Origin
South Hempstead, NY
Morning in South Hempstead on Saturday
Local time
8:22 AM
EDT
Current temp
46°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from South Hempstead, NY to Brooklyn, NY
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
31m
Distance
20.1 mi
32 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$3
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 29m
★
6 AM
0h 32m
8 AM
0h 37m
10 AM
0h 34m
12 PM
0h 33m
3 PM
0h 34m
5 PM
0h 37m
8 PM
0h 30m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
South Hempstead, NY
Mel Audelo
Brooklyn, NY
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Traveling from South Hempstead to Brooklyn covers a modest 20.2 miles, making this an ideal day trip that requires no overnight stops. You can expect the journey to take approximately 47 minutes under normal conditions. With a fuel budget of just $3, this is an incredibly economical route to navigate. Because you are traveling entirely within the Northeast region, you will experience a consistent local environment throughout the trip. It is a straightforward trek that serves as a practical connection between Long Island and the city, allowing for maximum flexibility in your scheduling.
About the Cities
Arriving in Brooklyn, NY
Full guide →Founded 1634
Brooklyn, the "Borough of Homes and Churches," is one of the five boroughs of New York City. It used to be a separate city, and still feels much like one. It has about 2.5 million inhabitants. If separated from the rest of New York City, Brooklyn would be the 4th most populous American city. Brooklyn is on the westernmost point of Long Island and shares a land boundary with Queens, which partially encircles Brooklyn to the north, east and south; Manhattan lies across the East River to the west and north of Brooklyn, and Staten Island is across the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge to the southwest. Brooklyn is enjoying a period of growth and affluence not seen since before World War II. The Brooklyn Academy of Music boasts world-class theater performances, and the nearby Barclays Center is the home of the NBA's Brooklyn Nets.
Top landmarks
- • Brooklyn Bridge — bridge in New York City, crossing the East River
- • Brooklyn Museum — art museum in Brooklyn, 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 31m. Total distance: 20.1 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
31m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (65%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Drive Character
Prepare for a turn-heavy local drive that keeps you engaged behind the wheel from start to finish. Unlike long-haul interstate routes, this trip features a 0% highway share, meaning you will navigate surface streets rather than open, high-speed lanes. You won't find any prolonged, uninterrupted stretches here, as the journey focuses on weaving through the local landscape. The character of the road remains consistent, requiring your full attention as you transition from the suburban feel of South Hempstead into the dense, urban environment of Brooklyn.
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.
Belt Parkway is the longest continuous segment at about 6.5 miles.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
49 ft
9 ft
Total Climb
48 ft
Total Descent
42 ft
Highest Point
49 ft
~20.1 mi in
Elevation Range
40 ft
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Belt Parkway and Southern State Parkway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.6 miles in near SO / Southern State Parkway.
Driving Effort
9/10
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 10 decision points packed into just 20.1 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 31m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.6 miles (SO / Southern State Parkway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 8.4 miles (BP / Belt Parkway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 10.8 miles (BP / Belt Parkway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 10 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
5
0.6 mi into trip
|
~1m in
|
SO / Southern State Parkway
Merge onto SO / Southern State Parkway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
8.4 mi into trip
|
~11m in
|
BP / Belt Parkway
Keep slight right at fork onto BP / Belt Parkway
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
6
10.8 mi into trip
|
~15m in
|
BP / Belt Parkway
Keep slight left at fork onto BP / Belt Parkway
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
13.6 mi into trip
|
~19m in
Take the exit toward North Conduit Avenue
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 17W
Toward North Conduit Avenue
4
20.1 mi into trip
|
~31m in
|
Nostrand Avenue
Turn left onto Nostrand Avenue
Navigation decision point
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Belt Parkway | 6.5 mi | 9m |
| Southern State Parkway | 6.5 mi | 8m |
| Linden Boulevard | 3.8 mi | 6m |
| Church Avenue | 1.7 mi | 4m |
| North Conduit Avenue | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| Grand Avenue | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| Nostrand Avenue | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| Stratford Road | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Belt Parkway
— 6.5 mi, about 9m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between South Hempstead, NY and Brooklyn, NY.
1
Start on Stratford Road
119 ft
·
12 sec
·
Stratford Road
2
Turn left onto Grand Avenue
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
Grand Avenue
3
Take the ramp
0.1 mi
·
14 sec
Toward SO West
4
Merge onto SO
6.5 mi
·
8 min
·
Southern State Parkway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
Continue on BP
1.3 mi
·
1 min
·
Belt Parkway
6
Keep slight right at fork onto BP
2.4 mi
·
3 min
·
Belt Parkway
Use the slight right lane.
7
Keep slight left at fork onto BP
2.9 mi
·
4 min
·
Belt Parkway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
32 sec
Exit 17W
Toward North Conduit Avenue
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Merge onto NY 27
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
North Conduit Avenue
10
Turn straight onto NY 27
2.8 mi
·
4 min
·
Linden Boulevard
Use the straight lane.
11
Continue on NY 27
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
Linden Boulevard
12
Turn slight left onto Church Avenue
1.7 mi
·
4 min
·
Church Avenue
Use the left lane.
13
Turn left onto Nostrand Avenue
257 ft
·
8 sec
·
Nostrand Avenue
14
Arrive at destination
Nostrand Avenue
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$3.31 one way
$6.62 round trip
$4.18/gal
25.4 MPG avg
7 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.52 | $3.58 | $7.16 |
| premium | $4.92 | $3.90 | $7.79 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $4.44 | $8.88 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$3
Estimated CO2 emission: 7 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 71% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 6 | 0 | $2.11 | $0.96 |
| Efficient EV | 5 | 0 | $1.76 | $0.80 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 8 | 0 | $2.81 | $1.29 |
Gas CO2
7 kg
EV CO2
2 kg (71% 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
Brooklyn, NY
Morning in Brooklyn on Saturday
Local time
8:22 AM
EDT
Current temp
53°F
Mostly Cloudy
E 5 mph
0% chance
Live forecast
Wind Advisory
Wind Advisory issued April 18 at 2:37AM EDT until April 19 at 12:00AM 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
7 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
31m 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 South Hempstead, NY to Brooklyn, NY covers 20.1 miles and takes about 31m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Belt Parkway, Southern State Parkway, Linden Boulevard. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 10.1 miles from South Hempstead, NY. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $3.31 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 10 decision points packed into just 20.1 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 31m.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.6 miles (SO / Southern State Parkway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 8.4 miles (BP / Belt Parkway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 10.8 miles (BP / Belt Parkway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
The route from South Hempstead, NY to Brooklyn, NY does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
Mostly flat terrain. The route ranges from 9 ft to 49 ft elevation with about 48 ft of total climbing.
Yes. Nearby national parks include African Burial Ground National Monument, Castle Clinton National Monument and Federal Hall National Memorial. 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, USGS 3DEP for elevation, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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