Origin
Hilton, NY
Late night in Hilton on Sunday
Local time
4:26 AM
EDT
Current temp
41°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Hilton, NY to Smithtown, NY
Pin this tripCompiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 26, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
8h 8m
Distance
381.1 mi
613 km
Drive Score
9/10
Great drive
Same Day?
2-day trip
Fuel Cost
$62
one way
EV Charging
Excellent
48 DC fast
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
8h 0m
★
6 AM
8h 8m
8 AM
8h 25m
10 AM
8h 14m
12 PM
8h 12m
3 PM
8h 15m
5 PM
8h 24m
8 PM
8h 3m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Hilton, NY
Renan Tagliaferro
Smithtown, NY
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Hilton, NY to Smithtown, NY is 381.1 miles and takes about 8h 8m via I 81 and New York State Thruway, with a fuel budget near $62 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within the Northeast region, primarily traversing New York State. With a recommended two days for the drive, you'll have ample time to break up the 8-hour travel time. The route offers a mix of highway cruising and surface road travel, making it a manageable drive for most.
Trip Pace
Best split across 2 days
Treat the return leg as its own travel day rather than an afterthought.
Break Rhythm
2 planned breaks
Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
Midpoint
190.5 miles from Hilton, NY
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 4h 9m into the drive .
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 81 | 98.8 mi | 1h 57m |
| Keystone Shortway | 80 mi | 1h 37m |
| New York State Thruway | 30 mi | 34m |
| I 380 | 23.6 mi | 25m |
| Long Island Expressway | 14.2 mi | 19m |
| Northern State Parkway | 13.7 mi | 18m |
| Eastern Expressway | 10.8 mi | 13m |
| East Lake Road | 9.9 mi | 14m |
Longest stretch:
I 81
— 98.8 mi, about 1h 57m
Traffic on I-80
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 168 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
3 PM
~4,210 veh/hr typical · worst 4,900
Quietest
1 AM
~430 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
9.8×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
12a
6a
noon
6p
11p
Averaged across 52 weeks of 2023 FHWA Travel Monitoring Analysis System data. Weekday hours only (Mon–Fri).
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Hilton, NY and Smithtown, NY.
1
Start on NY 18
104 ft
·
3 sec
·
West Avenue
2
Continue on NY 18; NY 259
367 ft
·
14 sec
·
Main Street
3
Turn right onto NY 18; NY 259
0.5 mi
·
45 sec
·
South Avenue
4
Continue on NY 18; NY 259
1.5 mi
·
2 min
·
Hilton-Parma Corners Road
5
Turn left onto NY 18
2.0 mi
·
2 min
·
Parma Center Road
6
At end of road, turn right onto NY 18; NY 261
2.9 mi
·
5 min
·
Manitou Road
7
Turn left onto NY 104
6.9 mi
·
10 min
·
West Ridge Road
8
Continue on NY 104
0.2 mi
·
12 sec
·
Veterans Memorial Bridge
9
Continue on NY 104
3.4 mi
·
4 min
·
Keeler Street Expressway
Use the straight / right lanes.
10
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
38 sec
Toward NY 590 South: Downtown Rochester
11
Merge onto NY 590
3.3 mi
·
4 min
·
Outer Loop
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
21 sec
Exit 5
Toward I 490 East, I 490 West: Victor, Downtown Rochester
Use the slight left / straight lanes.
13
Keep slight left at fork
0.5 mi
·
43 sec
Toward I 490 East: Victor
Use the slight left lane.
14
Merge onto I 490
11 mi
·
13 min
·
Eastern Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
15
Keep slight left at fork
0.6 mi
·
42 sec
Toward I 90 East: Albany
16
Merge onto I 90
30 mi
·
34 min
·
New York State Thruway
17
Take the exit
0.5 mi
·
58 sec
Exit 41
Toward NY 414: Waterloo, Clyde
Use the slight right lane.
18
Keep slight right at fork
327 ft
·
7 sec
19
Continue on NY 414
0.3 mi
·
35 sec
·
State Route 414
20
Turn left onto NY 318
4.1 mi
·
7 min
·
NY 318
Use the left lane.
21
At end of road, turn left onto US 20; NY 5
1.9 mi
·
2 min
·
Auburn Road
22
Continue on US 20; NY 5
9.6 mi
·
11 min
·
Clark Street Road
Use the straight lane.
23
Turn right onto State Street
226 ft
·
12 sec
·
State Street
24
Turn left onto Dill Street
0.1 mi
·
21 sec
·
Dill Street
25
Continue on Loop Road
458 ft
·
16 sec
·
Loop Road
26
Turn left onto Genesee Street
5.5 mi
·
9 min
·
Genesee Street
27
Continue on US 20
2.2 mi
·
4 min
·
West Genesee Street Road
28
Turn right onto NY 41
0.5 mi
·
45 sec
·
East Lake Street
29
Continue on NY 41
9.4 mi
·
13 min
·
East Lake Road
30
Continue on NY 41
4.8 mi
·
7 min
·
State Route 41
31
Continue on NY 41
0.5 mi
·
49 sec
·
East Lake Road
32
Continue on NY 41
9.8 mi
·
13 min
·
State Highway 41
33
Turn right onto NY 281
1.2 mi
·
2 min
·
North West Street
34
Take the ramp
0.7 mi
·
1 min
Use the left lane.
35
Keep slight right at fork
0.3 mi
·
34 sec
Toward I 81 South: Binghamton
36
Merge onto I 81
45 mi
·
54 min
·
I 81
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
37
Keep slight right at fork onto I 81
53 mi
·
1 hr 3 min
·
I 81
Toward I 81 South: Scranton
Use the straight lane.
38
Keep slight right at fork onto US 6
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
US 6
Exit 187
Toward I 84 East, I 380 South, US 6 East: Carbondale, Mt Pocono
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
39
Continue on I 84; I 380
3.7 mi
·
4 min
·
I 84; I 380
Toward I 84 East, I 380 South: Mount Pocono, Milford
Use the straight lane.
40
Keep slight right at fork onto I 380
24 mi
·
25 min
·
I 380
Exit 4
Toward I 380 South: Mount Pocono
41
Keep slight left at fork
1.0 mi
·
1 min
Exit 1B
Toward I 80 East: Stroudsburg
42
Merge onto I 80
80 mi
·
1 hr 37 min
·
Keystone Shortway
Use the straight / right lanes.
43
Keep slight right at fork onto I 80
5.5 mi
·
5 min
·
Christopher Columbus Highway
Toward I 95: George Washington Bridge Lower Level
Use the slight right lane.
44
Keep slight left at fork
0.3 mi
·
23 sec
Toward I 95 North: George Washington Bridge, New York City
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
45
Keep slight right at fork
0.4 mi
·
38 sec
Exit 70A-B
Toward Leonia, Teaneck
Use the slight right lane.
46
Turn right
0.2 mi
·
35 sec
Exit 70A
Toward Leonia
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
47
Turn straight onto CR 56
454 ft
·
9 sec
·
Degraw Avenue
48
Continue on CR 56
1.1 mi
·
2 min
·
Fort Lee Road
Use the straight / right lanes.
49
Continue on CR 56
469 ft
·
13 sec
·
Main Street
50
Take the ramp
472 ft
·
12 sec
Toward George Washington Bridge
51
Merge onto US 1; US 9; US 46
0.3 mi
·
28 sec
·
Bergen Boulevard
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
52
Take the exit
312 ft
·
4 sec
Toward George Washington Bridge Upper Level
53
Merge onto I 95 EXPR
0.3 mi
·
20 sec
·
I 95 EXPR
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
54
Keep slight left at fork onto I 95 EXPR
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
I 95 EXPR
55
Continue on I 95; US 1; US 9
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
George Washington Bridge (upper level)
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
56
Continue on I 95; US 1
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Trans-Manhattan Expressway
57
Continue on I 95; US 1
4.7 mi
·
6 min
·
Cross Bronx Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
58
Keep slight right at fork onto I 295
2.0 mi
·
2 min
·
Cross Bronx Expressway
Exit 6B
Toward I 295 South: Throgs Neck Bridge
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
59
Merge onto I 295
0.6 mi
·
58 sec
·
Throgs Neck Expressway
60
Continue on I 295
2.0 mi
·
3 min
·
Throgs Neck Bridge
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
61
Continue on I 295
3.2 mi
·
3 min
·
Clearview Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
62
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
27 sec
Exit 4E-W
Toward I 495: Manhattan, Eastern Long Island
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
63
Keep slight left at fork
0.3 mi
·
38 sec
Exit 4E
Toward I 495 East: Long Island Expressway, Eastern Long Island
64
Merge onto I 495
14 mi
·
19 min
·
Long Island Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
65
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
52 sec
Exit 42
Toward N East: Hauppauge
Use the slight right lane.
66
Merge onto N
14 mi
·
18 min
·
Northern State Parkway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
67
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
25 sec
Exit 45
Toward SM North: Kings Park
Use the right lane.
68
Merge onto SA
499 ft
·
6 sec
·
Sagtikos State Parkway
69
Continue on SM
1.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Sunken Meadow State Parkway
70
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
30 sec
Exit SM3E
Toward NY 25 East: Jericho Turnpike East, Smithtown
Use the slight right lane.
71
Turn slight right onto NY 25
3.9 mi
·
5 min
·
Jericho Turnpike
72
Continue on NY 25; NY 25A
0.6 mi
·
54 sec
·
West Main Street
Use the left lane.
73
Arrive at destination
NY 25; NY 25A
Trip Plan
Given the 8-hour estimated drive time, planning for two days is a smart move. Consider leaving Hilton, NY in the morning, aiming to cover roughly half the distance on your first day to avoid a marathon drive. The longest stretch without a major change in road type is 98.8 miles on I 81, so plan your fuel and rest stops accordingly before you hit that segment. On the second day, you'll have about 4-5 hours of driving left, allowing for a relaxed start and arrival in Smithtown, NY.
Morning Departure
Start early — leave by 6-7 AM to arrive at a reasonable hour.
Evening Departure
This is a long drive — plan for a morning departure or consider splitting it into two days.
This drive is better paced as a 2-day trip.
Plan roughly 2 meaningful breaks for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 190.5 miles from Hilton, NY, or about 4h 9m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 98.8 miles.
Consider an overnight stop or starting very early.
Departure
Before you leave
Start with fuel, water, and navigation already sorted so the first hour feels easy.
First stop
Around 84 miles or 1h 51m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 190.5 miles or 4h 9m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Overnight split
Day 1 wrap after about 190.5 miles or 4h 9m
Stop before fatigue turns the last few hours into a grind. You want day two to start fresh, not just resumed.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 6h 45m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Smithtown, NY than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Hilton, NY so your first major turns are already loaded.
+
Leave with enough water and a charging cable within reach, not packed away.
+
Check your fuel range against the first long segment, especially if you are starting outside city service areas.
+
Pick one backup stop option before the midpoint in case traffic changes your pacing.
+
Treat this as a 2-day road trip and book the overnight stop before the busiest arrival window.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Hilton, NY
Aim for roughly 191 miles and 4.1 hours of wheel time on this day.
Day 2
Finish the approach into Smithtown, NY
Aim for roughly 191 miles and 4.1 hours of wheel time on this day.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 84 miles from Hilton, NY.
This route usually feels better as a 2-day drive than as one long push.
Plan about 2 real breaks rather than only quick fuel stops.
The longest stretch is on I 81 for about 98.8 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Overnight candidate
191 mi into the route
Best for: Hotel check-in, dinner, and a fresh start
This lines up well with a realistic day-end stop if you are breaking the drive into stages.
Find hotels in Livingston Manor, NYOvernight Options
Night 1
191 mi · about 4.1h in
A practical overnight split lands near Livingston Manor, NY after about 191 miles or 4.1 hours of driving.
Find hotelsPacing Suggestions
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 84 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 190.5 miles from Hilton, NY, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Before the longest stretch
Fuel checkTop up before I 81 if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 98.8 miles.
Overnight split
Hotel stopFor a steadier pace, wrap day one after about 191 miles or 4.1 hours on the road.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 485 decision points cluster between mile 21.2 and 328.5 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
8
21.2 mi into trip
|
~31m in
Take the exit toward I 490 East, I 490 West: Victor, Downtown Rochester
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight left / straight lanes.
Exit 5
Toward I 490 East, I 490 West: Victor, Downtown...
8
63.4 mi into trip
|
~1h 20m in
Take the exit toward NY 414: Waterloo, Clyde
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 41
Toward NY 414: Waterloo, Clyde
9
213.6 mi into trip
|
~4h 37m in
|
US 6
Keep slight right at fork onto US 6 toward I 84 East, I 380 South, US 6 East: Carbondale, Mt Pocono
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
Exit 187
Toward I 84 East, I 380 South, US 6 East: Carbo...
8
328.2 mi into trip
|
~6h 53m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 95 North: George Washington Bridge, New York City
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward I 95 North: George Washington Bridge, Ne...
9
328.5 mi into trip
|
~6h 53m in
Keep slight right at fork toward Leonia, Teaneck
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 70A-B
Toward Leonia, Teaneck
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$61.94 one way
$123.87 round trip
$4.13/gal
25.4 MPG avg
133 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.47 | $67.04 | $134.08 |
| premium | $4.87 | $73.01 | $146.02 |
| diesel | $5.40 | $81.07 | $162.13 |
Estimated Tolls: $24.32
George Washington Bridge
$16.00
Throgs Neck Bridge
$6.55
New York State Thruway
(30 mi)
$1.50
Jericho Turnpike
(3.9 mi)
$0.27
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$62
Tolls
$24
Hotel (1n)
$80–$140
Meals
$50–$100
Total
$216–$326
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 133.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-20.
EV Charging Along Route
48 DC fast chargers · Coverage: excellent
ChargePoint Charging Station
Denville, New Jersey
ChargePoint
1 DCFC
EV Connect Charging Station
Dover, New Jersey
EV Connect
1 DCFC
ChargePoint Charging Station
Scranton, Pennsylvania
ChargePoint
1 DCFC
ChargeSmart EV Charging Station
Auburn, New York
Other
1 DCFC
EVolve NY Charging Station
Phelps, New York
Other
1 DCFC
ChargePoint Charging Station
Auburn, New York
ChargePoint
1 DCFC
ChargePoint Charging Station
Denville, New Jersey
ChargePoint
1 DCFC
Tesla Supercharger
Rockaway, New Jersey
Tesla
1 DCFC
ChargePoint: 21
Other: 12
EV Connect: 4
ViaLynk: 4
Tesla: 2
Blink: 2
Electrify America: 1
FLO: 1
Tesla Destination: 1
Station data from NREL Alternative Fuel Stations database.
Driving Electric?
About $40 in charging · 1 stop · 66% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 114.3 | 1 | $40.02 | $18.29 |
| Efficient EV | 95.3 | 1 | $33.35 | $15.24 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 152.4 | 1 | $53.35 | $24.39 |
Gas CO2
133 kg
EV CO2
45 kg (66% less)
Plan for 1 charging stop. A 30-minute DC fast charge mid-route should be enough to complete the trip comfortably.
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
Smithtown, NY
Late night in Smithtown on Sunday
Local time
4:26 AM
EDT
Current temp
46°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.
For long drives, weather on day two can matter just as much as conditions at departure, so check the whole travel window rather than only the first day.
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 warmer at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
8h 8m on the road
This is long enough that the arrival forecast matters almost as much as departure conditions. Recheck both ends before you roll.
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.
Harriet Tubman National Historical Park
National Historical Park
Harriet Tubman was guided by a deep faith and devotion to family, freedom, and community. After emancipating herself and members of her family, she moved them from Ontario, Canada to Fleming and Aubur...
2 mi from route
~4 min detour
Free
near mile 78.8
View on nps.gov
Women's Rights National Historical Park
National Historical Park
Women’s Rights National Historical Park tells the story of the first Women’s Rights Convention, held in Seneca Falls, New York on July 19-20, 1848. It is a story of struggles for civil rights, human r...
3 mi from route
~8 min detour
Free
near mile 65.7
View on nps.gov
General Grant National Memorial
National Memorial
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...
4 mi from route
~11 min detour
Free
near mile 328.5
View on nps.gov
Hamilton Grange National Memorial
National Memorial
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...
5 mi from route
~11 min detour
Free
near mile 328.5
View on nps.gov
Stonewall National Monument
National Monument
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...
9 mi from route
~23 min detour
Free
near mile 328.5
View on nps.gov
African Burial Ground National Monument
National Monument
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...
10 mi from route
~26 min detour
Free
near mile 328.5
View on nps.gov
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
What kind of drive is this?
This drive is mostly surface roads, with 54% of the total mileage on highways. You'll encounter a continuous stretch of 98.8 miles on I 81 before transitioning to other main roads. Expect a significant portion of your driving time to be on non-highway routes, so keep an eye out for varying speed limits and more frequent intersections.
Only 54% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
73 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 98.8 mi on I 81.
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 21.2 miles in.
Driving Effort
10/10
High effort - long or complex enough to need steady focus all day
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a demanding drive. With 48 significant decision points across 381.1 miles, you will need to stay alert - especially through interchange areas and urban stretches. Consider splitting it into segments if you are not comfortable with fast highway navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 21.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 63.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 213.6 miles (US 6): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. 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.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Hilton, NY and Smithtown, NY, road signs point toward Rochester, Clyde, Mt Pocono, Milford, New York City and Leonia - among others.
Rochester
21.2 mi in
|
~31m
Clyde
63.4 mi in
|
~1h 20m
Mt Pocono
213.6 mi in
|
~4h 37m
|
via US 6
Milford
214.4 mi in
|
~4h 38m
|
via I 84; I 380
New York City
328.2 mi in
|
~6h 53m
Leonia
328.5 mi in
|
~6h 53m
Teaneck
328.5 mi in
|
~6h 53m
George Washington Bridge Upper Level
330.7 mi in
|
~6h 57m
Eastern Long Island
345.7 mi in
|
~7h 18m
N East: Hauppauge
360.3 mi in
|
~7h 39m
About the Cities
Starting in Hilton, NY
Full guide →Founded 1885
Arriving in Smithtown, NY
Full guide →Smithtown is a town of 117,000 people (2016) in Suffolk County, on Long Island, in New York. Smithtown is comprised of the villages and hamlets of Commack (in part, with the Town of Huntington), Fort Salonga (in part, with the Town of Huntington), Hauppauge (in part, with the Town of Islip), Head of the Harbor, Kings Park, Lake Ronkonkoma (in part with the Town of Brookhaven and Town of Islip), Nesconset, Nissequogue, Smithtown, St. James, & Village of the Branch.
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Who Is This Route For?
Solo Traveler
8h 8m drive, plan rest stops for pacing.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 98.8 miles on I 81. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — a 2-day pace is more comfortable than one long haul. A sensible stopping point is after roughly 191 miles on day one.
Expect about $24.32 in tolls one way, starting with George Washington Bridge. 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.
We did not find dedicated rest areas on this route. For a drive this long, plan bathroom and stretch breaks around gas stations, fast-food stops, or small-town downtowns — check the Nearby Places section for options.
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 Smithtown, NY before sunset when you can. Check the Trip Plan for departure windows that land you in daylight.
Only with planning. This is a long drive for kids — consider splitting it into two days rather than pushing through. Plan at least 2 meaningful breaks. Dedicated rest areas are limited, so plan gas or food stops as your bathroom breaks.
The main spots that need attention: at 21.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 63.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 213.6 miles (US 6): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Not recommended in a single day. At 8.1 hours each way, a round trip means 16.3 hours of driving — that is an unsafe level of fatigue for most drivers. Plan at least one night at Smithtown, NY before the return drive.
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, NREL for EV charging, NPS for national parks, and FHWA TMAS for hourly traffic volumes. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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