Origin
North Merrick, NY
Afternoon in North Merrick on Sunday
Local time
3:01 PM
EDT
Current temp
46°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from North Merrick, NY to Manhattan, NY
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
49m
Distance
28.9 mi
47 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$5
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 45m
★
6 AM
0h 50m
8 AM
0h 58m
10 AM
0h 52m
12 PM
0h 52m
3 PM
0h 53m
5 PM
0h 57m
8 PM
0h 47m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
North Merrick, NY
Wikimedia Commons
Manhattan, NY
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Traveling from North Merrick to Manhattan covers 34.5 miles and typically takes about 55 minutes, making it a straightforward day trip. You will navigate via Aster Avenue, Larkspur Avenue, and Merrick Avenue North to complete this journey within the Northeast region. With a fuel cost of approximately $5, this route is an affordable way to reach the city. Since the entire trip is local, you do not need to worry about overnight accommodations or complicated rest stops. It is a practical, efficient option for those looking to move between Long Island and the city center without long-haul travel logistics.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Southern State Parkway | 9 mi | 12m |
| Long Island Expressway | 8.4 mi | 11m |
| Clearview Expressway | 1.4 mi | 1m |
| Cross Island Parkway | 1.3 mi | 1m |
| Hempstead Avenue | 1 mi | 2m |
| Ed Koch Queensboro Bridge Lower Level | 0.9 mi | 2m |
| 212th Street | 0.7 mi | 1m |
| Queensboro Plaza | 0.7 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Southern State Parkway
— 9 mi, about 12m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between North Merrick, NY and Manhattan, NY.
1
Start on this road
182 ft
·
9 sec
·
this road
2
Turn left onto Aster Avenue
0.1 mi
·
35 sec
·
Aster Avenue
3
At end of road, turn left onto Larkspur Avenue
259 ft
·
17 sec
·
Larkspur Avenue
4
Turn left onto Merrick Avenue North
0.1 mi
·
14 sec
·
Merrick Avenue North
5
Take the ramp
0.1 mi
·
17 sec
Toward SO West: New York
6
Merge onto SO
9.0 mi
·
12 min
·
Southern State Parkway
Use the straight / right lanes.
7
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
43 sec
Toward Cross Island Parkway North, Whitestone Bridge
Use the slight right lane.
8
Merge onto CI
1.3 mi
·
1 min
·
Cross Island Parkway
9
Take the exit
317 ft
·
9 sec
Exit 26B
Toward NY 24: UBS Arena-Belmont Park
Use the slight right lane.
10
Keep slight left at fork
437 ft
·
12 sec
Toward NY 24 West: Hempstead Avenue
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
11
Keep slight right at fork
0.1 mi
·
15 sec
Toward Cross Island Parkway North, Hempstead Avenue West
12
Keep slight right at fork
266 ft
·
8 sec
Toward Hempstead Avenue West
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
13
Continue on this road
0.1 mi
·
13 sec
·
this road
Toward Grandstand, Hempstead Avenue West
14
Keep slight left at fork
100 ft
·
4 sec
Toward Hempstead Avenue
15
Turn right onto NY 24
1.0 mi
·
2 min
·
Hempstead Avenue
Use the right lane.
16
Turn left onto Jamaica Avenue
0.1 mi
·
17 sec
·
Jamaica Avenue
17
Turn right onto NY 24
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
212th Street
18
Continue on I 295
1.4 mi
·
1 min
·
Clearview Expressway
Toward I 295 North: Clearview Expressway, Through Neck Bridge
19
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
23 sec
Exit 4E-W
Toward I 495: Long Island Expressway, Manhattan, Eastern Long Island
Use the slight right lane.
20
Keep slight right at fork
0.3 mi
·
36 sec
Exit 4W
Toward I 495 West: Long Island Expressway West, Manhattan
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
21
Merge onto I 495
8.4 mi
·
11 min
·
Long Island Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
22
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.
23
Turn straight onto Laurel Hill Boulevard
80 ft
·
2 sec
·
Laurel Hill Boulevard
24
Keep slight right at fork onto Hunters Point Avenue
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
Hunters Point Avenue
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
25
Turn right onto Van Dam Street
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
Van Dam Street
26
Continue on Van Dam Street
113 ft
·
8 sec
·
Van Dam Street
27
Turn left onto NY 25
0.4 mi
·
35 sec
·
Queens Boulevard
28
Continue on NY 25
0.7 mi
·
57 sec
·
Queensboro Plaza
29
Continue on NY 25
0.9 mi
·
2 min
·
Ed Koch Queensboro Bridge Lower Level
30
Keep slight right at fork onto NY 25
317 ft
·
11 sec
·
NY 25
Toward 60th Street West
Use the slight right lane.
31
Turn left onto East 60th Street
0.1 mi
·
28 sec
·
East 60th Street
32
Turn right onto 3rd Avenue
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
3rd Avenue
Use the right lane.
33
Turn left onto East 72nd Street
0.3 mi
·
40 sec
·
East 72nd Street
Use the left lane.
34
Turn right onto Madison Avenue
0.7 mi
·
2 min
·
Madison Avenue
35
Turn left onto East 85th Street
507 ft
·
12 sec
·
East 85th Street
36
Continue on 86th Street Transverse
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
86th Street Transverse
Toward West Side
37
Arrive at destination
86th Street Transverse
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 285 decision points cluster between mile 11.1 and 23.5 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
8
11.1 mi into trip
|
~16m 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
11.3 mi into trip
|
~17m 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
14.7 mi into trip
|
~23m in
Take the exit toward I 495: Long Island Expressway, Manhattan, Eastern Long Island
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 4E-W
Toward I 495: Long Island Expressway, Manhattan...
10
14.9 mi into trip
|
~23m in
Keep slight right at fork toward I 495 West: Long Island Expressway West, Manhattan
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
Exit 4W
Toward I 495 West: Long Island Expressway West,...
8
23.5 mi into trip
|
~35m 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...
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$4.76 one way
$9.51 round trip
$4.18/gal
25.4 MPG avg
10 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.52 | $5.14 | $10.29 |
| premium | $4.92 | $5.60 | $11.20 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $6.38 | $12.76 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$5
Estimated CO2 emission: 10.1 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 70% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 8.7 | 0 | $3.03 | $1.39 |
| Efficient EV | 7.2 | 0 | $2.53 | $1.16 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 11.6 | 0 | $4.05 | $1.85 |
Gas CO2
10 kg
EV CO2
3 kg (70% 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
Afternoon in Manhattan on Sunday
Local time
3:01 PM
EDT
Current temp
88°F
Mostly Sunny
SW 3 to 9 mph
4% chance
Live forecast
Flood Warning
Flood Warning issued April 15 at 11:57PM EDT by NWS Binghamton NY
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
42 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
49m 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.
What kind of drive is this?
Expect a turn-heavy local drive that keeps you focused on the road rather than cruising on open pavement. Because this route features 0% highway driving, you will spend the entire 34.5 miles navigating local streets. The longest uninterrupted stretch occurs on Aster Avenue, which offers no significant highway relief throughout the duration of the trip. The character of this drive is defined by constant adjustments and local navigation rather than high-speed interstate travel. You should prepare for a consistent, hands-on driving experience that requires your full attention from start to finish.
69% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
37 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 9 mi on Southern State Parkway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
10/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Southern State Parkway and Long Island Expressway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 11.1 miles in.
Driving Effort
10/10
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 28 decision points packed into just 28.9 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 49m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 11.1 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 11.3 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 14.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
108 ft
29 ft
Total Climb
174 ft
Total Descent
114 ft
Highest Point
108 ft
~14.5 mi in
Elevation Range
79 ft
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 North Merrick, NY and Manhattan, NY, road signs point toward Cross Island Parkway North, Hempstead Avenue West, Grandstand, Eastern Long Island and 60Th Street West.
Cross Island Parkway North
9.4 mi in
|
~13m
Hempstead Avenue West
11.2 mi in
|
~16m
Grandstand
11.3 mi in
|
~17m
Eastern Long Island
14.7 mi in
|
~23m
60Th Street West
26.7 mi in
|
~42m
|
via NY 25
About the Cities
Starting in North Merrick, NY
Full guide →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 49m. Total distance: 28.9 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
49m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (69%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 9 miles on Southern State Parkway. 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 11.1 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 11.3 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 14.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes — General Grant National Memorial, Hamilton Grange National Memorial and Stonewall National Monument (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 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, 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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