Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 21, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 4m
Distance
42.8 mi
69 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$7
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Islip, NY
Wikimedia Commons
Kensington, NY
Wikimedia Commons
Traveling from Islip to Kensington covers approximately 42.8 miles and typically takes about 1 hour and 4 minutes. Because this trip is short, you can easily complete it as a single-day excursion without needing an overnight stay. You will navigate through the Northeast region primarily using the Sunrise Highway, Belt Parkway, and Linden Boulevard. With a fuel budget of just $7, this is a very affordable commute. It is a straightforward route that connects these two New York locations efficiently, making it ideal for those who prefer to spend less time on the road and more time at their destination.
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Sunrise Highway | 29.2 mi | 39m |
| Belt Parkway | 4.7 mi | 7m |
| Linden Boulevard | 3.8 mi | 6m |
| Church Avenue | 2.8 mi | 6m |
| North Conduit Avenue | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| Commack Road | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| Nassau Avenue | 0.4 mi | 1m |
| Albemarle Road | 0.1 mi | <1m |
Step-by-step road directions between Islip, NY and Kensington, NY.
Start on NY 27A
Turn right onto Nassau Avenue
Continue on Nassau Avenue
Continue on Commack Road
Turn left onto Sunrise Highway
Take the ramp
Merge onto NY 27
Take the exit
Merge 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 Westminster Road
Turn right onto Albemarle Road
Arrive at destination
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
21 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 42.8 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
The midpoint is around 21.4 miles from Islip, 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 0.9 and 35.1 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
Turn left onto Sunrise Highway
Lane positioning matters here
Merge onto NY 27 / Sunrise Highway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Take the exit toward Belt Parkway West, Verrazano Bridge
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
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
$7.05 one way
$14.09 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.52 | $7.62 | $15.24 |
| premium | $4.92 | $8.30 | $16.59 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $9.45 | $18.90 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$7
Estimated CO2 emission: 15 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 12.8 | 0 | $4.49 | $2.05 |
| Efficient EV | 10.7 | 0 | $3.74 | $1.71 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 17.1 | 0 | $5.99 | $2.74 |
Gas CO2
15 kg
EV CO2
5 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.
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Origin
Morning in Islip on Tuesday
Local time
6:36 AM
EDT
Current temp
38°F
Clear
Flood Warning
Flood Warning issued April 11 at 2:05PM EDT by NWS Binghamton NY
Destination
Morning in Kensington on Tuesday
Local time
6:36 AM
EDT
Current temp
42°F
Clear
Flood Warning
Flood Warning issued April 11 at 2:05PM EDT by NWS Binghamton NY
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.
Expect a turn-heavy local drive rather than a monotonous interstate cruise, as only 11% of this 42.8-mile journey is on major highways. You will spend the longest uninterrupted stretch of 29.2 miles driving along the Sunrise Highway before transitioning onto more complex local roads. The character of the drive shifts as you move off the main highway and navigate the turns required to reach Kensington. Be prepared for a mix of road types that demand your full attention, as the route is less about high-speed cruising and more about navigating the local infrastructure of the Northeast.
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 0.9 miles in near Sunrise Highway.
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 42.8 miles you will encounter 13 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 0.9 miles (Sunrise Highway): Lane positioning matters here; at 1.3 miles (NY 27 / Sunrise Highway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 30.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Mostly flat terrain
Total Climb
79 ft
Total Descent
45 ft
Highest Point
46 ft
~42.8 mi in
Elevation Range
33 ft
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
On the drive from Islip, NY to Kensington, NY, road signs begin pointing toward Belt Parkway West along the way.
Belt Parkway West
Founded 1683
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.
Top landmarks
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 4m. Total distance: 42.8 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 4m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile with national parks nearby.
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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