Origin
Seaford, NY
Late night in Seaford on Sunday
Local time
3:35 AM
EDT
Current temp
46°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Seaford, NY to Elmhurst, NY
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
37m
Distance
25.2 mi
41 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$4
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 35m
★
6 AM
0h 38m
8 AM
0h 44m
10 AM
0h 40m
12 PM
0h 39m
3 PM
0h 40m
5 PM
0h 44m
8 PM
0h 36m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Seaford, NY
Wikimedia Commons
Elmhurst, NY
Mel Audelo
Trip Overview
Seaford, NY to Elmhurst, NY is 25.2 miles and takes about 37m via Sunrise Highway and Van Wyck Expressway, with a fuel budget near $4 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This short trip stays within New York, moving from the Northeast region to the Northeast region. It's a straightforward drive that many locals might do for errands or commuting, offering a practical way to get from one part of Long Island to another. Given its brief duration, it's ideal for a single-day excursion or even as part of a longer journey.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Sunrise Highway | 11.9 mi | 15m |
| Van Wyck Expressway | 5 mi | 6m |
| Belt Parkway | 2.3 mi | 3m |
| Merrick Road | 1.8 mi | 3m |
| Long Island Expressway | 0.9 mi | 1m |
| Queens Boulevard | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| Bellmore Avenue | 0.4 mi | <1m |
| Grand Avenue | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Sunrise Highway
— 11.9 mi, about 15m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Seaford, NY and Elmhurst, NY.
1
Start on Merrick Road
1.8 mi
·
3 min
·
Merrick Road
2
Turn right onto Bellmore Avenue
0.4 mi
·
39 sec
·
Bellmore Avenue
3
Turn left onto NY 27
12 mi
·
15 min
·
Sunrise Highway
Use the straight / left / right lanes.
4
Take the exit
0.1 mi
·
18 sec
Toward Belt Parkway West, Verrazano Bridge
5
Merge onto BP
1.8 mi
·
2 min
·
Belt Parkway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Keep slight left at fork onto BP
0.4 mi
·
39 sec
·
Belt Parkway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Take the exit
0.5 mi
·
1 min
Exit 19
Toward I 678 North: Van Wyck Expressway, Whitestone Bridge
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Keep slight left at fork
0.4 mi
·
47 sec
Toward I 678 North: Van Wyck Expressway
9
Keep slight left at fork
0.2 mi
·
25 sec
10
Continue on I 678
5.0 mi
·
6 min
·
Van Wyck Expressway
Use the slight right lane.
11
Take the exit
0.6 mi
·
58 sec
Exit 12B
Toward I 495 West: Midtown Tunnel
Use the slight right lane.
12
Merge onto I 495
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
Long Island Expressway
13
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
49 sec
Exit 19
Toward NY 25: Woodhaven Boulevard, Rockaways, 69th Street, Grand Avenue
Use the slight right lane.
14
Keep slight right at fork
0.2 mi
·
47 sec
Toward NY 25: Queens Boulevard
Use the slight right lane.
15
Turn right onto Queens Boulevard
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
Queens Boulevard
Use the left / straight lanes.
16
Turn left onto Grand Avenue
137 ft
·
8 sec
·
Grand Avenue
Use the left lane.
17
Arrive at destination
Grand Avenue
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 145 decision points cluster between mile 16 and 24.4 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
16 mi into trip
|
~22m in
|
BP / Belt Parkway
Keep slight left at fork onto BP / Belt Parkway
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
16.5 mi into trip
|
~23m in
Take the exit toward I 678 North: Van Wyck Expressway, Whitestone Bridge
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 19
Toward I 678 North: Van Wyck Expressway, Whites...
7
22.6 mi into trip
|
~32m in
Take the exit toward I 495 West: Midtown Tunnel
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 12B
Toward I 495 West: Midtown Tunnel
8
24 mi into trip
|
~34m in
Take the exit toward NY 25: Woodhaven Boulevard, Rockaways, 69th Street, Grand Avenue
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 19
Toward NY 25: Woodhaven Boulevard, Rockaways, 6...
7
24.4 mi into trip
|
~35m in
Keep slight right at fork toward NY 25: Queens Boulevard
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Toward NY 25: Queens Boulevard
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$4.15 one way
$8.30 round trip
$4.18/gal
25.4 MPG avg
9 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.52 | $4.49 | $8.97 |
| premium | $4.92 | $4.88 | $9.77 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $5.56 | $11.13 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$4
Estimated CO2 emission: 8.8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 7.6 | 0 | $2.65 | $1.21 |
| Efficient EV | 6.3 | 0 | $2.20 | $1.01 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 10.1 | 0 | $3.53 | $1.61 |
Gas CO2
9 kg
EV CO2
3 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
Elmhurst, NY
Late night in Elmhurst on Sunday
Local time
3:35 AM
EDT
Current temp
59°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
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
13 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
37m on the road
Use the two city cards together: check the sky where you start, then compare it with the local time and temperature at arrival.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
What kind of drive is this?
This drive offers a mixed experience, with 32% of the journey taking place on highways. You'll encounter stretches on Sunrise Highway, including one uninterrupted segment of 11.9 miles, which can feel like a steady cruise. Following that, you'll transition to the Van Wyck Expressway and the Belt Parkway, introducing more of a metropolitan highway feel. Expect varied traffic conditions as you navigate these main arteries connecting different parts of the region.
32% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
17 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 11.9 mi on Sunrise Highway.
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 16 miles in near BP / Belt Parkway.
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 14 decision points packed into just 25.2 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 37m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 16 miles (BP / Belt Parkway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 16.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 22.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. 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.
On the drive from Seaford, NY to Elmhurst, NY, road signs begin pointing toward Belt Parkway West along the way.
Belt Parkway West
14.1 mi in
|
~19m
About the Cities
Starting in Seaford, NY
Full guide →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 37m. Total distance: 25.2 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
37m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (32%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Mixed highway & surface route profile with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 11.9 miles on Sunrise Highway. 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 Elmhurst, 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 16 miles (BP / Belt Parkway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 16.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 22.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes — Stonewall National Monument, African Burial Ground National Monument and Federal Hall 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 Elmhurst, 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.
Was this helpful?
Thanks for your feedback!
Your tip has been submitted. Thanks!
/500
Recent Tips
·
Explore More
Continue From Elmhurst, NY
More from Seaford, NY
More trips to Elmhurst, NY
Explore more options from Seaford, NY or browse trips ending in Elmhurst, NY.
Looking for more statewide routes? Browse NY road trips.