The drive from Jamaica, NY to Bernhards Bay, NY covers 287.1 miles and takes about 5h 51m behind the wheel.
This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on NY 17, New York State Thruway, State Route 49 for much of the mileage,
and the overall profile is highway-focused drive.
The longest uninterrupted segment is about 117.5 miles on NY 17.
At current regular gas prices, budget about $47.26 one way before food or hotel costs.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is possible, but it will make for a full day on the road.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
Midpoint
143.6 miles from Jamaica, NY
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 2h 56m into the drive
.
Jamaica is an expansive neighborhood located in eastern Queens. Historically consisting of predominantly black communities, Jamaica now is home to an extremely diverse array of peoples and cultures.
Doable as a same-day drive at 5h 51m. Total distance: 287.1 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
5h 51m drive, comfortable solo distance.
Drive Character
This is a 5h 51m highway drive covering 287.1 miles, with most of the trip on NY 17 and New York State Thruway. The longest continuous stretch is about 117.5 miles on NY 17.
Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 46 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
NY 17 is the longest continuous segment at about 117.5 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on NY 17 and New York State Thruway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 10.3 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 30 significant decision points across 287.1 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 10.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 10.5 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 18.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 30 key points
These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
8
10.3 mi into trip|~15m in
Take the exit toward I 95 South, I 278 West, I 95 North: George Washington Bridge, Manhattan, New Haven Connecticut
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 19S-W; 19N
Toward I 95 South, I 278 West, I 95 North: Geor...
10
10.5 mi into trip|~16m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 95 South, I 278 West: George Washington Bridge, Manhattan
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight left lane.
Exit 19S-W
Toward I 95 South, I 278 West: George Washingto...
8
18.4 mi into trip|~27m in
Take the exit toward I 95 South, NJTP South: Hackensack
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.
Toward I 95 South, NJTP South: Hackensack
9
18.6 mi into trip|~27m in
Keep slight right at fork toward NJ 4 West: Paramus
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
Exit 72A
Toward NJ 4 West: Paramus
8
25.6 mi into trip|~37m in
Keep slight right at fork toward NJ 17 North: Mahwah
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward NJ 17 North: Mahwah
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Jamaica, NY and Bernhards Bay, NY, road signs point toward Upper Level, Njtp South: Hackensack, Gsp South, Gsp North, Newark and Mahwah - among others.
Upper Level
15.9 mi in|~23m|via I 95; US 1
Njtp South: Hackensack
18.4 mi in|~27m
Gsp South
25.4 mi in|~37m
Gsp North
25.4 mi in|~37m
Newark
25.4 mi in|~37m
Mahwah
25.4 mi in|~37m
New York State Thruway North: Albany
40.7 mi in|~57m|via NY 17
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
NY 17
117.5 mi
2h 15m
New York State Thruway
85.1 mi
1h 38m
State Route 49
28.3 mi
36m
NJ 17
14.7 mi
18m
NJ 4
6.7 mi
9m
Van Wyck Expressway
5.7 mi
7m
Rome-New London Road
5.2 mi
7m
I 95
4.8 mi
6m
Longest stretch:
NY 17
— 117.5 mi, about 2h 15m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Jamaica, NY and Bernhards Bay, NY.
1
Start on Tuskegee Airmen Way
303 ft·17 sec·Tuskegee Airmen Way
2
Turn right onto Pinegrove Street
0.2 mi·44 sec·Pinegrove Street
3
At end of road, turn left onto Liberty Avenue
435 ft·13 sec·Liberty Avenue
4
Turn right onto Van Wyck Expressway East
77 ft·1 sec·Van Wyck Expressway East
5
Take the ramp
0.2 mi·20 sec
Toward I 678 North: Van Wyck Expressway, Whitestone Bridge, Bronx
6
Merge onto I 678
5.7 mi·7 min·Van Wyck Expressway
Use the slight right lane.
7
Merge onto I 678
2.0 mi·2 min·Whitestone Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Continue on I 678
1.3 mi·1 min·Bronx-Whitestone Bridge
9
Continue on I 678
0.8 mi·1 min·Hutchinson River Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Take the exit
0.2 mi·28 sec
Exit 19S-W; 19NToward I 95 South, I 278 West, I 95 North: George Washington Bridge, Manhattan, New Haven ConnecticutUse the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Keep slight left at fork
0.3 mi·50 sec
Exit 19S-WToward I 95 South, I 278 West: George Washington Bridge, ManhattanUse the slight left lane.
12
Keep slight right at fork
0.3 mi·44 sec
Toward I 95 South
13
Merge onto I 95
4.8 mi·6 min·I 95
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
14
Keep slight left at fork onto I 95; US 1
0.7 mi·1 min·Trans-Manhattan Expressway
Toward Upper Level
15
Continue on I 95; US 1
0.6 mi·59 sec·George Washington Bridge (upper level)
16
Continue on I 95 EXPR; US 1 EXPR; US 9 EXPR
0.5 mi·48 sec·I 95 EXPR; US 1 EXPR; US 9 EXPR
17
Keep slight left at fork onto I 95 EXPR; US 1 EXPR; US 9 EXPR
0.6 mi·39 sec·I 95 EXPR; US 1 EXPR; US 9 EXPR
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
18
Keep slight left at fork onto I 95 EXPR; NJTP
0.1 mi·8 sec·I 95 EXPR; NJTP
19
Take the exit
0.2 mi·22 sec
Toward I 95 South, NJTP South: HackensackUse the straight / slight right lanes.
20
Keep slight right at fork
0.2 mi·23 sec
Exit 72AToward NJ 4 West: ParamusUse the slight left / slight right lanes.
21
Merge onto NJ 4
6.7 mi·9 min·NJ 4
Use the slight right lane.
22
Take the exit
0.2 mi·26 sec
Toward GSP South, NJ 17 South, GSP North, NJ 17 North: Grand State Plaza, Newark, MahwahUse the straight lane.
23
Keep slight right at fork
0.2 mi·36 sec
Toward NJ 17 North: MahwahUse the straight / slight right lanes.
24
Merge onto NJ 17
3.3 mi·4 min·NJ 17
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
25
Continue on NJ 17
7.3 mi·9 min·NJ 17
Use the straight / right lanes.
26
Continue on NJ 17
0.7 mi·50 sec·NJ 17
27
Continue on NJ 17
3.3 mi·4 min·NJ 17
28
Continue on I 287; NY 17
0.2 mi·10 sec·I 287; NY 17
29
Keep slight left at fork onto NY 17
118 mi·2 hr 15 min·NY 17
Toward I 87 North, NY 17 North, New York State Thruway North: AlbanyUse the straight / slight right lanes.
30
Keep slight left at fork onto I 90
85 mi·1 hr 38 min·New York State Thruway
Toward I 90 West: Buffalo
31
Take the exit
0.8 mi·1 min
Toward I 790, NY 8, NY 12: UticaUse the slight right lane.
32
Keep slight right at fork
0.2 mi·24 sec
33
Continue on North Genesee Street
0.1 mi·9 sec·North Genesee Street
34
Turn right onto Auert Avenue
327 ft·4 sec·Auert Avenue
35
Take the exit
0.2 mi·19 sec
36
Merge onto I 790; NY 5
0.7 mi·50 sec·I 790; NY 5
37
Continue on NY 49
14 mi·16 min·State Route 49
38
Take the exit onto NY 49; NY 69
3.7 mi·5 min·NY 49; NY 69
39
Turn left onto NY 46; NY 49
5.2 mi·7 min·Rome-New London Road
40
Turn right onto NY 49
13 mi·17 min·State Route 49
41
Continue on NY 49
3.2 mi·4 min·Lake Street
42
Continue on NY 49
0.2 mi·20 sec·Main Street
43
Continue on NY 49
1.2 mi·1 min·Lake Street
44
Continue on NY 49
2.0 mi·2 min·State Route 49
45
Turn right onto Railroad Street
159 ft·6 sec·Railroad Street
46
Arrive at destination
Railroad Street
Trip Plan
Morning Departure
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Evening Departure
A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 143.6 miles from Jamaica, NY, or about 2h 56m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 117.5 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 63 miles or 1h 23m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 143.6 miles or 2h 56m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 4h 42m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Bernhards Bay, NY than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Jamaica, 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 Jamaica, NY
This is one driving day of about 287.1 miles and 5h 51m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 63 miles from Jamaica, 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 NY 17 for about 117.5 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 143.6 mi from Jamaica, NY
· 2h 56m 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.
Fort Stanwix National Monument
National Monument
For centuries, the Oneida Carrying Place, a six-mile portage connecting the Mohawk River and Wood Creek, served as a vital link for those traveling by water from the ocean to the Great Lakes. When Eur...
2 mi from route
~5 min detour
Free
near mile 257.4
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...
4 mi from route
~11 min detour
Free
near mile 19.8
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...
4 mi from route
~11 min detour
Free
near mile 19.8
Spanning 27,000 acres from Sandy Hook in New Jersey to Breezy Point in New York City, the park is both the gateway from the ocean into New York Harbor, and the gateway to the National Park Service for...
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
~25 min detour
Free
near mile 19.8
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...
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$47.26 one way
$94.52 round trip
$4.18/gal25.4 MPG avg101 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.52
$51.10
$102.20
premium
$4.92
$55.65
$111.29
diesel
$5.61
$63.39
$126.78
Estimated Tolls: $26.80
George Washington Bridge
$16.00
Whitestone Bridge
$6.55
New York State Thruway
(85.1 mi)$4.25
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
$47
Tolls
$27
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$99–$124
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 100.5 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $30 in charging
· 1 stop
· 66% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
86.1
1
$30.15
$13.78
Efficient EV
71.8
0
$25.12
$11.48
EV Truck/SUV
114.8
1
$40.19
$18.37
Gas CO2
100 kg
EV CO2
34 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 15, 2026
Origin
Jamaica, NY
Evening
in Jamaica on Friday
Local time
8:05 PM
EDT
Current temp
56°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Bernhards Bay, NY
Evening
in Bernhards Bay on Friday
Local time
8:05 PM
EDT
Current temp
36°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
20 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
5h 51m on the road
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
Frequently Asked Questions
The drive from Jamaica, NY to Bernhards Bay, NY covers 287.1 miles and takes about 5h 51m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are NY 17, New York State Thruway, State Route 49. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 143.6 miles from Jamaica, NY. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $47.26 one way. This estimate uses 25.4 MPG — your actual cost will vary with your vehicle's fuel efficiency and current gas prices.
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left. A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.
Plan about 1 meaningful break 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 30 significant decision points across 287.1 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 10.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 10.5 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 18.4 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Between Jamaica, NY and Bernhards Bay, NY, road signs point toward Upper Level, Njtp South: Hackensack, Gsp South, Gsp North, Newark and Mahwah - among others.
Yes. Nearby national parks include Fort Stanwix National Monument, General Grant National Memorial and Hamilton Grange National Memorial. There are 6 parks within detour distance of this route.
How this page is built
Compiled by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy from open government datasets — OSRM over OpenStreetMap for geometry, EIA for fuel prices, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
