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.
Main Roads
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
Longest stretch:
Sunrise Highway
— 29.2 mi, about 39m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Islip, NY and Kensington, NY.
1
Start on NY 27A
72 ft·6 sec·Main Street
2
Turn right onto Nassau Avenue
0.3 mi·51 sec·Nassau Avenue
3
Continue on Nassau Avenue
461 ft·12 sec·Nassau Avenue
4
Continue on Commack Road
0.5 mi·1 min·Commack Road
5
Turn left onto Sunrise Highway
0.3 mi·29 sec·Sunrise Highway
Use the left lane.
6
Take the ramp
0.1 mi·17 sec
Toward NY 27 West: New York
7
Merge onto NY 27
29 mi·38 min·Sunrise Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Take the exit
0.1 mi·18 sec
Toward Belt Parkway West, Verrazano Bridge
9
Merge onto BP
1.8 mi·2 min·Belt Parkway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Keep slight left at fork onto BP
2.9 mi·4 min·Belt Parkway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Take the exit
0.3 mi·32 sec
Exit 17WToward North Conduit AvenueUse the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Merge onto NY 27
0.6 mi·1 min·North Conduit Avenue
13
Turn straight onto NY 27
2.8 mi·4 min·Linden Boulevard
Use the straight lane.
14
Continue on NY 27
1.0 mi·1 min·Linden Boulevard
15
Turn slight left onto Church Avenue
2.8 mi·6 min·Church Avenue
Use the left lane.
16
Turn left onto Westminster Road
331 ft·18 sec·Westminster Road
17
Turn right onto Albemarle Road
0.1 mi·31 sec·Albemarle Road
18
Arrive at destination
Albemarle Road
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
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.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 13
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.
5
0.9 mi into trip|~2m in|Sunrise Highway
Turn left onto Sunrise Highway
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
5
1.3 mi into trip|~3m in|NY 27 / Sunrise Highway
Merge onto NY 27 / Sunrise Highway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
30.3 mi into trip|~41m in
Take the exit toward Belt Parkway West, Verrazano Bridge
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward Belt Parkway West, Verrazano Bridge
6
32.2 mi into trip|~44m in|BP / Belt Parkway
Keep slight left at fork onto BP / Belt Parkway
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
35.1 mi into trip|~49m in
Take the exit toward North Conduit Avenue
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 17W
Toward North Conduit Avenue
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$6.92 one way
$13.85 round trip
$4.11/gal25.4 MPG avg15 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.46
$7.51
$15.03
premium
$4.85
$8.17
$16.34
diesel
$4.80
$8.08
$16.16
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$7
Estimated CO2 emission: 15 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-07-13.
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
$3.75
$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.
Travel Intel
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Forecast as of Jul 1, 2026
Origin
Islip, NY
Afternoon
in Islip on Sunday
Local time
1:41 PM
EDT
Current temp
85°F
Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms
SW 10 to 15 mph18% chanceLive forecast
Extreme Heat Warning
Extreme Heat Warning issued July 1 at 12:12PM EDT until July 3 at 8:00PM EDT by NWS Binghamton NY
Rip Current Statement
Rip Current Statement issued July 1 at 2:51AM EDT until July 2 at 9:00PM EDT by NWS Upton NY
Destination
Kensington, NY
Afternoon
in Kensington on Sunday
Local time
1:41 PM
EDT
Current temp
93°F
Sunny then Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms
SW 12 mph20% chanceLive forecast
Extreme Heat Warning
Extreme Heat Warning issued July 1 at 12:12PM EDT until July 3 at 8:00PM EDT by NWS Binghamton NY
Rip Current Statement
Rip Current Statement issued July 1 at 2:51AM EDT until July 2 at 9:00PM EDT by NWS Upton NY
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
8 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
1h 4m 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.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
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.
Only 11% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
18 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 29.2 mi on Sunrise Highway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
8/10
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 0.9 miles in near Sunrise Highway.
Driving Effort8/10
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.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
46 ft12 ft
Total Climb
79 ft
Total Descent
45 ft
Highest Point
46 ft
~42.8 mi in
Elevation Range
33 ft
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
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.
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
•Bayport Aerodrome — airport in Suffolk County, New York, United States
•Connetquot River State Park Preserve — state park in New York
•Modesty — oyster-dredging sloop built in Long Island
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.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 29.2 miles on Sunrise Highway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 1 rest area or service plaza within a short detour of the route (from OpenStreetMap). See the Rest Stops tab under Nearby Places for locations and mile markers. Plan to stretch, use the bathroom, and top off fluids every 2–3 hours on longer drives.
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 Kensington, 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 0.9 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.
Yes — Governors Island National Monument, African Burial Ground National Monument and Castle Clinton National Monument (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 Kensington, NY before heading back.
