Origin
Riverhead, NY
Late night in Riverhead on Friday
Local time
12:07 AM
EDT
Current temp
42°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Riverhead, NY to Hempstead, NY
Last recalculated Apr 17, 2026
Drive Time
1h 17m
Distance
57 mi
92 km
Drive Score
9/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$9
one way
EV Charging
Fair
3 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 11m
★
6 AM
1h 17m
8 AM
1h 30m
10 AM
1h 22m
12 PM
1h 20m
3 PM
1h 22m
5 PM
1h 29m
8 PM
1h 14m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Riverhead, NY
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
This 57-mile drive from Riverhead, NY, to Hempstead, NY, is easily manageable as a single-day trip, typically taking around 1 hour and 17 minutes. The route utilizes a mix of major roadways including Sunrise Highway, Southern State Parkway, and Heckscher State Parkway, with 41% of the drive on highways. With an estimated fuel cost of $9, this trip is budget-friendly. The overall feel is a practical journey through the Northeast region of New York, suitable for a quick commute or a short excursion. No overnight stays are recommended, and with zero designated stops, you have the flexibility to tailor your journey.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 17m. Total distance: 57 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 17m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (41%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Mixed drive route profile with national parks nearby.
Drive Character
Expect a mixed driving experience on this route, blending parkway cruising with highway travel. While 41% of the journey is on highways, the longest uninterrupted stretch is 23.1 miles on Sunrise Highway, offering a sustained period of driving. The profile suggests a varied road personality, moving between faster parkway sections and potentially busier arterial roads as you approach Hempstead. This isn't a monotonous interstate grind; rather, it's a drive that shifts character as you progress through Long Island.
Expect a mix of faster highway mileage and slower local approaches near the beginning or end.
There are about 20 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Sunrise Highway is the longest continuous segment at about 23.1 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.3 miles in.
Driving Effort
9/10
Demanding - stay alert through the decision-heavy sections
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 57 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 0.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 30.4 miles (Sunrise Highway): Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 37.5 miles (SO / Southern State Parkway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 15 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
8
0.3 mi into trip
|
~0m in
Take the exit toward CR 51 south: Suffolk County Offices, Criminal/Surrogate/Family Courts, Suffolk County Community College - Riverhead Campus, East Moriches
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the left lane.
Toward CR 51 south: Suffolk County Offices, Cri...
6
30.4 mi into trip
|
~42m in
|
Sunrise Highway
Turn slight right onto Sunrise Highway toward SO, H: New York, Hekscher Park
Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 46
Toward SO, H: New York, Hekscher Park
6
37.5 mi into trip
|
~51m in
|
SO / Southern State Parkway
Keep slight left at fork onto SO / Southern State Parkway
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left lane.
8
54.9 mi into trip
|
~1h 13m in
Take the exit toward Nassau Road, Hempstead, Freeport
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 21
Toward Nassau Road, Hempstead, Freeport
8
55.1 mi into trip
|
~1h 14m in
Keep slight right at fork toward Uniondale
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Toward Uniondale
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Riverhead, NY and Hempstead, NY, road signs point toward H: New York, Hekscher Park and So West: New York.
H: New York
30.4 mi in
|
~42m
|
via Sunrise Highway
Hekscher Park
30.4 mi in
|
~42m
|
via Sunrise Highway
So West: New York
31.1 mi in
|
~43m
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Sunrise Highway | 23.1 mi | 31m |
| Southern State Parkway | 17.5 mi | 21m |
| Heckscher State Parkway | 6 mi | 7m |
| East Moriches-Riverhead Road | 5.3 mi | 7m |
| Center Drive South | 1.7 mi | 2m |
| Nassau Road | 0.8 mi | 1m |
| Greenwich Street | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| Henry Street | 0.5 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Sunrise Highway
— 23.1 mi, about 31m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Riverhead, NY and Hempstead, NY.
1
Start on NY 25
140 ft
·
10 sec
·
East Main Street
2
Turn left onto CR 63
0.1 mi
·
17 sec
·
Peconic Avenue
3
Turn right onto CR 94
0.1 mi
·
19 sec
·
Nugent Drive
Use the right lane.
4
Take the exit
290 ft
·
6 sec
Toward CR 51 south: Suffolk County Offices, Criminal/Surrogate/Family Courts, Suffolk County Community College - Riverhead Campus, East Moriches
Use the left lane.
5
Merge onto CR 51
1.7 mi
·
2 min
·
Center Drive South
6
Continue on CR 51
5.3 mi
·
7 min
·
East Moriches-Riverhead Road
7
Take the ramp
0.7 mi
·
1 min
Toward NY 27 West: New York
Use the right lane.
8
Merge onto NY 27
22 mi
·
30 min
·
Sunrise Highway
Use the straight / right lanes.
9
Turn slight right onto Sunrise Highway
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Sunrise Highway
Exit 46
Toward SO, H: New York, Hekscher Park
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
39 sec
Toward SO West: New York
11
Merge onto H
6.0 mi
·
7 min
·
Heckscher State Parkway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Continue on SO
0.1 mi
·
9 sec
·
Southern State Parkway
13
Keep slight left at fork onto SO
17 mi
·
21 min
·
Southern State Parkway
Use the slight left lane.
14
Take the exit
0.1 mi
·
25 sec
Exit 21
Toward Nassau Road, Hempstead, Freeport
Use the slight right lane.
15
Keep slight right at fork
163 ft
·
5 sec
Toward Uniondale
Use the right lane.
16
Turn right onto Nassau Road
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
Nassau Road
Use the right lane.
17
Continue on Greenwich Street
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
Greenwich Street
18
Turn right onto Henry Street
0.5 mi
·
56 sec
·
Henry Street
Use the right lane.
19
Turn right onto Peninsula Boulevard
64 ft
·
1 sec
·
Peninsula Boulevard
20
Arrive at destination
Peninsula Boulevard
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 28.5 mi from Riverhead, NY · 40m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
29 mi into the route
Best for: Lunch, fuel, and a longer reset
This sits close to the middle of the route, so it works well for the longest stop of the day.
Pacing Suggestions
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 13 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 28.5 miles from Riverhead, NY, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
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.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$9.38 one way
$18.77 round trip
$4.18/gal
25.4 MPG avg
20 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.52 | $10.15 | $20.29 |
| premium | $4.92 | $11.05 | $22.10 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $12.58 | $25.17 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$9
Estimated CO2 emission: 19.9 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $6 in charging · 0 stops · 65% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 17.1 | 0 | $5.98 | $2.74 |
| Efficient EV | 14.3 | 0 | $4.99 | $2.28 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 22.8 | 0 | $7.98 | $3.65 |
Gas CO2
20 kg
EV CO2
7 kg (65% 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
Late night in Hempstead on Friday
Local time
12:07 AM
EDT
Current temp
59°F
Mostly Cloudy then Slight Chance Rain Showers
W 6 to 12 mph
18% chance
Live forecast
Severe Thunderstorm Warning
Severe Thunderstorm Warning issued April 16 at 6:57PM EDT until April 16 at 8:00PM EDT by NWS Albany NY
Severe Thunderstorm Warning
Severe Thunderstorm Warning issued April 16 at 6:56PM EDT until April 16 at 7:30PM EDT by NWS Burlington VT
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
17 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
1h 17m 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 Riverhead, NY to Hempstead, NY covers 57 miles and takes about 1h 17m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Sunrise Highway, Southern State Parkway, Heckscher State Parkway. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 28.5 miles from Riverhead, NY. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $9.38 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 57 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 0.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 30.4 miles (Sunrise Highway): Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 37.5 miles (SO / Southern State Parkway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Between Riverhead, NY and Hempstead, NY, road signs point toward H: New York, Hekscher Park and So West: New York.
Yes. Nearby national parks include Fire Island National Seashore, Gateway National Recreation Area and General Grant National Memorial. There are 6 parks within detour distance of this route.
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