Origin
Hempstead, NY
Late night in Hempstead on Tuesday
Local time
5:26 AM
EDT
Current temp
56°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Hempstead, NY to Ronkonkoma, NY
Pin this tripCompiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 21, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
43m
Distance
32.8 mi
53 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$5
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 40m
★
6 AM
0h 44m
8 AM
0h 51m
10 AM
0h 46m
12 PM
0h 46m
3 PM
0h 47m
5 PM
0h 51m
8 PM
0h 42m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Ronkonkoma, NY
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
This relatively short, 32.8-mile drive from Hempstead, NY, to Ronkonkoma, NY, can be completed in about 43 minutes, making it an ideal day trip. You'll primarily be on highways, with 86% of the journey utilizing major parkways and expressways like the Southern State Parkway, Long Island Expressway, and Sagtikos State Parkway. With a projected fuel cost of around $5, this is an economical option for a quick transit within the Northeast region. The highway-focused profile means you'll be moving efficiently, with the longest uninterrupted stretch covering 16 miles on the Southern State Parkway. Plan for a straightforward journey with minimal need for overnight stays.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Southern State Parkway | 16 mi | 19m |
| Long Island Expressway | 8.3 mi | 10m |
| Sagtikos State Parkway | 4.1 mi | 5m |
| Jerusalem Avenue | 2.7 mi | 4m |
| William Street | 0.4 mi | 1m |
| Ronkonkoma Avenue | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| Front Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| Merrick Avenue North | 0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Southern State Parkway
— 16 mi, about 19m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Hempstead, NY and Ronkonkoma, NY.
1
Start on Peninsula Boulevard
0.1 mi
·
11 sec
·
Peninsula Boulevard
2
Turn slight right onto NY 102
0.2 mi
·
14 sec
·
Front Street
3
Turn slight right
111 ft
·
4 sec
Use the right lane.
4
Turn straight onto William Street
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
William Street
5
At end of road, turn left onto Jerusalem Avenue
2.0 mi
·
3 min
·
Jerusalem Avenue
Use the left / right lanes.
6
Keep slight right at fork onto Jerusalem Avenue
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
Jerusalem Avenue
7
Turn slight right onto Merrick Avenue North
0.1 mi
·
15 sec
·
Merrick Avenue North
8
Take the ramp
0.1 mi
·
16 sec
Toward SO East: East Islip
9
Merge onto SO
15 mi
·
18 min
·
Southern State Parkway
Use the straight / right lanes.
10
Keep slight left at fork onto SO
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
Southern State Parkway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Keep slight left at fork onto SA
4.1 mi
·
5 min
·
Sagtikos State Parkway
Toward Kings Park
12
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
28 sec
Exit S1 E
Toward I 495 East: Riverhead
Use the slight right lane.
13
Keep slight left at fork
0.2 mi
·
27 sec
Toward I 495 East: Riverhead
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
14
Merge onto I 495
8.3 mi
·
10 min
·
Long Island Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
15
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
23 sec
Exit 60
Toward Ronkonkoma Avenue, Lake Ronkonkoma, Sayville
Use the slight right lane.
16
Turn straight onto Express Drive South
226 ft
·
12 sec
·
Express Drive South
17
Turn left onto Ronkonkoma Avenue
0.2 mi
·
28 sec
·
Ronkonkoma Avenue
Use the left lane.
18
Arrive at destination
Ronkonkoma Avenue
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 135 decision points cluster between mile 0.7 and 32.6 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
0.7 mi into trip
|
~1m in
|
Jerusalem Avenue
At end of road, turn left onto Jerusalem Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left / right lanes.
7
23.7 mi into trip
|
~31m in
Take the exit toward I 495 East: Riverhead
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit S1 E
Toward I 495 East: Riverhead
8
23.9 mi into trip
|
~31m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 495 East: Riverhead
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward I 495 East: Riverhead
8
32.4 mi into trip
|
~42m in
Take the exit toward Ronkonkoma Avenue, Lake Ronkonkoma, Sayville
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 60
Toward Ronkonkoma Avenue, Lake Ronkonkoma, Sayv...
7
32.6 mi into trip
|
~43m in
|
Ronkonkoma Avenue
Turn left onto Ronkonkoma Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$5.40 one way
$10.80 round trip
$4.18/gal
25.4 MPG avg
12 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.52 | $5.84 | $11.68 |
| premium | $4.92 | $6.36 | $12.71 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $7.24 | $14.48 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$5
Estimated CO2 emission: 11.5 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 64% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 9.8 | 0 | $3.44 | $1.57 |
| Efficient EV | 8.2 | 0 | $2.87 | $1.31 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 13.1 | 0 | $4.59 | $2.10 |
Gas CO2
11 kg
EV CO2
4 kg (64% 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
Ronkonkoma, NY
Late night in Ronkonkoma on Tuesday
Local time
5:26 AM
EDT
Current temp
51°F
Unavailable
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
5 degrees cooler 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
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.
What kind of drive is this?
Expect a predominantly highway-focused experience on this route, as 86% of your travel will be on major parkways and expressways. The longest continuous segment you'll encounter is 16 miles along the Southern State Parkway, offering a consistent pace. As you transition, you'll navigate through the Long Island Expressway and Sagtikos State Parkway, maintaining a high-speed flow for most of the 32.8-mile distance. This isn't a winding, scenic byway; rather, it's a direct and efficient path designed for getting you from point A to point B with minimal fuss. Prepare for a drive characterized by smooth pavement and steady traffic.
86% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
18 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 16 mi on Southern State Parkway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
10/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Southern State Parkway and Long Island Expressway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.7 miles in near Jerusalem 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 13 decision points packed into just 32.8 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 0.7 miles (Jerusalem Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 23.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 23.9 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.
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 Ronkonkoma, NY, road signs point toward So East: East Islip and Kings Park.
So East: East Islip
3.5 mi in
|
~6m
Kings Park
19.6 mi in
|
~25m
|
via SA
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 Ronkonkoma, NY
Full guide →Islip (pronounced "ICE-lip") is a town on Long Island in the state of New York. Located within Suffolk County, the Town of Islip includes the villages of Brightwaters, Islandia, Ocean Beach and Saltaire. It also includes numerous hamlets including Bay Shore and Sayville which are ferry terminals for Fire Island. Other prominent communities are Bayport, Brentwood, Central Islip, Hauppauge, Islip village (the town seat), and Ronkonkoma.
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 43m. Total distance: 32.8 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
43m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (86%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 16 miles on Southern State Parkway. 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 Ronkonkoma, 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 0.7 miles (Jerusalem Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 23.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 23.9 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes — Fire Island National Seashore, Gateway National Recreation Area and General Grant 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 Ronkonkoma, 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.
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