Origin
Canandaigua, NY
Late night in Canandaigua on Friday
Local time
2:34 AM
EDT
Current temp
37°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Canandaigua, NY to Syracuse, NY
Compiled by the Trip.ovh editorial team · Last recalculated Apr 17, 2026 · Methodology
Drive Time
1h 28m
Distance
70 mi
113 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$12
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 22m
★
6 AM
1h 29m
8 AM
1h 42m
10 AM
1h 34m
12 PM
1h 32m
3 PM
1h 34m
5 PM
1h 42m
8 PM
1h 25m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Canandaigua, NY
Wikimedia Commons
Syracuse, NY
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from Canandaigua, NY to Syracuse, NY covers 70 miles and takes about 1h 28m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on New York State Thruway, I 690, State Route 21 for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 50.3 miles on New York State Thruway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $11.52 one way before food or hotel costs.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 28m. Total distance: 70 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 28m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
Scenic Drive
Turn-heavy local drive route profile with national parks nearby.
Drive Character
Expect a 1h 28m drive with frequent turns across 70 miles of local and secondary roads.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 26 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
New York State Thruway is the longest continuous segment at about 50.3 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 9.2 miles in.
Driving Effort
9/10
Demanding - stay alert through the decision-heavy sections
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 70 miles you will encounter 16 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 9.2 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 60.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 60.8 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 16 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
6
9.2 mi into trip
|
~14m in
Take the ramp
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
8
60.1 mi into trip
|
~1h 14m in
Take the exit toward I 690, NY 690: Syracuse, Fulton
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 39
Toward I 690, NY 690: Syracuse, Fulton
6
60.8 mi into trip
|
~1h 15m in
Keep slight right at fork toward I 690 East: Fairgrounds, Syracuse
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward I 690 East: Fairgrounds, Syracuse
6
68.9 mi into trip
|
~1h 25m in
Take the exit toward Downtown
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Toward Downtown
8
69.1 mi into trip
|
~1h 25m in
Keep slight right at fork toward Downtown
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Toward Downtown
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 Canandaigua, NY to Syracuse, NY, road signs begin pointing toward Fulton along the way.
Fulton
60.1 mi in
|
~1h 14m
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| New York State Thruway | 50.3 mi | 58m |
| I 690 | 7.9 mi | 9m |
| State Route 21 | 4.6 mi | 6m |
| Main Street | 1.3 mi | 1m |
| Gibson Street | 0.9 mi | 1m |
| Bristol Street | 0.9 mi | 1m |
| South Main Street | 0.4 mi | <1m |
| West Genesee Street | 0.4 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
New York State Thruway
— 50.3 mi, about 58m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Canandaigua, NY and Syracuse, NY.
1
Start on this road
41 ft
·
3 sec
·
this road
2
Turn right
114 ft
·
8 sec
3
Turn right
350 ft
·
31 sec
4
Turn left onto Parrish Street
0.2 mi
·
37 sec
·
Parrish Street
5
Turn right onto West Street
0.3 mi
·
33 sec
·
West Street
6
Turn right onto Bristol Street
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
Bristol Street
7
Turn left onto NY 21; NY 332
0.4 mi
·
39 sec
·
South Main Street
8
Turn right onto NY 21
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
Gibson Street
9
Continue on NY 21
4.6 mi
·
6 min
·
State Route 21
10
Continue on NY 21
0.3 mi
·
25 sec
·
Canandaigua Street
11
Continue on NY 21
0.3 mi
·
23 sec
·
Palmyra Street
12
Continue on NY 21
1.3 mi
·
1 min
·
Main Street
13
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
25 sec
Use the left lane.
14
Keep slight right at fork
0.4 mi
·
50 sec
Toward I 90 East
15
Merge onto I 90
50 mi
·
58 min
·
New York State Thruway
16
Take the exit
0.7 mi
·
1 min
Exit 39
Toward I 690, NY 690: Syracuse, Fulton
Use the slight right lane.
17
Keep slight right at fork
0.2 mi
·
30 sec
Toward I 690 East: Fairgrounds, Syracuse
18
Continue on I 690
7.9 mi
·
9 min
·
I 690
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
19
Take the exit
0.1 mi
·
15 sec
Toward Downtown
Use the slight right lane.
20
Keep slight right at fork
0.2 mi
·
27 sec
Toward Downtown
Use the slight right lane.
21
Turn left onto NY 5
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
West Genesee Street
Use the left / straight / right lanes.
22
Continue on NY 5
0.1 mi
·
23 sec
·
James Street
23
Turn right onto NY 5
317 ft
·
11 sec
·
Oswego Boulevard
24
Continue on NY 5
524 ft
·
18 sec
·
Erie Boulevard East
25
Turn right onto US 11
0.2 mi
·
25 sec
·
South State Street
Use the straight lane.
26
Arrive at destination
US 11
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 35 mi from Canandaigua, NY · 45m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
35 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.
Pacing Suggestions
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 15 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 35 miles from Canandaigua, NY, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Syracuse, NY
The final approach into Syracuse, NY usually feels slower than the middle of the drive, so avoid planning your tightest schedule at the very end.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$11.52 one way
$23.04 round trip
$4.18/gal
25.4 MPG avg
25 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.52 | $12.46 | $24.92 |
| premium | $4.92 | $13.57 | $27.13 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $15.46 | $30.91 |
Estimated Tolls: $2.52
New York State Thruway
(50.3 mi)
$2.52
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$12
Tolls
$3
Total
$14
Estimated CO2 emission: 24.5 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $7 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 21 | 0 | $7.35 | $3.36 |
| Efficient EV | 17.5 | 0 | $6.13 | $2.80 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 28 | 0 | $9.80 | $4.48 |
Gas CO2
24 kg
EV CO2
8 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
Syracuse, NY
Late night in Syracuse on Friday
Local time
2:34 AM
EDT
Current temp
57°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
42°F
Montezuma, NY
35 mi in
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
20 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
1h 28m 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.
Frequently Asked Questions
The drive from Canandaigua, NY to Syracuse, NY covers 70 miles and takes about 1h 28m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are New York State Thruway, I 690, State Route 21. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 35 miles from Canandaigua, NY. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $11.52 one way. This estimate uses 25.4 MPG — your actual cost will vary with your vehicle's fuel efficiency and current gas prices.
Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch. Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 70 miles you will encounter 16 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
The main spots that need attention: at 9.2 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 60.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 60.8 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
On the drive from Canandaigua, NY to Syracuse, NY, road signs begin pointing toward Fulton along the way.
Yes. Nearby national parks include Women's Rights National Historical Park and Harriet Tubman National Historical Park.
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