Monticello, NY to Hempstead, NY is 106.4 miles and takes about 2h 21m via NY 17, NJ 17, and New York State Thruway, with a fuel budget near $18 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within the Northeast region, connecting two points in New York State. Expect a predominantly highway-focused drive, making it a straightforward journey. Given the relatively short distance and duration, it's an ideal candidate for a single-day excursion. Plan for a fuel cost around $18, which is quite manageable for this route.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Midpoint
53.2 miles from Monticello, NY
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 5m into the drive
.
Hempstead is the most populous town in America, with a whopping 700,000 residents, located on the South Shore of Nassau County, New York. The town is highly urbanized and fragmented, containing 22 semi-autonomous villages within its boundaries, and forty other neighborhoods.
Garden City, encompassing the "Nassau Hub" region, has its own article. The other prominent communities in Hempstead include Floral Park, Hempstead Village, Valley Stream, Rockville Centre, Freeport, Merrick, and the Five Towns area.
Top landmarks
•Mitchel Air Force Base — US Air Force base in Long Island, New York
Doable as a same-day drive at 2h 21m. Total distance: 106.4 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
2h 21m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (75%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Drive Character
This route is largely a highway-focused drive, with about 75% of the journey on major roadways. You'll encounter NY 17 and NJ 17, transitioning onto the New York State Thruway. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll experience is 41.4 miles on NY 17, offering a good period of consistent driving. Overall, anticipate a relatively fast-paced trip with limited opportunities for scenic detours, as the focus is on efficient travel between the two points.
Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 36 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 41.4 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 42.9 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 25 significant decision points across 106.4 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 42.9 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 43.6 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 58.2 miles (NY 17): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. 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
42.9 mi into trip|~52m in
Keep slight left at fork toward I 87, NYST: Albany, New York City
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Toward I 87, NYST: Albany, New York City
7
43.6 mi into trip|~53m in
Keep slight right at fork toward I 87 Toll South: New York City
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Toward I 87 Toll South: New York City
9
58.2 mi into trip|~1h 11m in|NY 17
Keep slight right at fork onto NY 17 toward I 287 South, NJ 17 South: New Jersey
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 15
Toward I 287 South, NJ 17 South: New Jersey
8
59.6 mi into trip|~1h 13m in|NJ 17
Keep slight left at fork onto NJ 17 toward NJ 17 South: Mahwah
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left / straight lanes.
Exit 66
Toward NJ 17 South: Mahwah
8
88.6 mi into trip|~1h 53m in|I 295 / Cross Bronx Expressway
Keep slight right at fork onto I 295 / Cross Bronx Expressway toward I 295 South: Throgs Neck Bridge
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
Exit 6B
Toward I 295 South: Throgs Neck Bridge
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Monticello, NY and Hempstead, NY, road signs point toward Nyst: Albany, New York City, Gsp South: Paterson, Fort Lee and New York.
Nyst: Albany
42.9 mi in|~52m
New York City
42.9 mi in|~52m
Gsp South: Paterson
73.7 mi in|~1h 31m
Fort Lee
73.7 mi in|~1h 31m
New York
73.7 mi in|~1h 31m
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
NY 17
41.4 mi
49m
NJ 17
14.1 mi
18m
New York State Thruway
13.7 mi
15m
NJ 4
6.7 mi
9m
Cross Bronx Expressway
6.6 mi
8m
Clearview Expressway
5 mi
5m
Broadway
2.2 mi
3m
Tulip Avenue
2 mi
3m
Longest stretch:
NY 17
— 41.4 mi, about 49m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Monticello, NY and Hempstead, NY.
1
Start on NY 42
2.2 mi·3 min·Broadway
2
Enter roundabout
224 ft·12 sec
Toward NY 17
3
Continue
85 ft·1 sec
Toward NY 17
4
Take the ramp
0.2 mi·25 sec
Toward NY 17 East: New York City
5
Merge onto NY 17
40 mi·48 min·NY 17
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Keep slight left at fork
0.7 mi·59 sec
Toward I 87, NYST: Albany, New York CityUse the slight right lane.
7
Keep slight right at fork
0.9 mi·1 min
Toward I 87 Toll South: New York CityUse the slight right lane.
8
Merge onto I 87
14 mi·15 min·New York State Thruway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Keep slight right at fork onto NY 17
0.9 mi·59 sec·NY 17
Exit 15Toward I 287 South, NJ 17 South: New JerseyUse the slight right lane.
10
Continue on I 287; NJ 17
0.5 mi·39 sec·I 287; NJ 17
11
Keep slight left at fork onto NJ 17
14 mi·18 min·NJ 17
Exit 66Toward NJ 17 South: MahwahUse the slight left / straight lanes.
12
Take the exit
0.1 mi·19 sec
Toward NJ 4, GSP South: Paterson, Fort Lee, New York
13
Keep slight left at fork
0.5 mi·1 min
Toward NJ 4 East: Fort Lee, New York
14
Merge onto NJ 4
0.3 mi·24 sec·NJ 4
Use the right lane.
15
Continue on NJ 4
6.4 mi·8 min·NJ 4
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
16
Take the exit
0.2 mi·18 sec
Toward I 95 North: George Washington BridgeUse the straight / slight left lanes.
17
Merge onto I 95 EXPR
0.7 mi·54 sec·I 95 EXPR
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
18
Keep slight left at fork onto I 95 EXPR
0.8 mi·1 min·I 95 EXPR
19
Continue on I 95; US 1; US 9
0.6 mi·1 min·George Washington Bridge (upper level)
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
20
Continue on I 95; US 1
0.7 mi·1 min·Trans-Manhattan Expressway
21
Continue on I 95; US 1
4.7 mi·6 min·Cross Bronx Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
22
Keep slight right at fork onto I 295
2.0 mi·2 min·Cross Bronx Expressway
Exit 6BToward I 295 South: Throgs Neck BridgeUse the straight / slight left lanes.
23
Merge onto I 295
0.6 mi·58 sec·Throgs Neck Expressway
24
Continue on I 295
2.0 mi·3 min·Throgs Neck Bridge
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
25
Continue on I 295
5.0 mi·5 min·Clearview Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
26
Turn left onto NY 25
0.7 mi·1 min·Hillside Avenue
Use the left lane.
27
Turn right onto NY 25
1.1 mi·2 min·Braddock Avenue
28
Turn left onto NY 25
0.2 mi·34 sec·Jamaica Avenue
29
Continue on NY 25
0.5 mi·56 sec·Jericho Turnpike
30
Turn slight right onto Tulip Avenue
2.0 mi·3 min·Tulip Avenue
Use the right lane.
31
Turn right onto New Hyde Park Road
0.4 mi·56 sec·New Hyde Park Road
32
Turn left onto NY 24
2.0 mi·3 min·Hempstead Turnpike
Use the left lane.
33
Turn slight right onto NY 102
0.8 mi·1 min·Front Street
Use the right lane.
34
Turn right onto Greenwich Street
0.1 mi·11 sec·Greenwich Street
Use the right lane.
35
Turn left onto Peninsula Boulevard
0.2 mi·26 sec·Peninsula Boulevard
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
36
Arrive at destination
Peninsula Boulevard
Trip Plan
Since this is a 106.4-mile drive taking just over two hours, it's perfectly suited for a single day trip, offering plenty of flexibility. You can leave anytime and still have ample daylight to reach your destination. While the drive is short, consider taking your longest stretch on NY 17, which is 41.4 miles, as a good point to stretch your legs if needed. Keep an eye on your fuel gauge, as the estimated cost is only $18, and it's always best to top up before you're running on fumes, especially on highway stretches.
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 53.2 miles from Monticello, NY, or about 1h 5m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 41.4 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 23 miles or 29m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 53.2 miles or 1h 5m 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 51m
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 Monticello, 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 Monticello, NY
This is one driving day of about 106.4 miles and 2h 21m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 23 miles from Monticello, NY.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on NY 17 for about 41.4 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 53.2 mi from Monticello, NY
· 1h 5m into the drive
Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$17.51 one way
$35.03 round trip
$4.18/gal25.4 MPG avg37 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.52
$18.94
$37.88
premium
$4.92
$20.62
$41.24
diesel
$5.61
$23.49
$46.98
Estimated Tolls: $23.41
George Washington Bridge
$16.00
Throgs Neck Bridge
$6.55
New York State Thruway
(13.7 mi)$0.68
Hempstead Turnpike
(2 mi)$0.14
Jericho Turnpike
(0.5 mi)$0.04
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
$18
Tolls
$23
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$66–$91
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 37.2 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
EV Charging Along Route
34 DC fast chargers
· Coverage: excellent
Electric Vehicle Charge Point
New York, New York
Other
1 DCFC
ViaLynk Charging Station
Goshen, New York
ViaLynk
1 DCFC
ChargePoint Charging Station
Mahwah, New Jersey
ChargePoint
1 DCFC
Tesla Supercharger
Monticello, New York
Tesla
1 DCFC
Tesla Supercharger
Middletown, New York
Tesla
1 DCFC
EV Connect Charging Station
Central Valley, New York
EV Connect
1 DCFC
ChargePoint Charging Station
New York, New York
ChargePoint
1 DCFC
Tesla Supercharger
Central Valley, New York
Tesla
1 DCFC
ChargePoint: 17
Other: 6
Tesla: 3
EV Connect: 3
ViaLynk: 2
EVgo: 1
Blink: 1
Tesla Destination: 1
Station data from NREL Alternative Fuel Stations database.
Driving Electric?
About $11 in charging
· 0 stops
· 68% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
31.9
0
$11.17
$5.11
Efficient EV
26.6
0
$9.31
$4.26
EV Truck/SUV
42.6
0
$14.90
$6.81
Gas CO2
37 kg
EV CO2
12 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
Monticello, NY
Late night
in Monticello on Saturday
Local time
5:35 AM
EDT
Current temp
54°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Hempstead, NY
Late night
in Hempstead on Saturday
Local time
5:35 AM
EDT
Current temp
56°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
57°F
Ramapo, NY
53 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
2 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
2h 21m 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 Monticello, NY to Hempstead, NY covers 106.4 miles and takes about 2h 21m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are NY 17, NJ 17, New York State Thruway. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 53.2 miles from Monticello, NY. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $17.51 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 25 significant decision points across 106.4 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 42.9 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 43.6 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 58.2 miles (NY 17): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Between Monticello, NY and Hempstead, NY, road signs point toward Nyst: Albany, New York City, Gsp South: Paterson, Fort Lee and New York.
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, NREL for EV charging, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
