Origin
Valley Cottage, NY
Morning in Valley Cottage on Saturday
Local time
9:13 AM
EDT
Current temp
45°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Valley Cottage, NY to Manhattan, NY
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
47m
Distance
28.3 mi
46 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$5
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 43m
★
6 AM
0h 47m
8 AM
0h 55m
10 AM
0h 50m
12 PM
0h 49m
3 PM
0h 50m
5 PM
0h 54m
8 PM
0h 45m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Valley Cottage, NY
Wikimedia Commons
Manhattan, NY
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Valley Cottage, NY to Manhattan, NY is 28.3 miles and takes about 47m via Palisades Interstate Parkway and Henry Hudson Parkway, with a fuel budget near $5 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This short but direct trip connects two points within the Northeast region, specifically within New York. It's a straightforward drive, primarily utilizing major parkways and highways to get you from your starting point to your destination efficiently. Consider this route if you need a quick and uncomplicated journey into the city.
About the Cities
Starting in Valley Cottage, NY
Full guide →Arriving in Manhattan, NY
Full guide →Founded 1624
Wall Street. Madison Avenue. 34th Street. Broadway. Times Square. Manhattan is so well known that even the names of its streets have become iconic and understood the world over. This long, thin island is only one of New York City's five boroughs, but it's Manhattan that has the concrete canyons and the inimitable skyline; Manhattan that has the world's brightest theater district; Manhattan that has Central Park, Rockefeller Center, the Empire State Building, and the Met; and Manhattan that includes iconic neighborhoods like Harlem, the Upper East Side, Times Square, and Greenwich Village. The rest of New York City has much to see and do, but it's Manhattan that represents the city—and sometimes the entire United States—to the world. You could spend a month on this tiny island and still not see all there is to see.
Top landmarks
- • Empire State Building — skyscraper located in Midtown Manhattan, New York City, USA
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 47m. Total distance: 28.3 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
47m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (83%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Drive Character
This drive is heavily focused on highways, with 83% of the journey taking place on these faster roads. You'll experience a significant uninterrupted stretch of 13.7 miles on the Palisades Interstate Parkway, offering a consistent pace. The route transitions from the Palisades Interstate Parkway to NY 303 and then onto the Henry Hudson Parkway, providing a mix of parkway driving that is generally smooth and direct. Expect a driving experience that prioritizes getting you to Manhattan with minimal detours.
Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 20 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Palisades Interstate Parkway is the longest continuous segment at about 13.7 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Palisades Interstate Parkway and NY 303. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.4 miles in near Maple Road.
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 15 decision points packed into just 28.3 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 47m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.4 miles (Maple Road): Navigation decision point; at 21.8 miles (US 9): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 21.9 miles: 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.
5
0.4 mi into trip
|
~1m in
|
Maple Road
At end of road, turn right onto Maple Road
Navigation decision point
8
21.8 mi into trip
|
~34m in
|
US 9
Take the exit onto US 9 toward NY 9A: Henry Hudson Parkway, West 178th Street
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 1A
Toward NY 9A: Henry Hudson Parkway, West 178th...
7
21.9 mi into trip
|
~34m in
Keep slight right at fork toward NY 9A: Henry Hudson Parkway
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward NY 9A: Henry Hudson Parkway
8
22.3 mi into trip
|
~35m in
Keep slight left at fork toward NY 9A South: Henry Hudson Parkway, Downtown
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight lane.
Toward NY 9A South: Henry Hudson Parkway, Downt...
7
26.9 mi into trip
|
~42m in
Take the exit toward Boat Basin, Metropolitan Museum of Art, American Museum of Natural History, Children's Museum Of Manhattan, JCC in Manhattan, Lincoln Center, New York Historical Society, New York Institute of Technology
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward Boat Basin, Metropolitan Museum of Art,...
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Valley Cottage, NY and Manhattan, NY, road signs point toward Palisades Interstate Parkway South, Downtown, Boat Basin, Metropolitan Museum Of Art, American Museum Of Natural History and Children's Museum Of Manhattan - among others.
Palisades Interstate Parkway South
6.9 mi in
|
~13m
Downtown
22.3 mi in
|
~35m
Boat Basin
26.9 mi in
|
~42m
Metropolitan Museum Of Art
26.9 mi in
|
~42m
American Museum Of Natural History
26.9 mi in
|
~42m
Children's Museum Of Manhattan
26.9 mi in
|
~42m
Jcc In Manhattan
26.9 mi in
|
~42m
Lincoln Center
26.9 mi in
|
~42m
New York Historical Society
26.9 mi in
|
~42m
New York Institute Of Technology
26.9 mi in
|
~42m
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Palisades Interstate Parkway | 13.7 mi | 19m |
| NY 303 | 5 mi | 7m |
| Henry Hudson Parkway | 4.2 mi | 6m |
| Kings Highway | 0.9 mi | 2m |
| I 95 EXPR | 0.5 mi | <1m |
| George Washington Bridge (upper level) | 0.5 mi | <1m |
| West 86th Street | 0.4 mi | 1m |
| Casper Hill Road | 0.4 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Palisades Interstate Parkway
— 13.7 mi, about 19m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Valley Cottage, NY and Manhattan, NY.
1
Start on Fulle Drive
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
Fulle Drive
2
At end of road, turn right onto Maple Road
0.2 mi
·
51 sec
·
Maple Road
3
At end of road, turn right onto Kings Highway
0.9 mi
·
2 min
·
Kings Highway
4
Continue on Casper Hill Road
0.4 mi
·
59 sec
·
Casper Hill Road
5
Turn right onto NY 303
0.2 mi
·
13 sec
·
NY 303
6
Turn right onto NY 303
4.9 mi
·
7 min
·
NY 303
Use the straight / left lanes.
7
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
30 sec
Toward Palisades Interstate Parkway South
8
Merge onto Palisades Interstate Parkway
14 mi
·
19 min
·
Palisades Interstate Parkway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Merge onto I 95 EXPR; US 1 EXPR; US 9 EXPR
0.5 mi
·
52 sec
·
I 95 EXPR; US 1 EXPR; US 9 EXPR
10
Continue on I 95; US 1; US 9
0.5 mi
·
45 sec
·
George Washington Bridge (upper level)
11
Take the exit onto US 9
0.1 mi
·
13 sec
·
US 9
Exit 1A
Toward NY 9A: Henry Hudson Parkway, West 178th Street
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Keep slight right at fork
0.3 mi
·
42 sec
Toward NY 9A: Henry Hudson Parkway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Keep slight left at fork
0.4 mi
·
47 sec
Toward NY 9A South: Henry Hudson Parkway, Downtown
Use the straight lane.
14
Merge onto HH; NY 9A
4.2 mi
·
6 min
·
Henry Hudson Parkway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
15
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
27 sec
Toward Boat Basin, Metropolitan Museum of Art, American Museum of Natural History, Children's Museum Of Manhattan, JCC in Manhattan, Lincoln Center, New York Historical Society, New York Institute of Technology
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
16
Continue on West 79th Street
0.2 mi
·
51 sec
·
West 79th Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
17
Turn left onto Broadway
0.4 mi
·
56 sec
·
Broadway
18
Turn right onto West 86th Street
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
West 86th Street
19
Continue on 86th Street Transverse
0.2 mi
·
35 sec
·
86th Street Transverse
Toward East Side
Use the straight / left lanes.
20
Arrive at destination
86th Street Transverse
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$4.66 one way
$9.32 round trip
$4.18/gal
25.4 MPG avg
10 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.52 | $5.04 | $10.07 |
| premium | $4.92 | $5.49 | $10.97 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $6.25 | $12.50 |
Estimated Tolls: $16.00
George Washington Bridge
$16.00
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$5
Tolls
$16
Total
$21
Estimated CO2 emission: 9.9 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 70% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 8.5 | 0 | $2.97 | $1.36 |
| Efficient EV | 7.1 | 0 | $2.48 | $1.13 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 11.3 | 0 | $3.96 | $1.81 |
Gas CO2
10 kg
EV CO2
3 kg (70% 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
Manhattan, NY
Morning in Manhattan on Saturday
Local time
9:13 AM
EDT
Current temp
58°F
Mostly Cloudy
NE 3 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
13 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
47m 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 Valley Cottage, NY to Manhattan, NY covers 28.3 miles and takes about 47m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Palisades Interstate Parkway, NY 303, Henry Hudson Parkway. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 14.1 miles from Valley Cottage, NY. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $4.66 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 15 decision points packed into just 28.3 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 47m.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.4 miles (Maple Road): Navigation decision point; at 21.8 miles (US 9): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 21.9 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Between Valley Cottage, NY and Manhattan, NY, road signs point toward Palisades Interstate Parkway South, Downtown, Boat Basin, Metropolitan Museum Of Art, American Museum Of Natural History and Children's Museum Of Manhattan - among others.
Yes. Nearby national parks include General Grant National Memorial, Hamilton Grange National Memorial and Stonewall National Monument. 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.
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