Islip to Upper Nyack is 68 miles and takes about 1h 39m via Southern State Parkway and New York State Thruway, with a fuel budget near $12 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within New York, moving from the Northeast region to the Northeast region. Expect a mix of highway driving and some surface roads as you navigate this relatively short distance. It's a straightforward drive that's easy to fit into a single day, making it a convenient option for connecting these two points.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Midpoint
34 miles from Islip, NY
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 49m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Southern State Parkway
24.7 mi
31m
New York State Thruway
14.9 mi
20m
Clearview Expressway
5 mi
5m
Throgs Neck Expressway
2.5 mi
3m
South Columbus Avenue
2.3 mi
3m
New England Thruway
2 mi
3m
Throgs Neck Bridge
2 mi
3m
Main Street
1.8 mi
3m
Longest stretch:
Southern State Parkway
— 24.7 mi, about 31m
Traffic on I-295
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 11 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
4 PM
~1,766 veh/hr typical
· worst 2,167
Quietest
2 AM
~199 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
8.9×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
12a6anoon6p11p
Averaged across 48 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 Upper Nyack, 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 ParkUse 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 BridgeUse 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 26BToward NY 24: UBS Arena-Belmont ParkUse the slight right lane.
16
Keep slight left at fork
437 ft·12 sec
Toward NY 24 West: Hempstead AvenueUse 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 WestUse 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 BridgeUse 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 right at fork onto I 695
1.8 mi·2 min·Throgs Neck Expressway
Exit 10Toward I 695 North: New HavenUse the straight / slight right lanes.
28
Merge onto I 95
1.0 mi·1 min·Bruckner Expressway
29
Continue on I 95
2.0 mi·3 min·New England Thruway
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
30
Take the exit
351 ft·16 sec
Exit 13Toward Conner StreetUse the slight right lane.
31
Turn left onto Tillotson Avenue
0.1 mi·22 sec·Tillotson Avenue
32
Turn left onto Conner Street
0.3 mi·30 sec·Conner Street
33
Continue on NY 22
0.3 mi·59 sec·Provost Avenue
34
Continue on NY 22
0.2 mi·17 sec·South 3rd Avenue
35
Turn slight right onto NY 22
2.3 mi·3 min·South Columbus Avenue
Use the left / straight lanes.
36
Take the ramp
0.3 mi·37 sec
Toward Cross County Parkway WestUse the left lane.
37
Merge onto Cross County Parkway
0.8 mi·1 min·Cross County Parkway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
38
Keep slight right at fork onto Cross County Parkway (local lanes)
0.6 mi·56 sec·Cross County Parkway (local lanes)
Toward Exits 5 - 4N - 4SUse the straight / slight right lanes.
39
Take the exit
0.3 mi·32 sec
Exit 4NToward Central Park Avenue NorthUse the slight right lane.
40
Turn straight onto Central Park Avenue
0.2 mi·32 sec·Central Park Avenue
41
Take the ramp
0.2 mi·22 sec
Toward I 87 North, New York State Thruway North: Governor Mario M. Cuomo Bridge, Albany
42
Merge onto I 87
15 mi·20 min·New York State Thruway
Use the slight right lane.
43
Take the exit
0.2 mi·29 sec
Exit 11Toward US 9W: Nyack
44
Continue on High Avenue
0.1 mi·16 sec·High Avenue
45
Turn left onto US 9W
1.1 mi·1 min·North Highland Avenue
46
Turn right onto Christian Herald Road
437 ft·11 sec·Christian Herald Road
47
Continue on Old Mountain Road North
0.3 mi·44 sec·Old Mountain Road North
48
Continue on Old Mountain Road
185 ft·11 sec·Old Mountain Road
49
Turn left
99 ft·7 sec
50
Arrive at destination
Trip Plan
Given the 1h 39m duration, this is an easy one-day trip. Leaving mid-morning, perhaps around 9:30 AM, should help you avoid the worst of rush hour traffic on the parkways and thruway. With only 68 miles, you won't need extensive stops for rest or fuel, but it's wise to keep an eye on your gas gauge as you approach the Thruway, as services can be spaced out. Plan for your fuel cost to be around $12. You can be flexible with your departure time due to the short distance, allowing for a more relaxed start.
Morning Departure
Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch.
Evening Departure
Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
You may only need one short stretch break if traffic stays light.
The halfway point lands around 34 miles from Islip, NY, or about 49m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 24.7 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 15 miles or 22m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 34 miles or 49m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 1h 24m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Upper Nyack, 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.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Islip, NY
This is one driving day of about 68 miles and 1h 39m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 15 miles from Islip, NY.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on Southern State Parkway for about 24.7 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 31
5 decision points cluster between mile 3.6 and 40.9 — 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
7
29.4 mi into trip|~40m in
Take the exit toward Cross Island Parkway North, Whitestone Bridge
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Toward Cross Island Parkway North, Whitestone B...
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
40.9 mi into trip|~58m in|I 695 / Throgs Neck Expressway
Keep slight right at fork onto I 695 / Throgs Neck Expressway toward I 695 North: New Haven
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 10
Toward I 695 North: New Haven
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$12.07 one way
$24.14 round trip
$4.51/gal25.4 MPG avg24 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.85
$12.97
$25.95
premium
$5.24
$14.03
$28.05
diesel
$5.35
$14.32
$28.65
Estimated Tolls: $7.43
Throgs Neck Bridge
$6.55
New York State Thruway
(14.9 mi)$0.74
New England Thruway
(2 mi)$0.14
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
$12
Tolls
$7
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$45–$70
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 23.8 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-06-01.
Driving Electric?
About $7 in charging
· 0 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
20.4
0
$7.14
$3.26
Efficient EV
17
0
$5.95
$2.72
EV Truck/SUV
27.2
0
$9.52
$4.35
Gas CO2
24 kg
EV CO2
8 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 May 24, 2026
Origin
Islip, NY
Afternoon
in Islip on Wednesday
Local time
4:50 PM
EDT
Current temp
58°F
Rain
E 12 to 18 mph99% chanceLive forecast
Rip Current Statement
Rip Current Statement issued May 24 at 2:38AM EDT until May 25 at 9:00PM EDT by NWS Upton NY
Destination
Upper Nyack, NY
Afternoon
in Upper Nyack on Wednesday
Local time
4:50 PM
EDT
Current temp
73°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
15 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 39m 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.
National Parks Near This Route
Worth a detour if your schedule allows.
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...
7 mi from route
~19 min detour
Free
near mile 42.2
Caution: Lower Crypt Access Subject to Safe Conditions
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...
7 mi from route
~17 min detour
Free
near mile 42.2
Immerse yourself in an enchanting collage of coastal life and history. Rhythmic waves, high dunes, ancient maritime forests, historic landmarks and glimpses of wildlife, Fire Island has been a special...
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...
12 mi from route
~31 min detour
Free
near mile 35.2
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...
12 mi from route
~29 min detour
Free
near mile 42.2
Located at the southern tip of Manhattan, Castle Clinton marks the place where New York City began and reflects the growth of both the city and the nation. Built to defend the harbor during the War of...
13 mi from route
~33 min detour
Free
near mile 35.2
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
This route is a 53% highway drive, with the longest continuous stretch on the Southern State Parkway covering 24.7 miles. You'll transition from parkway to highway and then likely some surface roads as you approach your destination. Expect a fairly urban feel with frequent exits and merges, especially on the earlier parkway and expressway sections.
53% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
50 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 24.7 mi on Southern State Parkway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
10/10
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. 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 Effort10/10
Demanding - stay alert through the decision-heavy sections
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 68 miles you will encounter 31 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 3.6 miles (CR 57 / Howells Road): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 29.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 31.1 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
180 ft-5 ft
Total Climb
498 ft
Total Descent
330 ft
Highest Point
180 ft
~68 mi in
Elevation Range
186 ft
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 Upper Nyack, NY, road signs point toward Deer Park, So West: New York, Cross Island Parkway North, Hempstead Avenue West, Grandstand and Cross County Parkway West - among others.
Deer Park
3.6 mi in|~6m|via CR 57
So West: New York
4.5 mi in|~8m
Cross Island Parkway North
29.4 mi in|~40m
Hempstead Avenue West
31.1 mi in|~43m
Grandstand
31.3 mi in|~43m
Cross County Parkway West
49 mi in|~1h 11m
Exits 5 - 4N - 4S
50.1 mi in|~1h 13m|via Cross County Parkway (local lanes)
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
Nyack is in Rockland County, New York. This article also covers the nearby towns of Upper Nyack and South Nyack, immediately to the north and south of Nyack, respectively.
Top landmarks
•First Methodist Episcopal Church of Nyack — church building in Upper Nyack, United States of America
•Shadowcliff — historic home located at Upper Nyack, Rockland County, New York
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 39m. Total distance: 68 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 39m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (53%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Mixed highway & surface route profile with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 24.7 miles on Southern State Parkway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Expect about $7.43 in tolls one way, starting with Throgs Neck 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.
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 Upper Nyack, 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 3.6 miles (CR 57 / Howells Road): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 29.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 31.1 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes — General Grant National Memorial, Hamilton Grange National Memorial and Fire Island National Seashore (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 Upper Nyack, NY before heading back.
