The drive from Brighton, NY to Babylon, NY covers 353.7 miles and takes about 7h 29m behind the wheel.
This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on I 81, Keystone Shortway, New York State Thruway for much of the mileage,
and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive.
The longest uninterrupted segment is about 98.8 miles on I 81.
At current regular gas prices, budget about $58.22 one way before food or hotel costs.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is possible, but it will make for a full day on the road.
Break Rhythm
2 planned breaks
Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
Midpoint
176.8 miles from Brighton, NY
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 3h 48m into the drive
.
Doable as a same-day drive at 7h 29m. Total distance: 353.7 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 2 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
7h 29m drive, plan rest stops for pacing.
Scenic Drive
Turn-heavy local drive route profile with national parks nearby.
Drive Character
Expect a 7h 29m drive with frequent turns across 353.7 miles of local and secondary roads.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 68 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 98.8 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
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 42.7 miles in.
Driving Effort10/10
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 353.7 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 42.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 192.9 miles (US 6): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 307.5 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 48 key points
These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
8
42.7 mi into trip|~51m in
Take the exit toward NY 414: Waterloo, Clyde
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 41
Toward NY 414: Waterloo, Clyde
9
192.9 mi into trip|~4h 7m in|US 6
Keep slight right at fork onto US 6 toward I 84 East, I 380 South, US 6 East: Carbondale, Mt Pocono
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
Exit 187
Toward I 84 East, I 380 South, US 6 East: Carbo...
8
307.5 mi into trip|~6h 23m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 95 North: George Washington Bridge, New York City
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward I 95 North: George Washington Bridge, Ne...
9
307.8 mi into trip|~6h 24m in
Keep slight right at fork toward Leonia, Teaneck
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 70A-B
Toward Leonia, Teaneck
8
317.2 mi into trip|~6h 38m in|I 295 / Cross Bronx Expressway
Keep slight right at fork onto I 295 / Cross Bronx Expressway toward I 295 South: Throgs Neck Bridge
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
Exit 6B
Toward I 295 South: Throgs Neck Bridge
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Brighton, NY and Babylon, NY, road signs point toward Clyde, Mt Pocono, Milford, New York City, Leonia and Teaneck - among others.
Clyde
42.7 mi in|~51m
Mt Pocono
192.9 mi in|~4h 7m|via US 6
Milford
193.7 mi in|~4h 8m|via I 84; I 380
New York City
307.5 mi in|~6h 23m
Leonia
307.8 mi in|~6h 24m
Teaneck
307.8 mi in|~6h 24m
George Washington Bridge Upper Level
310 mi in|~6h 28m
Cross Island Parkway South
328.7 mi in|~6h 55m
Southern State Parkway East
330.2 mi in|~6h 57m
Eastern Long Island
330.2 mi in|~6h 57m
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
I 81
98.8 mi
1h 57m
Keystone Shortway
80 mi
1h 37m
New York State Thruway
30 mi
34m
I 380
23.6 mi
25m
Southern State Parkway
18 mi
22m
Eastern Expressway
10.8 mi
13m
East Lake Road
9.9 mi
14m
State Highway 41
9.8 mi
13m
Longest stretch:
I 81
— 98.8 mi, about 1h 57m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Brighton, NY and Babylon, NY.
1
Start on this road
177 ft·18 sec·this road
2
Turn sharp right onto Halstead Street
0.2 mi·48 sec·Halstead Street
3
At end of road, turn left onto North Winton Road
453 ft·14 sec·North Winton Road
4
Turn left onto University Avenue
0.2 mi·20 sec·University Avenue
Use the left lane.
5
Turn left onto NY 96
0.3 mi·35 sec·East Avenue
6
Take the ramp
0.4 mi·34 sec
Toward I 490 East
7
Merge onto I 490
11 mi·13 min·Eastern Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Keep slight left at fork
0.6 mi·42 sec
Toward I 90 East: Albany
9
Merge onto I 90
30 mi·34 min·New York State Thruway
10
Take the exit
0.5 mi·58 sec
Exit 41Toward NY 414: Waterloo, ClydeUse the slight right lane.
11
Keep slight right at fork
327 ft·7 sec
12
Continue on NY 414
0.3 mi·35 sec·State Route 414
13
Turn left onto NY 318
4.1 mi·7 min·NY 318
Use the left lane.
14
At end of road, turn left onto US 20; NY 5
1.9 mi·2 min·Auburn Road
15
Continue on US 20; NY 5
9.6 mi·11 min·Clark Street Road
Use the straight lane.
16
Turn right onto State Street
226 ft·12 sec·State Street
17
Turn left onto Dill Street
0.1 mi·21 sec·Dill Street
18
Continue on Loop Road
458 ft·16 sec·Loop Road
19
Turn left onto Genesee Street
5.5 mi·9 min·Genesee Street
20
Continue on US 20
2.2 mi·4 min·West Genesee Street Road
21
Turn right onto NY 41
0.5 mi·45 sec·East Lake Street
22
Continue on NY 41
9.4 mi·13 min·East Lake Road
23
Continue on NY 41
4.8 mi·7 min·State Route 41
24
Continue on NY 41
0.5 mi·49 sec·East Lake Road
25
Continue on NY 41
9.8 mi·13 min·State Highway 41
26
Turn right onto NY 281
1.2 mi·2 min·North West Street
27
Take the ramp
0.7 mi·1 min
Use the left lane.
28
Keep slight right at fork
0.3 mi·34 sec
Toward I 81 South: Binghamton
29
Merge onto I 81
45 mi·54 min·I 81
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
30
Keep slight right at fork onto I 81
53 mi·1 hr 3 min·I 81
Toward I 81 South: ScrantonUse the straight lane.
31
Keep slight right at fork onto US 6
0.8 mi·1 min·US 6
Exit 187Toward I 84 East, I 380 South, US 6 East: Carbondale, Mt PoconoUse the slight left / slight right lanes.
32
Continue on I 84; I 380
3.7 mi·4 min·I 84; I 380
Toward I 84 East, I 380 South: Mount Pocono, MilfordUse the straight lane.
33
Keep slight right at fork onto I 380
24 mi·25 min·I 380
Exit 4Toward I 380 South: Mount Pocono
34
Keep slight left at fork
1.0 mi·1 min
Exit 1BToward I 80 East: Stroudsburg
35
Merge onto I 80
80 mi·1 hr 37 min·Keystone Shortway
Use the straight / right lanes.
36
Keep slight right at fork onto I 80
5.5 mi·5 min·Christopher Columbus Highway
Toward I 95: George Washington Bridge Lower LevelUse the slight right lane.
37
Keep slight left at fork
0.3 mi·23 sec
Toward I 95 North: George Washington Bridge, New York CityUse the straight / slight right lanes.
38
Keep slight right at fork
0.4 mi·38 sec
Exit 70A-BToward Leonia, TeaneckUse the slight right lane.
39
Turn right
0.2 mi·35 sec
Exit 70AToward LeoniaUse the straight / slight right lanes.
40
Turn straight onto CR 56
454 ft·9 sec·Degraw Avenue
41
Continue on CR 56
1.1 mi·2 min·Fort Lee Road
Use the straight / right lanes.
42
Continue on CR 56
469 ft·13 sec·Main Street
43
Take the ramp
472 ft·12 sec
Toward George Washington Bridge
44
Merge onto US 1; US 9; US 46
0.3 mi·28 sec·Bergen Boulevard
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
45
Take the exit
312 ft·4 sec
Toward George Washington Bridge Upper Level
46
Merge onto I 95 EXPR
0.3 mi·20 sec·I 95 EXPR
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
47
Keep slight left at fork onto I 95 EXPR
0.8 mi·1 min·I 95 EXPR
48
Continue on I 95; US 1; US 9
0.6 mi·1 min·George Washington Bridge (upper level)
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
49
Continue on I 95; US 1
0.7 mi·1 min·Trans-Manhattan Expressway
50
Continue on I 95; US 1
4.7 mi·6 min·Cross Bronx Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
51
Keep slight right at fork onto I 295
2.0 mi·2 min·Cross Bronx Expressway
Exit 6BToward I 295 South: Throgs Neck BridgeUse the straight / slight left lanes.
52
Merge onto I 295
0.6 mi·58 sec·Throgs Neck Expressway
53
Continue on I 295
2.0 mi·3 min·Throgs Neck Bridge
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
54
Continue on I 295
5.0 mi·5 min·Clearview Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
55
Continue on NY 24
0.7 mi·1 min·Hollis Court Boulevard
Use the straight lane.
56
At end of road, turn left onto NY 24
0.2 mi·35 sec·Jamaica Avenue
Use the left lane.
57
Turn right onto Hempstead Avenue
0.9 mi·2 min·Hempstead Avenue
58
Turn right onto 225th Street
228 ft·9 sec·225th Street
Use the right lane.
59
Take the ramp
0.2 mi·28 sec
Toward Cross Island Parkway South, Verrazano Bridge
60
Merge onto CI
1.3 mi·1 min·Cross Island Parkway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
61
Take the exit
0.5 mi·1 min
Exit 25AToward Southern State Parkway East, Eastern Long IslandUse the slight left / straight lanes.
62
Merge onto SO
18 mi·22 min·Southern State Parkway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
63
Take the exit
0.2 mi·35 sec
Exit 33Toward NY 109 East: BabylonUse the slight right lane.
64
Turn slight right onto NY 109
3.5 mi·5 min·Farmingdale Road
Use the left lane.
65
Continue on NY 109
0.9 mi·1 min·Little East Neck Road North
66
Turn left onto NY 27A
0.5 mi·49 sec·West Main Street
67
Turn right onto South Carll Avenue
68 ft·2 sec·South Carll Avenue
68
Arrive at destination
South Carll Avenue
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.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 2 meaningful breaks for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 176.8 miles from Brighton, NY, or about 3h 48m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 98.8 miles.
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 78 miles or 1h 45m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 176.8 miles or 3h 48m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 6h 7m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Babylon, NY than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Brighton, 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.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Brighton, NY
This is one driving day of about 353.7 miles and 7h 29m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 78 miles from Brighton, NY.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
Plan about 2 real breaks rather than only quick fuel stops.
The longest stretch is on I 81 for about 98.8 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 176.8 mi from Brighton, NY
· 3h 48m into the drive
The midpoint is around 176.8 miles from Brighton, 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 98.8 miles.
Arriving in Babylon, NY
The final approach into Babylon, NY usually feels slower than the middle of the drive, so avoid planning your tightest schedule at the very end.
Try to arrive with enough fuel left to skip an immediate station stop unless you already know the area around Babylon, NY.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
National Parks Near This Route
Worth a detour if your schedule allows.
Harriet Tubman National Historical Park
National Historical Park
Harriet Tubman was guided by a deep faith and devotion to family, freedom, and community. After emancipating herself and members of her family, she moved them from Ontario, Canada to Fleming and Aubur...
Merchant’s clerk, Revolutionary War soldier, first Secretary Treasury of the United States: Alexander Hamilton’s life is memorialized at The Grange, the home he built on a country estate in uptown Man...
5 mi from route
~13 min detour
Free
near mile 317.1
Women’s Rights National Historical Park tells the story of the first Women’s Rights Convention, held in Seneca Falls, New York on July 19-20, 1848. It is a story of struggles for civil rights, human r...
5 mi from route
~12 min detour
Free
near mile 48.8
The final resting place of President Ulysses S. Grant and his wife, Julia, is the largest mausoleum in North America. It testifies to a people’s gratitude for the man who ended the bloodiest conflict...
6 mi from route
~15 min detour
Free
near mile 317.1
Before the 1960s, almost everything about living authentically as a lesbian, a bisexual person or a gay man was illegal. The Stonewall Uprising on June 28, 1969 is a milestone in the quest for civil r...
10 mi from route
~25 min detour
Free
near mile 304.9
The African Burial Ground stands as the oldest and largest known excavated burial site in North America for both free and enslaved Africans. It offers a profound testament to the enduring legacy of Af...
11 mi from route
~29 min detour
Free
near mile 304.9
Station data from NREL Alternative Fuel Stations database.
Driving Electric?
About $37 in charging
· 1 stop
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
106.1
1
$37.14
$16.98
Efficient EV
88.4
1
$30.95
$14.15
EV Truck/SUV
141.5
1
$49.52
$22.64
Gas CO2
124 kg
EV CO2
41 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 15, 2026
Origin
Brighton, NY
Late night
in Brighton on Saturday
Local time
1:57 AM
EDT
Current temp
44°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Babylon, NY
Late night
in Babylon on Saturday
Local time
1:57 AM
EDT
Current temp
44°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
57°F
Ramapo, NY
177 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.
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
Very similar conditions
Both ends of the route are sitting at about the same temperature right now.
Road read
7h 29m on the road
Start early — leave by 6-7 AM to arrive at a reasonable hour.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
Frequently Asked Questions
The drive from Brighton, NY to Babylon, NY covers 353.7 miles and takes about 7h 29m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are I 81, Keystone Shortway, New York State Thruway. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 176.8 miles from Brighton, NY. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $58.22 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 353.7 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 42.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 192.9 miles (US 6): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 307.5 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Between Brighton, NY and Babylon, NY, road signs point toward Clyde, Mt Pocono, Milford, New York City, Leonia and Teaneck - 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.
