The drive from Manhattan, NY to Riverside, NY covers 77.1 miles and takes about 2h 1m behind the wheel.
This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Long Island Expressway, East Moriches-Riverhead Road, Captain Daniel Roe Highway for much of the mileage,
and the overall profile is highway-focused drive.
The longest uninterrupted segment is about 61.8 miles on Long Island Expressway.
At current regular gas prices, budget about $12.69 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.
Midpoint
38.5 miles from Manhattan, NY
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 59m into the drive
.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 2h 1m. Total distance: 77.1 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
2h 1m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (83%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Drive Character
This is a 2h 1m highway drive covering 77.1 miles, with most of the trip on Long Island Expressway and East Moriches-Riverhead Road. The longest continuous stretch is about 61.8 miles on Long Island Expressway.
Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 18 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Long Island Expressway is the longest continuous segment at about 61.8 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Long Island Expressway and East Moriches-Riverhead Road. You will hit about 15 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 1.5 miles in near 2nd Avenue.
Driving Effort6/10
Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 77.1 miles you will encounter 15 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 1.5 miles (2nd Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 2.1 miles (NY 25): Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 3.5 miles (NY 25): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 15 key points
These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
6
1.5 mi into trip|~4m in|2nd Avenue
Turn right onto 2nd Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
6
2.1 mi into trip|~7m in|NY 25
Take the ramp onto NY 25 toward Ed Koch Queensboro Bridge, Lower Roadway
Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the left lane.
Toward Ed Koch Queensboro Bridge, Lower Roadway
6
3.5 mi into trip|~9m in|NY 25
Keep slight left at fork onto NY 25 toward NY 25A, NY 25
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward NY 25A, NY 25
5
5.4 mi into trip|~14m in|I 495 / Long Island Expressway
Merge onto I 495 / Long Island Expressway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
67.2 mi into trip|~1h 39m in
Take the exit toward CR 111: Manorville, Eastport
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 70
Toward CR 111: Manorville, Eastport
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Manhattan, NY and Riverside, NY, road signs point toward Eastern Long Island, Cr 111: Manorville and Eastport.
Eastern Long Island
4.8 mi in|~12m|via Borden Avenue
Cr 111: Manorville
67.2 mi in|~1h 39m
Eastport
67.2 mi in|~1h 39m
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Long Island Expressway
61.8 mi
1h 25m
East Moriches-Riverhead Road
4.3 mi
5m
Captain Daniel Roe Highway
3.6 mi
5m
NY 25
2 mi
3m
Borden Avenue
0.8 mi
1m
2nd Avenue
0.6 mi
2m
5th Avenue
0.6 mi
2m
Van Dam Street
0.5 mi
1m
Longest stretch:
Long Island Expressway
— 61.8 mi, about 1h 25m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Manhattan, NY and Riverside, NY.
1
Start on 86th Street Transverse
0.4 mi·1 min·86th Street Transverse
2
Turn right onto 5th Avenue
0.6 mi·2 min·5th Avenue
3
Turn left onto East 72nd Street
0.5 mi·1 min·East 72nd Street
4
Turn right onto 2nd Avenue
0.6 mi·2 min·2nd Avenue
Use the straight lane.
5
Take the ramp onto NY 25
1.4 mi·2 min·NY 25
Toward Ed Koch Queensboro Bridge, Lower RoadwayUse the left lane.
6
Keep slight left at fork onto NY 25
0.6 mi·51 sec·NY 25
Toward NY 25A, NY 25
7
Turn right onto Van Dam Street
0.5 mi·1 min·Van Dam Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
8
Turn left onto Borden Avenue
0.2 mi·30 sec·Borden Avenue
9
Take the ramp onto Borden Avenue
0.6 mi·1 min·Borden Avenue
Toward I 495 East: Long Island Expressway, Eastern Long Island, Brooklyn-Queens Expressway
10
Merge onto I 495
62 mi·1 hr 25 min·Long Island Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Take the exit
0.3 mi·36 sec
Exit 70Toward CR 111: Manorville, EastportUse the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Turn right onto CR 111
3.6 mi·5 min·Captain Daniel Roe Highway
Use the right lane.
13
Take the exit
0.2 mi·33 sec
Toward CR 51: East Moriches-Riverhead Road
14
Turn straight onto CR 51
4.3 mi·5 min·East Moriches-Riverhead Road
15
Turn right
0.8 mi·5 min
16
Turn right
0.6 mi·3 min
17
Turn left
112 ft·8 sec
18
Arrive at destination
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.
You may only need one short stretch break if traffic stays light.
The halfway point lands around 38.5 miles from Manhattan, NY, or about 59m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 61.8 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 17 miles or 30m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 38.5 miles or 59m 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 37m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Riverside, NY than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Manhattan, 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 Manhattan, NY
This is one driving day of about 77.1 miles and 2h 1m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 17 miles from Manhattan, NY.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on Long Island Expressway for about 61.8 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 38.5 mi from Manhattan, NY
· 59m into the drive
The midpoint is around 38.5 miles from Manhattan, NY, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Before the longest stretch
Fuel check
Top up before Long Island Expressway if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 61.8 miles.
Arriving in Riverside, NY
The final approach into Riverside, 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 Riverside, 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.
General Grant National Memorial
National Memorial
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...
2 mi from route
~5 min detour
Free
Caution: Lower Crypt Access Subject to Safe Conditions
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$12.69 one way
$25.38 round trip
$4.18/gal25.4 MPG avg27 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.52
$13.72
$27.45
premium
$4.92
$14.94
$29.89
diesel
$5.61
$17.02
$34.05
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$13
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$38–$63
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 27 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $8 in charging
· 0 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
23.1
0
$8.10
$3.70
Efficient EV
19.3
0
$6.75
$3.08
EV Truck/SUV
30.8
0
$10.79
$4.93
Gas CO2
27 kg
EV CO2
9 kg (67% 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
Manhattan, NY
Late night
in Manhattan on Friday
Local time
1:09 AM
EDT
Current temp
49°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Riverside, NY
Late night
in Riverside on Friday
Local time
1:09 AM
EDT
Current temp
42°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
7 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 1m 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 Manhattan, NY to Riverside, NY covers 77.1 miles and takes about 2h 1m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Long Island Expressway, East Moriches-Riverhead Road, Captain Daniel Roe Highway. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 38.5 miles from Manhattan, NY. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $12.69 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 77.1 miles you will encounter 15 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 1.5 miles (2nd Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 2.1 miles (NY 25): Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 3.5 miles (NY 25): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Between Manhattan, NY and Riverside, NY, road signs point toward Eastern Long Island, Cr 111: Manorville and Eastport.
Yes. Nearby national parks include General Grant National Memorial, Hamilton Grange National Memorial and Stonewall National Monument. There are 6 parks within detour distance of this route.
