The drive from Hempstead, NY to Red Hook, NY covers 115.3 miles and takes about 2h 36m behind the wheel.
This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Taconic State Parkway, I 684, I 84 for much of the mileage,
and the overall profile is highway-focused drive.
The longest uninterrupted segment is about 30.2 miles on Taconic State Parkway.
At current regular gas prices, budget about $18.98 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
1 planned break
A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
Midpoint
57.6 miles from Hempstead, NY
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 19m into the drive
.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 2h 36m. Total distance: 115.3 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
2h 36m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (90%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Drive Character
This is a 2h 36m highway drive covering 115.3 miles, with most of the trip on Taconic State Parkway and I 684. The longest continuous stretch is about 30.2 miles on Taconic State Parkway.
Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 31 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Taconic State Parkway is the longest continuous segment at about 30.2 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Taconic State Parkway and I 684. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 15.8 miles in near I 695 / Throgs Neck Expressway.
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 20 significant decision points across 115.3 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 15.8 miles (I 695 / Throgs Neck Expressway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 18.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 18.9 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 20 key points
These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
8
15.8 mi into trip|~25m in|I 695 / Throgs Neck Expressway
Keep slight right at fork onto I 695 / Throgs Neck Expressway toward I 695 North: New Haven
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 10
Toward I 695 North: New Haven
8
18.8 mi into trip|~29m in
Take the exit toward Hutchinson Parkway North
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 9
Toward Hutchinson Parkway North
8
18.9 mi into trip|~30m in
Keep slight left at fork toward Hutchinson River Parkway North
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
Toward Hutchinson River Parkway North
8
32.6 mi into trip|~50m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 684 North: Brewster
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left lane.
Exit 16A
Toward I 684 North: Brewster
8
76.8 mi into trip|~1h 42m in
Take the exit toward Taconic State Parkway North, Albany
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 52B
Toward Taconic State Parkway North, Albany
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 Red Hook, NY, road signs point toward Hutchinson Parkway North, Hutchinson River Parkway North, Taconic State Parkway North, Albany and Pine Plains.
Hutchinson Parkway North
18.8 mi in|~29m
Hutchinson River Parkway North
18.9 mi in|~30m
Taconic State Parkway North
76.8 mi in|~1h 42m
Albany
76.8 mi in|~1h 42m
Pine Plains
107.5 mi in|~2h 24m
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Taconic State Parkway
30.2 mi
40m
I 684
27 mi
31m
I 84
15.4 mi
18m
Hutchinson River Parkway
13.5 mi
19m
State Highway 199
7.1 mi
10m
Clearview Expressway
5 mi
5m
Throgs Neck Expressway
2.5 mi
3m
Tulip Avenue
2 mi
3m
Longest stretch:
Taconic State Parkway
— 30.2 mi, about 40m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Hempstead, NY and Red Hook, NY.
1
Start on Peninsula Boulevard
77 ft·1 sec·Peninsula Boulevard
2
Turn left onto Clinton Street
359 ft·17 sec·Clinton Street
Use the left lane.
3
Turn left onto NY 102
1.1 mi·1 min·Front Street
4
Turn slight left onto NY 24
2.0 mi·3 min·Hempstead Turnpike
5
Turn right onto New Hyde Park Road
0.4 mi·53 sec·New Hyde Park Road
6
Turn left onto Tulip Avenue
2.0 mi·3 min·Tulip Avenue
Use the left lane.
7
Turn left onto NY 25
0.7 mi·1 min·Jamaica Avenue
8
Turn slight right onto NY 25
1.2 mi·2 min·Braddock Avenue
9
Turn left onto NY 25
0.7 mi·1 min·Hillside Avenue
10
Turn right onto I 295
5.0 mi·5 min·Clearview Expressway
Toward I 295 North: Clearview Expressway, Through Neck BridgeUse the straight / right lanes.
11
Continue on I 295
2.0 mi·3 min·Throgs Neck Bridge
12
Continue on I 295
0.7 mi·1 min·Throgs Neck Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Keep slight right at fork onto I 695
1.8 mi·2 min·Throgs Neck Expressway
Exit 10Toward I 695 North: New HavenUse the straight / slight right lanes.
14
Merge onto I 95
1.0 mi·1 min·Bruckner Expressway
15
Continue on I 95
0.2 mi·18 sec·New England Thruway
16
Take the exit
430 ft·14 sec
Exit 9Toward Hutchinson Parkway NorthUse the slight right lane.
17
Keep slight left at fork
0.2 mi·31 sec
Toward Hutchinson River Parkway NorthUse the straight / right lanes.
18
Merge onto HR
14 mi·19 min·Hutchinson River Parkway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
19
Keep slight left at fork
1.6 mi·2 min
Exit 16AToward I 684 North: BrewsterUse the slight left lane.
20
Merge onto I 684
26 mi·30 min·I 684
21
Continue on I 684
0.8 mi·1 min·I 684
Exit |; 9W|9E
22
Take the exit
0.3 mi·1 min
Exit 9WToward I 84 West: NewburghUse the right lane.
23
Merge onto I 84
15 mi·18 min·I 84
24
Take the exit
0.5 mi·1 min
Exit 52BToward Taconic State Parkway North, AlbanyUse the slight right lane.
25
Merge onto Taconic State Parkway
30 mi·40 min·Taconic State Parkway
26
Take the exit
0.2 mi·39 sec
Toward NY 199: Red Hook, Pine Plains
27
Turn left
197 ft·8 sec
28
Turn left onto NY 199
3.8 mi·5 min·State Highway 199
29
Keep slight right at fork onto NY 199
3.3 mi·4 min·State Highway 199
30
Continue on NY 199
0.5 mi·42 sec·East Market Street
31
Arrive at destination
NY 199
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.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 57.6 miles from Hempstead, NY, or about 1h 19m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 30.2 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 25 miles or 39m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 57.6 miles or 1h 19m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 2h 7m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Red Hook, 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 115.3 miles and 2h 36m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 25 miles from Hempstead, NY.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
Plan about 1 real break rather than only quick fuel stops.
The longest stretch is on Taconic State Parkway for about 30.2 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 57.6 mi from Hempstead, NY
· 1h 19m into the drive
The midpoint is around 57.6 miles from Hempstead, NY, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Red Hook, NY
The final approach into Red Hook, 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 Red Hook, 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.
Hamilton Grange National Memorial
National Memorial
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...
7 mi from route
~18 min detour
Free
near mile 15.9
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...
8 mi from route
~20 min detour
Free
near mile 15.9
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...
12 mi from route
~31 min detour
Free
near mile 11.9
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...
12 mi from route
~29 min detour
Free
near mile 15.9
Located at the southern tip of Manhattan, Castle Clinton marks the place where New York City began and reflects the growth of both the city and the nation. Built to defend the harbor during the War of...
13 mi from route
~33 min detour
Free
near mile 11.9
Here at Federal Hall, George Washington took the oath of office as the first President of the United States, marking the beginning of the American constitutional republic. This historic site served as...
13 mi from route
~32 min detour
Free
near mile 11.9
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$18.98 one way
$37.96 round trip
$4.18/gal25.4 MPG avg40 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.52
$20.52
$41.04
premium
$4.92
$22.35
$44.69
diesel
$5.61
$25.46
$50.91
Estimated Tolls: $6.69
Throgs Neck Bridge
$6.55
Hempstead Turnpike
(2 mi)$0.14
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
$19
Tolls
$7
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$51–$76
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 40.3 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $12 in charging
· 0 stops
· 68% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
34.6
0
$12.11
$5.53
Efficient EV
28.8
0
$10.09
$4.61
EV Truck/SUV
46.1
0
$16.14
$7.38
Gas CO2
40 kg
EV CO2
13 kg (68% 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.
Forecast as of Apr 16, 2026
Origin
Hempstead, NY
Late night
in Hempstead on Friday
Local time
2:27 AM
EDT
Current temp
59°F
Mostly Cloudy then Slight Chance Rain Showers
W 6 to 12 mph18% chanceLive forecast
Severe Thunderstorm Warning
Severe Thunderstorm Warning issued April 16 at 6:57PM EDT until April 16 at 8:00PM EDT by NWS Albany NY
Severe Thunderstorm Warning
Severe Thunderstorm Warning issued April 16 at 6:56PM EDT until April 16 at 7:30PM EDT by NWS Burlington VT
Destination
Red Hook, NY
Late night
in Red Hook on Friday
Local time
2:27 AM
EDT
Current temp
33°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
26 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
2h 36m on the road
The weather snapshot is not static. If you are leaving later, give both cities one more quick forecast check before departure.
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 Red Hook, NY covers 115.3 miles and takes about 2h 36m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Taconic State Parkway, I 684, I 84. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 57.6 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 $18.98 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.
Plan about 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, or rest. A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
This is a demanding drive. With 20 significant decision points across 115.3 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 15.8 miles (I 695 / Throgs Neck Expressway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 18.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 18.9 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Between Hempstead, NY and Red Hook, NY, road signs point toward Hutchinson Parkway North, Hutchinson River Parkway North, Taconic State Parkway North, Albany and Pine Plains.
Yes. Nearby national parks include Hamilton Grange National Memorial, General Grant National Memorial and African Burial Ground National Monument. There are 6 parks within detour distance of this route.
