Traveling from Hempstead to Tuckahoe covers 67.8 miles and typically takes about 1 hour and 34 minutes. Because this is a relatively short trip through the Northeast, you can easily complete it in a single day without needing an overnight stay. Expect to spend approximately $11 on fuel for the journey. You will rely entirely on local roads rather than major interstates, as this route features zero highway miles. It is a straightforward trek, though the local nature of the roads means you should plan for a steady pace rather than a high-speed cruise.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Midpoint
33.9 miles from Hempstead, NY
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 45m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Sunrise Highway
43.9 mi
57m
Southern State Parkway
15.4 mi
18m
County Road 39
3.3 mi
7m
Jerusalem Avenue
2.7 mi
4m
Bay Shore Road
0.5 mi
1m
William Street
0.4 mi
1m
Howells Road
0.3 mi
<1m
Sandy Hollow Road
0.2 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
Sunrise Highway
— 43.9 mi, about 57m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Hempstead, NY and Tuckahoe, 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
0.2 mi·16 sec·Southern State Parkway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Take the exit
0.2 mi·31 sec
Exit 41SToward Bay Shore Road South, Bay ShoreUse the slight right lane.
12
Turn straight onto CR 57
0.5 mi·1 min·Bay Shore Road
13
Continue on CR 57
0.3 mi·43 sec·Howells Road
14
Turn straight onto CR 57
341 ft·6 sec·Sunrise Highway
15
Keep slight left at fork onto Sunrise Highway
0.7 mi·1 min·Sunrise Highway
Toward NY 27 East
16
Take the ramp
0.1 mi·17 sec
Toward NY 27 East: Montauk
17
Merge onto NY 27
43 mi·56 min·Sunrise Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
18
Continue on NY 27; CR 39
3.3 mi·7 min·County Road 39
19
Turn slight left onto CR 52
0.1 mi·18 sec·Sandy Hollow Road
20
Turn right
330 ft·51 sec
21
Continue on this road
330 ft·30 sec·this road
22
At end of road, turn left onto CR 52
465 ft·8 sec·Sandy Hollow Road
23
Turn right onto Sebonac Road
127 ft·5 sec·Sebonac Road
Use the right lane.
24
Turn right
67 ft·4 sec
25
Arrive at destination
Trip Plan
Given the local nature of this 1 hour and 34-minute drive, you have plenty of flexibility regarding your departure time. Since the route is entirely local, keep a close eye on your navigation to handle the frequent turns along Front Street and Jerusalem Avenue. Budgeting $11 for fuel is sufficient, but be sure to fill up before you head out to avoid searching for stations during the trip. Because there are zero planned stops, you should anticipate being in the driver's seat for the duration of the 67.8-mile stretch. Staying alert for changing traffic patterns on these local roads will make your transit much smoother.
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 33.9 miles from Hempstead, NY, or about 45m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 43.9 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 20m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 33.9 miles or 45m 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 16m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Tuckahoe, NY than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Hempstead, NY so your first major turns are already loaded.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Hempstead, NY
This is one driving day of about 67.8 miles and 1h 34m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 15 miles from Hempstead, NY.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on Sunrise Highway for about 43.9 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 0.7 and 67.7 — 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.
6
18.8 mi into trip|~24m in|SO / Southern State Parkway
Keep slight left at fork onto SO / Southern State Parkway
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
19 mi into trip|~25m in
Take the exit toward Bay Shore Road South, Bay Shore
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 41S
Toward Bay Shore Road South, Bay Shore
6
67.6 mi into trip|~1h 34m in|CR 52 / Sandy Hollow Road
At end of road, turn left onto CR 52 / Sandy Hollow Road
Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch
6
67.7 mi into trip|~1h 34m in|Sebonac Road
Turn right onto Sebonac Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$11.16 one way
$22.32 round trip
$4.18/gal25.4 MPG avg24 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.52
$12.07
$24.14
premium
$4.92
$13.14
$26.28
diesel
$5.61
$14.97
$29.94
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: 23.7 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
20.3
0
$7.12
$3.25
Efficient EV
17
0
$5.93
$2.71
EV Truck/SUV
27.1
0
$9.49
$4.34
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 14, 2026
Origin
Hempstead, NY
Morning
in Hempstead on Sunday
Local time
9:26 AM
EDT
Current temp
81°F
Sunny
S 13 mph7% chanceLive forecast
Destination
Tuckahoe, NY
Morning
in Tuckahoe on Sunday
Local time
9:26 AM
EDT
Current temp
42°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
39 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
1h 34m 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.
National Parks Near This Route
Worth a detour if your schedule allows.
Fire Island National Seashore
National Seashore
Immerse yourself in an enchanting collage of coastal life and history. Rhythmic waves, high dunes, ancient maritime forests, historic landmarks and glimpses of wildlife, Fire Island has been a special...
6 mi from route
~14 min detour
Free
near mile 32.7
Park Closure: Pet Restrictions, Beach Driving Closures in Effect March 15 through Labor Day
Caution: Avian Influenza (HPAI) Suspected in Dead Birds in Seashore Areas
Spanning 27,000 acres from Sandy Hook in New Jersey to Breezy Point in New York City, the park is both the gateway from the ocean into New York Harbor, and the gateway to the National Park Service for...
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...
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...
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...
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 that keeps you engaged behind the wheel from start to finish. Since your path follows roads like Front Street, William Street, and Jerusalem Avenue, you won't find any long, monotonous highway stretches here. Instead, the route demands your full attention as you navigate through various local intersections. This is not a high-speed transit route, but rather a practical way to connect these two New York locations through surface streets. You will experience a consistent, winding rhythm that differs significantly from the typical interstate driving experience.
Only 23% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
25 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 43.9 mi on Sunrise Highway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
10/10
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. 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 Effort10/10
Demanding - stay alert through the decision-heavy sections
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 67.8 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: at 0.7 miles (Jerusalem Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 18.8 miles (SO / Southern State Parkway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 19 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
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 Tuckahoe, NY, road signs point toward So East: East Islip, Bay Shore Road South and Bay Shore.
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
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 34m. Total distance: 67.8 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 34m drive, comfortable solo distance.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 43.9 miles on Sunrise Highway. 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 Tuckahoe, 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 18.8 miles (SO / Southern State Parkway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 19 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
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 Tuckahoe, NY before heading back.
