Origin
Cliffwood Beach, NJ
Morning in Cliffwood Beach on Saturday
Local time
6:37 AM
EDT
Current temp
63°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Cliffwood Beach, NJ to Union, NJ
Pin this tripCompiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Sep 12, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
35m
Distance
22.8 mi
37 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$4
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 33m
★
6 AM
0h 36m
8 AM
0h 42m
10 AM
0h 38m
12 PM
0h 37m
3 PM
0h 38m
5 PM
0h 42m
8 PM
0h 34m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Cliffwood Beach, NJ
Sarah O'Shea
Union, NJ
Arjun Gheewala
Trip Overview
Cliffwood Beach to Union is 22.8 miles and takes about 35 minutes via Garden State Parkway and NJ 35, with a fuel budget near $4 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This short trip stays within New Jersey, connecting two points in the Northeast region. Given its minimal distance and duration, this route is ideal for a quick transit, perhaps for a local errand or a brief visit. You'll spend most of your time on major roadways, so expect a straightforward drive without significant detours or complexities.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Garden State Parkway | 11.6 mi | 16m |
| NJ 35 | 8.3 mi | 11m |
| Morris Avenue | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| Cliffwood Avenue | 0.4 mi | 1m |
| Fairfield Way | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| Harding Avenue | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| US 22 | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| Vauxhall Road | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Garden State Parkway
— 11.6 mi, about 16m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Cliffwood Beach, NJ and Union, NJ.
1
Start on Fairfield Way
0.2 mi
·
45 sec
·
Fairfield Way
2
At end of road, turn left onto Cliffwood Avenue
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
Cliffwood Avenue
3
Turn right onto NJ 35
8.3 mi
·
11 min
·
NJ 35
Use the straight / right lanes.
4
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
45 sec
Toward GSP North
Use the slight left / straight lanes.
5
Continue on this road
0.3 mi
·
37 sec
·
this road
6
Keep slight left at fork
0.4 mi
·
49 sec
Toward GSP North: Garden State Parkway
Use the slight left lane.
7
Merge onto GSP
12 mi
·
16 min
·
Garden State Parkway
Use the straight lane.
8
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
39 sec
Exit 140
Toward US 22, NJ 82: Hillside
Use the slight right lane.
9
Merge onto US 22
158 ft
·
3 sec
·
US 22
10
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
24 sec
Toward NJ 82: Morris Avenue, Kean University, Elizabeth
11
Turn slight right onto NJ 82
0.1 mi
·
14 sec
·
Morris Avenue
12
Turn slight right
507 ft
·
44 sec
13
Turn left onto NJ 82
0.5 mi
·
55 sec
·
Morris Avenue
14
Turn right onto Harding Avenue
0.1 mi
·
28 sec
·
Harding Avenue
15
Turn right onto CR 630
32 ft
·
4 sec
·
Vauxhall Road
16
Turn left onto Harding Avenue
243 ft
·
10 sec
·
Harding Avenue
17
Arrive at destination
Harding Avenue
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 125 decision points cluster between mile 0.2 and 21.8 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0.2 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
Cliffwood Avenue
At end of road, turn left onto Cliffwood Avenue
Navigation decision point
6
8.9 mi into trip
|
~13m in
Take the exit toward GSP North
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left / straight lanes.
Toward GSP North
7
9.5 mi into trip
|
~15m in
Keep slight left at fork toward GSP North: Garden State Parkway
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left lane.
Toward GSP North: Garden State Parkway
8
21.5 mi into trip
|
~32m in
Take the exit toward US 22, NJ 82: Hillside
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 140
Toward US 22, NJ 82: Hillside
6
21.8 mi into trip
|
~32m in
Take the exit toward NJ 82: Morris Avenue, Kean University, Elizabeth
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward NJ 82: Morris Avenue, Kean University, E...
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$3.92 one way
$7.84 round trip
$4.37/gal
25.4 MPG avg
8 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.79 | $4.30 | $8.60 |
| premium | $5.13 | $4.60 | $9.20 |
| diesel | $5.97 | $5.36 | $10.71 |
Estimated Tolls: $0.70
Garden State Parkway
(11.6 mi)
$0.70
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$4
Tolls
$1
Total
$5
Estimated CO2 emission: 8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-09-07.
Driving Electric?
About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 63% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 6.8 | 0 | $2.39 | $1.09 |
| Efficient EV | 5.7 | 0 | $2.00 | $0.91 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 9.1 | 0 | $3.19 | $1.46 |
Gas CO2
8 kg
EV CO2
3 kg (63% 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
Union, NJ
Morning in Union on Saturday
Local time
6:37 AM
EDT
Current temp
47°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
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
16 degrees cooler at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
35m on the road
Use the two city cards together: check the sky where you start, then compare it with the local time and temperature at arrival.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
What kind of drive is this?
This drive is primarily on highways, with 87% of the route taking place on them. You'll experience the longest uninterrupted stretch of 11.6 miles on the Garden State Parkway. After leaving the Parkway, you'll transition to surface roads like NJ 35 and Morris Avenue, which will likely feature more frequent intersections and local traffic. Expect a high volume of exits and merges as you navigate the highway portions.
87% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
17 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 11.6 mi on Garden State Parkway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
8/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Garden State Parkway and NJ 35. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.2 miles in near Cliffwood Avenue.
Driving Effort
8/10
Focused - busy navigation packed into a short drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 12 decision points packed into just 22.8 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 35m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.2 miles (Cliffwood Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 8.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 9.5 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
138 ft
24 ft
Total Climb
252 ft
Total Descent
198 ft
Highest Point
138 ft
~4.9 mi in
Elevation Range
114 ft
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
On the drive from Cliffwood Beach, NJ to Union, NJ, road signs begin pointing toward Gsp North along the way.
Gsp North
8.9 mi in
|
~13m
About the Cities
Starting in Cliffwood Beach, NJ
Full guide →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 35m. Total distance: 22.8 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
35m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (87%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 11.6 miles on Garden State Parkway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Expect about $0.70 in tolls one way, starting with Garden State Parkway. Most Northeast and Midwest toll agencies accept E-ZPass; in the West and Texas, transponders like TxTag or FasTrak apply. If you do not have a transponder, cashless tolling plates will mail a bill to the vehicle's registered address — usually with a surcharge, so a rental-car toll pass is often cheaper than paying by mail.
It helps. This route has a higher-than-average number of complex decision points, which get harder in the dark. If the last hour of the trip is on surface roads or mountain grades, aim to arrive at Union, NJ before sunset when you can. Check the Trip Plan for departure windows that land you in daylight.
Yes. At under 2 hours behind the wheel, this works well for families — plan one quick stop if you have younger kids.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.2 miles (Cliffwood Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 8.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 9.5 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Union, NJ before heading back.
How this page is built
Compiled by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy from open government datasets — OSRM over OpenStreetMap for geometry, EIA for fuel prices, and USGS 3DEP for elevation. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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