Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 29, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 19m
Distance
54.2 mi
87 km
Drive Score
9/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$9
one way
EV Charging
Good
5 stations
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Head of the Harbor, NY
Wikimedia Commons
Brooklyn, NY
Wikimedia Commons
Head of the Harbor to Brooklyn is 54.2 miles and takes about 1 hour 19 minutes via Southern State Parkway and Belt Parkway, with a fuel budget near $9 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within New York, connecting two points in the Northeast region. The route is predominantly highway, making it a straightforward drive for those looking for efficiency. It's a good option for a quick transfer between Long Island and Brooklyn without significant detours.
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Southern State Parkway | 25.4 mi | 32m |
| Belt Parkway | 6.5 mi | 9m |
| Heckscher State Parkway | 3.9 mi | 4m |
| Linden Boulevard | 3.8 mi | 6m |
| North Country Road | 3.4 mi | 5m |
| Islip Avenue | 2.2 mi | 3m |
| Church Avenue | 1.7 mi | 4m |
| Wheeler Road | 1.6 mi | 2m |
Step-by-step road directions between Head of the Harbor, NY and Brooklyn, NY.
Start on Bacon Road
Turn straight onto Hitherbrook Road
Turn right onto NY 25A
Continue on NY 111
Continue on NY 111
At end of road, turn right onto NY 111; CR 76
Keep slight left at fork onto NY 111
Keep slight right at fork onto NY 111
Continue on NY 111
Take the ramp
Merge onto H
Continue on SO
Keep slight left at fork onto SO
Continue on BP
Keep slight right at fork onto BP
Keep slight left at fork onto BP
Take the exit
Merge onto NY 27
Turn straight onto NY 27
Continue on NY 27
Turn slight left onto Church Avenue
Turn left onto Nostrand Avenue
Arrive at destination
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
27 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.
A short stop after about 12 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
The midpoint is around 27.1 miles from Head of the Harbor, 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.
5 decision points cluster between mile 6.4 and 47.7 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
Keep slight left at fork onto NY 111 / Wheeler Road
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Keep slight left at fork onto SO / Southern State Parkway
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Keep slight right at fork onto BP / Belt Parkway
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Keep slight left at fork onto BP / Belt Parkway
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Take the exit toward North Conduit Avenue
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Regular Gas
$9.02 one way
$18.04 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.55 | $9.71 | $19.42 |
| premium | $4.99 | $10.64 | $21.28 |
| diesel | $5.35 | $11.42 | $22.84 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$9
Estimated CO2 emission: 19 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-27.
Driving Electric?
About $6 in charging · 0 stops · 68% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 16.3 | 0 | $5.69 | $2.60 |
| Efficient EV | 13.6 | 0 | $4.74 | $2.17 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 21.7 | 0 | $7.59 | $3.47 |
Gas CO2
19 kg
EV CO2
6 kg (68% 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.
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Origin
Late night in Head of the Harbor on Wednesday
Local time
4:16 AM
EDT
Current temp
55°F
Sunny
Destination
Late night in Brooklyn on Wednesday
Local time
4:16 AM
EDT
Current temp
57°F
Mostly Sunny
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
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.
You'll spend about 66% of your time on highways like the Southern State Parkway and Belt Parkway. The longest continuous stretch on this route is 25.4 miles on the Southern State Parkway. Expect a mostly highway profile until you get closer to Brooklyn, where the exits become more frequent as you merge into the urban environment.
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Southern State Parkway and Belt Parkway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 6.4 miles in near NY 111 / Wheeler Road.
Demanding - stay alert through the decision-heavy sections
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 54.2 miles you will encounter 14 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 6.4 miles (NY 111 / Wheeler Road): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 15.9 miles (SO / Southern State Parkway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 42.4 miles (BP / Belt Parkway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
On the drive from Head of the Harbor, NY to Brooklyn, NY, road signs begin pointing toward So: New York along the way.
So: New York
Founded 1634
Brooklyn, the "Borough of Homes and Churches," is one of the five boroughs of New York City. It used to be a separate city, and still feels much like one. It has about 2.5 million inhabitants. If separated from the rest of New York City, Brooklyn would be the 4th most populous American city. Brooklyn is on the westernmost point of Long Island and shares a land boundary with Queens, which partially encircles Brooklyn to the north, east and south; Manhattan lies across the East River to the west and north of Brooklyn, and Staten Island is across the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge to the southwest. Brooklyn is enjoying a period of growth and affluence not seen since before World War II. The Brooklyn Academy of Music boasts world-class theater performances, and the nearby Barclays Center is the home of the NBA's Brooklyn Nets.
Top landmarks
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 19m. Total distance: 54.2 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 19m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (66%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
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
Recent Tips
·
Explore more options from Head of the Harbor, NY or browse trips ending in Brooklyn, NY.
Looking for more statewide routes? Browse NY road trips.
