The drive from Waddington, NY to Manhattan, NY covers 383.8 miles and takes about 7h 53m behind the wheel.
This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on New York State Thruway, State Highway 812, State Highway 12 for much of the mileage,
and the overall profile is turn-heavy local drive.
The longest uninterrupted segment is about 201.9 miles on New York State Thruway.
At current regular gas prices, budget about $63.18 one way before food or hotel costs.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is possible, but it will make for a full day on the road.
Break Rhythm
2 planned breaks
Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
Midpoint
191.9 miles from Waddington, NY
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 4h 1m into the drive
.
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
Doable as a same-day drive at 7h 53m. Total distance: 383.8 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 2 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
7h 53m drive, plan rest stops for pacing.
Scenic Drive
Turn-heavy local drive route profile with national parks nearby.
Drive Character
Expect a 7h 53m drive with frequent turns across 383.8 miles of local and secondary roads.
This route has more turning and local-road decision points than a simple highway run.
There are about 55 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
New York State Thruway is the longest continuous segment at about 201.9 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 234.2 miles in near New York State Thruway.
Driving Effort10/10
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 33 significant decision points across 383.8 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 234.2 miles (New York State Thruway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 352.4 miles (NY 17): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 353.8 miles (NJ 17): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 33 key points
These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
8
234.2 mi into trip|~4h 50m in|New York State Thruway
Keep slight right at fork onto New York State Thruway toward I 87 South: New York, Boston
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Toward I 87 South: New York, Boston
9
352.4 mi into trip|~7h 6m in|NY 17
Keep slight right at fork onto NY 17 toward I 287 South, NJ 17 South: New Jersey
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 15
Toward I 287 South, NJ 17 South: New Jersey
8
353.8 mi into trip|~7h 8m in|NJ 17
Keep slight left at fork onto NJ 17 toward NJ 17 South: Mahwah
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left / straight lanes.
Exit 66
Toward NJ 17 South: Mahwah
8
377.3 mi into trip|~7h 41m 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...
8
377.7 mi into trip|~7h 42m 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...
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Waddington, NY and Manhattan, NY, road signs point toward Genesee Street South and Boston.
Genesee Street South
149.3 mi in|~3h 11m
Boston
234.2 mi in|~4h 50m|via New York State Thruway
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
New York State Thruway
201.9 mi
3h 53m
State Highway 812
33.8 mi
39m
State Highway 12
22.8 mi
31m
Bea Luck Road
19.6 mi
23m
State Highway 37
17.8 mi
24m
Indian River Road
16.1 mi
19m
NJ 17
14.1 mi
18m
US 11
11.5 mi
13m
Longest stretch:
New York State Thruway
— 201.9 mi, about 3h 53m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Waddington, NY and Manhattan, NY.
1
Start on Main Street
0.1 mi·31 sec·Main Street
2
Turn right onto NY 37
0.8 mi·2 min·Lincoln Avenue
3
Continue on NY 37
18 mi·24 min·State Highway 37
4
Take the exit
0.3 mi·41 sec
Toward NY 812
5
Turn left onto NY 812
5.7 mi·6 min·State Highway 812
6
Continue on NY 812
0.9 mi·58 sec·North State Street
7
Continue on NY 812
11 mi·13 min·State Highway 812
8
At end of road, turn right onto US 11; NY 812
11 mi·13 min·US 11; NY 812
9
Turn left onto NY 58; NY 812
0.6 mi·40 sec·William Street
10
Continue on NY 58; NY 812
5.5 mi·6 min·State Highway 58
11
Turn right onto NY 812
2.1 mi·2 min·Balmat-Fowler Road
12
Continue on NY 812
7.9 mi·9 min·State Highway 812
13
At end of road, turn right onto NY 3; NY 812
0.3 mi·33 sec·State Highway 812
14
Continue on NY 3; NY 812
0.4 mi·59 sec·State Street
15
Continue on NY 3; NY 812
0.8 mi·1 min·Main Street
16
Continue on NY 3; NY 812
2.9 mi·4 min·State Route 3
17
Turn left onto NY 812
5.7 mi·6 min·Indian River Road
18
Continue on NY 812
10 mi·12 min·Indian River Road
19
Continue on NY 812
0.8 mi·1 min·Main Street
20
Continue on NY 812
8.4 mi·10 min·State Highway 812
21
Turn left onto East State Street
1.5 mi·3 min·East State Street
22
Continue on Ross Road
0.5 mi·1 min·Ross Road
23
Turn left onto NY 12
20 mi·23 min·Bea Luck Road
24
Continue on NY 12
0.8 mi·51 sec·State Highway 12
25
Continue on NY 12
9.7 mi·11 min·Erwin Parkway
26
Continue on NY 12
22 mi·30 min·State Highway 12
27
Take the exit
0.3 mi·38 sec
28
Merge onto NY 49
0.4 mi·26 sec·State Route 49
29
Continue on I 790; NY 5
0.2 mi·13 sec·I 790; NY 5
30
Take the exit
0.2 mi·18 sec
Toward Genesee Street South
31
Keep slight left at fork
0.7 mi·1 min
Toward I 90
32
Keep slight right at fork
0.3 mi·43 sec
Toward I 90 East
33
Merge onto I 90
84 mi·1 hr 36 min·New York State Thruway
34
Keep slight right at fork onto New York State Thruway
118 mi·2 hr 16 min·New York State Thruway
Toward I 87 South: New York, BostonUse the slight right lane.
35
Keep slight right at fork onto NY 17
0.9 mi·59 sec·NY 17
Exit 15Toward I 287 South, NJ 17 South: New JerseyUse the slight right lane.
36
Continue on I 287; NJ 17
0.5 mi·39 sec·I 287; NJ 17
37
Keep slight left at fork onto NJ 17
14 mi·18 min·NJ 17
Exit 66Toward NJ 17 South: MahwahUse the slight left / straight lanes.
38
Take the exit
0.1 mi·19 sec
Toward NJ 4, GSP South: Paterson, Fort Lee, New York
39
Keep slight left at fork
0.5 mi·1 min
Toward NJ 4 East: Fort Lee, New York
40
Merge onto NJ 4
0.3 mi·24 sec·NJ 4
Use the right lane.
41
Continue on NJ 4
6.4 mi·8 min·NJ 4
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
42
Take the exit
0.2 mi·18 sec
Toward I 95 North: George Washington BridgeUse the straight / slight left lanes.
43
Merge onto I 95 EXPR
0.7 mi·54 sec·I 95 EXPR
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
44
Keep slight left at fork onto I 95 EXPR
0.8 mi·1 min·I 95 EXPR
45
Continue on I 95; US 1; US 9
0.5 mi·45 sec·George Washington Bridge (upper level)
46
Take the exit onto US 9
0.1 mi·13 sec·US 9
Exit 1AToward NY 9A: Henry Hudson Parkway, West 178th StreetUse the straight / slight right lanes.
47
Keep slight right at fork
0.3 mi·42 sec
Toward NY 9A: Henry Hudson ParkwayUse the straight / slight right lanes.
48
Keep slight left at fork
0.4 mi·47 sec
Toward NY 9A South: Henry Hudson Parkway, DowntownUse the straight lane.
49
Merge onto HH; NY 9A
4.2 mi·6 min·Henry Hudson Parkway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
50
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 TechnologyUse the straight / slight right lanes.
51
Continue on West 79th Street
0.2 mi·51 sec·West 79th Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
52
Turn left onto Broadway
0.4 mi·56 sec·Broadway
53
Turn right onto West 86th Street
0.4 mi·1 min·West 86th Street
54
Continue on 86th Street Transverse
0.2 mi·35 sec·86th Street Transverse
Toward East SideUse the straight / left lanes.
55
Arrive at destination
86th Street Transverse
Trip Plan
Morning Departure
Start early — leave by 6-7 AM to arrive at a reasonable hour.
Evening Departure
This is a long drive — plan for a morning departure or consider splitting it into two days.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 2 meaningful breaks for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 191.9 miles from Waddington, NY, or about 4h 1m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 201.9 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 84 miles or 1h 45m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 191.9 miles or 4h 1m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 6h 33m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Manhattan, NY than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Waddington, 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.
+
Pick one backup stop option before the midpoint in case traffic changes your pacing.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Waddington, NY
This is one driving day of about 383.8 miles and 7h 53m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 84 miles from Waddington, NY.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
Plan about 2 real breaks rather than only quick fuel stops.
The longest stretch is on New York State Thruway for about 201.9 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 191.9 mi from Waddington, NY
· 4h 1m into the drive
The midpoint is around 200.7 miles from Waddington, NY, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Manhattan, NY
The final approach into Manhattan, 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 Manhattan, NY.
After long uninterrupted mileage, take five minutes before the last urban segment to reset and refocus on exits, merges, and city traffic.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
National Parks Near This Route
Worth a detour if your schedule allows.
General Grant National Memorial
National Memorial
The final resting place of President Ulysses S. Grant and his wife, Julia, is the largest mausoleum in North America. It testifies to a people’s gratitude for the man who ended the bloodiest conflict...
2 mi from route
~5 min detour
Free
near mile 401.5
Caution: Lower Crypt Access Subject to Safe Conditions
Merchant’s clerk, Revolutionary War soldier, first Secretary Treasury of the United States: Alexander Hamilton’s life is memorialized at The Grange, the home he built on a country estate in uptown Man...
3 mi from route
~6 min detour
Free
near mile 401.5
Before the 1960s, almost everything about living authentically as a lesbian, a bisexual person or a gay man was illegal. The Stonewall Uprising on June 28, 1969 is a milestone in the quest for civil r...
4 mi from route
~10 min detour
Free
near mile 401.5
The African Burial Ground stands as the oldest and largest known excavated burial site in North America for both free and enslaved Africans. It offers a profound testament to the enduring legacy of Af...
5 mi from route
~13 min detour
Free
near mile 401.5
Located at the southern tip of Manhattan, Castle Clinton marks the place where New York City began and reflects the growth of both the city and the nation. Built to defend the harbor during the War of...
6 mi from route
~15 min detour
Free
near mile 401.5
Here at Federal Hall, George Washington took the oath of office as the first President of the United States, marking the beginning of the American constitutional republic. This historic site served as...
6 mi from route
~14 min detour
Free
near mile 401.5
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$63.18 one way
$126.35 round trip
$4.18/gal25.4 MPG avg134 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.52
$68.31
$136.63
premium
$4.92
$74.39
$148.78
diesel
$5.61
$84.74
$169.48
Estimated Tolls: $26.09
George Washington Bridge
$16.00
New York State Thruway
(201.9 mi)$10.09
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
$63
Tolls
$26
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$114–$139
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 134.3 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $40 in charging
· 1 stop
· 66% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
115.1
1
$40.30
$18.42
Efficient EV
96
1
$33.58
$15.35
EV Truck/SUV
153.5
1
$53.73
$24.56
Gas CO2
134 kg
EV CO2
45 kg (66% less)
Plan for 1 charging stop. A 30-minute DC fast charge mid-route should be enough to complete the trip comfortably.
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.
Forecast as of Apr 15, 2026
Origin
Waddington, NY
Morning
in Waddington on Saturday
Local time
6:43 AM
EDT
Current temp
37°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Manhattan, NY
Morning
in Manhattan on Saturday
Local time
6:43 AM
EDT
Current temp
49°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
12 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
7h 53m on the road
Start early — leave by 6-7 AM to arrive at a reasonable hour.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
Frequently Asked Questions
The drive from Waddington, NY to Manhattan, NY covers 383.8 miles and takes about 7h 53m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are New York State Thruway, State Highway 812, State Highway 12. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 191.9 miles from Waddington, NY. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $63.18 one way. This estimate uses 25.4 MPG — your actual cost will vary with your vehicle's fuel efficiency and current gas prices.
Start early — leave by 6-7 AM to arrive at a reasonable hour. This is a long drive — plan for a morning departure or consider splitting it into two days.
Plan about 2 meaningful breaks for fuel, food, or rest. Plan on a short reset every 3 to 4 hours to stay fresh behind the wheel.
This is a demanding drive. With 33 significant decision points across 383.8 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 234.2 miles (New York State Thruway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 352.4 miles (NY 17): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 353.8 miles (NJ 17): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Between Waddington, NY and Manhattan, NY, road signs point toward Genesee Street South and Boston.
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.
