Macedon, NY to Washington Heights, NY is 299.1 miles and takes about 6h 18m via I 81 and I 380, with a fuel budget near $49 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within the Northeast region, taking you from upstate New York into the metropolitan area. The majority of the drive is on highways, offering a relatively straightforward path. With a single recommended stop and a drive time under seven hours, this route is well-suited for a single-day excursion.
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
1 planned break
Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
Midpoint
149.5 miles from Macedon, NY
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 3h 17m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
I 81
98.8 mi
1h 57m
Keystone Shortway
80 mi
1h 37m
I 380
23.6 mi
25m
New York State Thruway
19.2 mi
22m
East Lake Road
9.9 mi
14m
State Highway 41
9.8 mi
13m
Clark Street Road
9.6 mi
11m
Christopher Columbus Highway
5.5 mi
5m
Longest stretch:
I 81
— 98.8 mi, about 1h 57m
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
12a6anoon6p11p
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 Macedon, NY and Washington Heights, NY.
1
Start on NY 31
0.5 mi·1 min·Main Street
2
Continue on NY 31
2.4 mi·2 min·State Route 31
3
Continue on NY 31
0.7 mi·53 sec·West Main Street
4
Turn right onto NY 21
0.5 mi·46 sec·Canandaigua Street
5
Continue on NY 21
1.1 mi·1 min·Canandaigua Road
6
Continue on NY 21
4.3 mi·6 min·State Route 21
7
Continue on NY 21
0.2 mi·19 sec·North Main Street
8
Take the ramp
0.2 mi·25 sec
9
Keep slight right at fork
0.4 mi·50 sec
Toward I 90 East
10
Merge onto I 90
19 mi·22 min·New York State Thruway
11
Take the exit
0.5 mi·58 sec
Exit 41Toward NY 414: Waterloo, ClydeUse the slight right lane.
12
Keep slight right at fork
327 ft·7 sec
13
Continue on NY 414
0.3 mi·35 sec·State Route 414
14
Turn left onto NY 318
4.1 mi·7 min·NY 318
Use the left lane.
15
At end of road, turn left onto US 20; NY 5
1.9 mi·2 min·Auburn Road
16
Continue on US 20; NY 5
9.6 mi·11 min·Clark Street Road
Use the straight lane.
17
Turn right onto State Street
226 ft·12 sec·State Street
18
Turn left onto Dill Street
0.1 mi·21 sec·Dill Street
19
Continue on Loop Road
458 ft·16 sec·Loop Road
20
Turn left onto Genesee Street
5.5 mi·9 min·Genesee Street
21
Continue on US 20
2.2 mi·4 min·West Genesee Street Road
22
Turn right onto NY 41
0.5 mi·45 sec·East Lake Street
23
Continue on NY 41
9.4 mi·13 min·East Lake Road
24
Continue on NY 41
4.8 mi·7 min·State Route 41
25
Continue on NY 41
0.5 mi·49 sec·East Lake Road
26
Continue on NY 41
9.8 mi·13 min·State Highway 41
27
Turn right onto NY 281
1.2 mi·2 min·North West Street
28
Take the ramp
0.7 mi·1 min
Use the left lane.
29
Keep slight right at fork
0.3 mi·34 sec
Toward I 81 South: Binghamton
30
Merge onto I 81
45 mi·54 min·I 81
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
31
Keep slight right at fork onto I 81
53 mi·1 hr 3 min·I 81
Toward I 81 South: ScrantonUse the straight lane.
32
Keep slight right at fork onto US 6
0.8 mi·1 min·US 6
Exit 187Toward I 84 East, I 380 South, US 6 East: Carbondale, Mt PoconoUse the slight left / slight right lanes.
33
Continue on I 84; I 380
3.7 mi·4 min·I 84; I 380
Toward I 84 East, I 380 South: Mount Pocono, MilfordUse the straight lane.
34
Keep slight right at fork onto I 380
24 mi·25 min·I 380
Exit 4Toward I 380 South: Mount Pocono
35
Keep slight left at fork
1.0 mi·1 min
Exit 1BToward I 80 East: Stroudsburg
36
Merge onto I 80
80 mi·1 hr 37 min·Keystone Shortway
Use the straight / right lanes.
37
Keep slight right at fork onto I 80
5.5 mi·5 min·Christopher Columbus Highway
Toward I 95: George Washington Bridge Lower LevelUse the slight right lane.
38
Keep slight left at fork
0.3 mi·23 sec
Toward I 95 North: George Washington Bridge, New York CityUse the straight / slight right lanes.
39
Keep slight right at fork
0.4 mi·38 sec
Exit 70A-BToward Leonia, TeaneckUse the slight right lane.
40
Turn right
0.2 mi·35 sec
Exit 70AToward LeoniaUse the straight / slight right lanes.
41
Turn straight onto CR 56
454 ft·9 sec·Degraw Avenue
42
Continue on CR 56
1.1 mi·2 min·Fort Lee Road
Use the straight / right lanes.
43
Continue on CR 56
469 ft·13 sec·Main Street
44
Take the ramp
472 ft·12 sec
Toward George Washington Bridge
45
Merge onto US 1; US 9; US 46
0.3 mi·28 sec·Bergen Boulevard
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
46
Take the exit
312 ft·4 sec
Toward George Washington Bridge Upper Level
47
Merge onto I 95 EXPR
0.3 mi·20 sec·I 95 EXPR
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
48
Keep slight left at fork onto I 95 EXPR
0.8 mi·1 min·I 95 EXPR
49
Continue on I 95; US 1; US 9
0.5 mi·45 sec·George Washington Bridge (upper level)
50
Take the exit onto US 9
0.1 mi·13 sec·US 9
Exit 1AToward NY 9A: Henry Hudson Parkway, West 178th StreetUse the straight / slight right lanes.
51
Keep slight left at fork onto US 9
0.2 mi·42 sec·US 9
Toward West 178th StreetUse the straight / slight right lanes.
52
Turn left onto US 9
0.2 mi·34 sec·Broadway
Use the straight / left lanes.
53
Arrive at destination
US 9
Trip Plan
Given the 6h 18m estimated drive time, leaving in the morning is your best bet to complete this trip comfortably in one day. You'll want to plan for at least one stop to break up the 299.1 miles; consider stopping around the halfway point or when you feel the need to stretch. Keep an eye on your fuel gauge, especially before entering longer stretches on I 81, as services can be spaced out. The shift from highway to surface roads means you'll need to adjust your driving style as you get closer to Washington Heights.
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 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 149.5 miles from Macedon, NY, or about 3h 17m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 98.8 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 66 miles or 1h 33m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 149.5 miles or 3h 17m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 5h 10m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Washington Heights, NY than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Macedon, 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.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Macedon, NY
This is one driving day of about 299.1 miles and 6h 18m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 66 miles from Macedon, NY.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
Plan about 1 real break rather than only quick fuel stops.
The longest stretch is on I 81 for about 98.8 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 34
5 decision points cluster between mile 29.5 and 298.5 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
8
29.5 mi into trip|~37m in
Take the exit toward NY 414: Waterloo, Clyde
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 41
Toward NY 414: Waterloo, Clyde
9
179.8 mi into trip|~3h 53m in|US 6
Keep slight right at fork onto US 6 toward I 84 East, I 380 South, US 6 East: Carbondale, Mt Pocono
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
Exit 187
Toward I 84 East, I 380 South, US 6 East: Carbo...
8
294.4 mi into trip|~6h 9m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 95 North: George Washington Bridge, New York City
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward I 95 North: George Washington Bridge, Ne...
9
294.7 mi into trip|~6h 10m in
Keep slight right at fork toward Leonia, Teaneck
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 70A-B
Toward Leonia, Teaneck
8
298.5 mi into trip|~6h 16m in|US 9
Take the exit onto US 9 toward NY 9A: Henry Hudson Parkway, West 178th Street
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 1A
Toward NY 9A: Henry Hudson Parkway, West 178th...
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$48.61 one way
$97.22 round trip
$4.13/gal25.4 MPG avg105 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.47
$52.61
$105.23
premium
$4.87
$57.30
$114.60
diesel
$5.40
$63.62
$127.25
Estimated Tolls: $16.96
George Washington Bridge
$16.00
New York State Thruway
(19.2 mi)$0.96
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
$49
Tolls
$17
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$91–$116
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 104.6 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-20.
EV Charging Along Route
26 DC fast chargers
· Coverage: excellent
Oakdale Commons Shopping Mall - Tesla Supercharger
Johnson City, NY
Tesla
12 DCFC
del Lago Resort and Casino - Tesla Supercharger
Waterloo, NY
Tesla
8 DCFC
Holiday Inn - Auburn
Auburn, NY
CHARGESMART_EV
8 DCFC
Starbucks - Tesla Supercharger
Cortland, NY
Tesla
8 DCFC
Arby's - Tesla Supercharger
Whitney Point, NY
Tesla
8 DCFC
The Spot Restaurant - Tesla Supercharger
Binghamton, NY
Tesla
8 DCFC
Courtyard by Marriott Binghamton
Vestal, NY
EVGATEWAY
8 DCFC
Applegreen Electric - Clifton Springs Travel Plaza
Station data from NREL Alternative Fuel Stations database.
Driving Electric?
About $31 in charging
· 1 stop
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
89.7
1
$31.41
$14.36
Efficient EV
74.8
0
$26.17
$11.96
EV Truck/SUV
119.6
1
$41.87
$19.14
Gas CO2
105 kg
EV CO2
35 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.
Forecast as of Apr 26, 2026
Origin
Macedon, NY
Late night
in Macedon on Sunday
Local time
2:09 AM
EDT
Current temp
42°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Washington Heights, NY
Late night
in Washington Heights on Sunday
Local time
2:09 AM
EDT
Current temp
41°F
Rain Showers
E 10 mph98% chanceLive 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
1 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
6h 18m 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.
National Parks Near This Route
Worth a detour if your schedule allows.
Hamilton Grange National Memorial
National Memorial
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...
2 mi from route
~6 min detour
Free
near mile 299.1
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...
3 mi from route
~7 min detour
Free
near mile 299.1
Women’s Rights National Historical Park tells the story of the first Women’s Rights Convention, held in Seneca Falls, New York on July 19-20, 1848. It is a story of struggles for civil rights, human r...
Harriet Tubman was guided by a deep faith and devotion to family, freedom, and community. After emancipating herself and members of her family, she moved them from Ontario, Canada to Fleming and Aubur...
5 mi from route
~12 min detour
Free
near mile 41.2
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...
9 mi from route
~22 min detour
Free
near mile 299.1
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...
10 mi from route
~25 min detour
Free
near mile 299.1
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
You'll spend about 52% of your time on highways like I 81 and I 380. The longest continuous stretch on a highway is 98.8 miles on I 81. After the highway segments, the profile shifts to mostly surface roads. Expect a mix of cruising on interstates and navigating through more local traffic as you approach your destination.
Only 52% highway — the rest is turn-by-turn surface driving.
53 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 98.8 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 29.5 miles in.
Driving Effort10/10
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 34 significant decision points across 299.1 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 29.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 179.8 miles (US 6): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 294.4 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Macedon, NY and Washington Heights, NY, road signs point toward Clyde, Mt Pocono and Milford.
Doable as a same-day drive at 6h 18m. Total distance: 299.1 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
6h 18m drive, plan rest stops for pacing.
Scenic Drive
Mostly surface roads route profile with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 98.8 miles on I 81. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Expect about $16.96 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.
Yes — we found about 28 rest areas or service plazas 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 Washington Heights, 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 1 meaningful breaks. There are 28 rest areas along the route for bathroom stops.
The main spots that need attention: at 29.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 179.8 miles (US 6): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 294.4 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes — Hamilton Grange National Memorial, General Grant National Memorial and Women's Rights National Historical Park (6 total within detour distance). See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Not recommended in a single day. At 6.3 hours each way, a round trip means 12.6 hours of driving — that is an unsafe level of fatigue for most drivers. Plan at least one night at Washington Heights, NY before the return drive.
