Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
35m
Distance
21.3 mi
34 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$4
one way
EV Charging
Fair
3 stations
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Kensington, NY
Wikimedia Commons
If you are planning to travel from Kensington to Hempstead, you are looking at a straightforward 21.3-mile trip that typically takes about 35 minutes. This journey is perfectly suited for a single-day outing, requiring no overnight stays. You will primarily navigate a combination of the Belt Parkway, Southern State Parkway, and Linden Boulevard. With an estimated fuel cost of only $3, this is an incredibly budget-friendly commute within the Northeast region. Because the entire route remains within New York, you will experience a consistent regional feel throughout the drive. It is a practical, quick transition that serves as an easy connection between these two points.
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Belt Parkway | 5.5 mi | 7m |
| Southern State Parkway | 5.4 mi | 7m |
| Linden Boulevard | 3.8 mi | 6m |
| Church Avenue | 2.9 mi | 7m |
| Peninsula Boulevard | 1.6 mi | 2m |
| Nassau Expressway | 0.8 mi | 1m |
| South Conduit Avenue | 0.7 mi | 1m |
| Coney Island Avenue | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Step-by-step road directions between Kensington, NY and Hempstead, NY.
Start on Albemarle Road
Turn right onto Coney Island Avenue
Turn right onto Church Avenue
Turn right onto Linden Boulevard
Take the ramp
Merge onto NY 27
Continue on NY 27
Continue on NY 27
Keep slight right at fork onto NY 27
Take the exit
Merge onto BP
Keep slight left at fork onto SO
Take the exit
Turn left
Turn left onto Peninsula Boulevard
Arrive at destination
5 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 19.5 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
Turn right onto Coney Island Avenue
Navigation decision point
Turn right onto Church Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Keep slight right at fork onto NY 27 / South Conduit Avenue toward JFK Long Term Parking, Kiss & Fly
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Keep slight left at fork onto SO / Southern State Parkway toward Southern State Parkway, Eastern Long Island
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Take the exit toward Peninsula Boulevard South, Rockville Centre
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Regular Gas
$3.51 one way
$7.01 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.52 | $3.79 | $7.58 |
| premium | $4.92 | $4.13 | $8.26 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $4.70 | $9.41 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$4
Estimated CO2 emission: 7.5 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 71% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 6.4 | 0 | $2.24 | $1.02 |
| Efficient EV | 5.3 | 0 | $1.86 | $0.85 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 8.5 | 0 | $2.98 | $1.36 |
Gas CO2
7 kg
EV CO2
2 kg (71% 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
Late night in Kensington on Sunday
Local time
12:22 AM
EDT
Current temp
42°F
Clear
Flood Warning
Flood Warning issued April 11 at 2:05PM EDT by NWS Binghamton NY
Destination
Late night in Hempstead on Sunday
Local time
12:22 AM
EDT
Current temp
40°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 mixed driving experience as you transition between major parkways and local surface streets. With a highway share of 55 percent, you will spend roughly half your time at higher speeds, with the longest uninterrupted stretch covering 5.5 miles on the Belt Parkway. The road personality shifts from the flow of the parkways to the more stop-and-go nature of Linden Boulevard. You will find that the route demands a balance of highway focus and careful navigation through local traffic patterns. This blend keeps the 35-minute duration feeling active and varied rather than monotonous.
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 early in the drive near Coney Island Avenue.
Focused - lots of decisions in a short distance, but it is over quickly
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 12 decision points packed into just 21.3 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 35m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (Coney Island Avenue): Navigation decision point; near the start (Church Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 7.8 miles (NY 27 / South Conduit Avenue): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Mostly flat terrain
Total Climb
82 ft
Total Descent
73 ft
Highest Point
55 ft
~21.3 mi in
Elevation Range
47 ft
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Kensington, NY and Hempstead, NY, road signs point toward Jfk Long Term Parking, Kiss & Fly, Eastern Long Island, Peninsula Boulevard South and Rockville Centre.
Jfk Long Term Parking
Kiss & Fly
Eastern Long Island
Peninsula Boulevard South
Rockville Centre
Hempstead is the most populous town in America, with a whopping 700,000 residents, located on the South Shore of Nassau County, New York. The town is highly urbanized and fragmented, containing 22 semi-autonomous villages within its boundaries, and forty other neighborhoods. Garden City, encompassing the "Nassau Hub" region, has its own article. The other prominent communities in Hempstead include Floral Park, Hempstead Village, Valley Stream, Rockville Centre, Freeport, Merrick, and the Five Towns area.
Top landmarks
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 35m. Total distance: 21.3 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
35m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (55%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Mixed highway & surface 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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