The drive from Grand Island, NY to Islip, NY covers 431.7 miles and takes about 9h 5m behind the wheel.
It usually feels better as a 2-day road trip than as one long push.
The route leans on New York State Thruway, I 81, Keystone Shortway for much of the mileage,
and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive.
The longest uninterrupted segment is about 99.4 miles on New York State Thruway.
At current regular gas prices, budget about $71.06 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
215.8 miles from Grand Island, NY
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 4h 36m into the drive
.
Islip (pronounced "ICE-lip") is a town on Long Island in the state of New York. Located within Suffolk County, the Town of Islip includes the villages of Brightwaters, Islandia, Ocean Beach and Saltaire. It also includes numerous hamlets including Bay Shore and Sayville which are ferry terminals for Fire Island. Other prominent communities are Bayport, Brentwood, Central Islip, Hauppauge, Islip village (the town seat), and Ronkonkoma.
Top landmarks
•Bayport Aerodrome — airport in Suffolk County, New York, United States
•Connetquot River State Park Preserve — state park in New York
•Modesty — oyster-dredging sloop built in Long Island
Turn-heavy local drive route profile with national parks nearby.
Drive Character
Expect a 9h 5m drive with frequent turns across 431.7 miles of local and secondary roads.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 78 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 99.4 miles.
Elevation Profile
Gently rolling terrain
1,885 ft12 ft
Total Climb
2,898 ft
Total Descent
3,473 ft
Highest Point
1,885 ft
~277.5 mi in
Elevation Range
1,872 ft
Notable High Points
1,670 ft at ~154.2 miles+543 ft prominence
1,885 ft at ~277.5 miles+801 ft prominence
1,075 ft at ~339.2 miles+534 ft prominence
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 4.5 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 431.7 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 4.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 14.3 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 264.6 miles (US 6): 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
4.5 mi into trip|~8m in
Take the exit toward I 290 East: Tonawanda, Rochester
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 16
Toward I 290 East: Tonawanda, Rochester
8
14.3 mi into trip|~22m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 90 East: Albany
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
Exit 1-49
Toward I 90 East: Albany
9
264.6 mi into trip|~5h 34m 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...
9
379.5 mi into trip|~7h 50m 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
9
427 mi into trip|~8h 56m in
Take the exit toward Bay Shore Road South, Bay Shore
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 41S
Toward Bay Shore Road South, Bay Shore
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Grand Island, NY and Islip, NY, road signs point toward Clyde, Mt Pocono, Milford, New York City, Leonia and Teaneck - among others.
Clyde
114.3 mi in|~2h 18m
Mt Pocono
264.6 mi in|~5h 34m|via US 6
Milford
265.4 mi in|~5h 35m|via I 84; I 380
New York City
379.2 mi in|~7h 50m
Leonia
379.5 mi in|~7h 50m
Teaneck
379.5 mi in|~7h 50m
George Washington Bridge Upper Level
381.7 mi in|~7h 55m
Cross Island Parkway South
400.3 mi in|~8h 21m
Southern State Parkway East
401.9 mi in|~8h 24m
Eastern Long Island
401.9 mi in|~8h 24m
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
New York State Thruway
99.4 mi
1h 54m
I 81
98.8 mi
1h 57m
Keystone Shortway
80 mi
1h 37m
Southern State Parkway
24.7 mi
31m
I 380
23.6 mi
25m
East Lake Road
9.9 mi
14m
State Highway 41
9.8 mi
13m
Clark Street Road
9.6 mi
11m
Longest stretch:
New York State Thruway
— 99.4 mi, about 1h 54m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Grand Island, NY and Islip, NY.
1
Start on Colonial Drive
0.1 mi·38 sec·Colonial Drive
2
Turn left onto Homeland Drive
464 ft·25 sec·Homeland Drive
3
Turn left onto Baseline Road
0.7 mi·1 min·Baseline Road
4
Turn slight left onto NY 324
1.5 mi·2 min·Grand Island Boulevard
5
Enter roundabout onto NY 324
85 ft·1 sec·Grand Island Boulevard
6
Continue on NY 324
192 ft·3 sec·Grand Island Boulevard
7
Continue on NY 324
0.2 mi·18 sec·South Parkway
8
Take the ramp onto NY 324
0.3 mi·42 sec·NY 324
Toward I 190 S
9
Merge onto I 190; NY 324
1.6 mi·2 min·Niagara Thruway
10
Take the exit
0.4 mi·48 sec
Exit 16Toward I 290 East: Tonawanda, RochesterUse the slight right lane.
11
Continue on I 290
9.5 mi·12 min·Youngmann Expressway
12
Keep slight left at fork
0.6 mi·57 sec
Exit 1-49Toward I 90 East: AlbanyUse the slight left / slight right lanes.
13
Merge onto I 90
99 mi·1 hr 54 min·New York State Thruway
14
Take the exit
0.5 mi·58 sec
Exit 41Toward NY 414: Waterloo, ClydeUse the slight right lane.
15
Keep slight right at fork
327 ft·7 sec
16
Continue on NY 414
0.3 mi·35 sec·State Route 414
17
Turn left onto NY 318
4.1 mi·7 min·NY 318
Use the left lane.
18
At end of road, turn left onto US 20; NY 5
1.9 mi·2 min·Auburn Road
19
Continue on US 20; NY 5
9.6 mi·11 min·Clark Street Road
Use the straight lane.
20
Turn right onto State Street
226 ft·12 sec·State Street
21
Turn left onto Dill Street
0.1 mi·21 sec·Dill Street
22
Continue on Loop Road
458 ft·16 sec·Loop Road
23
Turn left onto Genesee Street
5.5 mi·9 min·Genesee Street
24
Continue on US 20
2.2 mi·4 min·West Genesee Street Road
25
Turn right onto NY 41
0.5 mi·45 sec·East Lake Street
26
Continue on NY 41
9.4 mi·13 min·East Lake Road
27
Continue on NY 41
4.8 mi·7 min·State Route 41
28
Continue on NY 41
0.5 mi·49 sec·East Lake Road
29
Continue on NY 41
9.8 mi·13 min·State Highway 41
30
Turn right onto NY 281
1.2 mi·2 min·North West Street
31
Take the ramp
0.7 mi·1 min
Use the left lane.
32
Keep slight right at fork
0.3 mi·34 sec
Toward I 81 South: Binghamton
33
Merge onto I 81
45 mi·54 min·I 81
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
34
Keep slight right at fork onto I 81
53 mi·1 hr 3 min·I 81
Toward I 81 South: ScrantonUse the straight lane.
35
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.
36
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.
37
Keep slight right at fork onto I 380
24 mi·25 min·I 380
Exit 4Toward I 380 South: Mount Pocono
38
Keep slight left at fork
1.0 mi·1 min
Exit 1BToward I 80 East: Stroudsburg
39
Merge onto I 80
80 mi·1 hr 37 min·Keystone Shortway
Use the straight / right lanes.
40
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.
41
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.
42
Keep slight right at fork
0.4 mi·38 sec
Exit 70A-BToward Leonia, TeaneckUse the slight right lane.
43
Turn right
0.2 mi·35 sec
Exit 70AToward LeoniaUse the straight / slight right lanes.
44
Turn straight onto CR 56
454 ft·9 sec·Degraw Avenue
45
Continue on CR 56
1.1 mi·2 min·Fort Lee Road
Use the straight / right lanes.
46
Continue on CR 56
469 ft·13 sec·Main Street
47
Take the ramp
472 ft·12 sec
Toward George Washington Bridge
48
Merge onto US 1; US 9; US 46
0.3 mi·28 sec·Bergen Boulevard
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
49
Take the exit
312 ft·4 sec
Toward George Washington Bridge Upper Level
50
Merge onto I 95 EXPR
0.3 mi·20 sec·I 95 EXPR
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
51
Keep slight left at fork onto I 95 EXPR
0.8 mi·1 min·I 95 EXPR
52
Continue on I 95; US 1; US 9
0.6 mi·1 min·George Washington Bridge (upper level)
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
53
Continue on I 95; US 1
0.7 mi·1 min·Trans-Manhattan Expressway
54
Continue on I 95; US 1
4.7 mi·6 min·Cross Bronx Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
55
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.
56
Merge onto I 295
0.6 mi·58 sec·Throgs Neck Expressway
57
Continue on I 295
2.0 mi·3 min·Throgs Neck Bridge
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
58
Continue on I 295
5.0 mi·5 min·Clearview Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
59
Continue on NY 24
0.7 mi·1 min·Hollis Court Boulevard
Use the straight lane.
60
At end of road, turn left onto NY 24
0.2 mi·35 sec·Jamaica Avenue
Use the left lane.
61
Turn right onto Hempstead Avenue
0.9 mi·2 min·Hempstead Avenue
62
Turn right onto 225th Street
228 ft·9 sec·225th Street
Use the right lane.
63
Take the ramp
0.2 mi·28 sec
Toward Cross Island Parkway South, Verrazano Bridge
64
Merge onto CI
1.3 mi·1 min·Cross Island Parkway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
65
Take the exit
0.5 mi·1 min
Exit 25AToward Southern State Parkway East, Eastern Long IslandUse the slight left / straight lanes.
66
Merge onto SO
25 mi·31 min·Southern State Parkway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
67
Keep slight left at fork onto SO
0.2 mi·16 sec·Southern State Parkway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
68
Take the exit
0.2 mi·31 sec
Exit 41SToward Bay Shore Road South, Bay ShoreUse the slight right lane.
69
Turn straight onto CR 57
0.5 mi·1 min·Bay Shore Road
70
Continue on CR 57
0.3 mi·43 sec·Howells Road
71
Turn straight onto CR 57
341 ft·6 sec·Sunrise Highway
72
Keep slight right at fork onto CR 57
0.6 mi·1 min·Howells Road
Toward Howells Road SouthUse the right lane.
73
Continue on CR 57
0.2 mi·24 sec·Roosevelt Street
74
Continue on CR 57
0.7 mi·1 min·3rd Avenue
75
At end of road, turn left onto NY 27A
1.1 mi·1 min·East Main Street
76
Continue on Montauk Highway
0.2 mi·17 sec·Montauk Highway
77
Continue on NY 27A
0.8 mi·1 min·Main Street
78
Arrive at destination
NY 27A
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 215.8 miles from Grand Island, NY, or about 4h 36m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 99.4 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 95 miles or 1h 55m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 215.8 miles or 4h 36m 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 215.8 miles or 4h 36m
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 42m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Islip, NY than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Grand Island, 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 Grand Island, NY
Aim for roughly 216 miles and 4.5 hours of wheel time on this day.
Day 2
Finish the approach into Islip, NY
Aim for roughly 216 miles and 4.5 hours of wheel time on this day.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 95 miles from Grand Island, 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 New York State Thruway for about 99.4 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 215.8 mi from Grand Island, NY
· 4h 36m into the drive
Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
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...
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...
4 mi from route
~9 min detour
Free
near mile 119.1
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...
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
~24 min detour
Free
near mile 387
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
~27 min detour
Free
near mile 387
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$71.06 one way
$142.12 round trip
$4.18/gal25.4 MPG avg151 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.52
$76.84
$153.68
premium
$4.92
$83.67
$167.34
diesel
$5.61
$95.31
$190.63
Estimated Tolls: $27.60
George Washington Bridge
$16.00
Throgs Neck Bridge
$6.55
New York State Thruway
(99.4 mi)$4.97
Niagara Thruway
(1.6 mi)$0.08
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
$71
Tolls
$28
Hotel (1n)
$80–$140
Meals
$50–$100
Total
$229–$339
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 151 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $45 in charging
· 1 stop
· 66% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
129.5
1
$45.33
$20.72
Efficient EV
107.9
1
$37.77
$17.27
EV Truck/SUV
172.7
2
$60.44
$27.63
Gas CO2
151 kg
EV CO2
51 kg (66% 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 14, 2026
Origin
Grand Island, NY
Late night
in Grand Island on Saturday
Local time
3:02 AM
EDT
Current temp
43°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Islip, NY
Late night
in Islip on Saturday
Local time
3:02 AM
EDT
Current temp
54°F
Mostly Cloudy then Areas Of Fog
W 5 to 9 mph11% chanceLive forecast
Flood Warning
Flood Warning issued April 13 at 11:13PM EDT until April 16 at 2:00PM EDT by NWS Binghamton NY
57°F
Ramapo, NY
216 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
11 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
9h 5m 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.
Frequently Asked Questions
The drive from Grand Island, NY to Islip, NY covers 431.7 miles and takes about 9h 5m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are New York State Thruway, I 81, Keystone Shortway. 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 216 miles on day one.
The midpoint is about 215.8 miles from Grand Island, NY. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $71.06 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 431.7 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 4.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 14.3 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 264.6 miles (US 6): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Between Grand Island, NY and Islip, NY, road signs point toward Clyde, Mt Pocono, Milford, New York City, Leonia and Teaneck - among others.
Gently rolling terrain. The route ranges from 12 ft to 1,885 ft elevation with about 2,898 ft of total climbing. There are 3 notable high points along the way.
Yes. Nearby national parks include Harriet Tubman National Historical Park, Hamilton Grange National Memorial and Women's Rights National Historical Park. There are 6 parks within detour distance of this route.
