Origin
Lakewood, NY
Morning in Lakewood on Monday
Local time
11:35 AM
EDT
Current temp
53°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Lakewood, NY to Hempstead, NY
Drive Time
8h 21m
Distance
391.1 mi
629 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
2-day trip
Fuel Cost
$64
one way
EV Charging
Loading...
station data
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
8h 14m
★
6 AM
8h 21m
8 AM
8h 36m
10 AM
8h 26m
12 PM
8h 25m
3 PM
8h 27m
5 PM
8h 35m
8 PM
8h 17m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Lakewood, NY
Renan Tagliaferro
Trip Overview
The drive from Lakewood, NY to Hempstead, NY covers 391.1 miles and takes about 8h 21m behind the wheel. It usually feels better as a 2-day road trip than as one long push.
The route leans on Big Tree Road, Big Tree-Sugar Grove Road, Forrest Street for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive. At current regular gas prices, budget about $63.67 one way before food or hotel costs.
Trip Pace
Best split across 2 days
Treat the return leg as its own travel day rather than an afterthought.
Break Rhythm
2 planned breaks
Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
Midpoint
195.5 miles from Lakewood, NY
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 4h 10m into the drive .
Drive Character
Expect a 8h 21m drive with frequent turns across 391.1 miles of local and secondary roads.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 63 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Big Tree Road is one of the defining roads on this drive.
How Hard Is This Drive?
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way.
Route Complexity
3/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
The route itself is not hard, but at 8h 21m, endurance matters. Plan breaks every 2-3 hours. The 0 decision points are all manageable with basic attention.
Where does it get tricky?
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Lakewood, NY to Hempstead, NY is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Big Tree Road | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Big Tree-Sugar Grove Road | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Forrest Street | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Main Street | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Mechanic Street | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Jackson Run Road | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| Market Street | Unavailable | Refreshing |
| West 4th Avenue | Unavailable | Refreshing |
Per-road distance and duration are being refreshed from OSRM for this route.
Longest stretch:
Big Tree Road
— detailed segment metrics are refreshing.
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Lakewood, NY and Hempstead, NY.
1
Start on West Summit Street
0.9 mi
·
3 min
·
West Summit Street
2
Continue on Big Tree Road
2.6 mi
·
3 min
·
Big Tree Road
3
Continue on Big Tree-Sugar Grove Road
3.9 mi
·
6 min
·
Big Tree-Sugar Grove Road
4
Continue on Big Tree Road
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
Big Tree Road
5
Continue on Forrest Street
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
Forrest Street
6
Turn right onto Main Street
404 ft
·
13 sec
·
Main Street
7
Turn left onto Mechanic Street
0.3 mi
·
36 sec
·
Mechanic Street
8
Continue on Jackson Run Road
3.6 mi
·
5 min
·
Jackson Run Road
9
Continue on Main Street
0.2 mi
·
24 sec
·
Main Street
10
Continue on Jackson Run Road
8.8 mi
·
12 min
·
Jackson Run Road
11
Turn right onto Market Street
2.1 mi
·
2 min
·
Market Street
12
Turn right onto West 4th Avenue
0.2 mi
·
23 sec
·
West 4th Avenue
13
Turn left onto Hickory Street
0.2 mi
·
23 sec
·
Hickory Street
14
Continue on Hickory Bridge
0.1 mi
·
24 sec
·
Hickory Bridge
15
Turn left onto Crescent Park
0.4 mi
·
58 sec
·
Crescent Park
16
Turn left onto Crescent Park
1.8 mi
·
3 min
·
Crescent Park
17
Continue on Main Street
0.2 mi
·
35 sec
·
Main Street
18
Continue on Grand Army of the Republic Highway
2.9 mi
·
4 min
·
Grand Army of the Republic Highway
19
Continue on North Main Street
1.4 mi
·
2 min
·
North Main Street
20
Continue on Grand Army of the Republic Highway
4.5 mi
·
6 min
·
Grand Army of the Republic Highway
21
Continue on West Main Street
1.1 mi
·
2 min
·
West Main Street
22
Take the exit slight right toward PA 666 West
266 ft
·
7 sec
·
PA 666 West
23
Merge slight left onto South Main Street
2.4 mi
·
4 min
·
South Main Street
24
Continue straight
8.5 mi
·
12 min
25
At the end of the road, turn left
2.9 mi
·
4 min
26
Turn right
15 mi
·
22 min
27
Turn left onto West Main Street
1.0 mi
·
2 min
·
West Main Street
28
Continue on Boot Jack Road
11 mi
·
16 min
·
Boot Jack Road
29
Turn left onto Penfield Road
3.7 mi
·
6 min
·
Penfield Road
30
Continue on Hoovertown Road
5.0 mi
·
8 min
·
Hoovertown Road
31
Continue on State Park Road
8.1 mi
·
14 min
·
State Park Road
32
Turn left
0.3 mi
·
41 sec
33
Merge slight left onto Keystone Shortway
263 mi
·
4 hr 57 min
·
Keystone Shortway
34
Keep slight right to continue on Christopher Columbus Highway
5.5 mi
·
5 min
·
Christopher Columbus Highway
35
Keep slight left to continue on I 95 North: George Washington Bridge, New York City
0.3 mi
·
23 sec
·
I 95 North: George Washington Bridge, New York City
36
Keep slight right to continue on Leonia, Teaneck
0.4 mi
·
38 sec
·
Leonia, Teaneck
37
Turn right onto Leonia
0.2 mi
·
35 sec
·
Leonia
38
Turn straight onto Degraw Avenue
453 ft
·
9 sec
·
Degraw Avenue
39
Continue on Fort Lee Road
1.1 mi
·
2 min
·
Fort Lee Road
40
Continue on Main Street
469 ft
·
13 sec
·
Main Street
41
Take the ramp left toward George Washington Bridge
472 ft
·
12 sec
·
George Washington Bridge
42
Merge slight left onto Bergen Boulevard
0.3 mi
·
29 sec
·
Bergen Boulevard
43
Take the exit slight left toward George Washington Bridge Upper Level
312 ft
·
5 sec
·
George Washington Bridge Upper Level
44
Merge slight left
0.3 mi
·
20 sec
45
Keep slight left
0.8 mi
·
1 min
46
Continue on George Washington Bridge (upper level)
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
George Washington Bridge (upper level)
47
Continue on Trans-Manhattan Expressway
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Trans-Manhattan Expressway
48
Continue on Cross Bronx Expressway
4.7 mi
·
6 min
·
Cross Bronx Expressway
49
Keep slight right to continue on Cross Bronx Expressway
2.0 mi
·
2 min
·
Cross Bronx Expressway
50
Merge slight left onto Throgs Neck Expressway
0.6 mi
·
58 sec
·
Throgs Neck Expressway
51
Continue on Throgs Neck Bridge
2.0 mi
·
3 min
·
Throgs Neck Bridge
52
Continue on Clearview Expressway
5.0 mi
·
5 min
·
Clearview Expressway
53
Turn left onto Hillside Avenue
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Hillside Avenue
54
Turn right onto Braddock Avenue
1.1 mi
·
2 min
·
Braddock Avenue
55
Turn left onto Jamaica Avenue
0.2 mi
·
34 sec
·
Jamaica Avenue
56
Continue on Jericho Turnpike
0.5 mi
·
57 sec
·
Jericho Turnpike
57
Turn slight right onto Tulip Avenue
2.0 mi
·
3 min
·
Tulip Avenue
58
Turn right onto New Hyde Park Road
0.4 mi
·
56 sec
·
New Hyde Park Road
59
Turn left onto Hempstead Turnpike
2.0 mi
·
3 min
·
Hempstead Turnpike
60
Turn slight right onto Front Street
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
Front Street
61
Turn right onto Greenwich Street
0.1 mi
·
11 sec
·
Greenwich Street
62
Turn left onto Peninsula Boulevard
0.2 mi
·
26 sec
·
Peninsula Boulevard
63
Arrive at your destination
Trip Plan
Morning Departure
Start early — leave by 6-7 AM to arrive at a reasonable hour.
Evening Departure
This is a long drive — plan for a morning departure or consider splitting it into two days.
This drive is better paced as a 2-day trip.
Plan roughly 2 meaningful breaks for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 195.5 miles from Lakewood, NY, or about 4h 10m into the drive.
Consider an overnight stop or starting very early.
Departure
Before you leave
Start with fuel, water, and navigation already sorted so the first hour feels easy.
First stop
Around 86 miles or 1h 50m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 195.5 miles or 4h 10m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Overnight split
Day 1 wrap after about 195.5 miles or 4h 10m
Stop before fatigue turns the last few hours into a grind. You want day two to start fresh, not just resumed.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 7h 4m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Hempstead, NY than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Lakewood, 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.
+
Pick one backup stop option before the midpoint in case traffic changes your pacing.
+
Treat this as a 2-day road trip and book the overnight stop before the busiest arrival window.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Lakewood, NY
Aim for roughly 196 miles and 4.2 hours of wheel time on this day.
Day 2
Finish the approach into Hempstead, NY
Aim for roughly 196 miles and 4.2 hours of wheel time on this day.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 86 miles from Lakewood, NY.
This route usually feels better as a 2-day drive than as one long push.
Plan about 2 real breaks rather than only quick fuel stops.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 195.5 mi from Lakewood, NY · 4h 10m into the drive
Mid-route town
Overnight candidate
196 mi into the route
Best for: Hotel check-in, dinner, and a fresh start
This lines up well with a realistic day-end stop if you are breaking the drive into stages.
Find hotels in Syracuse, NYOvernight Options
Night 1
196 mi · about 4.2h in
A practical overnight split lands near Syracuse, NY after about 196 miles or 4.2 hours of driving.
Find hotelsPacing Suggestions
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 86 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 195.5 miles from Lakewood, NY, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Overnight split
Hotel stopFor a steadier pace, wrap day one after about 196 miles or 4.2 hours on the road.
Arriving in Hempstead, NY
The final approach into Hempstead, 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 Hempstead, NY.
On a multi-day trip, keep the last day a little lighter so you reach Hempstead, NY with some flexibility left in the schedule.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$63.67 one way
$127.34 round trip
$4.14/gal
25.4 MPG avg
137 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.48 | $69.00 | $137.99 |
| premium | $4.88 | $75.19 | $150.37 |
| diesel | $5.64 | $86.89 | $173.78 |
Estimated Tolls: $22.55
George Washington Bridge
$16.00
Throgs Neck 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
$64
Tolls
$23
Hotel (1n)
$80–$140
Meals
$50–$100
Total
$216–$326
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 136.8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-06.
Driving Electric?
About $41 in charging · 1 stop · 66% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 117.3 | 1 | $41.07 | $18.77 |
| Efficient EV | 97.8 | 1 | $34.22 | $15.64 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 156.4 | 1 | $54.75 | $25.03 |
Gas CO2
137 kg
EV CO2
46 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.
Destination
Hempstead, NY
Morning in Hempstead on Monday
Local time
11:35 AM
EDT
Current temp
54°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.
For long drives, weather on day two can matter just as much as conditions at departure, so check the whole travel window rather than only the first day.
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
1 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
8h 21m on the road
This is long enough that the arrival forecast matters almost as much as departure conditions. Recheck both ends before you roll.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
Frequently Asked Questions
The drive from Lakewood, NY to Hempstead, NY covers 391.1 miles and takes about 8h 21m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Big Tree Road, Big Tree-Sugar Grove Road, Forrest Street. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
Consider an overnight stop or starting very early.
Yes. This route is usually more comfortable as a 2-day drive. A sensible stopping point is after roughly 196 miles on day one.
The midpoint is about 195.5 miles from Lakewood, NY. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $63.67 one way. This estimate uses 25.4 MPG — your actual cost will vary with your vehicle's fuel efficiency and current gas prices.
Start early — leave by 6-7 AM to arrive at a reasonable hour. This is a long drive — plan for a morning departure or consider splitting it into two days.
Plan about 2 meaningful breaks for fuel, food, or rest. Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
The route itself is not hard, but at 8h 21m, endurance matters. Plan breaks every 2-3 hours. The 0 decision points are all manageable with basic attention.
This route does not have any notably tricky sections. Most of the drive from Lakewood, NY to Hempstead, NY is straightforward, with well-signed roads and simple exits.
The route from Lakewood, NY to Hempstead, NY does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
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