Route 196 spends only a short time in East Haddam before it becomes Young Street in East Hampton (an older alignment of this road has the droll name "Old Young Street"). After crossing Route 16, Route 196 passes through downtown East Hampton and the Belltown Historic District; this includes a short overlap with Main Street, formerly Route 16A.

An uphill climb on Summit Street, and a turn onto Lakeview Street (an aspirational name; there are houses in the way) leads to the terminus at Route 66.