Traveling from Center Moriches to Manhattan covers 74.1 miles and typically takes about 1 hour and 44 minutes of drive time. Because this is a relatively short trip within the Northeast, you can easily complete the journey in a single day without needing an overnight stay. Expect to spend approximately $12 on fuel for the trip, depending on your vehicle's efficiency. This route serves as a direct transition from the quieter environment of Center Moriches into the dense urban landscape of Manhattan. It is a straightforward excursion that works well for a quick getaway or a necessary commute, provided you account for the time required to navigate into the city.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Midpoint
34.2 miles from Center Moriches, NY
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 50m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Long Island Expressway
51.7 mi
1h 10m
Montauk Highway
5.7 mi
9m
Horseblock Road
4.3 mi
6m
Ed Koch Queensboro Bridge Lower Level
0.9 mi
2m
Queensboro Plaza
0.7 mi
<1m
Main Street
0.7 mi
1m
Madison Avenue
0.7 mi
2m
3rd Avenue
0.6 mi
1m
Longest stretch:
Long Island Expressway
— 51.7 mi, about 1h 10m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Center Moriches, NY and Manhattan, NY.
1
Start on Railroad Avenue
115 ft·10 sec·Railroad Avenue
2
Turn right onto CR 80
0.7 mi·1 min·Main Street
Use the right lane.
3
Continue on CR 80
0.5 mi·1 min·Montauk Highway
4
Turn left onto CR 80
0.1 mi·14 sec·Frowein Road
Use the left lane.
5
Continue on CR 80
5.2 mi·8 min·Montauk Highway
Use the straight lane.
6
Turn right onto CR 16
4.3 mi·6 min·Horseblock Road
Use the left lane.
7
Turn left onto Express Drive North
0.2 mi·14 sec·Express Drive North
Use the left lane.
8
Take the ramp
0.2 mi·21 sec
Toward I 495 WEST: New York
9
Merge onto I 495
52 mi·1 hr 10 min·Long Island Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Take the exit
0.4 mi·43 sec
Exit 16Toward Ed Koch Queensboro Bridge, Hunters Point Avenue, Greenpoint AvenueUse the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Turn straight onto Laurel Hill Boulevard
80 ft·2 sec·Laurel Hill Boulevard
12
Keep slight right at fork onto Hunters Point Avenue
Given the local nature of this 74.1-mile route, flexibility is your greatest advantage since there are no mandatory stops required to break up the drive. To make the most of your travel time, aim to depart during off-peak hours to avoid the inevitable congestion that comes with local road navigation near the city. Keep your gas tank topped off before you leave Center Moriches, as the $12 fuel estimate is a baseline that can fluctuate with idling in heavy traffic. Since this is a non-stop route, ensure your vehicle is ready for a steady pace of local driving. A key tip for this specific journey is to double-check local traffic reports before you leave, as the lack of highway miles means there are few alternatives if you encounter unexpected delays on your primary path.
Morning Departure
Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch.
Evening Departure
Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
You may only need one short stretch break if traffic stays light.
The halfway point lands around 34.2 miles from Center Moriches, NY, or about 50m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 51.7 miles.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
Departure
Before you leave
Start with fuel, water, and navigation already sorted so the first hour feels easy.
First stop
Around 15 miles or 24m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 34.2 miles or 50m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 1h 22m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Manhattan, NY than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Center Moriches, NY so your first major turns are already loaded.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Center Moriches, NY
This is one driving day of about 68.3 miles and 1h 42m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 15 miles from Center Moriches, NY.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on Long Island Expressway for about 51.7 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 16
5 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 66.3 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
0 mi into trip|~0m in|CR 80 / Main Street
Turn right onto CR 80 / Main Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
8
62.9 mi into trip|~1h 29m 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
63.4 mi into trip|~1h 29m 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
66.1 mi into trip|~1h 36m 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
66.3 mi into trip|~1h 36m in|3rd Avenue
Turn right onto 3rd Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$11.24 one way
$22.49 round trip
$4.18/gal25.4 MPG avg24 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.52
$12.16
$24.31
premium
$4.92
$13.24
$26.48
diesel
$5.61
$15.08
$30.16
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$11
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$36–$61
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 23.9 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $7 in charging
· 0 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
20.5
0
$7.17
$3.28
Efficient EV
17.1
0
$5.98
$2.73
EV Truck/SUV
27.3
0
$9.56
$4.37
Gas CO2
24 kg
EV CO2
8 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
Center Moriches, NY
Night
in Center Moriches on Saturday
Local time
10:52 PM
EDT
Current temp
44°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Manhattan, NY
Night
in Manhattan on Saturday
Local time
10:52 PM
EDT
Current temp
49°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
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.
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 42m 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.
National Parks Near This Route
Worth a detour if your schedule allows.
General Grant National Memorial
National Memorial
The final resting place of President Ulysses S. Grant and his wife, Julia, is the largest mausoleum in North America. It testifies to a people’s gratitude for the man who ended the bloodiest conflict...
Merchant’s clerk, Revolutionary War soldier, first Secretary Treasury of the United States: Alexander Hamilton’s life is memorialized at The Grange, the home he built on a country estate in uptown Man...
Before the 1960s, almost everything about living authentically as a lesbian, a bisexual person or a gay man was illegal. The Stonewall Uprising on June 28, 1969 is a milestone in the quest for civil r...
The African Burial Ground stands as the oldest and largest known excavated burial site in North America for both free and enslaved Africans. It offers a profound testament to the enduring legacy of Af...
4 mi from route
~10 min detour
Free
near mile 65.9
Here at Federal Hall, George Washington took the oath of office as the first President of the United States, marking the beginning of the American constitutional republic. This historic site served as...
4 mi from route
~11 min detour
Free
near mile 65.9
Located at the southern tip of Manhattan, Castle Clinton marks the place where New York City began and reflects the growth of both the city and the nation. Built to defend the harbor during the War of...
5 mi from route
~12 min detour
Free
near mile 65.9
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
Expect a turn-heavy local drive rather than a high-speed interstate cruise, as this route features no highway stretches. Because 0% of the drive is on highways, you will spend the entire 1 hour and 44 minutes navigating local roads. This profile means you should be prepared for frequent stops and turns rather than long, uninterrupted stretches of road. The experience is defined by local traffic patterns, requiring your full attention as you transition from the outskirts of Long Island toward the Manhattan grid. It is a practical, functional drive that demands patience as you navigate toward your destination.
76% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
25 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 51.7 mi on Long Island Expressway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
8/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Long Island Expressway and Montauk Highway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near CR 80 / Main Street.
Driving Effort8/10
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 68.3 miles you will encounter 16 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: near the start (CR 80 / Main Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 62.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 63.4 miles (Hunters Point Avenue): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
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
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 42m. Total distance: 68.3 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 42m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (76%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 51.7 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: near the start (CR 80 / Main Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 62.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 63.4 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.
