Origin
Hempstead, NY
Morning in Hempstead on Wednesday
Local time
8:13 AM
EDT
Current temp
56°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Hempstead, NY to Brookhaven, NY
Data updated 0 seconds ago
Drive Time
57m
Distance
40.7 mi
65 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$7
one way
EV Charging
Loading...
station data
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 52m
★
6 AM
0h 57m
8 AM
1h 6m
10 AM
1h 0m
12 PM
0h 59m
3 PM
1h 1m
5 PM
1h 6m
8 PM
0h 54m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Trip Overview
The drive from Hempstead, NY to Brookhaven, NY covers 40.7 miles and takes about 57m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Sunrise Highway, Southern State Parkway, Jerusalem Avenue for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mixed drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 19.1 miles on Sunrise Highway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $6.70 one way before food or hotel costs.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Break Rhythm
0 planned breaks
A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
Midpoint
20.3 miles from Hempstead, NY
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 27m into the drive .
Loading map...
Drive Character
The drive from Hempstead, NY to Brookhaven, NY covers 40.7 miles and takes about 57m, using a mix of highways and local roads.
Expect a mix of faster highway mileage and slower local approaches near the beginning or end.
There are about 23 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Sunrise Highway is the longest continuous segment at about 19.1 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.7 miles in near Jerusalem Avenue.
Route Complexity
10/10
High effort - long or complex enough to need steady focus all day
This is a demanding drive. With 16 significant decision points across 40.7 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 0.7 miles (Jerusalem Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 3.6 miles (SO / Southern State Parkway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 18.8 miles (SO / Southern State Parkway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 16 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
6
0.7 mi into trip
|
~1m in
|
Jerusalem Avenue
At end of road, turn left onto Jerusalem Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left / right lanes.
5
3.6 mi into trip
|
~6m in
|
SO / Southern State Parkway
Merge onto SO / Southern State Parkway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
6
18.8 mi into trip
|
~24m in
|
SO / Southern State Parkway
Keep slight left at fork onto SO / Southern State Parkway
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
19 mi into trip
|
~25m 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
8
39.3 mi into trip
|
~54m in
Take the exit toward CR 21 South: Yaphank Avenue, Brookhaven
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 57 S
Toward CR 21 South: Yaphank Avenue, Brookhaven
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Hempstead, NY and Brookhaven, NY, road signs point toward So East: East Islip, Bay Shore Road South and Bay Shore.
So East: East Islip
3.5 mi in
|
~6m
Bay Shore Road South
19 mi in
|
~25m
Bay Shore
19 mi in
|
~25m
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Sunrise Highway | 19.1 mi | 26m |
| Southern State Parkway | 15.4 mi | 18m |
| Jerusalem Avenue | 2.7 mi | 4m |
| Montauk Highway | 0.5 mi | <1m |
| Bay Shore Road | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| William Street | 0.4 mi | 1m |
| South Country Road | 0.4 mi | <1m |
| Howells Road | 0.3 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Sunrise Highway
— 19.1 mi, about 26m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Hempstead, NY and Brookhaven, NY.
1
Start on Peninsula Boulevard
0.1 mi
·
11 sec
·
Peninsula Boulevard
2
Turn slight right onto NY 102
0.2 mi
·
14 sec
·
Front Street
3
Turn slight right
111 ft
·
4 sec
Use the right lane.
4
Turn straight onto William Street
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
William Street
5
At end of road, turn left onto Jerusalem Avenue
2.0 mi
·
3 min
·
Jerusalem Avenue
Use the left / right lanes.
6
Keep slight right at fork onto Jerusalem Avenue
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
Jerusalem Avenue
7
Turn slight right onto Merrick Avenue North
0.1 mi
·
15 sec
·
Merrick Avenue North
8
Take the ramp
0.1 mi
·
16 sec
Toward SO East: East Islip
9
Merge onto SO
15 mi
·
18 min
·
Southern State Parkway
Use the straight / right lanes.
10
Keep slight left at fork onto SO
0.2 mi
·
16 sec
·
Southern State Parkway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
31 sec
Exit 41S
Toward Bay Shore Road South, Bay Shore
Use the slight right lane.
12
Turn straight onto CR 57
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
Bay Shore Road
13
Continue on CR 57
0.3 mi
·
43 sec
·
Howells Road
14
Turn straight onto CR 57
341 ft
·
6 sec
·
Sunrise Highway
15
Keep slight left at fork onto Sunrise Highway
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Sunrise Highway
Toward NY 27 East
16
Take the ramp
0.1 mi
·
17 sec
Toward NY 27 East: Montauk
17
Merge onto NY 27
18 mi
·
24 min
·
Sunrise Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
18
Take the exit
492 ft
·
19 sec
Exit 57 S
Toward CR 21 South: Yaphank Avenue, Brookhaven
Use the slight right lane.
19
Turn left onto Sunrise Hwy South Service Road
426 ft
·
15 sec
·
Sunrise Hwy South Service Road
20
Turn right onto CR 21
0.3 mi
·
43 sec
·
Yaphank Avenue
21
Turn right onto CR 80
0.5 mi
·
58 sec
·
Montauk Highway
22
Turn left onto CR 36
0.4 mi
·
50 sec
·
South Country Road
Use the left lane.
23
Arrive at destination
CR 36
Trip Plan
Morning Departure
Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch.
Evening Departure
Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
You may only need one short stretch break if traffic stays light.
The halfway point lands around 20.3 miles from Hempstead, NY, or about 27m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 19.1 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 40.7 miles or 57m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 20.3 miles or 27m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 47m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Brookhaven, NY than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Hempstead, 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 Hempstead, NY
This is one driving day of about 40.7 miles and 57m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 80 miles from Hempstead, NY.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
You may only need one short stretch stop if conditions stay smooth.
The longest stretch is on Sunrise Highway for about 19.1 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 20.3 mi from Hempstead, NY · 27m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
20 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 40.7 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 20.3 miles from Hempstead, NY, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Brookhaven, NY
The final approach into Brookhaven, 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 Brookhaven, NY.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$6.70 one way
$13.40 round trip
$4.18/gal
25.4 MPG avg
14 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.52 | $7.24 | $14.49 |
| premium | $4.92 | $7.89 | $15.78 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $8.99 | $17.97 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$7
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$32–$57
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 14.2 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 64% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 12.2 | 0 | $4.27 | $1.95 |
| Efficient EV | 10.2 | 0 | $3.56 | $1.63 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 16.3 | 0 | $5.70 | $2.60 |
Gas CO2
14 kg
EV CO2
5 kg (64% 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
Brookhaven, NY
Morning in Brookhaven on Wednesday
Local time
8:13 AM
EDT
Current temp
43°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
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
13 degrees cooler at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
57m 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 Hempstead, NY to Brookhaven, NY covers 40.7 miles and takes about 57m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Sunrise Highway, Southern State Parkway, Jerusalem Avenue. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 20.3 miles from Hempstead, NY. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $6.70 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 is a demanding drive. With 16 significant decision points across 40.7 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 0.7 miles (Jerusalem Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 3.6 miles (SO / Southern State Parkway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 18.8 miles (SO / Southern State Parkway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Between Hempstead, NY and Brookhaven, NY, road signs point toward So East: East Islip, Bay Shore Road South and Bay Shore.
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