Origin
Hempstead, NY
Morning in Hempstead on Sunday
Local time
10:56 AM
EDT
Current temp
56°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Hempstead, NY to New York City, NY
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
43m
Distance
24.1 mi
39 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
4 AM
0h 40m
★
6 AM
0h 44m
8 AM
0h 51m
10 AM
0h 46m
12 PM
0h 45m
3 PM
0h 46m
5 PM
0h 50m
8 PM
0h 41m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
New York City, NY
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Traveling from Hempstead to New York City is a straightforward 24.1-mile journey that typically takes about 43 minutes. Because of the short distance, this is an ideal day trip that requires no overnight planning. You will primarily navigate via the Hempstead Turnpike, Tulip Avenue, and the Long Island Expressway. With a fuel budget of approximately $4, the trip remains very cost-effective for commuters or weekend travelers. Both the origin and destination are located in the Northeast, making this a localized transit within New York state. It is a functional, no-frills route that gets you from the suburbs into the heart of the city efficiently.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Long Island Expressway | 7.3 mi | 10m |
| Tulip Avenue | 2 mi | 3m |
| Hempstead Turnpike | 2 mi | 3m |
| Brooklyn-Queens Expressway | 2 mi | 3m |
| Williamsburg Bridge | 1.9 mi | 4m |
| Clearview Expressway | 1.4 mi | 1m |
| Braddock Avenue | 1.2 mi | 2m |
| Front Street | 1.1 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
Long Island Expressway
— 7.3 mi, about 10m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Hempstead, NY and New York City, NY.
1
Start on Peninsula Boulevard
77 ft
·
1 sec
·
Peninsula Boulevard
2
Turn left onto Clinton Street
359 ft
·
17 sec
·
Clinton Street
Use the left lane.
3
Turn left onto NY 102
1.1 mi
·
1 min
·
Front Street
4
Turn slight left onto NY 24
2.0 mi
·
3 min
·
Hempstead Turnpike
5
Turn right onto New Hyde Park Road
0.4 mi
·
53 sec
·
New Hyde Park Road
6
Turn left onto Tulip Avenue
2.0 mi
·
3 min
·
Tulip Avenue
Use the left lane.
7
Turn left onto NY 25
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Jamaica Avenue
8
Turn slight right onto NY 25
1.2 mi
·
2 min
·
Braddock Avenue
9
Turn left onto NY 25
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Hillside Avenue
10
Turn right onto I 295
1.4 mi
·
1 min
·
Clearview Expressway
Toward I 295 North: Clearview Expressway, Through Neck Bridge
Use the straight / right lanes.
11
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
23 sec
Exit 4E-W
Toward I 495: Long Island Expressway, Manhattan, Eastern Long Island
Use the slight right lane.
12
Keep slight right at fork
0.3 mi
·
36 sec
Exit 4W
Toward I 495 West: Long Island Expressway West, Manhattan
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
13
Merge onto I 495
7.3 mi
·
10 min
·
Long Island Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
14
Take the exit
1.0 mi
·
1 min
Exit 17W
Toward I 278 West: Brooklyn
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
15
Keep slight right at fork
0.1 mi
·
10 sec
Toward I 278 West: Brooklyn, 48th Street
16
Keep slight left at fork
0.4 mi
·
31 sec
Toward I 278 West: Brooklyn
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
17
Merge onto I 278
2.0 mi
·
3 min
·
Brooklyn-Queens Expressway
18
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.
19
Keep slight left at fork onto Williamsburg Bridge
1.2 mi
·
2 min
·
Williamsburg Bridge
Use the slight left lane.
20
Continue on Delancey Street
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
Delancey Street
Use the straight lane.
21
Continue on Kenmare Street
0.2 mi
·
57 sec
·
Kenmare Street
22
At end of road, turn left onto Lafayette Street
0.2 mi
·
43 sec
·
Lafayette Street
Use the left lane.
23
Turn right onto Howard Street
510 ft
·
24 sec
·
Howard Street
24
Turn left onto Broadway
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
Broadway
Use the straight lane.
25
Arrive at destination
Broadway
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 185 decision points cluster between mile 8.1 and 20.8 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
7
8.1 mi into trip
|
~15m in
|
I 295 / Clearview Expressway
Turn right onto I 295 / Clearview Expressway toward I 295 North: Clearview Expressway, Through Neck Bridge
Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / right lanes.
Toward I 295 North: Clearview Expressway, Throu...
8
9.5 mi into trip
|
~16m in
Take the exit toward I 495: Long Island Expressway, Manhattan, Eastern Long Island
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 4E-W
Toward I 495: Long Island Expressway, Manhattan...
10
9.7 mi into trip
|
~17m in
Keep slight right at fork toward I 495 West: Long Island Expressway West, 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 4W
Toward I 495 West: Long Island Expressway West,...
7
17.3 mi into trip
|
~28m 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
9
20.8 mi into trip
|
~33m 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
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$3.97 one way
$7.93 round trip
$4.18/gal
25.4 MPG avg
8 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.52 | $4.29 | $8.58 |
| premium | $4.92 | $4.67 | $9.34 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $5.32 | $10.64 |
Estimated Tolls: $0.14
Hempstead Turnpike
(2 mi)
$0.14
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$4
Tolls
$0
Total
$4
Estimated CO2 emission: 8.4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 63% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 7.2 | 0 | $2.53 | $1.16 |
| Efficient EV | 6 | 0 | $2.11 | $0.96 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 9.6 | 0 | $3.37 | $1.54 |
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.
Destination
New York City, NY
Morning in New York City on Sunday
Local time
10:56 AM
EDT
Current temp
59°F
Patchy Fog then Partly Sunny
E 7 to 14 mph
0% chance
Live forecast
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
43m 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 drive features a mixed profile, balancing local roads with heavier traffic arteries. You will spend about 53% of your time on highways, providing a blend of suburban driving and faster-paced transit. The longest uninterrupted stretch you will encounter is a 7.3-mile segment on the Long Island Expressway, which acts as the main artery for the latter half of your trip. Transitions between the local turns of Hempstead Turnpike and the expressway require you to stay alert as the flow of traffic shifts. Expect the character of the road to change as you leave the quieter suburban streets and merge into the more intense, high-volume environment of the city outskirts.
53% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
25 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 7.3 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 around 8.1 miles in near I 295 / Clearview Expressway.
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 18 decision points packed into just 24.1 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 43m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 8.1 miles (I 295 / Clearview Expressway): Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 9.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 9.7 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
122 ft
9 ft
Total Climb
134 ft
Total Descent
166 ft
Highest Point
122 ft
~9 mi in
Elevation Range
113 ft
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Hempstead, NY and New York City, NY, road signs point toward Manhattan and Eastern Long Island.
Manhattan
9.5 mi in
|
~16m
Eastern Long Island
9.5 mi in
|
~16m
About the Cities
Starting in Hempstead, NY
Full guide →Hempstead is the most populous town in America, with a whopping 700,000 residents, located on the South Shore of Nassau County, New York. The town is highly urbanized and fragmented, containing 22 semi-autonomous villages within its boundaries, and forty other neighborhoods. Garden City, encompassing the "Nassau Hub" region, has its own article. The other prominent communities in Hempstead include Floral Park, Hempstead Village, Valley Stream, Rockville Centre, Freeport, Merrick, and the Five Towns area.
Top landmarks
- • Mitchel Air Force Base — US Air Force base in Long Island, New York
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
This 24.1-mile trip from Hempstead to NYC is a perfect same-day round trip for a weekend getaway, easily manageable in under an hour each way. You'll spend over half your time on the highway, making it a straightforward drive back.
Family Friendly
While this 24.1-mile trip is short enough for kids, the 10/10 complexity rating suggests navigating into and around NYC will be stressful for families. You'll spend 53% of the drive on highways, which might be less engaging for younger passengers.
Solo Traveler
At 24.1 miles and 43 minutes, this is a very comfortable solo drive, but the 10/10 complexity rating means you'll need to stay highly alert. Most of the route is flat, so it's not particularly engaging terrain-wise.
EV Driver
This 24.1-mile route is definitely short enough for an EV on a single charge, especially since it's mostly flat. Just be aware that the high complexity (10/10) might make finding charging stations in NYC a bit more challenging if needed.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (53%). 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 7.3 miles on Long Island Expressway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Expect about $0.14 in tolls one way, starting with Hempstead Turnpike. Most Northeast and Midwest toll agencies accept E-ZPass; in the West and Texas, transponders like TxTag or FasTrak apply. If you do not have a transponder, cashless tolling plates will mail a bill to the vehicle's registered address — usually with a surcharge, so a rental-car toll pass is often cheaper than paying by mail.
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: at 8.1 miles (I 295 / Clearview Expressway): Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 9.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 9.7 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
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, USGS 3DEP for elevation, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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