Getting to Long Island by car

Planning a trip to Manhasset on Long Island for week in June and wondering if getting to Long Island by car is possible without getting too tangled in NYC traffic. Will be driving from Canada so different approaches to NYC possible eg 87, 78 etc. (I have a sister in NJ so coming in that way works too). Also wonder if there is a time of day best traffic-wise for driving there.

Getting to Long Island by car

If you are driving from Canada to Manhasset, you ABSOLUTELY do not want to go via New Jersey. That would be completely out of the way. From New Jersey, you would be going through all of Staten Island and Brooklyn OR all of Manhattan and Queens - both of which could add a couple of unneeded hours to your trip. What you want to do is take 87 to 295 to 495. It should not take more than a half hour to Manhasset from 87 as long as you avoid 295 and 495 between the hours of 3 to 7 pm.

Getting to Long Island by car

Thank you - exactly the information I needed. Wondering if there is place name or direction to watch for when getting on 295 from 87 and then 495 from 295. I hadn%26#39;t realized 495 is also called Long Island Expressway and will be looking for Exit 36 on this. Will also aim to avoid between 3 and 7 if possible.

Yes, 295 is called the ';Cross Bronx Expressway';. You will be going East towards the ';Throgs Neck Bridge';. The Throgs Neck Bridge is a part of 295, and brings you on to Long Island. After the bridge, you will drive for a little while and exit onto 495 EAST (NOT WEST). The direction to watch for here is ';Eastern Long Island';. You do NOT want to exit at 495 West (';Midtown Tunnel';). Depending upon where in Manhasset you are going, you could alternatively exit onto 25A East (';Northern Blvd';) which comes up before 495. I can%26#39;t believe I%26#39;m writing all this to you from my home in South Florida.

Thanks for details as having driven in NYC area as passenger with my sister and family know how important these are on busy thruways. I did notice you were in Florida and assuming you are quite familiar with NYC area. I have been able to help colleagues here in Ottawa Canada with directions to NJ from having visited family there often.

Wonder if I could trouble you to give me reverse directions ie names/directions to watch for taking 495 to 295 to 87 when leaving city? Going to a retreat house in Manhasset and their directions are to take Exit 36 off 495 (I have specifics re streets after that).

The reverse is: 495 (direction: ';New York';) to 295 (direction: ';Throgs Neck Bridge';). After bridge, continue on 295 (direction: ';George Washington Bridge';) and get on to 87 North BEFORE crossing the George Washington Bridge.

Really appreciate these specifics as it gives me confidence to drive there (had been thinking of leaving car in Amtrak at Albany and taking train but doing this makes trip much longer and since 2 of us cheaper to drive as well).

Also, Amtrak arrives on the WEST side of New York so you would have had to have another half hour journey on the Long Island Railroad after changing trains (and waiting) in NY. Also, the Long Island Railroad is very expensive.

By the way, getting to 495 from the Throgs Neck Bridge (and visa-versa), there is a short-cut called the ';Cross Island Pkwy.'; which you might see on the map and comes up very quickly after the bridge (often easy to miss). For a New Yorker, it could save you about 10 or 15 minutes (especially if there is a traffic tie-up on the other route) but for you as a foreigner, I think it would be best to stick with my more simple directions.

Thanks - will stick to simpler directions - in the grand scheme of 8 or 9 hour drive the 10-15 minute timesaving (not to mention greater chance of getting lost) not worth it.

Wondering if all route changes (both directions) ie 87-295-495 are to the right lane side?

Hello again: I%26#39;m back from trip to Long Island and thought I would give some feedback. Did take the shortcut mentioned in posting to LIE. As well based on further advice my travelling companion had rec%26#39;d we went from 87 to 287E to 95S to Throg%26#39;s Neck Bridge and that worked well too.

Loved the town of Sag Harbor - very compact downtown and walkable and could be visited without car as Hampton Jitney from NYC goes right downtown - stayed in place with kitchen facilities and more affordable - not too crowded but hear becomes packed July and August.