into trip|~2m in
Take the ramp toward NY 27 West: New York
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Toward NY 27 West: New York
5
1.8 mi into trip|~3m in|NY 27 / Sunrise Highway
Merge onto NY 27 / Sunrise Highway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
5
47.8 mi into trip|~1h 5m in
Take the exit toward Belt Parkway West, Verrazano Bridge
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward Belt Parkway West, Verrazano Bridge
6
49.7 mi into trip|~1h 8m in|BP / Belt Parkway
Keep slight left at fork onto BP / Belt Parkway
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
52.6 mi into trip|~1h 12m in
Take the exit toward North Conduit Avenue
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 17W
Toward North Conduit Avenue
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$9.75 one way
$19.51 round trip
$4.11/gal25.4 MPG avg21 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.46
$10.59
$21.17
premium
$4.85
$11.51
$23.02
diesel
$4.80
$11.39
$22.77
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$10
Estimated CO2 emission: 21.1 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-07-13.
Driving Electric?
About $6 in charging
· 0 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
18.1
0
$6.33
$2.89
Efficient EV
15.1
0
$5.28
$2.41
EV Truck/SUV
24.1
0
$8.44
$3.86
Gas CO2
21 kg
EV CO2
7 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 Jul 7, 2026
Origin
Brookhaven, NY
Afternoon
in Brookhaven on Sunday
Local time
1:41 PM
EDT
Current temp
66°F
Showers And Thunderstorms
E 12 mph76% chanceLive forecast
Flood Warning
Flood Warning issued July 6 at 7:31PM EDT until July 7 at 7:30AM EDT by NWS Buffalo NY
Flood Watch
Flood Watch issued July 6 at 2:44PM EDT until July 7 at 6:00AM EDT by NWS Upton NY
Destination
Kensington, NY
Afternoon
in Kensington on Sunday
Local time
1:41 PM
EDT
Current temp
67°F
Showers And Thunderstorms
NE 12 mph80% chanceLive forecast
Flood Warning
Flood Warning issued July 6 at 7:31PM EDT until July 7 at 7:30AM EDT by NWS Buffalo NY
Flood Watch
Flood Watch issued July 6 at 2:44PM EDT until July 7 at 6:00AM EDT by NWS Upton NY
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
1 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 28m 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.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
Expect a turn-heavy local drive that demands your full attention behind the wheel. Only 8% of this route consists of traditional highway driving, meaning you will spend the vast majority of your time navigating local roads and intersections. Your longest uninterrupted stretch occurs during the 46-mile portion on Sunrise Highway, which offers the most consistent pace of the entire journey. As you transition from the Brookhaven area toward Kensington, the character of the road shifts from regional highway transit to more technical, stop-and-go local driving. Be prepared for a dynamic experience that requires frequent adjustments rather than a monotonous interstate cruise.
Only 8% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
17 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 46 mi on Sunrise Highway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
7/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 1.5 miles in.
Driving Effort7/10
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 60.3 miles you will encounter 12 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 1.5 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 1.8 miles (NY 27 / Sunrise Highway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 47.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
54 ft8 ft
Total Climb
135 ft
Total Descent
98 ft
Highest Point
54 ft
~5 mi in
Elevation Range
46 ft
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
On the drive from Brookhaven, NY to Kensington, NY, road signs begin pointing toward Belt Parkway West along the way.
Belt Parkway West
47.8 mi in|~1h 5m
Detours Along the Way
Tagged by where each one fits in your drive — first break, midpoint, final stretch.
Brookhaven is the largest town in Suffolk County, part of Long Island, New York. With 485,000 residents (2020). It includes a patchwork of villages and other communities, and is the only town on the island to touch both the Long Island Sound and Atlantic Ocean. The villages of Belle Terre, Bellport, Lake Grove, Mastic Beach, Old Field, Patchogue, Poquott, Port Jefferson, and Shoreham are semi-autonomous, and provide their own services in addition to those provided by the town. Other prominent communities include Mount Sinai, Stony Brook, and Fire Island, a long and car-free resort island off the south coast of the town.
Top landmarks
•Wardenclyffe Tower — early experimental wireless transmission station designed and built by Nikola Te...
•West Meadow Beach Historic District — historic district in the United States
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 28m. Total distance: 60.3 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 28m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 46 miles on Sunrise Highway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 1 rest area or service plaza within a short detour of the route (from OpenStreetMap). See the Rest Stops tab under Nearby Places for locations and mile markers. Plan to stretch, use the bathroom, and top off fluids every 2–3 hours on longer drives.
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 Kensington, 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 1.5 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 1.8 miles (NY 27 / Sunrise Highway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 47.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes — Governors Island National Monument, African Burial Ground National Monument and Castle Clinton 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 Kensington, NY before heading back.
