Origin
Islip, NY
Late night in Islip on Sunday
Local time
12:21 AM
EDT
Current temp
44°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Islip, NY to North Gates, 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
7h 53m
Distance
368.7 mi
593 km
Drive Score
9/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$60
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
7h 44m
★
6 AM
7h 53m
8 AM
8h 11m
10 AM
7h 59m
12 PM
7h 58m
3 PM
8h 0m
5 PM
8h 10m
8 PM
7h 48m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Islip, NY
Wikimedia Commons
North Gates, NY
Renan Tagliaferro
Trip Overview
Islip, NY to North Gates, NY is 368.7 miles and takes about 7h 53m via I 81, Christopher Columbus Highway, and New York State Thruway, with a fuel budget near $60 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within New York, taking you from the Northeast region to another part of the Northeast. With over half the trip on major highways, it's a fairly direct path, but be prepared for a significant portion on surface roads as you approach your destination. It's a solid option if you're looking for a single-day drive that gets you where you need to go without too many detours.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is possible, but it will make for a full day on the road.
Break Rhythm
2 planned breaks
Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
Midpoint
184.4 miles from Islip, NY
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 3h 52m into the drive .
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 81 | 97.3 mi | 1h 55m |
| Christopher Columbus Highway | 68.2 mi | 1h 20m |
| New York State Thruway | 30.3 mi | 34m |
| I 380 | 27.7 mi | 30m |
| Southern State Parkway | 24.7 mi | 31m |
| Keystone Shortway | 17.3 mi | 24m |
| Eastern Expressway | 15.3 mi | 19m |
| Clinton Street | 10.5 mi | 15m |
Longest stretch:
I 81
— 97.3 mi, about 1h 55m
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 Islip, NY and North Gates, NY.
1
Start on NY 27A
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
Main Street
2
Continue on Montauk Highway
0.2 mi
·
19 sec
·
Montauk Highway
3
Continue on NY 27A
1.1 mi
·
1 min
·
Main Street
4
Turn right onto 3rd Avenue
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
3rd Avenue
5
Continue on CR 57
0.3 mi
·
36 sec
·
Rossevelt Street
6
Continue on CR 57
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Howells Road
Use the left lane.
7
Turn straight onto Sunrise Highway
163 ft
·
3 sec
·
Sunrise Highway
8
Keep slight right at fork onto CR 57
0.3 mi
·
36 sec
·
Howells Road
Toward Howells Road, Deer Park
Use the right lane.
9
Continue on CR 57
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
Bay Shore Road
10
Take the ramp
0.1 mi
·
19 sec
Toward SO West: New York
11
Continue on this road
363 ft
·
8 sec
·
this road
12
Merge onto SO
25 mi
·
31 min
·
Southern State Parkway
Use the straight / right lanes.
13
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
43 sec
Toward Cross Island Parkway North, Whitestone Bridge
Use the slight right lane.
14
Merge onto CI
1.3 mi
·
1 min
·
Cross Island Parkway
15
Take the exit
317 ft
·
9 sec
Exit 26B
Toward NY 24: UBS Arena-Belmont Park
Use the slight right lane.
16
Keep slight left at fork
437 ft
·
12 sec
Toward NY 24 West: Hempstead Avenue
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
17
Keep slight right at fork
0.1 mi
·
15 sec
Toward Cross Island Parkway North, Hempstead Avenue West
18
Keep slight right at fork
266 ft
·
8 sec
Toward Hempstead Avenue West
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
19
Continue on this road
0.1 mi
·
13 sec
·
this road
Toward Grandstand, Hempstead Avenue West
20
Keep slight left at fork
100 ft
·
4 sec
Toward Hempstead Avenue
21
Turn right onto NY 24
1.0 mi
·
2 min
·
Hempstead Avenue
Use the right lane.
22
Turn left onto Jamaica Avenue
0.1 mi
·
17 sec
·
Jamaica Avenue
23
Turn right onto NY 24
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
212th Street
24
Continue on I 295
5.0 mi
·
5 min
·
Clearview Expressway
Toward I 295 North: Clearview Expressway, Through Neck Bridge
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
25
Continue on I 295
2.0 mi
·
3 min
·
Throgs Neck Bridge
26
Continue on I 295
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Throgs Neck Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
27
Keep slight left at fork onto I 295
6.6 mi
·
8 min
·
Cross Bronx Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
28
Keep slight left at fork onto I 95; US 1
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Trans-Manhattan Expressway
Toward Upper Level
29
Continue on I 95; US 1
0.6 mi
·
59 sec
·
George Washington Bridge (upper level)
30
Continue on I 95 EXPR; US 1 EXPR; US 9 EXPR
0.5 mi
·
48 sec
·
I 95 EXPR; US 1 EXPR; US 9 EXPR
31
Keep slight left at fork onto I 95 EXPR; US 1 EXPR; US 9 EXPR
0.6 mi
·
39 sec
·
I 95 EXPR; US 1 EXPR; US 9 EXPR
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
32
Keep slight left at fork onto I 95 EXPR; NJTP
0.1 mi
·
8 sec
·
I 95 EXPR; NJTP
33
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
22 sec
Toward I 95 South, NJTP South: Hackensack
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
34
Keep slight left at fork
0.4 mi
·
29 sec
Toward I 95 South, NJTP South: Hackensack
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
35
Merge onto I 95; NJTP
2.0 mi
·
2 min
·
New Jersey Turnpike
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
36
Take the exit
0.8 mi
·
1 min
Exit 69
Toward I 80 West: Paterson, Hackensack
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
37
Continue on I 80
68 mi
·
1 hr 20 min
·
Christopher Columbus Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
38
Keep slight left at fork onto I 80
5.5 mi
·
8 min
·
Keystone Shortway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
39
Keep slight left at fork onto I 80
12 mi
·
15 min
·
Keystone Shortway
40
Take the exit
0.7 mi
·
46 sec
Exit 293
Toward I 380 North: Scranton
41
Continue on I 380
28 mi
·
30 min
·
I 380
Use the straight lane.
42
Merge onto I 81
58 mi
·
1 hr 9 min
·
I 81
Use the straight lane.
43
Keep slight right at fork onto I 81
1.8 mi
·
2 min
·
I 81
Toward I 81 North: Syracuse, Albany
44
Keep slight left at fork onto I 81
37 mi
·
43 min
·
I 81
Toward I 81 North: Syracuse
45
Take the exit
0.1 mi
·
21 sec
Exit 52
Toward NY 13: Cortland
46
Turn right onto NY 13
39 ft
·
5 sec
·
Clinton Avenue
47
Turn left onto Locust Avenue
1.2 mi
·
2 min
·
Locust Avenue
48
Continue on Albany Street
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
Albany Street
49
At end of road, turn right onto US 11; NY 41
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
South Main Street
50
Turn left onto NY 41
10 mi
·
15 min
·
Clinton Street
51
Continue on NY 41
0.5 mi
·
49 sec
·
East Lake Road
52
Continue on NY 41
4.8 mi
·
7 min
·
State Route 41
53
Continue on NY 41
9.4 mi
·
13 min
·
East Lake Road
54
Continue on NY 41
0.5 mi
·
48 sec
·
East Lake Street
55
Turn left onto US 20
7.3 mi
·
13 min
·
East Genesee Street
56
Turn right onto US 20
0.2 mi
·
12 sec
·
North Fulton Street
57
Turn left onto US 20; NY 5
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
Arterial West
58
Continue on US 20; NY 5; NY 38
9.8 mi
·
11 min
·
Chase Street
Use the left lane.
59
Continue on US 20; NY 5
1.9 mi
·
2 min
·
Auburn Road
60
Turn right onto NY 318
4.1 mi
·
7 min
·
NY 318
61
Continue on NY 318
319 ft
·
10 sec
·
NY 318
Use the right lane.
62
Turn right onto NY 414
0.3 mi
·
28 sec
·
State Route 414
Use the right lane.
63
Continue on NY 414
217 ft
·
11 sec
·
Ridge Road
Use the left lane.
64
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
23 sec
Use the left lane.
65
Keep slight left at fork
0.6 mi
·
1 min
Toward I 90 West: Buffalo
Use the straight / right lanes.
66
Merge onto I 90
30 mi
·
34 min
·
New York State Thruway
67
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
51 sec
Exit 45
Toward I 490: Rochester
Use the slight right lane.
68
Continue on I 490
15 mi
·
19 min
·
Eastern Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
69
Keep slight left at fork onto I 490
2.9 mi
·
4 min
·
Western Expressway
Use the straight lane.
70
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
34 sec
Exit 9A
Toward NY 390 North: Greece
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
71
Keep slight right at fork
0.3 mi
·
52 sec
Exit 21
Toward NY 31: Lyell Avenue
Use the slight right lane.
72
Turn left onto NY 31
0.5 mi
·
52 sec
·
Lyell Avenue
73
Continue on NY 31
0.6 mi
·
59 sec
·
Spencerport Road
74
Turn right onto CR 136
0.5 mi
·
52 sec
·
Long Pond Road
75
Arrive at destination
CR 136
Trip Plan
Given the 7h 53m estimated duration, leaving Islip in the morning, perhaps around 8 AM, should allow you to reach North Gates before evening. Plan for your two scheduled stops to break up the drive and refuel. The longest stretch without an exit is substantial at 97.3 miles on I 81, so ensure you have adequate fuel before embarking on that segment. With a fuel cost estimated at $60, it's a manageable expense for a single-day trip. Keep an eye on your GPS as you get closer to North Gates, as the route transitions heavily to surface roads, which can impact your arrival time.
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.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 2 meaningful breaks for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 184.4 miles from Islip, NY, or about 3h 52m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 97.3 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 81 miles or 1h 48m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 184.4 miles or 3h 52m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 6h 35m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near North Gates, NY than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Islip, 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.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Islip, NY
This is one driving day of about 368.7 miles and 7h 53m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 81 miles from Islip, NY.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
Plan about 2 real breaks rather than only quick fuel stops.
The longest stretch is on I 81 for about 97.3 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
184 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 81 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 184.4 miles from Islip, 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 97.3 miles.
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 3.6 and 50.3 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
9
3.6 mi into trip
|
~6m in
|
CR 57 / Howells Road
Keep slight right at fork onto CR 57 / Howells Road toward Howells Road, Deer Park
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the right lane.
Toward Howells Road, Deer Park
8
31.1 mi into trip
|
~43m in
Keep slight left at fork toward NY 24 West: Hempstead Avenue
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
Toward NY 24 West: Hempstead Avenue
8
31.2 mi into trip
|
~43m in
Keep slight right at fork toward Hempstead Avenue West
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
Toward Hempstead Avenue West
8
50 mi into trip
|
~1h 10m in
Take the exit toward I 95 South, NJTP South: Hackensack
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.
Toward I 95 South, NJTP South: Hackensack
8
50.3 mi into trip
|
~1h 11m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 95 South, NJTP South: Hackensack
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
Toward I 95 South, NJTP South: Hackensack
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$59.92 one way
$119.84 round trip
$4.13/gal
25.4 MPG avg
129 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.47 | $64.86 | $129.71 |
| premium | $4.87 | $70.63 | $141.27 |
| diesel | $5.40 | $78.43 | $156.86 |
Estimated Tolls: $24.35
George Washington Bridge
$16.00
Throgs Neck Bridge
$6.55
New York State Thruway
(30.3 mi)
$1.52
New Jersey Turnpike
(2 mi)
$0.28
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
$60
Tolls
$24
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$109–$134
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 129 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-20.
Driving Electric?
About $39 in charging · 1 stop · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 110.6 | 1 | $38.71 | $17.70 |
| Efficient EV | 92.2 | 1 | $32.26 | $14.75 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 147.5 | 1 | $51.62 | $23.60 |
Gas CO2
129 kg
EV CO2
43 kg (67% 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
North Gates, NY
Late night in North Gates on Sunday
Local time
12:21 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
2 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
7h 53m on the road
Start early — leave by 6-7 AM to arrive at a reasonable hour.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
What kind of drive is this?
This route is about 53% highway, meaning you'll spend a good chunk of time on faster roads like I 81. The longest continuous stretch on a highway is 97.3 miles on I 81, offering a chance for steady cruising. However, be aware that the profile is mostly surface roads, so expect a shift in driving conditions and speed limits as you move off the main highways. You'll notice the change from high-speed travel to more stop-and-go traffic as you transition to these surface roads.
Only 53% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
75 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 97.3 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 3.6 miles in near CR 57 / Howells Road.
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 368.7 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 3.6 miles (CR 57 / Howells Road): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 31.1 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 31.2 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. 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.
Between Islip, NY and North Gates, NY, road signs point toward Cross Island Parkway North, Hempstead Avenue West, Grandstand, Upper Level, Njtp South: Hackensack and Hackensack - among others.
Cross Island Parkway North
29.4 mi in
|
~40m
Hempstead Avenue West
31.1 mi in
|
~43m
Grandstand
31.3 mi in
|
~43m
Upper Level
47.5 mi in
|
~1h 6m
|
via I 95; US 1
Njtp South: Hackensack
50 mi in
|
~1h 10m
Hackensack
52.6 mi in
|
~1h 14m
Albany
225.4 mi in
|
~4h 41m
|
via I 81
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
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 7h 53m. Total distance: 368.7 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 2 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
7h 53m drive, plan rest stops for pacing.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 97.3 miles on I 81. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Expect about $24.35 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 North Gates, 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 3.6 miles (CR 57 / Howells Road): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 31.1 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 31.2 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Not recommended in a single day. At 7.9 hours each way, a round trip means 15.8 hours of driving — that is an unsafe level of fatigue for most drivers. Plan at least one night at North Gates, 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, and FHWA TMAS for hourly traffic volumes. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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