Origin
Southold, NY
Evening in Southold on Friday
Local time
6:13 PM
EDT
Current temp
54°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Southold, NY to Queens, NY
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 17, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
2h 8m
Distance
86.4 mi
139 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$14
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 59m
★
6 AM
2h 8m
8 AM
2h 26m
10 AM
2h 14m
12 PM
2h 13m
3 PM
2h 15m
5 PM
2h 25m
8 PM
2h 3m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Southold, NY
Wikimedia Commons
Queens, NY
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Embarking from Southold, NY, your journey to Queens, NY, covers 86.4 miles and is estimated to take around 2 hours and 8 minutes. This drive is best suited as a single-day trip, with a projected fuel cost of approximately $14. You'll primarily navigate via Sunrise Highway and Middle Road, with a small portion on Sound Avenue. The route profile suggests a turn-heavy local drive, so be prepared for frequent changes in direction rather than long stretches of highway. Given its manageable distance and duration within the Northeast region, it’s a convenient option for a day excursion.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Midpoint
43.2 miles from Southold, NY
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 1h 5m into the drive .
About the Cities
Arriving in Queens, NY
Full guide →Queens is a crescent-shaped (with a tail) borough traversing the north-to-south width of Long Island and including two of the major New York City area airports, LaGuardia (LGA IATA) and John F. Kennedy International (JFK IATA). It also carries the largest ethnic diversity in its area of any region in the world, with many small enclaves. Jackson Heights, for example, includes a huge Indian area, followed by a Colombian area, and then a Mexican area. Each offers a wide array of authentic shops, native-style cuisine, and festivals modified only slightly by the generally colder New York City experience.
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 2h 8m. Total distance: 86.4 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
2h 8m drive, comfortable solo distance.
Scenic Drive
Turn-heavy local drive route profile.
Drive Character
This route is characterized as a turn-heavy local drive, meaning you won't be settling into a monotonous highway pace for long. With only a 5% highway share, expect to engage with a variety of local roads. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 54.6 miles on Sunrise Highway, offering a brief period of more consistent travel before the local roads and turns resume. The road's personality shifts frequently, requiring your attention as you navigate through different communities and road types on your way to Queens.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 23 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 54.6 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
Expect a hands-on drive with frequent turns and local roads rather than long highway stretches. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 18.2 miles in near CR 73 / Roanoke Avenue.
Driving Effort
9/10
High effort - long or complex enough to need steady focus all day
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a demanding drive. With 18 significant decision points across 86.4 miles, you will need to stay alert - especially through interchange areas and urban stretches. Consider splitting it into segments if you are not comfortable with fast highway navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 18.2 miles (CR 73 / Roanoke Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 18.5 miles (NY 25 / East Main Street): Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch; at 18.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 18 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
5
18.2 mi into trip
|
~29m in
|
CR 73 / Roanoke Avenue
At end of road, turn left onto CR 73 / Roanoke Avenue
Navigation decision point
6
18.5 mi into trip
|
~30m in
|
NY 25 / East Main Street
At end of road, turn right onto NY 25 / East Main Street
Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch
8
18.7 mi into trip
|
~31m 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...
7
82.5 mi into trip
|
~1h 58m in
Take the exit toward Rockaway Boulevard
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 21A
Toward Rockaway Boulevard
6
83.4 mi into trip
|
~2h in
|
Rockaway Boulevard
Keep slight left at fork onto Rockaway Boulevard
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Southold, NY and Queens, NY, road signs point toward Cr 51 South: Suffolk County Offices, Criminal/Surrogate/Family Courts, Suffolk County Community College - Riverhead Campus, Moriches and Belt Parkway West.
Cr 51 South: Suffolk County Offices
18.7 mi in
|
~31m
Criminal/Surrogate/Family Courts
18.7 mi in
|
~31m
Suffolk County Community College - Riverhead Campus
18.7 mi in
|
~31m
Moriches
18.7 mi in
|
~31m
Belt Parkway West
81 mi in
|
~1h 56m
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Sunrise Highway | 54.6 mi | 1h 13m |
| Middle Road | 8.9 mi | 12m |
| Sound Avenue | 5.3 mi | 8m |
| East Moriches-Riverhead Road | 5.3 mi | 7m |
| Northville Turnpike | 3.4 mi | 6m |
| Rockaway Boulevard | 3.2 mi | 7m |
| Center Drive South | 1.7 mi | 2m |
| Belt Parkway | 1.3 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
Sunrise Highway
— 54.6 mi, about 1h 13m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Southold, NY and Queens, NY.
1
Start on Youngs Avenue
0.6 mi
·
1 min
·
Youngs Avenue
2
Turn left onto CR 48; Truck NY 25
8.9 mi
·
12 min
·
Middle Road
3
Continue on CR 48; Truck NY 25
5.3 mi
·
8 min
·
Sound Avenue
4
Turn left onto CR 43
3.4 mi
·
6 min
·
Northville Turnpike
5
At end of road, turn left onto CR 73
0.2 mi
·
49 sec
·
Roanoke Avenue
6
At end of road, turn right onto NY 25
114 ft
·
8 sec
·
East Main Street
7
Turn left onto CR 63
0.1 mi
·
17 sec
·
Peconic Avenue
8
Turn right onto CR 94
0.1 mi
·
19 sec
·
Nugent Drive
Use the right lane.
9
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.
10
Merge onto CR 51
1.7 mi
·
2 min
·
Center Drive South
11
Continue on CR 51
5.3 mi
·
7 min
·
East Moriches-Riverhead Road
12
Take the ramp
0.7 mi
·
1 min
Toward NY 27 West: New York
Use the right lane.
13
Merge onto NY 27
55 mi
·
1 hr 13 min
·
Sunrise Highway
Use the straight / right lanes.
14
Take the exit
0.1 mi
·
18 sec
Toward Belt Parkway West, Verrazano Bridge
15
Merge onto BP
1.3 mi
·
1 min
·
Belt Parkway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
16
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
25 sec
Exit 21A
Toward Rockaway Boulevard
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
17
Turn straight onto NY 27
0.3 mi
·
45 sec
·
North Conduit Avenue
18
Turn right onto Rockaway Boulevard
0.5 mi
·
50 sec
·
Rockaway Boulevard
Use the straight / right lanes.
19
Keep slight left at fork onto Rockaway Boulevard
2.7 mi
·
6 min
·
Rockaway Boulevard
Use the left lane.
20
Turn right onto 103rd Street
0.2 mi
·
36 sec
·
103rd Street
21
Turn right onto Liberty Avenue
257 ft
·
11 sec
·
Liberty Avenue
22
Turn right onto 104th Street
205 ft
·
9 sec
·
104th Street
23
Arrive at destination
104th Street
Trip Plan
For this 86.4-mile drive, leaving early in the morning can help you avoid some of the local traffic that tends to build up throughout the day. Since this is a relatively short trip at just over two hours, you won't need to plan for overnight stops, giving you flexibility. Keep an eye on your fuel gauge, as the $14 estimated cost suggests it's a moderate expense for this distance. A specific tip for this route: pay close attention to your GPS or map application, especially when transitioning between Sunrise Highway and Middle Road, as the 'turn-heavy' nature means there are several points where navigation is key to staying on course.
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 43.2 miles from Southold, NY, or about 1h 5m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 54.6 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 19 miles or 31m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 43.2 miles or 1h 5m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 1h 45m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Queens, NY than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Southold, NY so your first major turns are already loaded.
+
Leave with enough water and a charging cable within reach, not packed away.
+
Check your fuel range against the first long segment, especially if you are starting outside city service areas.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Southold, NY
This is one driving day of about 86.4 miles and 2h 8m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 19 miles from Southold, NY.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on Sunrise Highway for about 54.6 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 43.2 mi from Southold, NY · 1h 5m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
43 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 19 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 43.2 miles from Southold, NY, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Queens, NY
The final approach into Queens, NY usually feels slower than the middle of the drive, so avoid planning your tightest schedule at the very end.
Try to arrive with enough fuel left to skip an immediate station stop unless you already know the area around Queens, NY.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$14.22 one way
$28.44 round trip
$4.18/gal
25.4 MPG avg
30 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.52 | $15.38 | $30.76 |
| premium | $4.92 | $16.75 | $33.49 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $19.08 | $38.15 |
Estimated Tolls: $0.24
Northville Turnpike
(3.4 mi)
$0.24
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Estimated Trip Cost (one way, 1 person)
Fuel
$14
Tolls
$0
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$39–$64
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 30.2 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $9 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 25.9 | 0 | $9.07 | $4.15 |
| Efficient EV | 21.6 | 0 | $7.56 | $3.46 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 34.6 | 0 | $12.10 | $5.53 |
Gas CO2
30 kg
EV CO2
10 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
Queens, NY
Evening in Queens on Friday
Local time
6:13 PM
EDT
Current temp
47°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Seasonal Notes
Summer travel usually means heavier construction, hotter rest stops, and busier weekend traffic around major cities.
Winter travel shortens daylight, so a route that looks manageable on paper can feel much longer after dark.
Holiday weekends tend to make both departure and arrival windows slower than the raw route time suggests.
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 cooler at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
2h 8m on the road
Use the two city cards together: check the sky where you start, then compare it with the local time and temperature at arrival.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
Frequently Asked Questions
The drive from Southold, NY to Queens, NY covers 86.4 miles and takes about 2h 8m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Sunrise Highway, Middle Road, Sound Avenue. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 43.2 miles from Southold, NY. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $14.22 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 demanding drive. With 18 significant decision points across 86.4 miles, you will need to stay alert - especially through interchange areas and urban stretches. Consider splitting it into segments if you are not comfortable with fast highway navigation.
The main spots that need attention: at 18.2 miles (CR 73 / Roanoke Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 18.5 miles (NY 25 / East Main Street): Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch; at 18.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Between Southold, NY and Queens, NY, road signs point toward Cr 51 South: Suffolk County Offices, Criminal/Surrogate/Family Courts, Suffolk County Community College - Riverhead Campus, Moriches and Belt Parkway West.
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, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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