Origin
Ridge, NY
Morning in Ridge on Tuesday
Local time
10:04 AM
EDT
Current temp
46°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Ridge, NY to Hempstead, NY
Pin this tripCompiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 21, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 5m
Distance
47.8 mi
77 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$8
one way
EV Charging
Fair
4 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 1m
★
6 AM
1h 6m
8 AM
1h 17m
10 AM
1h 10m
12 PM
1h 9m
3 PM
1h 10m
5 PM
1h 16m
8 PM
1h 3m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Ridge, NY
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
This 47.8-mile drive from Ridge, NY, to Hempstead, NY, is a straightforward trip that can easily be completed in about 1 hour and 5 minutes. It's a perfect candidate for a single-day excursion, requiring no overnight stops. You'll primarily navigate via the Southern State Parkway, Sunrise Highway, and Heckscher State Parkway, with about 60% of the journey on highways. The estimated fuel cost for this route is around $8, making it an economical option. This mixed drive offers a convenient way to travel within the Northeast region of New York.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Southern State Parkway | 17.5 mi | 21m |
| Sunrise Highway | 11.4 mi | 15m |
| Heckscher State Parkway | 6 mi | 7m |
| William Floyd Parkway | 3.6 mi | 5m |
| Patchogue-Yaphank Road | 2.6 mi | 4m |
| Long Island Expressway | 1.4 mi | 1m |
| Nassau Road | 0.8 mi | 1m |
| Sills Road | 0.7 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Southern State Parkway
— 17.5 mi, about 21m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Ridge, NY and Hempstead, NY.
1
Start on NY 25
0.5 mi
·
50 sec
·
Middle Country Road
2
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
29 sec
Toward CR 46 South: Smith Point Park
Use the slight right lane.
3
Merge onto CR 46
3.6 mi
·
5 min
·
William Floyd Parkway
4
Take the exit
0.9 mi
·
1 min
Toward I 495 West: New York
Use the slight right lane.
5
Merge onto I 495
1.4 mi
·
1 min
·
Long Island Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Take the exit
0.5 mi
·
53 sec
Exit 66
Toward CR 101: Sills Road, Yaphank, East Patchogue
Use the slight right lane.
7
Turn left onto CR 101
2.6 mi
·
4 min
·
Patchogue-Yaphank Road
Toward I 495 East, NY 27, CR 16: East Patchogue, Riverhead
Use the left / straight lanes.
8
Continue on CR 101
0.7 mi
·
57 sec
·
Sills Road
Use the right lane.
9
Turn right onto Sunrise Service Road North
0.1 mi
·
18 sec
·
Sunrise Service Road North
Use the right lane.
10
Take the ramp
0.1 mi
·
13 sec
Toward NY 27 West
11
Merge onto NY 27
11 mi
·
14 min
·
Sunrise Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Turn slight right onto Sunrise Highway
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Sunrise Highway
Exit 46
Toward SO, H: New York, Hekscher Park
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
39 sec
Toward SO West: New York
14
Merge onto H
6.0 mi
·
7 min
·
Heckscher State Parkway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
15
Continue on SO
0.1 mi
·
9 sec
·
Southern State Parkway
16
Keep slight left at fork onto SO
17 mi
·
21 min
·
Southern State Parkway
Use the slight left lane.
17
Take the exit
0.1 mi
·
25 sec
Exit 21
Toward Nassau Road, Hempstead, Freeport
Use the slight right lane.
18
Keep slight right at fork
163 ft
·
5 sec
Toward Uniondale
Use the right lane.
19
Turn right onto Nassau Road
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
Nassau Road
Use the right lane.
20
Continue on Greenwich Street
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
Greenwich Street
21
Turn right onto Henry Street
0.5 mi
·
56 sec
·
Henry Street
Use the right lane.
22
Turn right onto Peninsula Boulevard
64 ft
·
1 sec
·
Peninsula Boulevard
23
Arrive at destination
Peninsula Boulevard
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
24 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 11 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 23.9 miles from Ridge, 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 185 decision points cluster between mile 4.3 and 45.9 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
4.3 mi into trip
|
~6m in
Take the exit toward I 495 West: New York
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Toward I 495 West: New York
8
6.6 mi into trip
|
~10m in
Take the exit toward CR 101: Sills Road, Yaphank, East Patchogue
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 66
Toward CR 101: Sills Road, Yaphank, East Patcho...
6
7.1 mi into trip
|
~10m in
|
CR 101 / Patchogue-Yaphank Road
Turn left onto CR 101 / Patchogue-Yaphank Road toward I 495 East, NY 27, CR 16: East Patchogue, Riverhead
Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the left / straight lanes.
Toward I 495 East, NY 27, CR 16: East Patchogue...
8
45.8 mi into trip
|
~1h 2m in
Take the exit toward Nassau Road, Hempstead, Freeport
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 21
Toward Nassau Road, Hempstead, Freeport
8
45.9 mi into trip
|
~1h 2m in
Keep slight right at fork toward Uniondale
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Toward Uniondale
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$7.87 one way
$15.74 round trip
$4.18/gal
25.4 MPG avg
17 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.52 | $8.51 | $17.02 |
| premium | $4.92 | $9.26 | $18.53 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $10.55 | $21.11 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$8
Estimated CO2 emission: 16.7 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 65% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 14.3 | 0 | $5.02 | $2.29 |
| Efficient EV | 12 | 0 | $4.18 | $1.91 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 19.1 | 0 | $6.69 | $3.06 |
Gas CO2
17 kg
EV CO2
6 kg (65% 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
Hempstead, NY
Morning in Hempstead on Tuesday
Local time
10:04 AM
EDT
Current temp
83°F
Mostly Sunny
SW 6 to 12 mph
3% 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
37 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
1h 5m 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 mixed drive on this route, blending parkway and highway stretches. With 60% of the journey on highways, you'll experience some faster-paced driving, particularly during the longest uninterrupted segment of 17.5 miles on the Southern State Parkway. The profile suggests a varied experience, likely transitioning between more open parkway sections and potentially busier highway segments as you approach Hempstead. This isn't a monotonous interstate grind, but rather a functional route designed for efficient travel within Long Island.
60% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
23 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 17.5 mi on Southern State Parkway.
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 4.3 miles in.
Driving Effort
10/10
Demanding - stay alert through the decision-heavy sections
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 47.8 miles you will encounter 18 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 4.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 6.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 7.1 miles (CR 101 / Patchogue-Yaphank Road): 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.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Ridge, NY and Hempstead, NY, road signs point toward Yaphank, Patchogue, Cr 16: East Patchogue, Riverhead, H: New York and Hekscher Park - among others.
Yaphank
6.6 mi in
|
~10m
Patchogue
6.6 mi in
|
~10m
Cr 16: East Patchogue
7.1 mi in
|
~10m
|
via CR 101
Riverhead
7.1 mi in
|
~10m
|
via CR 101
H: New York
21.2 mi in
|
~31m
|
via Sunrise Highway
Hekscher Park
21.2 mi in
|
~31m
|
via Sunrise Highway
So West: New York
21.9 mi in
|
~32m
About the Cities
Starting in Ridge, NY
Full guide →Arriving in Hempstead, NY
Full guide →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
- • Mitchel Air Force Base — US Air Force base in Long Island, New York
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 5m. Total distance: 47.8 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 5m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (60%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 17.5 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 Hempstead, 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 4.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 6.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 7.1 miles (CR 101 / Patchogue-Yaphank Road): Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes — Fire Island National Seashore, Gateway National Recreation Area and General Grant 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 Hempstead, 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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