Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Sep 2, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
9h 18m
Distance
439.6 mi
708 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
2-day trip
Fuel Cost
$74
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Brookhaven, NY
Wikimedia Commons
Pendleton, NY
Renan Tagliaferro
Brookhaven, NY to Pendleton, NY is 439.6 miles and takes about 9h 18m via I 81 and New York State Thruway, with a fuel budget near $73 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within New York, traversing the Northeast region. You'll spend a good portion of your time on major highways but also encounter significant stretches on surface roads. Given the 9h 18m estimated drive time and 43% highway share, it's a route that can be completed in one long day, but you might prefer to break it up into two days for a more relaxed pace. Plan for about 2 recommended days to comfortably reach your destination.
Trip Pace
Best split across 2 days
Treat the return leg as its own travel day rather than an afterthought.
Break Rhythm
2 planned breaks
Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
Midpoint
219.8 miles from Brookhaven, NY
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 4h 36m into the drive .
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 81 | 97.3 mi | 1h 55m |
| New York State Thruway | 96.8 mi | 1h 51m |
| Christopher Columbus Highway | 68.2 mi | 1h 20m |
| Long Island Expressway | 41.4 mi | 55m |
| I 380 | 27.7 mi | 30m |
| Keystone Shortway | 17.3 mi | 24m |
| Clinton Street | 10.5 mi | 15m |
| East Lake Road | 9.9 mi | 14m |
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 336 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
3 PM
~4,190 veh/hr typical · worst 4,979
Quietest
1 AM
~446 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
9.4×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
Averaged across 103 weeks of 2023 FHWA Travel Monitoring Analysis System data. Weekday hours only (Mon–Fri).
Step-by-step road directions between Brookhaven, NY and Pendleton, NY.
Start on CR 36
Continue on South Country Road
Turn straight onto CR 80
Turn left onto CR 16
Turn left onto Express Drive North
Take the ramp
Merge onto I 495
Take the exit
Keep slight right at fork
Merge onto CI
Take the exit
Merge onto I 295
Continue on I 295
Keep slight left at fork onto I 295
Keep slight left at fork onto I 95; US 1
Continue on I 95; US 1
Continue on I 95 EXPR; US 1 EXPR; US 9 EXPR
Keep slight left at fork onto I 95 EXPR; US 1 EXPR; US 9 EXPR
Keep slight left at fork onto I 95 EXPR; NJTP
Take the exit
Keep slight left at fork
Merge onto I 95; NJTP
Take the exit
Continue on I 80
Keep slight left at fork onto I 80
Keep slight left at fork onto I 80
Take the exit
Continue on I 380
Merge onto I 81
Keep slight right at fork onto I 81
Keep slight left at fork onto I 81
Take the exit
Turn right onto NY 13
Turn left onto Locust Avenue
Continue on Albany Street
At end of road, turn right onto US 11; NY 41
Turn left onto NY 41
Continue on NY 41
Continue on NY 41
Continue on NY 41
Continue on NY 41
Turn left onto US 20
Turn right onto US 20
Turn left onto US 20; NY 5
Continue on US 20; NY 5; NY 38
Continue on US 20; NY 5
Turn right onto NY 318
Continue on NY 318
Turn right onto NY 414
Continue on NY 414
Take the ramp
Keep slight left at fork
Merge onto I 90
Take the exit
Turn left onto NY 78
Turn left onto CR 2
Turn right onto New Road
Continue on East Canal Road
Arrive at destination
This 439.6-mile drive, estimated at 9h 18m, is best tackled over 2 days to avoid fatigue. Consider leaving Brookhaven, NY in the morning, aiming to cover roughly half the distance on day one. The longest stretch without significant breaks is 97.3 miles on I 81, so plan your refueling and rest stops accordingly. With a fuel cost estimate of $73, keep an eye on gas prices as you travel. Since 57% of the route is on surface roads, be prepared for varying speed limits and potential traffic as you pass through populated areas, especially as you near Pendleton, NY.
Morning Departure
Start early — leave by 6-7 AM to arrive at a reasonable hour.
Evening Departure
This is a long drive — plan for a morning departure or consider splitting it into two days.
Consider an overnight stop or starting very early.
Departure
Before you leave
Start with fuel, water, and navigation already sorted so the first hour feels easy.
First stop
Around 97 miles or 2h 9m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 219.8 miles or 4h 36m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Overnight split
Day 1 wrap after about 219.8 miles or 4h 36m
Stop before fatigue turns the last few hours into a grind. You want day two to start fresh, not just resumed.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 8h 3m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Pendleton, NY than in the middle of the route.
Open the route before leaving Brookhaven, NY so your first major turns are already loaded.
Leave with enough water and a charging cable within reach, not packed away.
Check your fuel range against the first long segment, especially if you are starting outside city service areas.
Pick one backup stop option before the midpoint in case traffic changes your pacing.
Treat this as a 2-day road trip and book the overnight stop before the busiest arrival window.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Brookhaven, NY
Aim for roughly 220 miles and 4.7 hours of wheel time on this day.
Day 2
Finish the approach into Pendleton, NY
Aim for roughly 220 miles and 4.7 hours of wheel time on this day.
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Overnight candidate
220 mi into the route
Best for: Hotel check-in, dinner, and a fresh start
This lines up well with a realistic day-end stop if you are breaking the drive into stages.
Find hotels in Barton, NYNight 1
220 mi · about 4.7h in
A practical overnight split lands near Barton, NY after about 220 miles or 4.7 hours of driving.
Find hotelsA short stop after about 97 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
The midpoint is around 219.8 miles from Brookhaven, NY, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Before the longest stretch
Fuel checkTop up before I 81 if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 97.3 miles.
Overnight split
Hotel stopFor a steadier pace, wrap day one after about 220 miles or 4.7 hours on the road.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
5 decision points cluster between mile 47.3 and 63.3 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
Take the exit toward Cross Island Parkway, Whitestone Bridge, Kennedy Airport
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Keep slight right at fork toward Cross Island Parkway North, Whitestone Bridge
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Take the exit toward I 295 North: Throgs Neck Bridge, Bronx, New England
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Take the exit toward I 95 South, NJTP South: Hackensack
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Keep slight left at fork toward I 95 South, NJTP South: Hackensack
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Regular Gas
$73.73 one way
$147.46 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.63 | $80.06 | $160.13 |
| premium | $5.05 | $87.45 | $174.91 |
| diesel | $5.60 | $96.90 | $193.80 |
Estimated Tolls: $27.67
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$74
Tolls
$28
Hotel (1n)
$80–$140
Meals
$50–$100
Total
$231–$341
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 153.8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-08-31.
Driving Electric?
About $46 in charging · 1 stop · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 131.9 | 1 | $46.16 | $21.10 |
| Efficient EV | 109.9 | 1 | $38.47 | $17.58 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 175.8 | 2 | $61.54 | $28.13 |
Gas CO2
154 kg
EV CO2
51 kg (67% less)
Plan for 1 charging stop. A 30-minute DC fast charge mid-route should be enough to complete the trip comfortably.
DC fast charging avg $0.35/kWh. Home charging avg $0.16/kWh. US grid CO2: 0.39 kg/kWh.
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Origin
Night in Brookhaven on Tuesday
Local time
11:43 PM
EDT
Current temp
65°F
Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms then Showers And Thunderstorms
Destination
Night in Pendleton on Tuesday
Local time
11:43 PM
EDT
Current temp
68°F
Showers And Thunderstorms Likely
75°F
Barton, NY
220 mi in
Seasonal Notes
Summer travel usually means heavier construction, hotter rest stops, and busier weekend traffic around major cities.
Winter travel shortens daylight, so a route that looks manageable on paper can feel much longer after dark.
Holiday weekends tend to make both departure and arrival windows slower than the raw route time suggests.
For long drives, weather on day two can matter just as much as conditions at departure, so check the whole travel window rather than only the first day.
Time zone
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
This is long enough that the arrival forecast matters almost as much as departure conditions. Recheck both ends before you roll.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
Worth a detour if your schedule allows.
National Memorial
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National Historical Park
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National Historical Park
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National Seashore
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National Monument
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Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
About 43% of this 439.6-mile route is on highways like I 81 and the New York State Thruway. The longest continuous stretch on a major road is 97.3 miles on I 81. Beyond the highway segments, you'll navigate mostly surface roads for the remainder of the trip. Expect a mix of driving experiences, transitioning from potentially faster-paced highway cruising to more stop-and-go scenarios as you enter and exit towns on the surface road sections.
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 47.3 miles in.
High effort - long or complex enough to need steady focus all day
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a demanding drive. With 40 significant decision points across 439.6 miles, you will need to stay alert - especially through interchange areas and urban stretches. Consider splitting it into segments if you are not comfortable with fast highway navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 47.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 47.5 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 50.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Gently rolling terrain
Total Climb
2,599 ft
Total Descent
2,024 ft
Highest Point
1,884 ft
~157 mi in
Elevation Range
1,876 ft
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Brookhaven, NY and Pendleton, NY, road signs point toward Kennedy Airport, Cross Island Parkway North, Bronx, New England, Upper Level and Njtp South: Hackensack - among others.
Kennedy Airport
Cross Island Parkway North
Bronx
New England
Upper Level
Njtp South: Hackensack
Hackensack
Albany
Founded 1655
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
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Solo Traveler
9h 18m drive, plan rest stops for pacing.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile with national parks nearby.
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, USGS 3DEP for elevation, NPS for national parks, and FHWA TMAS for hourly traffic volumes. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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