Origin
Valley Stream, NY
Morning in Valley Stream on Tuesday
Local time
6:42 AM
EDT
Current temp
47°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Valley Stream, NY to Manhattan, 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
36m
Distance
21 mi
34 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$3
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 34m
★
6 AM
0h 37m
8 AM
0h 43m
10 AM
0h 39m
12 PM
0h 38m
3 PM
0h 39m
5 PM
0h 43m
8 PM
0h 35m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Valley Stream, NY
Mel Audelo
Manhattan, NY
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Traveling from Valley Stream to Manhattan covers a quick 22.2 miles, typically taking about 46 minutes depending on traffic conditions. Since this trip stays entirely within the Northeast region, you won't need to worry about crossing state lines or planning for overnight stays. It is a straightforward day trip that fits easily into a morning or afternoon schedule. With a fuel budget of approximately $4, the drive is quite economical for a solo traveler or a small group. You should view this as a practical transit route rather than a scenic getaway, as it serves as a direct link between the suburbs and the city.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Van Wyck Expressway | 5 mi | 6m |
| Long Island Expressway | 4.4 mi | 6m |
| Belt Parkway | 2.3 mi | 3m |
| West Sunrise Highway | 1.9 mi | 2m |
| Ed Koch Queensboro Bridge Lower Level | 0.9 mi | 2m |
| Queensboro Plaza | 0.7 mi | <1m |
| Madison Avenue | 0.7 mi | 2m |
| 3rd Avenue | 0.6 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
Van Wyck Expressway
— 5 mi, about 6m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Valley Stream, NY and Manhattan, NY.
1
Start on South Central Avenue
0.1 mi
·
21 sec
·
South Central Avenue
2
Turn right onto NY 27
1.9 mi
·
2 min
·
West Sunrise Highway
Use the right lane.
3
Take the exit
0.1 mi
·
18 sec
Toward Belt Parkway West, Verrazano Bridge
4
Merge onto BP
1.8 mi
·
2 min
·
Belt Parkway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
Keep slight left at fork onto BP
0.4 mi
·
39 sec
·
Belt Parkway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
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.
7
Keep slight left at fork
0.4 mi
·
47 sec
Toward I 678 North: Van Wyck Expressway
8
Keep slight left at fork
0.2 mi
·
25 sec
9
Continue on I 678
5.0 mi
·
6 min
·
Van Wyck Expressway
Use the slight right lane.
10
Take the exit
0.6 mi
·
58 sec
Exit 12B
Toward I 495 West: Midtown Tunnel
Use the slight right lane.
11
Merge onto I 495
4.4 mi
·
6 min
·
Long Island Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
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.
13
Turn straight onto Laurel Hill Boulevard
80 ft
·
2 sec
·
Laurel Hill Boulevard
14
Keep slight right at fork onto Hunters Point Avenue
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
Hunters Point Avenue
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
15
Turn right onto Van Dam Street
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
Van Dam Street
16
Continue on Van Dam Street
113 ft
·
8 sec
·
Van Dam Street
17
Turn left onto NY 25
0.4 mi
·
35 sec
·
Queens Boulevard
18
Continue on NY 25
0.7 mi
·
57 sec
·
Queensboro Plaza
19
Continue on NY 25
0.9 mi
·
2 min
·
Ed Koch Queensboro Bridge Lower Level
20
Keep slight right at fork onto NY 25
317 ft
·
11 sec
·
NY 25
Toward 60th Street West
Use the slight right lane.
21
Turn left onto East 60th Street
0.1 mi
·
28 sec
·
East 60th Street
22
Turn right onto 3rd Avenue
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
3rd Avenue
Use the right lane.
23
Turn left onto East 72nd Street
0.3 mi
·
40 sec
·
East 72nd Street
Use the left lane.
24
Turn right onto Madison Avenue
0.7 mi
·
2 min
·
Madison Avenue
25
Turn left onto East 85th Street
507 ft
·
12 sec
·
East 85th Street
26
Continue on 86th Street Transverse
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
86th Street Transverse
Toward West Side
27
Arrive at destination
86th Street Transverse
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 195 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 18.8 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
0.1 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
NY 27 / West Sunrise Highway
Turn right onto NY 27 / West Sunrise Highway
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
8
4.5 mi into trip
|
~6m 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
10.6 mi into trip
|
~15m 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
15.6 mi into trip
|
~23m 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...
7
18.8 mi into trip
|
~30m in
|
NY 25
Keep slight right at fork onto NY 25 toward 60th Street West
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Toward 60th Street West
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$3.46 one way
$6.91 round trip
$4.18/gal
25.4 MPG avg
7 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.52 | $3.74 | $7.48 |
| premium | $4.92 | $4.07 | $8.14 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $4.64 | $9.27 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$3
Estimated CO2 emission: 7.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 71% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 6.3 | 0 | $2.20 | $1.01 |
| Efficient EV | 5.3 | 0 | $1.84 | $0.84 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 8.4 | 0 | $2.94 | $1.34 |
Gas CO2
7 kg
EV CO2
2 kg (71% 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
Morning in Manhattan on Tuesday
Local time
6:42 AM
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
41 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
36m 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 demands your full attention as you navigate toward the city. Because the highway share is 0%, you won't experience long, uninterrupted stretches of open road; instead, you will spend your time navigating local streets and intersections. The route lacks a significant highway component, meaning the pace remains steady but deliberate. You will feel the transition from suburban Valley Stream streets into the denser urban grid as you approach Manhattan. Prepare for frequent stops and turns rather than a high-speed cruise.
56% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
27 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 5 mi on Van Wyck Expressway.
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 0.1 miles in near NY 27 / West Sunrise Highway.
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 19 decision points packed into just 21 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 36m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.1 miles (NY 27 / West Sunrise Highway): Lane positioning matters here; at 4.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 10.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
107 ft
8 ft
Total Climb
162 ft
Total Descent
72 ft
Highest Point
107 ft
~21 mi in
Elevation Range
99 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 Valley Stream, NY and Manhattan, NY, road signs point toward Belt Parkway West and 60Th Street West.
Belt Parkway West
2.1 mi in
|
~2m
60Th Street West
18.8 mi in
|
~30m
|
via NY 25
About the Cities
Starting in Valley Stream, 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.
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 36m. Total distance: 21 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
36m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (56%). 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 5 miles on Van Wyck Expressway. 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 0.1 miles (NY 27 / West Sunrise Highway): Lane positioning matters here; at 4.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 10.6 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
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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