Origin
West Glens Falls, NY
Morning in West Glens Falls on Tuesday
Local time
9:51 AM
EDT
Current temp
40°F
Unavailable
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 21, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
3h 59m
Distance
195.1 mi
314 km
Drive Score
9/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$32
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
West Glens Falls, NY
Beth Fitzpatrick
Manhattan, NY
Wikimedia Commons
This 195-mile drive from West Glens Falls, NY, to Manhattan, NY, is easily manageable as a single-day trip, taking just under 4 hours to complete. Your journey will be primarily highway-focused, with about 75% of the route on major interstates. The estimated fuel cost for this trip is around $32. You'll be traversing the Northeast region for the entire duration, staying within New York State. This route offers a straightforward path, making it a convenient option for a quick transit between these two points, with only one planned stop typically needed.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
Midpoint
97.5 miles from West Glens Falls, NY
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 1h 56m into the drive .
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| I 87 | 118.6 mi | 2h 17m |
| Adirondack Northway | 44.5 mi | 53m |
| NJ 17 | 14.1 mi | 18m |
| NJ 4 | 6.7 mi | 9m |
| Henry Hudson Parkway | 4.2 mi | 6m |
| I 95 EXPR | 1.5 mi | 2m |
| NY 17 | 0.9 mi | <1m |
| I 287 | 0.5 mi | <1m |
Step-by-step road directions between West Glens Falls, NY and Manhattan, NY.
Start on Rhode Island Avenue
Turn left onto CR 28
Take the ramp
Merge onto I 87
Keep slight right at fork onto I 87
Continue on I 87
Keep slight right at fork onto I 87
Keep slight right at fork onto NY 17
Continue on I 287; NJ 17
Keep slight left at fork onto NJ 17
Take the exit
Keep slight left at fork
Merge onto NJ 4
Continue on NJ 4
Take the exit
Merge onto I 95 EXPR
Keep slight left at fork onto I 95 EXPR
Continue on I 95; US 1; US 9
Take the exit onto US 9
Keep slight right at fork
Keep slight left at fork
Merge onto HH; NY 9A
Take the exit
Continue on West 79th Street
Turn left onto Broadway
Turn right onto West 86th Street
Continue on 86th Street Transverse
Arrive at destination
Given the 3-hour and 59-minute duration, this trip is best undertaken as a single-day excursion, allowing for flexibility in your departure time. To maximize your travel time and potentially avoid some traffic, consider leaving West Glens Falls early in the morning. With a fuel cost of approximately $32, plan your fueling stops accordingly, though the longest stretch without a major exit is about 118.6 miles on I-87, so keep that in mind for your gas tank. Since it's a relatively short drive, you can afford to be spontaneous with rest breaks as needed.
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.
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 43 miles or 52m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 97.5 miles or 1h 56m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 3h 8m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Manhattan, NY than in the middle of the route.
Open the route before leaving West Glens Falls, 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 West Glens Falls, NY
This is one driving day of about 195.1 miles and 3h 59m.
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
98 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.
A short stop after about 43 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
The midpoint is around 97.5 miles from West Glens Falls, NY, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Before the longest stretch
Fuel checkTop up before I 87 if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 118.6 miles.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
5 decision points cluster between mile 45.1 and 189 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
Keep slight right at fork onto I 87 toward I 87 South, I 90: Boston, Albany, New York, Buffalo
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
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
Keep slight left at fork onto NJ 17 toward NJ 17 South: Mahwah
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Take the exit onto US 9 toward NY 9A: Henry Hudson Parkway, West 178th Street
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Keep slight left at fork toward NY 9A South: Henry Hudson Parkway, Downtown
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Regular Gas
$32.11 one way
$64.23 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.52 | $34.73 | $69.45 |
| premium | $4.92 | $37.81 | $75.63 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $43.08 | $86.15 |
Estimated Tolls: $16.00
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
$32
Tolls
$16
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$73–$98
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 68.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $20 in charging · 0 stops · 66% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 58.5 | 0 | $20.49 | $9.36 |
| Efficient EV | 48.8 | 0 | $17.07 | $7.80 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 78 | 0 | $27.31 | $12.49 |
Gas CO2
68 kg
EV CO2
23 kg (66% 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.
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Origin
Morning in West Glens Falls on Tuesday
Local time
9:51 AM
EDT
Current temp
40°F
Unavailable
Destination
Morning in Manhattan on Tuesday
Local time
9:51 AM
EDT
Current temp
78°F
Chance Rain Showers
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
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
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.
Expect a highway-focused experience for most of this 195-mile journey, with the Adirondack Northway (I-87) and NJ 17 forming the backbone of your drive. Roughly 75% of the route will be on these major roadways, allowing for consistent speeds. You'll encounter an uninterrupted stretch of about 118.6 miles on I-87, which is the longest segment without significant deviations. The character of the drive is predominantly that of efficient transit, designed for covering distance with relative ease.
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on I 87 and Adirondack Northway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 45.1 miles in near I 87.
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 22 significant decision points across 195.1 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 45.1 miles (I 87): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 163.7 miles (NY 17): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 165.1 miles (NJ 17): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between West Glens Falls, NY and Manhattan, NY, road signs point toward Albany, New York, Buffalo, Gsp South: Paterson and Fort Lee.
Albany
New York
Buffalo
Gsp South: Paterson
Fort Lee
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
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 3h 59m. Total distance: 195.1 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
3h 59m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (75%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Compiled by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy from open government datasets — OSRM over OpenStreetMap for geometry, and EIA for fuel prices. 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 options from West Glens Falls, NY or browse trips ending in Manhattan, NY.
Looking for more statewide routes? Browse NY road trips.