Origin
Shirley, NY
Evening in Shirley on Wednesday
Local time
5:56 PM
EDT
Current temp
43°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Shirley, NY to Hempstead, NY
Last recalculated Apr 15, 2026
Drive Time
57m
Distance
43 mi
69 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$7
one way
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 53m
★
6 AM
0h 58m
8 AM
1h 7m
10 AM
1h 1m
12 PM
1h 0m
3 PM
1h 1m
5 PM
1h 6m
8 PM
0h 55m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Shirley, NY
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from Shirley, NY to Hempstead, NY covers 43 miles and takes about 57m 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, Sunrise Highway, Heckscher State Parkway for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mixed drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 17.5 miles on Southern State Parkway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $7.08 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.
Break Rhythm
0 planned breaks
This drive is short enough that no stops are needed.
Midpoint
21.5 miles from Shirley, NY
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 29m into the drive .
Drive Character
The drive from Shirley, NY to Hempstead, NY covers 43 miles and takes about 57m, using a mix of highways and local roads.
Expect a mix of faster highway mileage and slower local approaches near the beginning or end.
There are about 15 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 17.5 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.
Route Complexity
9/10
Focused - lots of decisions in a short distance, but it is over quickly
This is a short but busy drive. With 12 decision points packed into just 43 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 57m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early; at 16.5 miles (Sunrise Highway): Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 23.6 miles (SO / Southern State Parkway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 12 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
6
0.3 mi into trip
|
~0m in
Take the exit toward NY 27 West: New York
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early
Toward NY 27 West: New York
6
16.5 mi into trip
|
~22m 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
23.6 mi into trip
|
~32m 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
41 mi into trip
|
~53m 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
41.1 mi into trip
|
~54m 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 Shirley, NY and Hempstead, NY, road signs point toward H: New York, Hekscher Park and So West: New York.
H: New York
16.5 mi in
|
~22m
|
via Sunrise Highway
Hekscher Park
16.5 mi in
|
~22m
|
via Sunrise Highway
So West: New York
17.2 mi in
|
~23m
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Southern State Parkway | 17.5 mi | 21m |
| Sunrise Highway | 16.7 mi | 22m |
| Heckscher State Parkway | 6 mi | 7m |
| Nassau Road | 0.8 mi | 1m |
| Greenwich Street | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| Henry Street | 0.5 mi | <1m |
| William Floyd Parkway | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| Peninsula Boulevard | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Southern State Parkway
— 17.5 mi, about 21m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Shirley, NY and Hempstead, NY.
1
Start on CR 46
0.3 mi
·
29 sec
·
William Floyd Parkway
Toward I 495, NY 27: East Shoreham, Wading River
Use the straight / right lanes.
2
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
26 sec
Toward NY 27 West: New York
3
Merge onto NY 27
16 mi
·
21 min
·
Sunrise Highway
Use the straight / right lanes.
4
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.
5
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
39 sec
Toward SO West: New York
6
Merge onto H
6.0 mi
·
7 min
·
Heckscher State Parkway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Continue on SO
0.1 mi
·
9 sec
·
Southern State Parkway
8
Keep slight left at fork onto SO
17 mi
·
21 min
·
Southern State Parkway
Use the slight left lane.
9
Take the exit
0.1 mi
·
25 sec
Exit 21
Toward Nassau Road, Hempstead, Freeport
Use the slight right lane.
10
Keep slight right at fork
163 ft
·
5 sec
Toward Uniondale
Use the right lane.
11
Turn right onto Nassau Road
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
Nassau Road
Use the right lane.
12
Continue on Greenwich Street
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
Greenwich Street
13
Turn right onto Henry Street
0.5 mi
·
56 sec
·
Henry Street
Use the right lane.
14
Turn right onto Peninsula Boulevard
64 ft
·
1 sec
·
Peninsula Boulevard
15
Arrive at destination
Peninsula Boulevard
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 21.5 miles from Shirley, NY, or about 29m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 17.5 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 43 miles or 57m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 21.5 miles or 29m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 48m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Hempstead, NY than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Have your navigation ready before leaving Shirley, NY.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Shirley, NY
This is one driving day of about 43 miles and 57m.
At 43 miles this is a quick drive — no planned stops needed.
The longest stretch is on Southern State Parkway for about 17.5 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 21.5 mi from Shirley, NY · 29m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
22 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 43 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 21.5 miles from Shirley, NY, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Hempstead, NY
Allow a few extra minutes for the final approach into Hempstead, NY if you are unfamiliar with the area.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$7.08 one way
$14.16 round trip
$4.18/gal
25.4 MPG avg
15 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.52 | $7.65 | $15.31 |
| premium | $4.92 | $8.33 | $16.67 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $9.49 | $18.99 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$7
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$32–$57
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 15 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 12.9 | 0 | $4.52 | $2.06 |
| Efficient EV | 10.8 | 0 | $3.76 | $1.72 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 17.2 | 0 | $6.02 | $2.75 |
Gas CO2
15 kg
EV CO2
5 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.
Destination
Hempstead, NY
Evening in Hempstead on Wednesday
Local time
5:56 PM
EDT
Current temp
74°F
Slight Chance Rain Showers
SW 16 mph
17% 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
31 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
57m 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 Shirley, NY to Hempstead, NY covers 43 miles and takes about 57m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Southern State Parkway, Sunrise Highway, Heckscher State Parkway. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 21.5 miles from Shirley, NY. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $7.08 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 43 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 57m.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early; at 16.5 miles (Sunrise Highway): Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 23.6 miles (SO / Southern State Parkway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Between Shirley, NY and Hempstead, NY, road signs point toward H: New York, Hekscher Park and So West: New York.
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