This straightforward 70.3-mile drive from Jamaica, NY, to Florida, NY, is easily manageable in about 1 hour and 36 minutes, making it a perfect day trip. You'll primarily be on the NY-17, NJ-17, and NJ-4 corridors. With a fuel cost estimated at $12, this route offers an economical way to travel within the Northeast region. The highway-focused profile means you'll spend most of your time on faster-paced roads, so plan accordingly for this efficient journey. Given the short duration, no overnight stays are necessary.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Midpoint
35.2 miles from Jamaica, NY
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 50m into the drive
.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 36m. Total distance: 70.3 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 36m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (86%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Drive Character
Expect a predominantly highway-focused experience on this route, with 86% of the drive taking place on main roads like NY-17, NJ-17, and NJ-4. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 22.7 miles on NY-17, offering a solid period of consistent travel. This isn't a winding country road adventure; rather, it’s a direct and efficient path that prioritizes forward momentum. You'll likely experience a steady flow of traffic typical of major arteries in the Northeast.
Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 40 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 22.7 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on NY 17 and NJ 17. 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
Demanding - stay alert through the decision-heavy sections
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 70.3 miles you will encounter 25 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
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 25 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 Florida, NY, road signs point toward Manhattan, New Haven Connecticut, Upper Level, Njtp South: Hackensack, Gsp South and Gsp North - among others.
Manhattan
10.3 mi in|~15m
New Haven Connecticut
10.3 mi in|~15m
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
Chester
65.4 mi in|~1h 27m
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
NY 17
22.7 mi
26m
NJ 17
14.7 mi
18m
NJ 4
6.7 mi
9m
Van Wyck Expressway
5.7 mi
7m
I 95
4.8 mi
6m
Whitestone Expressway
2 mi
2m
Randall Street
1.8 mi
3m
Summerville Way
1.4 mi
2m
Longest stretch:
NY 17
— 22.7 mi, about 26m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Jamaica, NY and Florida, 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
14 mi·16 min·NY 17
Toward I 87 North, NY 17 North, New York State Thruway North: Albany
30
Take the exit
1.5 mi·3 min
Exit 16Toward US 6, NY 17: HarrimanUse the slight right lane.
31
Continue on this road
152 ft·3 sec·this road
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
32
Keep slight left at fork
0.4 mi·30 sec
Toward NY 17 West: BinghamtonUse the straight / slight right lanes.
33
Continue on NY 17
8.4 mi·9 min·NY 17
34
Take the exit
0.2 mi·38 sec
Exit 126Toward NY 94: Florida, Chester
35
Turn left onto NY 94
348 ft·9 sec·State Highway 94
Use the straight / left lanes.
36
Continue on NY 94
1.4 mi·2 min·Summerville Way
Use the straight lane.
37
Continue on NY 94
1.0 mi·1 min·State Highway 94
38
Continue on NY 94
1.8 mi·3 min·Randall Street
39
Turn left onto NY 17A; NY 94
0.4 mi·40 sec·North Main Street
40
Arrive at destination
NY 17A; NY 94
Trip Plan
For this 1 hour and 36 minute journey, you have the flexibility to leave whenever suits your schedule. Aiming for off-peak hours can help you avoid potential congestion, especially as you navigate through busy stretches. Since there are no designated stops and the longest stretch is under 23 miles, you likely won't need to plan for extensive breaks. Keep an eye on your fuel gauge, with an estimated cost of $12 for the trip; however, given the short distance, making a quick fuel stop before you depart should suffice. A practical tip for this route is to be aware of the transitions between NY-17, NJ-17, and NJ-4, as signage can change.
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 35.2 miles from Jamaica, NY, or about 50m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 22.7 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 15 miles or 22m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 35.2 miles or 50m 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 20m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Florida, 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.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Jamaica, NY
This is one driving day of about 70.3 miles and 1h 36m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 15 miles from Jamaica, NY.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on NY 17 for about 22.7 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 35.2 mi from Jamaica, NY
· 50m into the drive
The midpoint is around 35.2 miles from Jamaica, NY, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Florida, NY
The final approach into Florida, NY usually feels slower than the middle of the drive, so avoid planning your tightest schedule at the very end.
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
10 mi from route
~25 min detour
Free
near mile 4.8
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...
10 mi from route
~24 min detour
Free
near mile 4.8
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$11.57 one way
$23.14 round trip
$4.18/gal25.4 MPG avg25 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.52
$12.51
$25.03
premium
$4.92
$13.63
$27.25
diesel
$5.61
$15.52
$31.04
Estimated Tolls: $22.55
George Washington Bridge
$16.00
Whitestone Bridge
$6.55
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
$12
Tolls
$23
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$59–$84
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 24.6 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $7 in charging
· 0 stops
· 68% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
21.1
0
$7.38
$3.37
Efficient EV
17.6
0
$6.15
$2.81
EV Truck/SUV
28.1
0
$9.84
$4.50
Gas CO2
25 kg
EV CO2
8 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 15, 2026
Origin
Jamaica, NY
Late night
in Jamaica on Friday
Local time
2:17 AM
EDT
Current temp
56°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Florida, NY
Late night
in Florida on Friday
Local time
2:17 AM
EDT
Current temp
59°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
57°F
Ramapo, NY
35 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.
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
3 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 36m 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 Jamaica, NY to Florida, NY covers 70.3 miles and takes about 1h 36m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are NY 17, NJ 17, NJ 4. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 35.2 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 $11.57 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 drive requires moderate attention. Across 70.3 miles you will encounter 25 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
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 Florida, NY, road signs point toward Manhattan, New Haven Connecticut, Upper Level, Njtp South: Hackensack, Gsp South and Gsp North - among others.
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.
