Origin
Islip, NY
Late night in Islip on Sunday
Local time
12:18 AM
EDT
Current temp
44°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Islip, NY to Manhattan, 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
1h 15m
Distance
49.2 mi
79 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$8
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 10m
★
6 AM
1h 16m
8 AM
1h 27m
10 AM
1h 20m
12 PM
1h 19m
3 PM
1h 20m
5 PM
1h 27m
8 PM
1h 12m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Islip, NY
Wikimedia Commons
Manhattan, NY
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Islip, NY to Manhattan, NY is 49.2 miles and takes about 1 hour 15 minutes via Sunrise Highway and Van Wyck Expressway, with a fuel budget near $8 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within New York, connecting two points in the Northeast region. It's a relatively short drive that primarily utilizes surface roads, making it a straightforward option for getting from Long Island into the heart of the city. You'll want to be prepared for urban traffic as you approach your destination, especially during peak hours. Given the short distance, it's easily manageable as a single-day excursion.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Sunrise Highway | 29.2 mi | 39m |
| Van Wyck Expressway | 5 mi | 6m |
| Long Island Expressway | 4.4 mi | 6m |
| Belt Parkway | 2.3 mi | 3m |
| Ed Koch Queensboro Bridge Lower Level | 0.9 mi | 2m |
| Queensboro Plaza | 0.7 mi | <1m |
| Madison Avenue | 0.7 mi | 2m |
| 3rd Avenue | 0.6 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 Manhattan, 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
0.4 mi
·
39 sec
·
Belt Parkway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Take the exit
0.5 mi
·
1 min
Exit 19
Toward I 678 North: Van Wyck Expressway, Whitestone Bridge
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Keep slight left at fork
0.4 mi
·
47 sec
Toward I 678 North: Van Wyck Expressway
13
Keep slight left at fork
0.2 mi
·
25 sec
14
Continue on I 678
5.0 mi
·
6 min
·
Van Wyck Expressway
Use the slight right lane.
15
Take the exit
0.6 mi
·
58 sec
Exit 12B
Toward I 495 West: Midtown Tunnel
Use the slight right lane.
16
Merge onto I 495
4.4 mi
·
6 min
·
Long Island Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
17
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
43 sec
Exit 16
Toward Ed Koch Queensboro Bridge, Hunters Point Avenue, Greenpoint Avenue
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
18
Turn straight onto Laurel Hill Boulevard
80 ft
·
2 sec
·
Laurel Hill Boulevard
19
Keep slight right at fork onto Hunters Point Avenue
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
Hunters Point Avenue
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
20
Turn right onto Van Dam Street
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
Van Dam Street
21
Continue on Van Dam Street
113 ft
·
8 sec
·
Van Dam Street
22
Turn left onto NY 25
0.4 mi
·
35 sec
·
Queens Boulevard
23
Continue on NY 25
0.7 mi
·
57 sec
·
Queensboro Plaza
24
Continue on NY 25
0.9 mi
·
2 min
·
Ed Koch Queensboro Bridge Lower Level
25
Keep slight right at fork onto NY 25
317 ft
·
11 sec
·
NY 25
Toward 60th Street West
Use the slight right lane.
26
Turn left onto East 60th Street
0.1 mi
·
28 sec
·
East 60th Street
27
Turn right onto 3rd Avenue
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
3rd Avenue
Use the right lane.
28
Turn left onto East 72nd Street
0.3 mi
·
40 sec
·
East 72nd Street
Use the left lane.
29
Turn right onto Madison Avenue
0.7 mi
·
2 min
·
Madison Avenue
30
Turn left onto East 85th Street
507 ft
·
12 sec
·
East 85th Street
31
Continue on 86th Street Transverse
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
86th Street Transverse
Toward West Side
32
Arrive at destination
86th Street Transverse
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
25 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.
Pacing Suggestions
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 11 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 24.6 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 225 decision points cluster between mile 32.2 and 47 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
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.
8
32.7 mi into trip
|
~45m in
Take the exit toward I 678 North: Van Wyck Expressway, Whitestone Bridge
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 19
Toward I 678 North: Van Wyck Expressway, Whites...
7
38.8 mi into trip
|
~54m in
Take the exit toward I 495 West: Midtown Tunnel
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 12B
Toward I 495 West: Midtown Tunnel
8
43.8 mi into trip
|
~1h 1m in
Take the exit toward Ed Koch Queensboro Bridge, Hunters Point Avenue, Greenpoint Avenue
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 16
Toward Ed Koch Queensboro Bridge, Hunters Point...
7
47 mi into trip
|
~1h 8m in
|
NY 25
Keep slight right at fork onto NY 25 toward 60th Street West
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Toward 60th Street West
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$8.00 one way
$15.99 round trip
$4.13/gal
25.4 MPG avg
17 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.47 | $8.65 | $17.31 |
| premium | $4.87 | $9.43 | $18.85 |
| diesel | $5.40 | $10.47 | $20.93 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$8
Estimated CO2 emission: 17.2 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-20.
Driving Electric?
About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 65% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 14.8 | 0 | $5.17 | $2.36 |
| Efficient EV | 12.3 | 0 | $4.31 | $1.97 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 19.7 | 0 | $6.89 | $3.15 |
Gas CO2
17 kg
EV CO2
6 kg (65% 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
Manhattan, NY
Late night in Manhattan on Sunday
Local time
12:18 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
7 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 15m 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?
This drive features a highway share of 24%, meaning a significant portion will be on surface roads. The longest continuous stretch on a single road is 29.2 miles, occurring on Sunrise Highway. As you transition from Sunrise Highway, expect to encounter more varied traffic patterns and potentially more frequent stops. The latter part of the route, including the Van Wyck Expressway and approaches to Manhattan, will likely involve merging with heavier city traffic.
Only 24% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
32 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?
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 32.2 miles in near BP / Belt Parkway.
Driving Effort
10/10
Demanding - stay alert through the decision-heavy sections
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 49.2 miles you will encounter 22 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 32.2 miles (BP / Belt Parkway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 32.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 38.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. 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.
On the drive from Islip, NY to Manhattan, NY, road signs begin pointing toward Belt Parkway West along the way.
Belt Parkway West
30.3 mi in
|
~41m
About the Cities
Starting in Islip, NY
Full guide →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
- • 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
Arriving in Manhattan, NY
Full guide →Founded 1624
Wall Street. Madison Avenue. 34th Street. Broadway. Times Square. Manhattan is so well known that even the names of its streets have become iconic and understood the world over. This long, thin island is only one of New York City's five boroughs, but it's Manhattan that has the concrete canyons and the inimitable skyline; Manhattan that has the world's brightest theater district; Manhattan that has Central Park, Rockefeller Center, the Empire State Building, and the Met; and Manhattan that includes iconic neighborhoods like Harlem, the Upper East Side, Times Square, and Greenwich Village. The rest of New York City has much to see and do, but it's Manhattan that represents the city—and sometimes the entire United States—to the world. You could spend a month on this tiny island and still not see all there is to see.
Top landmarks
- • Empire State Building — skyscraper located in Midtown Manhattan, New York City, USA
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 1h 15m. Total distance: 49.2 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 15m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile.
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.
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 Manhattan, 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 32.2 miles (BP / Belt Parkway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 32.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 38.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Manhattan, 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, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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