Origin
Richmond Hill, NY
Morning in Richmond Hill on Sunday
Local time
7:59 AM
EDT
Current temp
47°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Richmond Hill, NY to Ronkonkoma, NY
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 1m
Distance
42.7 mi
69 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$7
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 56m
★
6 AM
1h 1m
8 AM
1h 11m
10 AM
1h 5m
12 PM
1h 4m
3 PM
1h 5m
5 PM
1h 10m
8 PM
0h 58m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Richmond Hill, NY
Wikimedia Commons
Ronkonkoma, NY
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Richmond Hill, NY to Ronkonkoma, NY is 42.7 miles and takes about 1h 1m via the Long Island Expressway, with a fuel budget near $7 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This drive stays within New York, connecting two points in the Northeast region. It's a straightforward trip, primarily on major parkways and expressways, making it a convenient option for a quick commute or a short hop. Given its short distance and efficient route, it’s ideal for same-day travel without much fuss.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Long Island Expressway | 29.5 mi | 39m |
| Grand Central Parkway | 6.8 mi | 9m |
| Northern State Parkway | 2.4 mi | 3m |
| Jackie Robinson Parkway | 0.8 mi | 1m |
| South Service Road | 0.7 mi | 1m |
| Lefferts Boulevard | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| Metropolitan Avenue | 0.4 mi | <1m |
| Ronkonkoma Avenue | 0.2 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Long Island Expressway
— 29.5 mi, about 39m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Richmond Hill, NY and Ronkonkoma, NY.
1
Start on Jamaica Avenue
113 ft
·
11 sec
·
Jamaica Avenue
2
Turn left onto Lefferts Boulevard
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
Lefferts Boulevard
3
Turn left onto Metropolitan Avenue
0.4 mi
·
56 sec
·
Metropolitan Avenue
4
Take the ramp
0.1 mi
·
17 sec
Toward Jackie Robinson Parkway East, Eastern Long Island
Use the right lane.
5
Merge onto JR
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
Jackie Robinson Parkway
6
Keep slight left at fork
0.4 mi
·
57 sec
Exit 8E
Toward Grand Central Parkway East, Eastern Long Island
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Merge onto GCP
6.8 mi
·
9 min
·
Grand Central Parkway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Continue on N
2.4 mi
·
3 min
·
Northern State Parkway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
38 sec
Exit 27S
Toward Shelter Rock Road South, Searingtown
Use the slight right lane.
10
Turn sharp left onto Shelter Rock Road
0.1 mi
·
22 sec
·
Shelter Rock Road
Use the left / straight lanes.
11
Turn right onto South Service Road
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
South Service Road
Use the right lane.
12
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
30 sec
Toward I 495 East: Riverhead
13
Merge onto I 495
29 mi
·
39 min
·
Long Island Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
14
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
23 sec
Exit 60
Toward Ronkonkoma Avenue, Lake Ronkonkoma, Sayville
Use the slight right lane.
15
Turn straight onto Express Drive South
226 ft
·
12 sec
·
Express Drive South
16
Turn left onto Ronkonkoma Avenue
0.2 mi
·
28 sec
·
Ronkonkoma Avenue
Use the left lane.
17
Arrive at destination
Ronkonkoma Avenue
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
21 mi into the route
Best for: Lunch, fuel, and a longer reset
This sits close to the middle of the route, so it works well for the longest stop of the day.
Pacing Suggestions
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 42.7 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 21.3 miles from Richmond Hill, NY, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 135 decision points cluster between mile 1.8 and 42.4 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
9
1.8 mi into trip
|
~4m in
Keep slight left at fork toward Grand Central Parkway East, Eastern Long Island
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 8E
Toward Grand Central Parkway East, Eastern Long...
8
11.4 mi into trip
|
~17m in
Take the exit toward Shelter Rock Road South, Searingtown
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 27S
Toward Shelter Rock Road South, Searingtown
8
11.6 mi into trip
|
~18m in
|
Shelter Rock Road
Turn sharp left onto Shelter Rock Road
Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach. Lane positioning matters here
Use the left / straight lanes.
8
42.2 mi into trip
|
~59m in
Take the exit toward Ronkonkoma Avenue, Lake Ronkonkoma, Sayville
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 60
Toward Ronkonkoma Avenue, Lake Ronkonkoma, Sayv...
7
42.4 mi into trip
|
~1h in
|
Ronkonkoma Avenue
Turn left onto Ronkonkoma Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$7.03 one way
$14.06 round trip
$4.18/gal
25.4 MPG avg
15 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.52 | $7.60 | $15.20 |
| premium | $4.92 | $8.28 | $16.55 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $9.43 | $18.86 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$7
Estimated CO2 emission: 14.9 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 12.8 | 0 | $4.48 | $2.05 |
| Efficient EV | 10.7 | 0 | $3.74 | $1.71 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 17.1 | 0 | $5.98 | $2.73 |
Gas CO2
15 kg
EV CO2
5 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.
Destination
Ronkonkoma, NY
Morning in Ronkonkoma on Sunday
Local time
7:59 AM
EDT
Current temp
47°F
Areas Of Fog then Chance Rain Showers
SE 5 to 8 mph
25% chance
Live forecast
Wind Advisory
Wind Advisory issued April 18 at 1:15PM EDT until April 19 at 12:00AM EDT by NWS Burlington VT
49°F
North Hills, NY
21 mi in
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
Very similar conditions
Both ends of the route are sitting at about the same temperature right now.
Road read
1h 1m 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?
This trip is 92% highway, so expect most of your 1 hour and 1 minute to be spent on limited-access roads. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 29.5 miles on the Long Island Expressway. You'll experience a lot of merging and exiting, typical for a route that heavily utilizes parkways and expressways to cover 42.7 miles.
92% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
17 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 29.5 mi on Long Island Expressway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
8/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Long Island Expressway and Grand Central Parkway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 1.8 miles in.
Driving Effort
8/10
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 42.7 miles you will encounter 13 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 1.8 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 11.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 11.6 miles (Shelter Rock Road): Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach. Lane positioning matters here.
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 Richmond Hill, NY and Ronkonkoma, NY, road signs point toward Shelter Rock Road South and Searingtown.
Shelter Rock Road South
11.4 mi in
|
~17m
Searingtown
11.4 mi in
|
~17m
About the Cities
Starting in Richmond Hill, NY
Full guide →Founded 1868
Arriving in Ronkonkoma, NY
Full guide →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.
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 1h 1m. Total distance: 42.7 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 1m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (92%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 29.5 miles on Long Island Expressway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 3 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 Ronkonkoma, 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 1.8 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 11.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 11.6 miles (Shelter Rock Road): Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes — African Burial Ground National Monument, Federal Hall National Memorial and Hamilton Grange National Memorial (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 Ronkonkoma, 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, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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