Oppenheim to Brookhaven is 263.7 miles and takes about 5h 34m via New York State Thruway and Long Island Expressway, with a fuel budget near $43 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within New York, moving from the Northeast region to the Northeast region, and is a good option if you're looking for a single-day journey. With a highway share of 38%, you'll experience a mix of driving conditions. Plan for a drive that's mostly highway, but with some variations. This route is a solid choice for a straightforward trip without needing an overnight stay.
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
131.8 miles from Oppenheim, NY
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 2h 41m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
New York State Thruway
151.4 mi
2h 54m
Long Island Expressway
43.5 mi
59m
NJ 17
14.1 mi
18m
State Highway 29
13.7 mi
19m
NJ 4
6.7 mi
9m
Cross Bronx Expressway
6.6 mi
8m
County Highway 116
4.3 mi
7m
Horseblock Road
4.1 mi
6m
Longest stretch:
New York State Thruway
— 151.4 mi, about 2h 54m
Traffic on I-495
Hour-of-day weekday pattern from 32 FHWA count stations on your route.
Peak
3 PM
~4,892 veh/hr typical
Quietest
2 AM
~524 veh/hr
Peak-to-quiet ratio
9.3×
busier at peak than in the quiet hours
12a6anoon6p11p
Averaged across 74 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 Oppenheim, NY and Brookhaven, NY.
1
Start on NY 331
66 ft·5 sec·State Highway 331
2
Turn right onto NY 29
14 mi·19 min·State Highway 29
3
Turn right onto CR 116
2.6 mi·3 min·County Highway 116
4
Turn straight onto NY 67
0.1 mi·13 sec·State Highway 67
5
Turn left onto CR 116
1.8 mi·4 min·County Highway 116
6
Continue on NY 334
0.5 mi·39 sec·State Highway 334
7
Continue on NY 334
1.5 mi·2 min·State Highway 334
8
Keep slight left at fork onto NY 334
2.1 mi·2 min·State Highway 334
9
Continue on NY 334
0.2 mi·30 sec·Cayadutta Street
10
At end of road, turn left onto NY 5
0.2 mi·28 sec·West Main Street
11
Turn right onto Broadway
0.1 mi·21 sec·Broadway
12
Turn left onto Park Street
0.4 mi·57 sec·Park Street
13
At end of road, turn right onto NY 30A
521 ft·14 sec·South Bridge Street
14
Continue on NY 30A
0.1 mi·20 sec·Main Street
15
Turn left onto Riverside Drive
0.5 mi·58 sec·Riverside Drive
16
Take the exit
0.2 mi·22 sec
Toward I 90
17
Continue on this road
0.5 mi·58 sec·this road
18
Merge onto I 90
33 mi·38 min·New York State Thruway
19
Keep slight right at fork onto New York State Thruway
118 mi·2 hr 16 min·New York State Thruway
Toward I 87 South: New York, BostonUse the slight right lane.
20
Keep slight right at fork onto NY 17
0.9 mi·59 sec·NY 17
Exit 15Toward I 287 South, NJ 17 South: New JerseyUse the slight right lane.
21
Continue on I 287; NJ 17
0.5 mi·39 sec·I 287; NJ 17
22
Keep slight left at fork onto NJ 17
14 mi·18 min·NJ 17
Exit 66Toward NJ 17 South: MahwahUse the slight left / straight lanes.
23
Take the exit
0.1 mi·19 sec
Toward NJ 4, GSP South: Paterson, Fort Lee, New York
24
Keep slight left at fork
0.5 mi·1 min
Toward NJ 4 East: Fort Lee, New York
25
Merge onto NJ 4
0.3 mi·24 sec·NJ 4
Use the right lane.
26
Continue on NJ 4
6.4 mi·8 min·NJ 4
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
27
Take the exit
0.2 mi·18 sec
Toward I 95 North: George Washington BridgeUse the straight / slight left lanes.
28
Merge onto I 95 EXPR
0.7 mi·54 sec·I 95 EXPR
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
29
Keep slight left at fork onto I 95 EXPR
0.8 mi·1 min·I 95 EXPR
30
Continue on I 95; US 1; US 9
0.6 mi·1 min·George Washington Bridge (upper level)
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
31
Continue on I 95; US 1
0.7 mi·1 min·Trans-Manhattan Expressway
32
Continue on I 95; US 1
4.7 mi·6 min·Cross Bronx Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
33
Keep slight right at fork onto I 295
2.0 mi·2 min·Cross Bronx Expressway
Exit 6BToward I 295 South: Throgs Neck BridgeUse the straight / slight left lanes.
34
Merge onto I 295
0.6 mi·58 sec·Throgs Neck Expressway
35
Continue on I 295
2.0 mi·3 min·Throgs Neck Bridge
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
36
Continue on I 295
3.2 mi·3 min·Clearview Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
37
Take the exit
0.2 mi·27 sec
Exit 4E-WToward I 495: Manhattan, Eastern Long IslandUse the straight / slight right lanes.
38
Keep slight left at fork
0.3 mi·38 sec
Exit 4EToward I 495 East: Long Island Expressway, Eastern Long Island
39
Merge onto I 495
43 mi·59 min·Long Island Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
40
Take the exit
0.2 mi·27 sec
Exit 65Toward CR 16: Horse Block Road, Centereach, ShirleyUse the straight / slight right lanes.
41
Turn straight onto Express Drive South
0.2 mi·21 sec·Express Drive South
Toward I 495, CR 101: Yaphank, Riverhead
42
Turn slight right onto CR 16
4.1 mi·6 min·Horseblock Road
Use the right lane.
43
At end of road, turn right onto CR 80
0.9 mi·1 min·Montauk Highway
Use the right lane.
44
Turn left onto CR 36
0.4 mi·50 sec·South Country Road
Use the left lane.
45
Arrive at destination
CR 36
Trip Plan
For this 5-hour, 34-minute drive, starting your trip in the morning will allow you to easily complete the 263.7 miles within daylight. With only one recommended stop, you can be strategic about when and where you take a break. Consider your fuel stop before you get too low, especially as the longest stretch is over 150 miles. Given the relatively short duration and manageable distance, you have flexibility; however, planning your fuel and a brief rest around the halfway point is advisable. Keep an eye on traffic conditions as you approach Long Island.
Morning Departure
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Evening Departure
A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 131.8 miles from Oppenheim, NY, or about 2h 41m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 151.4 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 58 miles or 1h 16m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 131.8 miles or 2h 41m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 4h 28m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Brookhaven, NY than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Oppenheim, 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 Oppenheim, NY
This is one driving day of about 263.7 miles and 5h 34m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 58 miles from Oppenheim, 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 New York State Thruway for about 151.4 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 30
5 decision points cluster between mile 57.6 and 214 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
8
57.6 mi into trip|~1h 16m in|New York State Thruway
Keep slight right at fork onto New York State Thruway toward I 87 South: New York, Boston
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Toward I 87 South: New York, Boston
9
175.8 mi into trip|~3h 32m in|NY 17
Keep slight right at fork onto NY 17 toward I 287 South, NJ 17 South: New Jersey
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 15
Toward I 287 South, NJ 17 South: New Jersey
8
177.2 mi into trip|~3h 34m in|NJ 17
Keep slight left at fork onto NJ 17 toward NJ 17 South: Mahwah
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left / straight lanes.
Exit 66
Toward NJ 17 South: Mahwah
8
206.2 mi into trip|~4h 14m in|I 295 / Cross Bronx Expressway
Keep slight right at fork onto I 295 / Cross Bronx Expressway toward I 295 South: Throgs Neck Bridge
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
Exit 6B
Toward I 295 South: Throgs Neck Bridge
8
214 mi into trip|~4h 24m in
Take the exit toward I 495: 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 straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 4E-W
Toward I 495: Manhattan, Eastern Long Island
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$46.16 one way
$92.32 round trip
$4.45/gal25.4 MPG avg92 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.82
$50.02
$100.04
premium
$5.23
$54.30
$108.59
diesel
$6.28
$65.16
$130.31
Estimated Tolls: $30.12
George Washington Bridge
$16.00
New York State Thruway
(151.4 mi)$7.57
Throgs Neck Bridge
$6.55
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
$46
Tolls
$30
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$101–$126
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 92.3 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-10-19.
Driving Electric?
About $28 in charging
· 0 stops
· 66% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
79.1
0
$27.69
$12.66
Efficient EV
65.9
0
$23.07
$10.55
EV Truck/SUV
105.5
1
$36.92
$16.88
Gas CO2
92 kg
EV CO2
31 kg (66% less)
Plan for 0 charging stops, roughly every 270 miles. Allow 25-40 minutes per stop at a DC fast charger.
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 Oct 19, 2026
Origin
Oppenheim, NY
Late night
in Oppenheim on Friday
Local time
1:06 AM
EDT
Current temp
62°F
Patchy Fog then Sunny
W 1 to 5 mph0% chanceLive forecast
Destination
Brookhaven, NY
Late night
in Brookhaven on Friday
Local time
1:06 AM
EDT
Current temp
61°F
Mostly Sunny
NE 7 to 12 mph0% 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
5h 34m on the road
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
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...
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...
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...
7 mi from route
~18 min detour
Free
near mile 263.7
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...
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 200
Here at Federal Hall, George Washington took the oath of office as the first President of the United States, marking the beginning of the American constitutional republic. This historic site served as...
10 mi from route
~26 min detour
Free
near mile 200
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
This route offers a mixed drive experience, with 38% of it on highways. You'll encounter a significant stretch of 151.4 miles on the New York State Thruway, providing a period of consistent, faster travel. The drive progresses from the Thruway to the Long Island Expressway, continuing the theme of substantial highway mileage. While the majority of the journey involves these main arteries, the overall profile suggests a dynamic drive rather than a monotonous one. Expect periods of steady cruising punctuated by changes in road character as you transition between major routes.
38% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
45 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 151.4 mi on New York State Thruway.
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 57.6 miles in near New York State Thruway.
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 30 significant decision points across 263.7 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 57.6 miles (New York State Thruway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 175.8 miles (NY 17): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 177.2 miles (NJ 17): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Elevation Profile
Gently rolling terrain
1,096 ft9 ft
Total Climb
644 ft
Total Descent
1,731 ft
Highest Point
1,096 ft
Elevation Range
1,087 ft
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Oppenheim, NY and Brookhaven, NY, road signs point toward Boston, Gsp South: Paterson, Fort Lee, New York and Eastern Long Island.
Brookhaven is the largest town in Suffolk County, part of Long Island, New York. With 485,000 residents (2020). It includes a patchwork of villages and other communities, and is the only town on the island to touch both the Long Island Sound and Atlantic Ocean. The villages of Belle Terre, Bellport, Lake Grove, Mastic Beach, Old Field, Patchogue, Poquott, Port Jefferson, and Shoreham are semi-autonomous, and provide their own services in addition to those provided by the town. Other prominent communities include Mount Sinai, Stony Brook, and Fire Island, a long and car-free resort island off the south coast of the town.
Top landmarks
•Wardenclyffe Tower — early experimental wireless transmission station designed and built by Nikola Te...
•West Meadow Beach Historic District — historic district in the United States
Doable as a same-day drive at 5h 34m. Total distance: 263.7 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
5h 34m drive, comfortable solo distance.
Scenic Drive
Mixed highway & surface route profile with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 151.4 miles on New York State Thruway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Expect about $30.12 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 24 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 Brookhaven, 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 24 rest areas along the route for bathroom stops.
The main spots that need attention: at 57.6 miles (New York State Thruway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 175.8 miles (NY 17): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 177.2 miles (NJ 17): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes — Hamilton Grange National Memorial, General Grant National Memorial and Fire Island National Seashore (6 total within detour distance). See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Not recommended in a single day. At 5.6 hours each way, a round trip means 11.1 hours of driving — that is an unsafe level of fatigue for most drivers. Plan at least one night at Brookhaven, NY before the return drive.
