Origin
Richmond Hill, NY
Morning in Richmond Hill on Saturday
Local time
9:40 AM
EDT
Current temp
47°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Richmond Hill, NY to Hempstead, NY
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
23m
Distance
15.6 mi
25 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$3
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 22m
★
6 AM
0h 24m
8 AM
0h 28m
10 AM
0h 25m
12 PM
0h 25m
3 PM
0h 26m
5 PM
0h 28m
8 PM
0h 23m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Richmond Hill, NY
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Richmond Hill, NY to Hempstead, NY is 15.6 miles and takes about 23m via Southern State Parkway, Belt Parkway, and Van Wyck Expressway, with a fuel budget near $3 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This short trip stays within New York, making it a straightforward drive. Given its highway-focused profile and under 30-minute duration, it's ideal for a quick commute or an easy transfer between points. You'll be navigating primarily on well-traveled parkways and expressways in a busy metropolitan area. Consider this route if you need to get from point A to point B efficiently without venturing onto local streets.
About the Cities
Arriving in Hempstead, NY
Full guide →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
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 23m. Total distance: 15.6 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
23m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (78%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Drive Character
This drive is heavily focused on highways, with 78% of the journey on these faster roads. You'll experience stretches like the 5.4 miles on the Southern State Parkway, offering a consistent pace. The personality of this route is defined by its expressway nature, connecting you via the Belt Parkway and Van Wyck Expressway. Expect a driving experience characterized by moderate to heavy traffic typical of metropolitan parkways, with limited opportunities for scenic detours. It's a practical transit rather than a leisurely cruise.
Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 14 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Southern State Parkway is the longest continuous segment at about 5.4 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Southern State Parkway and Belt Parkway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 1 miles in near I 678 / Van Wyck Expressway.
Driving Effort
10/10
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 12 decision points packed into just 15.6 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 23m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 1 miles (I 678 / Van Wyck Expressway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 3.8 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 4.1 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 12 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
5
1 mi into trip
|
~2m in
|
I 678 / Van Wyck Expressway
Merge onto I 678 / Van Wyck Expressway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
3.8 mi into trip
|
~6m in
Keep slight left at fork toward NY 27 East: Eastern Long Island, Belt Parkway East, South Conduit Avenue
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight left lane.
Exit 1E
Toward NY 27 East: Eastern Long Island, Belt Pa...
9
4.1 mi into trip
|
~6m in
Keep slight left at fork toward Belt Parkway East, Eastern Long Island
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight left lane.
Toward Belt Parkway East, Eastern Long Island
9
8.4 mi into trip
|
~12m in
|
SO / Southern State Parkway
Keep slight left at fork onto SO / Southern State Parkway toward Southern State Parkway, Eastern Long Island
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
Exit 25A
Toward Southern State Parkway, Eastern Long Isl...
8
13.9 mi into trip
|
~20m in
Take the exit toward Peninsula Boulevard South, Rockville Centre
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 19S
Toward Peninsula Boulevard South, Rockville Cen...
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Richmond Hill, NY and Hempstead, NY, road signs point toward Terminals 7 8, Belt Parkway East, Eastern Long Island, Peninsula Boulevard South and Rockville Centre.
Terminals 7 8
3.5 mi in
|
~5m
Belt Parkway East
3.6 mi in
|
~5m
Eastern Long Island
3.6 mi in
|
~5m
Peninsula Boulevard South
13.9 mi in
|
~20m
Rockville Centre
13.9 mi in
|
~20m
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Southern State Parkway | 5.4 mi | 7m |
| Belt Parkway | 4.1 mi | 5m |
| Van Wyck Expressway | 2.5 mi | 3m |
| Peninsula Boulevard | 1.6 mi | 2m |
| Jamaica Avenue | 0.8 mi | 1m |
| Van Wyck Expressway West | 0.2 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Southern State Parkway
— 5.4 mi, about 7m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Richmond Hill, NY and Hempstead, NY.
1
Start on Jamaica Avenue
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
Jamaica Avenue
2
Turn right onto Van Wyck Expressway West
0.2 mi
·
28 sec
·
Van Wyck Expressway West
3
Take the ramp
345 ft
·
8 sec
4
Merge onto I 678
2.5 mi
·
3 min
·
Van Wyck Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
Keep slight left at fork
274 ft
·
6 sec
Toward Terminals 7 8
6
Continue on this road
0.2 mi
·
25 sec
·
this road
Exit 1E
Toward NY 27 East, NY 878 East: South Conduit Avenue, Belt Parkway East, Eastern Long Island, Nassau Expressway
7
Keep slight left at fork
0.3 mi
·
34 sec
Exit 1E
Toward NY 27 East: Eastern Long Island, Belt Parkway East, South Conduit Avenue
Use the slight left lane.
8
Keep slight left at fork
0.3 mi
·
38 sec
Toward Belt Parkway East, Eastern Long Island
Use the slight left lane.
9
Merge onto BP
4.1 mi
·
5 min
·
Belt Parkway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Keep slight left at fork onto SO
5.4 mi
·
7 min
·
Southern State Parkway
Exit 25A
Toward Southern State Parkway, Eastern Long Island
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
11
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
34 sec
Exit 19S
Toward Peninsula Boulevard South, Rockville Centre
Use the slight right lane.
12
Turn left
24 ft
·
3 sec
13
Turn left onto Peninsula Boulevard
1.6 mi
·
2 min
·
Peninsula Boulevard
Use the straight lane.
14
Arrive at destination
Peninsula Boulevard
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$2.57 one way
$5.14 round trip
$4.18/gal
25.4 MPG avg
6 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.52 | $2.78 | $5.55 |
| premium | $4.92 | $3.02 | $6.05 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $3.44 | $6.89 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$3
Estimated CO2 emission: 5.5 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 60% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 4.7 | 0 | $1.64 | $0.75 |
| Efficient EV | 3.9 | 0 | $1.37 | $0.62 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 6.2 | 0 | $2.18 | $1.00 |
Gas CO2
5 kg
EV CO2
2 kg (60% 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.
Destination
Hempstead, NY
Morning in Hempstead on Saturday
Local time
9:40 AM
EDT
Current temp
83°F
Partly Sunny
S 12 mph
2% chance
Live forecast
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
36 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
23m on the road
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.
Frequently Asked Questions
The drive from Richmond Hill, NY to Hempstead, NY covers 15.6 miles and takes about 23m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Southern State Parkway, Belt Parkway, Van Wyck Expressway. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 7.8 miles from Richmond Hill, NY. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $2.57 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 is a short but busy drive. With 12 decision points packed into just 15.6 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 23m.
The main spots that need attention: at 1 miles (I 678 / Van Wyck Expressway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 3.8 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 4.1 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Between Richmond Hill, NY and Hempstead, NY, road signs point toward Terminals 7 8, Belt Parkway East, Eastern Long Island, Peninsula Boulevard South and Rockville Centre.
Yes. Nearby national parks include African Burial Ground National Monument, Federal Hall National Memorial and Gateway National Recreation Area. There are 6 parks within detour distance of this route.
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, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
Was this helpful?
Thanks for your feedback!
Your tip has been submitted. Thanks!
/500
Recent Tips
·
Explore More
Continue From Hempstead, NY
More trips to Hempstead, NY
Explore more options from Richmond Hill, NY or browse trips ending in Hempstead, NY.
Looking for more statewide routes? Browse NY road trips.