Origin
Islip Terrace, NY
Evening in Islip Terrace on Sunday
Local time
5:52 PM
EDT
Current temp
51°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Islip Terrace, NY to Manhattan, NY
Drive Time
1h 22m
Distance
54.8 mi
88 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$9
one way
EV Charging
Loading...
station data
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 16m
★
6 AM
1h 22m
8 AM
1h 35m
10 AM
1h 26m
12 PM
1h 25m
3 PM
1h 27m
5 PM
1h 34m
8 PM
1h 18m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Islip Terrace, NY
Mel Audelo
Manhattan, NY
Renan Tagliaferro
Trip Overview
Driving from Islip Terrace to Manhattan covers 54.8 miles and typically takes about 1 hour and 22 minutes. This highway-focused route is designed as a straightforward day trip, making an overnight stay unnecessary. You can expect to spend approximately $9 on fuel for the journey. Since both locations are situated within the Northeast region of New York, the transition is seamless as you move from suburban Long Island into the city. It is a practical, efficient connection that serves as a standard transit path for those heading into the heart of the city.
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
27.4 miles from Islip Terrace, NY
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 36m into the drive .
Drive Character
Expect a commute dominated by major arterial roads, as this drive is 78% highway-focused. You will navigate a combination of the Southern State Parkway, the Long Island Expressway, and the Heckscher State Parkway throughout the trip. The longest uninterrupted segment occurs on the Southern State Parkway, which spans 25 miles. Because the route relies heavily on these high-speed parkways, the experience is less about scenic winding roads and more about managing the flow of heavy commuter traffic. You should be prepared for a consistent, fast-paced drive until you reach the dense urban environment of Manhattan.
Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 38 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Southern State Parkway is the longest continuous segment at about 25 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Southern State Parkway and Long Island Expressway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 2 miles in.
Route Complexity
10/10
High effort - long or complex enough to need steady focus all day
This is a demanding drive. With 29 significant decision points across 54.8 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 2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 37 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 37.2 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 29 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
8
2 mi into trip
|
~2m in
Take the exit toward NY 27A, CR 85: Montauk Highway, Oakdale, Great River
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 46A
Toward NY 27A, CR 85: Montauk Highway, Oakdale,...
8
37 mi into trip
|
~49m in
Keep slight left at fork toward NY 24 West: Hempstead Avenue
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
Toward NY 24 West: Hempstead Avenue
8
37.2 mi into trip
|
~49m in
Keep slight right at fork toward Hempstead Avenue West
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
Toward Hempstead Avenue West
8
40.6 mi into trip
|
~55m in
Take the exit toward I 495: Long Island Expressway, Manhattan, Eastern Long Island
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 4E-W
Toward I 495: Long Island Expressway, Manhattan...
10
40.8 mi into trip
|
~55m in
Keep slight right at fork toward I 495 West: Long Island Expressway West, Manhattan
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
Exit 4W
Toward I 495 West: Long Island Expressway West,...
Towns Along This Route
Between Islip Terrace, NY and Manhattan, NY, road signs point toward To Ny 27: Southern Parkway West, New York, Cross Island Parkway North, Hempstead Avenue West, Grandstand and Eastern Long Island.
To Ny 27: Southern Parkway West
3.3 mi in
|
~5m
New York
3.3 mi in
|
~5m
Cross Island Parkway North
35.4 mi in
|
~46m
Hempstead Avenue West
37.1 mi in
|
~49m
Grandstand
37.3 mi in
|
~49m
Eastern Long Island
40.6 mi in
|
~55m
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Southern State Parkway | 25 mi | 31m |
| Long Island Expressway | 8.4 mi | 11m |
| Heckscher State Parkway | 6.9 mi | 8m |
| Sunrise Highway | 2 mi | 2m |
| Clearview Expressway | 1.4 mi | 1m |
| Cross Island Parkway | 1.3 mi | 1m |
| Montauk Highway | 1.2 mi | 2m |
| Hempstead Avenue | 1 mi | 2m |
Longest stretch:
Southern State Parkway
— 25 mi, about 31m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Islip Terrace, NY and Manhattan, NY.
1
Start on NY 27
2.0 mi
·
2 min
·
Sunrise Highway
2
Take the exit
442 ft
·
18 sec
Exit 46A
Toward NY 27A, CR 85: Montauk Highway, Oakdale, Great River
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
3
Turn right onto NY 27A
1.2 mi
·
2 min
·
Montauk Highway
Use the right lane.
4
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
27 sec
Toward To NY 27: Southern Parkway west, New York
5
Merge onto H
6.9 mi
·
8 min
·
Heckscher State Parkway
Use the none lane.
6
Continue on SO
0.1 mi
·
9 sec
·
Southern State Parkway
Use the none lane.
7
Keep slight left at fork onto SO
25 mi
·
31 min
·
Southern State Parkway
Use the slight left lane.
8
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
43 sec
Toward Cross Island Parkway North, Whitestone Bridge
Use the slight right lane.
9
Merge onto CI
1.3 mi
·
1 min
·
Cross Island Parkway
Use the none lane.
10
Take the exit
317 ft
·
9 sec
Exit 26B
Toward NY 24: UBS Arena-Belmont Park
Use the slight right lane.
11
Keep slight left at fork
437 ft
·
12 sec
Toward NY 24 West: Hempstead Avenue
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
12
Keep slight right at fork
0.1 mi
·
15 sec
Toward Cross Island Parkway North, Hempstead Avenue West
13
Keep slight right at fork
266 ft
·
8 sec
Toward Hempstead Avenue West
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
14
Continue on this road
0.1 mi
·
13 sec
·
this road
Toward Grandstand, Hempstead Avenue West
15
Keep slight left at fork
100 ft
·
4 sec
Toward Hempstead Avenue
16
Turn right onto NY 24
1.0 mi
·
2 min
·
Hempstead Avenue
Use the right lane.
17
Turn left onto Jamaica Avenue
0.1 mi
·
17 sec
·
Jamaica Avenue
18
Turn right onto NY 24
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
212th Street
19
Continue on I 295
1.4 mi
·
1 min
·
Clearview Expressway
Toward I 295 North: Clearview Expressway, Through Neck Bridge
Use the none lane.
20
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
23 sec
Exit 4E-W
Toward I 495: Long Island Expressway, Manhattan, Eastern Long Island
Use the slight right lane.
21
Keep slight right at fork
0.3 mi
·
36 sec
Exit 4W
Toward I 495 West: Long Island Expressway West, Manhattan
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
22
Merge onto I 495
8.4 mi
·
11 min
·
Long Island Expressway
Use the none lane.
23
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
43 sec
Exit 16
Toward Ed Koch Queensboro Bridge, Hunters Point Avenue, Greenpoint Avenue
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
24
Turn straight onto Laurel Hill Boulevard
80 ft
·
2 sec
·
Laurel Hill Boulevard
25
Keep slight right at fork onto Hunters Point Avenue
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
Hunters Point Avenue
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
26
Turn right onto Van Dam Street
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
Van Dam Street
27
Continue on Van Dam Street
113 ft
·
8 sec
·
Van Dam Street
28
Turn left onto NY 25
0.4 mi
·
35 sec
·
Queens Boulevard
29
Continue on NY 25
0.7 mi
·
57 sec
·
Queensboro Plaza
30
Continue on NY 25
0.9 mi
·
2 min
·
Ed Koch Queensboro Bridge Lower Level
31
Keep slight right at fork onto NY 25
317 ft
·
11 sec
·
NY 25
Toward 60th Street West
Use the slight right lane.
32
Turn left onto East 60th Street
0.1 mi
·
28 sec
·
East 60th Street
33
Turn right onto 3rd Avenue
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
3rd Avenue
Use the right lane.
34
Turn left onto East 72nd Street
0.3 mi
·
40 sec
·
East 72nd Street
Use the left lane.
35
Turn right onto Madison Avenue
0.7 mi
·
2 min
·
Madison Avenue
36
Turn left onto East 85th Street
507 ft
·
12 sec
·
East 85th Street
37
Continue on 86th Street Transverse
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
86th Street Transverse
Toward West Side
38
Arrive at destination
86th Street Transverse
Trip Plan
Given the 1 hour and 22 minute duration, you have plenty of flexibility to plan your departure around peak traffic hours to ensure a smoother experience. Since the trip is short and requires zero stops, you can easily complete the 54.8-mile stretch in one go without needing to plan for rest breaks. Keep your $9 fuel budget in mind, but ensure your tank is topped off before you leave Islip Terrace, as gas prices can fluctuate significantly once you enter the city. A helpful tip for this route is to monitor real-time traffic reports for the Southern State Parkway, as this 25-mile stretch is the most critical segment of your journey.
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 27.4 miles from Islip Terrace, NY, or about 36m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 25 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 54.8 miles or 1h 22m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 27.4 miles or 36m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 1h 4m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Manhattan, NY than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Islip Terrace, 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 Islip Terrace, NY
This is one driving day of about 54.8 miles and 1h 22m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 80 miles from Islip Terrace, 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 Southern State Parkway for about 25 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 27.4 mi from Islip Terrace, NY · 36m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
27 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 54.8 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 27.4 miles from Islip Terrace, NY, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Manhattan, NY
The final approach into Manhattan, 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 Manhattan, 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
$8.92 one way
$17.84 round trip
$4.14/gal
25.4 MPG avg
19 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.48 | $9.67 | $19.34 |
| premium | $4.88 | $10.53 | $21.07 |
| diesel | $5.64 | $12.17 | $24.35 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$9
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$34–$59
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 19.2 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-06.
Driving Electric?
About $6 in charging · 0 stops · 68% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 16.4 | 0 | $5.75 | $2.63 |
| Efficient EV | 13.7 | 0 | $4.79 | $2.19 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 21.9 | 0 | $7.67 | $3.51 |
Gas CO2
19 kg
EV CO2
6 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.
Destination
Manhattan, NY
Evening in Manhattan on Sunday
Local time
5:52 PM
EDT
Current temp
61°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
10 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 22m 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 Islip Terrace, NY to Manhattan, NY covers 54.8 miles and takes about 1h 22m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Southern State Parkway, Long Island Expressway, Heckscher State Parkway. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 27.4 miles from Islip Terrace, NY. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $8.92 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 29 significant decision points across 54.8 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 2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 37 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 37.2 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Between Islip Terrace, NY and Manhattan, NY, road signs point toward To Ny 27: Southern Parkway West, New York, Cross Island Parkway North, Hempstead Avenue West, Grandstand and Eastern Long Island.
Was this route helpful?
Thanks for your feedback!
Your tip has been submitted. Thanks!
/500
Recent Tips
·
Explore More
Continue From Manhattan, NY
More trips to Manhattan, NY
Explore more options from Islip Terrace, NY or browse trips ending in Manhattan, NY.
Looking for more statewide routes? Browse NY road trips.
Explore maps for Islip Terrace, NY or Manhattan, NY on MapSof.net.