How far is Islip, NY from Nelson, NY?
The driving distance from Islip, NY to Nelson, NY is about 278.6 miles (448.3 km), with a travel time of about 06h 03m by car.
- The straight-line flight distance is about 200.8 miles (323.1 km).
- For a round trip, plan for roughly 12h 06m of driving time before adding stops, traffic, or weather delays.
- A comfortable departure window is usually 6:00 AM to 7:30 AM EDT.
Reverse, save, or send this route
This drive is better planned with a longer stop or an overnight stay. Copy the route link, send it to another device, or print a clean version before you head out.
This drive is better planned with a longer stop or an overnight stay.
Flight Distance
Driving Distance
Gas Cost Calculator
Leave and Arrive Planner
Pick a departure time to see your estimated arrival and same-day return window.
Drive time stays fixed at 06h 03m.
Starting early still helps, but most travelers will want a longer stop or an overnight stay on a route this long.
You are leaving earlier than the recommended window, which gives you extra margin for breaks and traffic.
Halfway Point
A useful midpoint for breaks, coffee, or meeting in the middle.
Town in New York, United States
Route Weather Snapshot
Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.
Partly Sunny then Chance Rain Showers
Driving Route Map
The map below follows the saved road route between Islip and Nelson.
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Islip and Nelson.
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1
Start on Main Street
1.2 km · 1 min · Main Street
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2
Continue on Montauk Highway
1014 ft · 19 sec · Montauk Highway
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3
Continue on Main Street
1.1 mi · 2 min · Main Street
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4
Turn right onto 3rd Avenue
2920 ft · 1 min · 3rd Avenue
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5
Continue on Rossevelt Street
1821 ft · 37 sec · Rossevelt Street
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6
Continue on Howells Road
1.1 km · 2 min · Howells Road
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7
Turn straight onto Sunrise Highway
50 m · 3 sec · Sunrise Highway
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8
Keep slight right to continue on Howells Road
1588 ft · 36 sec · Howells Road
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9
Continue on Bay Shore Road
3165 ft · 1 min · Bay Shore Road
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10
Take the ramp slight right toward SO West: New York
736 ft · 19 sec
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11
Continue straight
111 m · 9 sec
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12
Merge slight left onto Southern State Parkway
24.7 mi · 32 min · Southern State Parkway
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13
Take the exit slight right toward Cross Island Parkway North, Whitestone Bridge
1780 ft · 43 sec
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14
Merge slight left onto Cross Island Parkway
1.3 mi · 2 min · Cross Island Parkway
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15
Take the exit slight right toward NY 24: UBS Arena-Belmont Park
97 m · 9 sec
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16
Keep slight left to continue on NY 24 West: Hempstead Avenue
133 m · 12 sec
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17
Keep slight right to continue on Cross Island Parkway North, Hempstead Avenue West
532 ft · 15 sec
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18
Keep slight right to continue on Hempstead Avenue West
81 m · 8 sec
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19
Continue on Grandstand, Hempstead Avenue West
549 ft · 14 sec
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20
Keep slight left to continue on Hempstead Avenue
31 m · 5 sec
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21
Turn right onto Hempstead Avenue
1.6 km · 2 min · Hempstead Avenue
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22
Turn left onto Jamaica Avenue
553 ft · 17 sec · Jamaica Avenue
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23
Turn right onto 212th Street
1.2 km · 1 min · 212th Street
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24
Continue on Clearview Expressway
5 mi · 5 min · Clearview Expressway
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25
Continue on Throgs Neck Bridge
2 mi · 3 min · Throgs Neck Bridge
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26
Continue on Throgs Neck Expressway
1.1 km · 1 min · Throgs Neck Expressway
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27
Keep slight left to continue on Cross Bronx Expressway
6.6 mi · 9 min · Cross Bronx Expressway
-
28
Keep slight left to continue on Trans-Manhattan Expressway
1.1 km · 1 min · Trans-Manhattan Expressway
-
29
Continue on George Washington Bridge (upper level)
3167 ft · 60 sec · George Washington Bridge (upper level)
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30
Continue straight
2659 ft · 48 sec
-
31
Keep slight left
3214 ft · 39 sec
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32
Keep slight left
559 ft · 9 sec
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33
Take the exit slight right toward I 95 South, NJTP South: Hackensack
1270 ft · 23 sec
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34
Keep slight right to continue on NJ 4 West: Paramus
970 ft · 24 sec
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35
Merge slight right
6.7 mi · 9 min
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36
Take the exit straight toward GSP South, NJ 17 South, GSP North, NJ 17 North: Grand State Plaza, Newark, Mahwah
951 ft · 26 sec
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37
Keep slight right to continue on NJ 17 North: Mahwah
1302 ft · 37 sec
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38
Merge slight left
3.3 mi · 4 min
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39
Continue straight
7.3 mi · 10 min
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40
Continue straight
1.2 km · 50 sec
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41
Continue straight
3.3 mi · 4 min
-
42
Continue straight
877 ft · 11 sec
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43
Keep slight left to continue on I 87 North, NY 17 North, New York State Thruway North: Albany
14.3 mi · 16 min
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44
Take the exit slight right toward US 6, NY 17: Harriman
1.5 mi · 3 min
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45
Continue straight
46 m · 4 sec
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46
Keep slight left to continue on NY 17 West: Binghamton
2294 ft · 30 sec
-
47
Continue straight
105.2 mi · 2 hr 11 min
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48
Take the exit slight right toward NY 8, NY 10: Deposit, Walton
1978 ft · 1 min
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49
Turn right onto State Highway 10
1126 ft · 14 sec · State Highway 10
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50
Continue on Oak Street
1409 ft · 18 sec · Oak Street
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51
Turn straight onto State Highway 8
19 mi · 22 min · State Highway 8
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52
Continue on Airport Road
2256 ft · 29 sec · Airport Road
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53
Continue on State Highway 8
17.8 mi · 20 min · State Highway 8
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54
Turn left onto West Street
8.3 mi · 10 min · West Street
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55
Turn right onto North Broad Street
2925 ft · 1 min · North Broad Street
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56
Continue on State Highway 12
10.2 mi · 15 min · State Highway 12
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57
Continue on South Main Street
1.4 mi · 2 min · South Main Street
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58
Continue on State Highway 12B
3.7 mi · 6 min · State Highway 12B
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59
Continue on South Main Street
1.4 mi · 2 min · South Main Street
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60
Continue on State Route 12B
4.6 mi · 7 min · State Route 12B
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61
Continue on Broad Street
1.1 mi · 2 min · Broad Street
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62
Continue on Utica Street
1.1 mi · 2 min · Utica Street
-
63
Continue on State Route 12B
2 mi · 3 min · State Route 12B
-
64
Continue on State Route 46
1.4 mi · 2 min · State Route 46
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65
Turn left
1149 ft · 22 sec
-
66
Turn straight
10.6 mi · 16 min
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67
Arrive at your destination
0 m · 1 sec · US 20
Car Route Details
A richer read on the saved driving route between Islip and Nelson.
Interchange-aware route
The drive includes several ramps, exits, or merges, so checking the next few maneuvers before busy interchanges is useful.
NY 17 West
Continue straight
105 mi · 02h 11m
Route Summary
A quick read on whether this route feels easy, ambitious, or worth planning around.
Better with a longer stop
This route is long enough that most travelers will be better off planning an overnight stay or a more deliberate stop window.
Partly Sunny leaving Islip and Partly Sunny then Chance Rain Showers near Nelson.
Trip Questions
Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.
How long does it take to drive from Islip to Nelson?
The road trip is about 278.6 miles (448.3 km) and usually takes 06h 03m in normal driving conditions.
Is this a same-day trip or an overnight route?
This route is long enough that most travelers will be better off planning an overnight stay or a more deliberate stop window.
What is the halfway point on this route?
Liberty is a useful midpoint, sitting about 139.2 miles from Islip and 139.4 miles from Nelson.
How much longer is the road route than the straight-line distance?
The direct path is about 200.8 miles (323.1 km), while the road route adds roughly 77.8 extra miles because roads do not follow the straight air line.
When is the best time to leave for this route?
A good departure window is usually 6:00 AM to 7:30 AM EDT. Starting early still helps, but most travelers will want a longer stop or an overnight stay on a route this long.
How much will gas cost for this route?
Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $39.41 one way or $78.82 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 87.4 kg one way.
What should you check before leaving?
Before you leave, expect Partly Sunny around Islip and Partly Sunny then Chance Rain Showers near Nelson.
Stop Ideas Near Liberty
Useful break, food, and waypoint ideas within about 15 miles of the route midpoint.
Transit and Meeting Points
Useful pickup, handoff, or rendezvous points close to Liberty.
Rhinecliff–Kingston station
Poughkeepsie station
Scranton, PA
Hudson
Flight Path Map
This map shows the direct air route between Islip and Nelson. Straight-line distance: 200.74 mi (323.06 km).
#1 Islip
This Long Island community is situated on the south shore of Suffolk County, New York, at an elevation of 13 feet.
| Population | 322,328 |
| Coordinates | 40.7298200, -73.2103900 |
| Altitude | 4 |
| Country | United States |
#2 Nelson
Town in Madison County, New York, United States of America
| Population | 1,940 |
| Coordinates | 42.9172900, -75.7768500 |
| Altitude | 438 |
| Country | United States |
End: Nelson (-75.77685, 42.91729)
Estimated Travel Time
Distance: 448 km by road
| Speed | Time |
|---|---|
| 30 mph (48.3 km/h) | 09h 16m |
| 40 mph (64.37 km/h) | 06h 57m |
| 50 mph (80.47 km/h) | 05h 34m |
| 60 mph (96.56 km/h) | 04h 38m |
| 70 mph (112.65 km/h) | 03h 58m |
| 80 mph (129 km/h) | 03h 28m |
Fuel, Round Trip and CO2
Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.
| Fuel | $/gal | One way | Round trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Regular gas | $4.01 | $39.41 | $78.82 |
| Mid-grade | $4.48 | $44.05 | $88.10 |
| Premium | $4.86 | $47.78 | $95.57 |
| Diesel | $4.69 | $46.14 | $92.28 |
Assumes 8.3 L/100 km (about 28.3 MPG). CO2 is an estimate and varies by vehicle, fuel blend, traffic, and terrain.
Prices in New York · Apr 18, 2026
Distance to Other Cities
Planning a road trip? See the full trip guide on Trip.ovh — stops, fuel costs, weather, and departure timing.