Skip to main content
Trip.ovh Logo
Trip.ovh

Trip from Babylon, NY to Gaines, NY

Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

8h 22m

Distance

393.6 mi

633 km

Drive Score

9/10

Great drive

Same Day?

2-day trip

Fuel Cost

$65

one way

EV Charging

Excellent

33 DC fast

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 22 min
4 AM
8h 15m ★
6 AM
8h 22m
8 AM
8h 37m
10 AM
8h 28m
12 PM
8h 26m
3 PM
8h 28m
5 PM
8h 37m
8 PM
8h 18m

Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.

Best Time Drive vs Fly
Google Maps Waze Apple Maps
Download GPX
town in Long Island, New York, United States

Babylon, NY

Wikimedia Commons

Downtown Gaines, NY, NY

Gaines, NY

Renan Tagliaferro

Trip Overview

The drive from Babylon, NY to Gaines, NY covers 393.6 miles and takes about 8h 22m behind the wheel. It usually feels better as a 2-day road trip than as one long push.

The route leans on I 81, Christopher Columbus Highway, New York State Thruway for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 97.3 miles on I 81. At current regular gas prices, budget about $64.79 one way before food or hotel costs.

Trip Pace

Best split across 2 days

Treat the return leg as its own travel day rather than an afterthought.

Break Rhythm

2 planned breaks

Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.

Midpoint

196.8 miles from Babylon, NY

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 4h 5m into the drive .

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
I 81 97.3 mi 1h 55m
Christopher Columbus Highway 68.2 mi 1h 20m
New York State Thruway 30.3 mi 34m
I 380 27.7 mi 30m
Southern State Parkway 17.9 mi 22m
Keystone Shortway 17.3 mi 24m
Eastern Expressway 15.3 mi 19m
Clinton Street 10.5 mi 15m
Longest stretch: I 81 — 97.3 mi, about 1h 55m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Babylon, NY and Gaines, NY.

1

Start on South Carll Avenue

68 ft · 11 sec · South Carll Avenue
2

Turn left onto NY 27A

0.5 mi · 51 sec · West Main Street
3

Turn right onto NY 109

0.9 mi · 1 min · Little East Neck Road North
4

Continue on NY 109

3.6 mi · 5 min · Farmingdale Road
Use the left lane.
5

Take the ramp

0.2 mi · 25 sec
Toward SO West: New York
6

Merge onto SO

18 mi · 22 min · Southern State Parkway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7

Take the exit

0.3 mi · 43 sec
Toward Cross Island Parkway North, Whitestone Bridge Use the slight right lane.
8

Merge onto CI

1.3 mi · 1 min · Cross Island Parkway
9

Take the exit

317 ft · 9 sec
Exit 26B Toward NY 24: UBS Arena-Belmont Park Use the slight right lane.
10

Keep slight left at fork

437 ft · 12 sec
Toward NY 24 West: Hempstead Avenue Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
11

Keep slight right at fork

0.1 mi · 15 sec
Toward Cross Island Parkway North, Hempstead Avenue West
12

Keep slight right at fork

266 ft · 8 sec
Toward Hempstead Avenue West Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
13

Continue on this road

0.1 mi · 13 sec · this road
Toward Grandstand, Hempstead Avenue West
14

Keep slight left at fork

100 ft · 4 sec
Toward Hempstead Avenue
15

Turn right onto NY 24

1.0 mi · 2 min · Hempstead Avenue
Use the right lane.
16

Turn left onto Jamaica Avenue

0.1 mi · 17 sec · Jamaica Avenue
17

Turn right onto NY 24

0.7 mi · 1 min · 212th Street
18

Continue on I 295

5.0 mi · 5 min · Clearview Expressway
Toward I 295 North: Clearview Expressway, Through Neck Bridge Use the straight / slight right lanes.
19

Continue on I 295

2.0 mi · 3 min · Throgs Neck Bridge
20

Continue on I 295

0.7 mi · 1 min · Throgs Neck Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
21

Keep slight left at fork onto I 295

6.6 mi · 8 min · Cross Bronx Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
22

Keep slight left at fork onto I 95; US 1

0.7 mi · 1 min · Trans-Manhattan Expressway
Toward Upper Level
23

Continue on I 95; US 1

0.6 mi · 59 sec · George Washington Bridge (upper level)
24

Continue on I 95 EXPR; US 1 EXPR; US 9 EXPR

0.5 mi · 48 sec · I 95 EXPR; US 1 EXPR; US 9 EXPR
25

Keep slight left at fork onto I 95 EXPR; US 1 EXPR; US 9 EXPR

0.6 mi · 39 sec · I 95 EXPR; US 1 EXPR; US 9 EXPR
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
26

Keep slight left at fork onto I 95 EXPR; NJTP

0.1 mi · 8 sec · I 95 EXPR; NJTP
27

Take the exit

0.2 mi · 22 sec
Toward I 95 South, NJTP South: Hackensack Use the straight / slight right lanes.
28

Keep slight left at fork

0.4 mi · 29 sec
Toward I 95 South, NJTP South: Hackensack Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
29

Merge onto I 95; NJTP

2.0 mi · 2 min · New Jersey Turnpike
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
30

Take the exit

0.8 mi · 1 min
Exit 69 Toward I 80 West: Paterson, Hackensack Use the straight / slight right lanes.
31

Continue on I 80

68 mi · 1 hr 20 min · Christopher Columbus Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
32

Keep slight left at fork onto I 80

5.5 mi · 8 min · Keystone Shortway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
33

Keep slight left at fork onto I 80

12 mi · 15 min · Keystone Shortway
34

Take the exit

0.7 mi · 46 sec
Exit 293 Toward I 380 North: Scranton
35

Continue on I 380

28 mi · 30 min · I 380
Use the straight lane.
36

Merge onto I 81

58 mi · 1 hr 9 min · I 81
Use the straight lane.
37

Keep slight right at fork onto I 81

1.8 mi · 2 min · I 81
Toward I 81 North: Syracuse, Albany
38

Keep slight left at fork onto I 81

37 mi · 43 min · I 81
Toward I 81 North: Syracuse
39

Take the exit

0.1 mi · 21 sec
Exit 52 Toward NY 13: Cortland
40

Turn right onto NY 13

39 ft · 5 sec · Clinton Avenue
41

Turn left onto Locust Avenue

1.2 mi · 2 min · Locust Avenue
42

Continue on Albany Street

0.6 mi · 1 min · Albany Street
43

At end of road, turn right onto US 11; NY 41

0.4 mi · 1 min · South Main Street
44

Turn left onto NY 41

10 mi · 15 min · Clinton Street
45

Continue on NY 41

0.5 mi · 49 sec · East Lake Road
46

Continue on NY 41

4.8 mi · 7 min · State Route 41
47

Continue on NY 41

9.4 mi · 13 min · East Lake Road
48

Continue on NY 41

0.5 mi · 48 sec · East Lake Street
49

Turn left onto US 20

7.3 mi · 13 min · East Genesee Street
50

Turn right onto US 20

0.2 mi · 12 sec · North Fulton Street
51

Turn left onto US 20; NY 5

0.4 mi · 1 min · Arterial West
52

Continue on US 20; NY 5; NY 38

9.8 mi · 11 min · Chase Street
Use the left lane.
53

Continue on US 20; NY 5

1.9 mi · 2 min · Auburn Road
54

Turn right onto NY 318

4.1 mi · 7 min · NY 318
55

Continue on NY 318

319 ft · 10 sec · NY 318
Use the right lane.
56

Turn right onto NY 414

0.3 mi · 28 sec · State Route 414
Use the right lane.
57

Continue on NY 414

217 ft · 11 sec · Ridge Road
Use the left lane.
58

Take the ramp

0.2 mi · 23 sec
Use the left lane.
59

Keep slight left at fork

0.6 mi · 1 min
Toward I 90 West: Buffalo Use the straight / right lanes.
60

Merge onto I 90

30 mi · 34 min · New York State Thruway
61

Take the exit

0.4 mi · 51 sec
Exit 45 Toward I 490: Rochester Use the slight right lane.
62

Continue on I 490

15 mi · 19 min · Eastern Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
63

Keep slight left at fork onto I 490

4.8 mi · 6 min · Western Expressway
Use the straight lane.
64

Take the exit

0.5 mi · 1 min
Exit 8 Toward NY 531 West: Spencerport, Brockport Use the straight / slight right lanes.
65

Continue on NY 531

7.5 mi · 8 min · NY 531
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
66

Continue on NY 31

4.8 mi · 5 min · Brockport-Spencerport Road
67

Continue on NY 19 Truck; NY 31

1.2 mi · 1 min · Fourth Section Road
68

Turn right onto NY 19 Truck; NY 31

1.5 mi · 1 min · Redman Road
69

Turn left onto NY 31

1.0 mi · 1 min · West Avenue
70

Continue on NY 31

1.6 mi · 2 min · Brockport-Holley Road
71

Continue on NY 31

0.5 mi · 1 min · State Street
72

Continue on NY 31

382 ft · 5 sec · Mechanic Street
73

Continue on NY 31

408 ft · 6 sec · Public Square
74

Continue on NY 31

0.1 mi · 6 sec · Wright Street
75

Continue on NY 31

0.5 mi · 36 sec · West Albion Street
76

Continue on NY 31

2.3 mi · 2 min · Holley Road
77

Turn straight onto NY 31

0.3 mi · 18 sec · State Route 31
78

Continue on NY 31

1.1 mi · 1 min · Fancher Road
79

Turn straight onto NY 31

3.8 mi · 4 min · State Route 31
80

Continue on NY 31

1.4 mi · 1 min · East Avenue
81

Turn right onto NY 98

1.0 mi · 1 min · South Main Street
82

Continue on NY 98

0.5 mi · 51 sec · Oak Orchard Road
83

Turn slight left onto NY 279

1.9 mi · 2 min · Gaines Road
84

Arrive at destination

NY 279

Trip Plan

Morning Departure

Start early — leave by 6-7 AM to arrive at a reasonable hour.

Evening Departure

This is a long drive — plan for a morning departure or consider splitting it into two days.

This drive is better paced as a 2-day trip.
Plan roughly 2 meaningful breaks for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 196.8 miles from Babylon, NY, or about 4h 5m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 97.3 miles.

Consider an overnight stop or starting very early.

Departure

Before you leave

Start with fuel, water, and navigation already sorted so the first hour feels easy.

First stop

Around 87 miles or 1h 53m in

Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.

Halfway reset

Around 196.8 miles or 4h 5m in

This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.

Overnight split

Day 1 wrap after about 196.8 miles or 4h 5m

Stop before fatigue turns the last few hours into a grind. You want day two to start fresh, not just resumed.

Final approach

Final hour starts around 7h 5m

Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Gaines, NY than in the middle of the route.

Before You Leave

+

Open the route before leaving Babylon, 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.

+

Pick one backup stop option before the midpoint in case traffic changes your pacing.

+

Treat this as a 2-day road trip and book the overnight stop before the busiest arrival window.

Day 1

Settle into the route from Babylon, NY

Aim for roughly 197 miles and 4.2 hours of wheel time on this day.

Day 2

Finish the approach into Gaines, NY

Aim for roughly 197 miles and 4.2 hours of wheel time on this day.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 87 miles from Babylon, NY.
This route usually feels better as a 2-day drive than as one long push.
Plan about 2 real breaks rather than only quick fuel stops.
The longest stretch is on I 81 for about 97.3 miles.

Where to Stop

Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.

town in Rockland County, New York, United States

Mid-route town

Overnight candidate

Ramapo, NY

197 mi into the route

Best for: Hotel check-in, dinner, and a fresh start

This lines up well with a realistic day-end stop if you are breaking the drive into stages.

Find hotels in Ramapo, NY

Overnight Options

Night 1

Ramapo, NY

197 mi · about 4.2h in

A practical overnight split lands near Ramapo, NY after about 197 miles or 4.2 hours of driving.

Find hotels

Pacing Suggestions

Ramapo, NY

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 87 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Union, NY

Meal break

The midpoint is around 196.8 miles from Babylon, NY, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Before the longest stretch

Fuel check

Top up before I 81 if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 97.3 miles.

Overnight split

Hotel stop

For a steadier pace, wrap day one after about 197 miles or 4.2 hours on the road.

These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.

Nearby Places

Restaurants, cafes, gas stations and more along your route.

Top Restaurant

Shogun Japan Japanese restaurant

4.2 ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

Hollis, New York

Near the start, short detour

1.3 mi from route ~3 min detour Moderately mile 28.1

Hours: 12–9 pm

+13322041966

Visit website

Hainan

4.5 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Flushing, New York

2.4 mi

Juany's Cafe

4.7 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Fair Lawn, New Jersey

2.5 mi

Shogun Japan Japanese restaurant

4.2 ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

Near the start, short detour

1.3 mi from route ~3 min detour Moderately mile 28.1

Hollis, New York

Hours: 12–9 pm

+13322041966

Visit website

Hainan

4.5 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Near the start, short detour

2.4 mi from route ~6 min detour $20 to $30 mile 28.1

Flushing, New York

Hours: 11 am–10 pm

+19175637223

Visit website

Juany's Cafe

4.7 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Near the start, short detour

2.5 mi from route ~6 min detour $10 to $20 mile 56.2

Fair Lawn, New Jersey

Hours: 9 am–3 pm

+15512248030

Visit website

Sage Restaurant

4.5 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Near the start, short detour

2.7 mi from route ~7 min detour Moderately mile 56.2

Fair Lawn, New Jersey

Hours: 4–9 pm

+12017970500

Visit website

Fusion 27 restaurant and catering services

4.8 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Near the start, short detour

2.8 mi from route ~7 min detour Moderately mile 56.2

Totowa, New Jersey

Hours: 11:30 am–3 pm

+19735955595

Visit website

Lima 33 Restaurant

4.4 ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

Near the start, short detour

2.9 mi from route ~7 min detour Moderately mile 28.1

Little Neck, New York

Hours: 1–9 pm

+17182254949

Visit website

Bite Food & Coffee Co

4.4 ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

Near the start, short detour

3.2 mi from route ~8 min detour Moderately mile 56.2

Fair Lawn, New Jersey

Hours: 9 am–8 pm

+15512248072

Visit website

Luigi's Restaurant And Bar

4.5 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Near the start, short detour

3.3 mi from route ~8 min detour Moderately mile 28.1

Queens, New York

Hours: 11:30 am–10 pm

+17183477136

Visit website

ChargePoint Charging Station

5.0 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Later in the drive, right off the route

0.9 mi from route ~2 min detour mile 309.3

Waterloo, New York

Hours: Open 24 hours

Visit website

Tesla Supercharger

4.1 ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

Later in the drive, short detour

1 mi from route ~3 min detour mile 309.3

Waterloo, New York

Hours: Open 24 hours

Visit website

ChargePoint Charging Station

4.5 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Later in the drive, short detour

1 mi from route ~3 min detour mile 309.3

Waterloo, New York

Hours: Open 24 hours

+18887584389

Visit website

EVolve NY Charging Station

5.0 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Near the end, short detour

2.1 mi from route ~5 min detour mile 365.5

Spencerport, New York

Hours: Open 24 hours

+18336322778

Visit website

ChargePoint Charging Station

5.0 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Early in the drive, short detour

2.8 mi from route ~7 min detour mile 84.3

Randolph, New Jersey

Hours: Open 24 hours

+18887584389

Visit website

Tesla Supercharger

4.1 ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

Around the midpoint, ~9 min detour

3.5 mi from route ~9 min detour mile 224.9

Binghamton, New York

Hours: Open 24 hours

Visit website

IONNA Charging Station

4.2 ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆

Around the midpoint, short detour

3.2 mi from route ~8 min detour mile 168.7

Scranton, Pennsylvania

Hours: Open 24 hours

+18334662474

Visit website

EV Connect Charging Station

5.0 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Early in the drive, ~10 min detour

3.9 mi from route ~10 min detour mile 84.3

Dover, New Jersey

Hours: Open 24 hours

+18668167584

Visit website

Venetian Shores Park

4.5 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Near the start, short detour

2.1 mi from route ~5 min detour

Lindenhurst, New York

Hours: 7 am–10 pm

+16317861136

Visit website

Geiger Park

4.6 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Near the start, ~10 min detour

4.2 mi from route ~10 min detour

Deer Park, New York

Hours: 10 am–7 pm

+16318932100

Visit website

The Adventure Center

4.6 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Around the midpoint, ~10 min detour

4 mi from route ~10 min detour mile 253

Cortland, New York

Hours: 11 am–4 pm

+18663763907

Visit website

Posh Princess Palace

5.0 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Near the start, ~12 min detour

4.7 mi from route ~12 min detour mile 56.2

Lodi, New Jersey

Hours: 1–7 pm

+18628997674

Visit website

Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.

Heads-up: tricky spots

5 of 48

5 decision points cluster between mile 24.7 and 46.3 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.

8
24.7 mi into trip | ~33m in

Keep slight left at fork toward NY 24 West: Hempstead Avenue

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the slight left / slight right lanes. Toward NY 24 West: Hempstead Avenue
8
24.9 mi into trip | ~34m in

Keep slight right at fork toward Hempstead Avenue West

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the slight left / slight right lanes. Toward Hempstead Avenue West
8
43.7 mi into trip | ~1h 1m in

Take the exit toward I 95 South, NJTP South: Hackensack

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. Toward I 95 South, NJTP South: Hackensack
8
43.9 mi into trip | ~1h 1m in

Keep slight left at fork toward I 95 South, NJTP South: Hackensack

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Use the slight left / slight right lanes. Toward I 95 South, NJTP South: Hackensack
8
46.3 mi into trip | ~1h 4m in

Take the exit toward I 80 West: Paterson, Hackensack

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 69 Toward I 80 West: Paterson, Hackensack

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$64.79 one way

$129.58 round trip

$4.18/gal 25.4 MPG avg 138 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.52 $70.06 $140.12
premium $4.92 $76.29 $152.57
diesel $5.61 $86.90 $173.80

Estimated Tolls: $24.35

George Washington Bridge $16.00
Throgs Neck Bridge $6.55
New York State Thruway (30.3 mi) $1.52
New Jersey Turnpike (2 mi) $0.28

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

$65

Tolls

$24

Hotel (1n)

$80–$140

Meals

$50–$100

Total

$219–$329

Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.

Estimated CO2 emission: 137.7 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

EV Charging Along Route

33 DC fast chargers · Coverage: excellent

ChargePoint Charging Station

Randolph, New Jersey

ChargePoint

1 DCFC

EV Connect Charging Station

Dover, New Jersey

EV Connect

1 DCFC

ChargePoint Charging Station

Scranton, Pennsylvania

ChargePoint

1 DCFC

ChargePoint Charging Station

Waterloo, New York

ChargePoint

1 DCFC

EVolve NY Charging Station

Spencerport, New York

Other

1 DCFC

ChargePoint Charging Station

Waterloo, New York

ChargePoint

1 DCFC

IONNA Charging Station

Scranton, Pennsylvania

Other

1 DCFC

Tesla Supercharger

Binghamton, New York

Tesla

1 DCFC

ChargePoint: 12 Other: 9 EV Connect: 4 Tesla: 3 Blink: 2 Electrify America: 1 EVgo: 1 ViaLynk: 1

Station data from NREL Alternative Fuel Stations database.

Driving Electric?

About $41 in charging · 1 stop · 67% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 118.1 1 $41.33 $18.89
Efficient EV 98.4 1 $34.44 $15.74
EV Truck/SUV 157.4 1 $55.10 $25.19

Gas CO2

138 kg

EV CO2

46 kg (67% less)

Plan for 1 charging stop. A 30-minute DC fast charge mid-route should be enough to complete the trip comfortably.

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.

Forecast as of Apr 18, 2026

Origin

Babylon, NY

Afternoon in Babylon on Saturday

Local time

1:32 PM

EDT

Current temp

44°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Gaines, NY

Afternoon in Gaines on Saturday

Local time

1:32 PM

EDT

Current temp

74°F

Mostly Cloudy then Showers And Thunderstorms

S 15 to 20 mph 86% chance Live forecast

Wind Advisory

Wind Advisory issued April 18 at 2:37AM EDT until April 19 at 12:00AM EDT by NWS Burlington VT

49°F

Ramapo, NY

197 mi in

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.

For long drives, weather on day two can matter just as much as conditions at departure, so check the whole travel window rather than only the first day.

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

30 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

8h 22m on the road

This is long enough that the arrival forecast matters almost as much as departure conditions. Recheck both ends before you roll.

Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.

What kind of drive is this?

Expect a 8h 22m drive with frequent turns across 393.6 miles of local and secondary roads.

This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 84 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
I 81 is the longest continuous segment at about 97.3 miles.

How Hard Is This Drive?

10/10

Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 24.7 miles in.

Driving Effort 10/10

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 48 significant decision points across 393.6 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 24.7 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 24.9 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 43.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. 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.

Between Babylon, NY and Gaines, NY, road signs point toward Cross Island Parkway North, Hempstead Avenue West, Grandstand, Upper Level, Njtp South: Hackensack and Hackensack - among others.

Cross Island Parkway North

23 mi in | ~31m

Hempstead Avenue West

24.8 mi in | ~34m

Grandstand

24.9 mi in | ~34m

Upper Level

41.2 mi in | ~57m | via I 95; US 1

Njtp South: Hackensack

43.7 mi in | ~1h 1m

Hackensack

46.3 mi in | ~1h 4m

Albany

219 mi in | ~4h 31m | via I 81

Brockport

362 mi in | ~7h 42m

About the Cities

Starting in Babylon, NY

Full guide →

Arriving in Gaines, NY

Full guide →

City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).

Who Is This Route For?

Solo Traveler

8h 22m drive, plan rest stops for pacing.

Scenic Drive

Turn-heavy local drive route profile with national parks nearby.

Frequently Asked Questions

The drive from Babylon, NY to Gaines, NY covers 393.6 miles and takes about 8h 22m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.

The main roads are I 81, Christopher Columbus Highway, New York State Thruway. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.

Consider an overnight stop or starting very early.

Yes. This route is usually more comfortable as a 2-day drive. A sensible stopping point is after roughly 197 miles on day one.

The midpoint is about 196.8 miles from Babylon, NY. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.

At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $64.79 one way. This estimate uses 25.4 MPG — your actual cost will vary with your vehicle's fuel efficiency and current gas prices.

Start early — leave by 6-7 AM to arrive at a reasonable hour. This is a long drive — plan for a morning departure or consider splitting it into two days.

Plan about 2 meaningful breaks for fuel, food, or rest. Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.

This is a demanding drive. With 48 significant decision points across 393.6 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.

The main spots that need attention: at 24.7 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 24.9 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 43.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.

Between Babylon, NY and Gaines, NY, road signs point toward Cross Island Parkway North, Hempstead Avenue West, Grandstand, Upper Level, Njtp South: Hackensack and Hackensack - among others.

How this page is built

Compiled by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy from open government datasets — OSRM over OpenStreetMap for geometry, EIA for fuel prices, NREL for EV charging, 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

Explore More

Continue From Gaines, NY

Queens, NY 363 mi · 7h 51m Manhattan, NY 357.9 mi · 7h 34m The Bronx, NY 356.8 mi · 7h 32m Brooklyn, NY 356.7 mi · 7h 43m

More from Babylon, NY

Gerry, NY 412.8 mi · 8h 46m Elma, NY 404.7 mi · 8h 28m Batavia, NY 387.4 mi · 7h 58m Elba, NY 385.6 mi · 8h 7m Hilton, NY 374.7 mi · 8h 1m Warsaw, NY 372.5 mi · 7h 39m
Overnight trips from Babylon, NY Scenic drives in NY

Explore more options from Babylon, NY or browse trips ending in Gaines, NY.

Looking for more statewide routes? Browse NY road trips.