Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Sep 12, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 44m
Distance
74 mi
119 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$13
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Clifton, NJ
Wikimedia Commons
Dover Beaches South, NJ
Wikimedia Commons
Clifton, NJ to Dover Beaches South, NJ is 74 miles and takes about 1h 44m via Garden State Parkway, with a fuel budget near $12 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within New Jersey, moving from the Northeast region down to the shore. It's a straightforward drive, mostly utilizing a major parkway, making it an easy option for a quick getaway or a day trip. Expect a predictable travel experience focused on getting you to your destination efficiently.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Midpoint
37 miles from Clifton, NJ
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 51m into the drive .
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Garden State Parkway | 49.3 mi | 1h 2m |
| Garden State Parkway Southbound | 6.2 mi | 8m |
| West Central Avenue | 3.5 mi | 5m |
| Ocean Avenue | 3.5 mi | 8m |
| NJ 35 | 3.4 mi | 5m |
| NJ 34 | 3.3 mi | 3m |
| Anna O Hankins Boulevard | 1.2 mi | 2m |
| Clifton Avenue | 0.5 mi | 1m |
Step-by-step road directions between Clifton, NJ and Dover Beaches South, NJ.
Start on Holly Street
Turn left onto Donna Drive
At end of road, turn right onto Olga B Terrace
Turn right onto Hutton Road
Turn left onto Olga B Terrace
Turn left onto NJ 161
At end of road, turn right onto CR 602
Take the ramp
Merge onto NJ 3
Take the exit
Merge onto GSP
Continue on Garden State Parkway
Keep slight left at fork onto GSP
Keep slight right at fork onto GSP
Take the exit
Keep slight left at fork
Keep slight left at fork
Merge onto NJ 34
Enter roundabout onto NJ 34
Continue on NJ 34
Continue on NJ 35
Continue on NJ 35
Continue on NJ 35
Continue on NJ 35
Continue on NJ 35
Continue on NJ 35
Turn right onto 6th Avenue
Arrive at destination
Given this is a short, 1h 44m drive, you have a lot of flexibility for when you leave. Aiming to depart mid-morning can help you avoid the worst of rush hour traffic out of Clifton. Since the longest stretch is under 50 miles, you won't need many stops for fuel or rest, but it's always wise to top off your tank before you leave Clifton to keep your fuel cost around the estimated $12. Keep an eye on the GPS for the transition off the Garden State Parkway Southbound onto local roads for your final approach.
Morning Departure
Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch.
Evening Departure
Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.
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 16 miles or 24m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 37 miles or 51m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 1h 23m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Dover Beaches South, NJ than in the middle of the route.
Open the route before leaving Clifton, NJ so your first major turns are already loaded.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Clifton, NJ
This is one driving day of about 74 miles and 1h 44m.
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
37 mi into the route
Best for: Lunch, fuel, and a longer reset
This sits close to the middle of the route, so it works well for the longest stop of the day.
A short stop after about 16 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
The midpoint is around 37 miles from Clifton, NJ, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
5 decision points cluster between mile 0.2 and 57.9 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
At end of road, turn right onto Olga B Terrace
Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch
At end of road, turn right onto CR 602 / Allwood Road
Lane positioning matters here
Take the ramp toward NJ 3 West, GSP South
Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Take the exit toward NJ 138 East, I 195 West, NJ 34: Belmar, Trenton
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Keep slight left at fork toward NJ 34 South: Brielle
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Regular Gas
$12.72 one way
$25.43 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.79 | $13.96 | $27.91 |
| premium | $5.13 | $14.94 | $29.87 |
| diesel | $5.97 | $17.38 | $34.77 |
Estimated Tolls: $3.32
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
$13
Tolls
$3
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$41–$66
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 25.9 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-09-07.
Driving Electric?
About $8 in charging · 0 stops · 65% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 22.2 | 0 | $7.77 | $3.55 |
| Efficient EV | 18.5 | 0 | $6.48 | $2.96 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 29.6 | 0 | $10.36 | $4.74 |
Gas CO2
26 kg
EV CO2
9 kg (65% 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.
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Origin
Morning in Clifton on Saturday
Local time
7:10 AM
EDT
Current temp
81°F
Sunny
Destination
Morning in Dover Beaches South on Saturday
Local time
7:10 AM
EDT
Current temp
75°F
Partly Sunny
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
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
The weather snapshot is not static. If you are leaving later, give both cities one more quick forecast check before departure.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
Worth a detour if your schedule allows.
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With 84% of this 74-mile route on highways, you'll spend most of your time on the Garden State Parkway. The longest continuous stretch you'll encounter is 49.3 miles on the Garden State Parkway. You'll transition from highway driving to surface roads like West Central Avenue as you approach Dover Beaches South. Be prepared for a high volume of exits on the parkway as you near the Jersey Shore.
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Garden State Parkway and Garden State Parkway Southbound. 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 Olga B Terrace.
Demanding - stay alert through the decision-heavy sections
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 74 miles you will encounter 18 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.2 miles (Olga B Terrace): Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch; at 0.9 miles (CR 602 / Allwood Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 1.1 miles: Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Mostly flat terrain
Total Climb
364 ft
Total Descent
539 ft
Highest Point
202 ft
~42.3 mi in
Elevation Range
199 ft
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
On the drive from Clifton, NJ to Dover Beaches South, NJ, road signs begin pointing toward Trenton along the way.
Trenton
Clifton is a city in Passaic County, New Jersey.
Top landmarks
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 44m. Total distance: 74 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 44m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (84%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
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, USGS 3DEP for elevation, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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