Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 45m
Distance
82.4 mi
133 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$14
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
Ocean County, NJ
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Clifton, NJ to Ocean County, NJ is 82.4 miles and takes about 1h 45m via the Garden State Parkway, with a fuel budget near $14 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This straightforward drive stays within New Jersey, moving you from the Northeast region to the southern part of the state. It's a quick trip, mostly on a major parkway, making it ideal for a same-day excursion. You'll spend the vast majority of your time on the highway, so don't expect many detours or slow-downs unless traffic dictates. Plan for a smooth, direct journey to your destination.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Midpoint
41.2 miles from Clifton, NJ
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 56m into the drive .
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Garden State Parkway | 72.7 mi | 1h 30m |
| Garden State Parkway Southbound | 6.2 mi | 8m |
| Lacey Road | 1.5 mi | 2m |
| Clifton Avenue | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| Allwood Road | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| Donna Drive | 0.1 mi | <1m |
| Olga B Terrace | 0.1 mi | <1m |
| Holly Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Step-by-step road directions between Clifton, NJ and Ocean County, 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
Turn left onto CR 614
Arrive at destination
Given the short duration of 1 hour and 45 minutes, this route is perfectly suited for a single-day trip. You can leave anytime, but consider departing mid-morning to avoid potential rush hour congestion leaving Clifton. With only 82.4 miles and a $14 fuel cost, stops are not strictly necessary for refueling, but you might want to take a brief break along the Garden State Parkway for stretching. The longest continuous stretch is over 72 miles, so be prepared for sustained highway driving. Keep an eye on traffic reports as you approach Ocean County, as local conditions can vary.
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 18 miles or 27m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 41.2 miles or 56m 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 30m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Ocean County, 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 82.4 miles and 1h 45m.
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
41 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 18 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
The midpoint is around 41.2 miles from Clifton, NJ, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Before the longest stretch
Fuel checkTop up before Garden State Parkway if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 72.7 miles.
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 80.6 — 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 GSP South
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Take the exit toward Forked River
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Regular Gas
$13.66 one way
$27.32 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.61 | $14.96 | $29.92 |
| premium | $4.93 | $15.98 | $31.96 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $18.19 | $36.39 |
Estimated Tolls: $4.73
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
$14
Tolls
$5
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$43–$68
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 28.8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $9 in charging · 0 stops · 66% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 24.7 | 0 | $8.65 | $3.96 |
| Efficient EV | 20.6 | 0 | $7.21 | $3.30 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 33 | 0 | $11.54 | $5.27 |
Gas CO2
29 kg
EV CO2
10 kg (66% 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 Sunday
Local time
6:16 AM
EDT
Current temp
90°F
Mostly Sunny
Destination
Morning in Ocean County on Sunday
Local time
6:16 AM
EDT
Current temp
70°F
Unavailable
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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This trip is overwhelmingly a highway-focused drive, with 96% of the journey utilizing major roadways. You'll experience a long, uninterrupted stretch of 72.7 miles primarily on the Garden State Parkway Southbound. This means you can settle in for a consistent pace for most of the drive. The character of the road is predominantly that of a well-maintained parkway, designed for steady travel rather than scenic exploration. Expect a predictable driving experience with minimal transitions to local roads until you reach your final destination.
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 82.4 miles you will encounter 15 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.
Clifton is a city in Passaic County, New Jersey.
Ocean County is on the Jersey Shore. It is the southernmost county in the New York City metropolitan area. The county is also home to many tourist attractions such as the beachfront communities of Seaside Heights, Long Beach Island, and Point Pleasant Beach, and Six Flags Great Adventure, an amusement park in Jackson Township that is the home to the world's tallest and second-fastest roller coaster. Ocean County is a gateway to New Jersey's Pine Barrens, one of the largest protected land areas on the East Coast.
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 45m. Total distance: 82.4 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 45m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (96%). 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, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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