Skip to main content
US Trip Planner Logo
US Trip Planner

Trip from Garden City, NY to New York City, NY

Pin this trip

Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 26, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

41m

Distance

23.9 mi

38 km

Drive Score

8/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$4

one way

EV Charging

Good

8 stations

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 11 min
4 AM
0h 38m ★
6 AM
0h 42m
8 AM
0h 49m
10 AM
0h 44m
12 PM
0h 44m
3 PM
0h 45m
5 PM
0h 49m
8 PM
0h 40m

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

Best Time Drive vs Fly
Google Maps Waze Apple Maps
Download GPX
Downtown Garden City, NY, NY

Garden City, NY

Renan Tagliaferro

most populous city in the United States

New York City, NY

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

Garden City, NY to New York City, NY is 23.9 miles and takes about 41 minutes via Long Island Expressway, with a fuel budget near $4 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This is a short, straightforward drive connecting suburban Long Island to the heart of Manhattan. Expect a mixed drive profile as you transition from highway to city streets. Given its proximity and brief duration, this route is ideal for a same-day trip, allowing ample time for activities upon arrival in New York City. The journey stays within New York State, making it a convenient local excursion.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
Long Island Expressway 11.8 mi 16m
Brooklyn-Queens Expressway 2 mi 3m
Williamsburg Bridge 1.9 mi 4m
Marcus Avenue 1.9 mi 3m
New Hyde Park Road 0.9 mi 1m
Franklin Avenue 0.9 mi 1m
Old Country Road 0.6 mi 1m
Herricks Road 0.6 mi 1m
Longest stretch: Long Island Expressway — 11.8 mi, about 16m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Garden City, NY and New York City, NY.

1

Start on Stewart Avenue

71 ft · 5 sec · Stewart Avenue
2

Turn right onto Franklin Avenue

0.9 mi · 1 min · Franklin Avenue
Use the right lane.
3

Turn left onto Old Country Road

0.6 mi · 1 min · Old Country Road
Use the left lane.
4

Continue on Herricks Road

0.6 mi · 1 min · Herricks Road
5

Turn left onto NY 25

0.2 mi · 17 sec · Jericho Turnpike
Use the left lane.
6

Turn right onto Marcus Avenue

1.0 mi · 1 min · Marcus Avenue
Use the right lane.
7

Continue on Marcus Avenue

0.9 mi · 1 min · Marcus Avenue
8

Turn right onto New Hyde Park Road

0.9 mi · 1 min · New Hyde Park Road
Use the left lane.
9

At end of road, turn left onto North Service Road

288 ft · 4 sec · North Service Road
Use the left lane.
10

Take the ramp

0.2 mi · 24 sec
Toward I 495 West: New York
11

Merge onto I 495

12 mi · 16 min · Long Island Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12

Take the exit

1.0 mi · 1 min
Exit 17W Toward I 278 West: Brooklyn Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13

Keep slight right at fork

0.1 mi · 10 sec
Toward I 278 West: Brooklyn, 48th Street
14

Keep slight left at fork

0.4 mi · 31 sec
Toward I 278 West: Brooklyn Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
15

Merge onto I 278

2.0 mi · 3 min · Brooklyn-Queens Expressway
16

Keep slight left at fork onto Williamsburg Bridge

0.7 mi · 1 min · Williamsburg Bridge
Exit 32A Toward Williamsburg Bridge, Manhattan Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
17

Keep slight left at fork onto Williamsburg Bridge

1.2 mi · 2 min · Williamsburg Bridge
Use the slight left lane.
18

Continue on Delancey Street

0.5 mi · 1 min · Delancey Street
Use the straight lane.
19

Continue on Kenmare Street

0.2 mi · 57 sec · Kenmare Street
20

At end of road, turn left onto Lafayette Street

0.2 mi · 43 sec · Lafayette Street
Use the left lane.
21

Turn right onto Howard Street

510 ft · 24 sec · Howard Street
22

Turn left onto Broadway

0.5 mi · 1 min · Broadway
Use the straight lane.
23

Arrive at destination

Broadway

Heads-up: tricky spots

5 of 17

5 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 23.2 — 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 | Franklin Avenue

Turn right onto Franklin Avenue

Lane positioning matters here

Use the right lane.
7
17.1 mi into trip | ~26m in

Take the exit toward I 278 West: Brooklyn

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight right lanes. Exit 17W Toward I 278 West: Brooklyn
7
18.2 mi into trip | ~28m in

Keep slight left at fork toward I 278 West: Brooklyn

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the slight left / slight right lanes. Toward I 278 West: Brooklyn
9
20.6 mi into trip | ~31m in | Williamsburg Bridge

Keep slight left at fork onto Williamsburg Bridge toward Williamsburg Bridge, Manhattan

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Use the slight left / slight right lanes. Exit 32A Toward Williamsburg Bridge, Manhattan
7
23.2 mi into trip | ~38m in | Lafayette Street

At end of road, turn left onto Lafayette Street

Lane positioning matters here

Use the left lane.

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$3.88 one way

$7.77 round trip

$4.13/gal 25.4 MPG avg 8 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.47 $4.20 $8.41
premium $4.87 $4.58 $9.16
diesel $5.40 $5.08 $10.17

No toll roads detected on this route.

Drive Cost (one way)

Fuel

$4

Estimated CO2 emission: 8.4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-20.

Driving Electric?

About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 63% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 7.2 0 $2.51 $1.15
Efficient EV 6 0 $2.09 $0.96
EV Truck/SUV 9.6 0 $3.35 $1.53

Gas CO2

8 kg

EV CO2

3 kg (63% 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 26, 2026

Origin

Garden City, NY

Late night in Garden City on Sunday

Local time

3:57 AM

EDT

Current temp

41°F

Rain Showers

E 10 mph 97% chance Live forecast

Flood Warning

Flood Warning issued April 25 at 8:05PM EDT until April 26 at 11:00AM EDT by NWS Buffalo NY

Flood Warning

Flood Warning issued April 25 at 1:03PM EDT by NWS Binghamton NY

Destination

New York City, NY

Late night in New York City on Sunday

Local time

3:57 AM

EDT

Current temp

44°F

Rain Showers

E 13 mph 98% chance Live forecast

Flood Warning

Flood Warning issued April 25 at 8:05PM EDT until April 26 at 11:00AM EDT by NWS Buffalo NY

Flood Warning

Flood Warning issued April 25 at 1:03PM EDT by NWS Binghamton 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

3 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

41m 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.

What kind of drive is this?

This route features a significant highway component, with 58% of the drive on major roads like the Long Island Expressway and the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway. You'll experience a longest uninterrupted stretch of 11.8 miles on the Long Island Expressway before transitioning onto the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway and then the Williamsburg Bridge. The character shifts from a relatively open highway to a more urban and potentially congested environment as you approach and enter New York City. Be prepared for varying traffic conditions, especially as you navigate the final approach into Manhattan.

58% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
23 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 11.8 mi on Long Island Expressway.

How Hard Is This Drive?

10/10

This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near Franklin Avenue.

Driving Effort 10/10

Focused - lots of decisions in a short distance, but it is over quickly

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

This is a short but busy drive. With 17 decision points packed into just 23.9 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 41m.

Where does it get tricky?

The main spots that need attention: near the start (Franklin Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 17.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 18.2 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.

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 Garden City, NY to New York City, NY, road signs begin pointing toward Manhattan along the way.

Manhattan

20.6 mi in | ~31m | via Williamsburg Bridge

About the Cities

Starting in Garden City, NY

Full guide →

Founded 1869

Garden City is a large area in the heart of Nassau County, on Long Island, in New York, consisting of the Village of Garden City (the area's anchor community), the Village of Stewart Manor, and three hamlets: East Garden City, Garden City Park (also associated with the New Hyde Park and Mineola areas), and Garden City South.

Top landmarks

  • • A. T. Stewart Era Buildings — historic district in Garden City, New York
  • • Cathedral of the Incarnation — cathedral in Garden City, New York
  • • St. Paul's School — disused building in the Village of Garden City, New York, United States

Arriving in New York City, NY

Full guide →

“The City That Never Sleeps” · Founded 1624

New York (known as "The Big Apple", "NYC," and often called "New York City") is a global center for media, entertainment, art, fashion, research, finance, and trade. The bustling, cosmopolitan heart of the 4th largest metropolis in the world and by far the most populous city in the United States, New York has long been a key entry point and a defining city for the nation. From the Statue of Liberty in the harbor to the Empire State Building towering over the Manhattan skyline, from the tunnels of the subway to the riches of Wall Street, from the bright signs of Times Square to the naturalistic beauty of Central Park, and from Yankee Stadium in the Bronx to Coney Island in Brooklyn, New York's landmarks are quintessential American landmarks. The city's neighborhoods and streets are so iconic they have become ingrained into the American consciousness.

Top landmarks

  • • Statue of Liberty — American icon in New York, United States
  • • National September 11 Memorial & Museum — memorial & museum in New York City commemorating the September 11, 2001 attacks
  • • Plaza Hotel — hotel in Midtown Manhattan, New York City

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 41m. Total distance: 23.9 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

41m drive, comfortable solo distance.

EV Driver

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

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (58%). Some complex stretches to watch for.

Scenic Drive

Mixed highway & surface route profile with national parks nearby.

Frequently Asked Questions

The longest stretch is about 11.8 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 New York City, 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 (Franklin Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 17.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 18.2 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.

Yes — African Burial Ground National Monument, Castle Clinton National Monument and Federal Hall National Memorial (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 New York City, 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.

Was this helpful?

Thanks for your feedback!

Your tip has been submitted. Thanks!

/500

Explore More

Continue From New York City, NY

Walden, NY 374.5 mi · 7h 49m Oakfield, NY 353.7 mi · 7h 18m Tarrytown, NY 30.4 mi · 54m Richmond County, NY 16.8 mi · 30m

More trips to New York City, NY

Arkwright, NY 406.4 mi Boston, MA 214.1 mi Rotterdam, NY 162.3 mi Westmere, NY 156.6 mi Nassau, NY 153.5 mi Jefferson Heights, NY 120.5 mi
Escape planner: Garden City, NY Scenic drives in NY

Explore more options from Garden City, NY or browse trips ending in New York City, NY.

Looking for more statewide routes? Browse NY road trips.