Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
37m
Distance
23.8 mi
38 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$4
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
North Wantagh, NY
Mel Audelo
Elmhurst, NY
Mel Audelo
The drive from North Wantagh, NY to Elmhurst, NY covers 23.8 miles and takes about 37m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Southern State Parkway, Long Island Expressway, Jerusalem Avenue for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is highway-focused drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 9 miles on Southern State Parkway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $3.92 one way before food or hotel costs.
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 37m. Total distance: 23.8 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
37m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (69%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
This is a 37m highway drive covering 23.8 miles, with most of the trip on Southern State Parkway and Long Island Expressway. The longest continuous stretch is about 9 miles on Southern State Parkway.
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Southern State Parkway and Long Island Expressway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 13.7 miles in.
Focused - lots of decisions in a short distance, but it is over quickly
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 20 decision points packed into just 23.8 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 37m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 13.7 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 13.9 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 17.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
Keep slight left at fork toward NY 24 West: Hempstead Avenue
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Keep slight right at fork toward Hempstead Avenue West
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Take the exit toward I 495: Long Island Expressway, Manhattan, Eastern Long Island
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Keep slight right at fork toward I 495 West: Long Island Expressway West, Manhattan
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Take the exit toward NY 25: Woodhaven Boulevard, Rockaways, 69th Street, Grand Avenue
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between North Wantagh, NY and Elmhurst, NY, road signs point toward So West: New York, Cross Island Parkway North, Hempstead Avenue West, Grandstand, Manhattan and Eastern Long Island.
So West: New York
Cross Island Parkway North
Hempstead Avenue West
Grandstand
Manhattan
Eastern Long Island
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Southern State Parkway | 9 mi | 12m |
| Long Island Expressway | 4.8 mi | 6m |
| Jerusalem Avenue | 3 mi | 4m |
| Clearview Expressway | 1.4 mi | 1m |
| Cross Island Parkway | 1.3 mi | 1m |
| Hempstead Avenue | 1 mi | 2m |
| 212th Street | 0.7 mi | 1m |
| Queens Boulevard | 0.5 mi | 1m |
Step-by-step road directions between North Wantagh, NY and Elmhurst, NY.
Start on Wantagh Avenue
Turn left onto NY 105
Take the ramp
Merge onto SO
Take the exit
Merge onto CI
Take the exit
Keep slight left at fork
Keep slight right at fork
Keep slight right at fork
Continue on this road
Keep slight left at fork
Turn right onto NY 24
Turn left onto Jamaica Avenue
Turn right onto NY 24
Continue on I 295
Take the exit
Keep slight right at fork
Merge onto I 495
Take the exit
Keep slight right at fork
Turn right onto Queens Boulevard
Turn left onto Grand Avenue
Arrive at destination
Regular Gas
$3.92 one way
$7.84 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.52 | $4.24 | $8.47 |
| premium | $4.92 | $4.61 | $9.23 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $5.25 | $10.51 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$4
Estimated CO2 emission: 8.3 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 63% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 7.1 | 0 | $2.50 | $1.14 |
| Efficient EV | 6 | 0 | $2.08 | $0.95 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 9.5 | 0 | $3.33 | $1.52 |
Gas CO2
8 kg
EV CO2
3 kg (63% 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.
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Origin
Morning in North Wantagh on Saturday
Local time
7:08 AM
EDT
Current temp
51°F
Partly Cloudy
Wind Advisory
Wind Advisory issued April 18 at 2:37AM EDT until April 19 at 12:00AM EDT by NWS Burlington VT
Destination
Morning in Elmhurst on Saturday
Local time
7:08 AM
EDT
Current temp
59°F
Unavailable
Time zone
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
The weather snapshot is not static. If you are leaving later, give both cities one more quick forecast check before departure.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
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.
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