Origin
East Orange, NJ
Morning in East Orange on Sunday
Local time
8:04 AM
EDT
Current temp
69°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from East Orange, NJ to Highland Park, NJ
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
38m
Distance
24.3 mi
39 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 35m
★
6 AM
0h 38m
8 AM
0h 45m
10 AM
0h 41m
12 PM
0h 40m
3 PM
0h 41m
5 PM
0h 45m
8 PM
0h 37m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
East Orange, NJ
Wikimedia Commons
Highland Park, NJ
James Kampeis
Trip Overview
East Orange, NJ to Highland Park, NJ is 24.3 miles and takes about 38 minutes via Garden State Parkway and US 1, with a fuel budget near $4 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This is a straightforward, same-day trip that stays within the Northeast region and within the state of New Jersey. Given its short distance and primarily highway profile, this route is ideal for a quick transit or a brief excursion. You'll be on the road for less than an hour, making it a convenient option for a quick errand or a short hop between towns. Consider this drive when you need to get from point A to point B efficiently without a significant time commitment.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Garden State Parkway | 13.3 mi | 18m |
| US 1 | 5.7 mi | 8m |
| Garden State Parkway Southbound | 1.3 mi | 1m |
| North Oraton Parkway | 1 mi | 1m |
| Woodbridge Avenue | 0.7 mi | 2m |
| Oraton Parkway | 0.4 mi | <1m |
| Whittlesey Avenue | 0.4 mi | <1m |
| Benner Street | 0.3 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
Garden State Parkway
— 13.3 mi, about 18m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between East Orange, NJ and Highland Park, NJ.
1
Start on Parkway Drive
277 ft
·
7 sec
·
Parkway Drive
2
Continue on North Oraton Parkway
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
North Oraton Parkway
Use the straight / left / right lanes.
3
Continue on Whittlesey Avenue
0.4 mi
·
38 sec
·
Whittlesey Avenue
4
Turn straight onto Maybaum Avenue
0.2 mi
·
27 sec
·
Maybaum Avenue
5
Continue on Oraton Parkway
0.1 mi
·
13 sec
·
Oraton Parkway
Use the straight lane.
6
Keep slight right at fork onto Oraton Parkway
0.3 mi
·
33 sec
·
Oraton Parkway
Use the straight lane.
7
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
21 sec
Toward GSP Toll South
8
Merge onto GSP
13 mi
·
18 min
·
Garden State Parkway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Continue on Garden State Parkway
1.3 mi
·
1 min
·
Garden State Parkway Southbound
10
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
27 sec
Exit 130B-A
Toward US 1: Newark, Trenton
Use the slight right lane.
11
Keep slight right at fork
0.3 mi
·
35 sec
Exit 130B
Toward US 1 South: Trenton
Use the slight right lane.
12
Merge onto US 1
0.1 mi
·
12 sec
·
US 1
13
Continue on US 1
2.1 mi
·
3 min
·
US 1
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
14
Continue on US 1
3.4 mi
·
5 min
·
US 1
15
Take the exit onto Woodbridge Avenue
0.7 mi
·
2 min
·
Woodbridge Avenue
Toward CR 514 West: Highland Park
16
Turn left onto Volkert Street
0.1 mi
·
21 sec
·
Volkert Street
17
Continue on Benner Street
0.3 mi
·
1 min
·
Benner Street
18
Turn left onto South 4th Avenue
0.1 mi
·
20 sec
·
South 4th Avenue
19
Turn right onto Harper Place
58 ft
·
2 sec
·
Harper Place
20
Arrive at destination
Harper Place
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 115 decision points cluster between mile 1.8 and 17.3 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
1.8 mi into trip
|
~3m in
|
Oraton Parkway
Keep slight right at fork onto Oraton Parkway
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
5
2.3 mi into trip
|
~4m in
|
GSP / Garden State Parkway
Merge onto GSP / Garden State Parkway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
16.9 mi into trip
|
~24m in
Take the exit toward US 1: Newark, Trenton
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 130B-A
Toward US 1: Newark, Trenton
9
17.1 mi into trip
|
~24m in
Keep slight right at fork toward US 1 South: Trenton
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 130B
Toward US 1 South: Trenton
4
17.3 mi into trip
|
~25m in
|
US 1
Merge onto US 1
Merge point - match speed before joining
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$4.03 one way
$8.06 round trip
$4.21/gal
25.4 MPG avg
9 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.61 | $4.41 | $8.82 |
| premium | $4.93 | $4.71 | $9.43 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $5.37 | $10.73 |
Estimated Tolls: $0.88
Garden State Parkway
(14.6 mi)
$0.88
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: 8.5 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 7.3 | 0 | $2.55 | $1.17 |
| Efficient EV | 6.1 | 0 | $2.13 | $0.97 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 9.7 | 0 | $3.40 | $1.56 |
Gas CO2
9 kg
EV CO2
3 kg (67% 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
Highland Park, NJ
Morning in Highland Park on Sunday
Local time
8:04 AM
EDT
Current temp
71°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
2 degrees warmer at arrival
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
38m 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 overwhelmingly highway-focused, with 90% of the journey taking place on major roadways. You'll spend a considerable portion of the 38 minutes on the Garden State Parkway, including a continuous stretch of 13.3 miles. The route begins with Garden State Parkway Southbound, transitions to US 1, and then returns to the Garden State Parkway Southbound. Expect a consistent, fast-paced driving experience for most of the 24.3 miles. The character remains largely consistent, prioritizing efficient travel over varied scenery.
90% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
20 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 13.3 mi on Garden State Parkway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
9/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Garden State Parkway and US 1. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 1.8 miles in near Oraton Parkway.
Driving Effort
9/10
Focused - lots of decisions in a short distance, but it is over quickly
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 11 decision points packed into just 24.3 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 38m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 1.8 miles (Oraton Parkway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 2.3 miles (GSP / Garden State Parkway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 16.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
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.
Between East Orange, NJ and Highland Park, NJ, road signs point toward Gsp Toll South, Trenton and Cr 514 West: Highland Park.
Gsp Toll South
2.1 mi in
|
~3m
Trenton
16.9 mi in
|
~24m
Cr 514 West: Highland Park
23 mi in
|
~34m
|
via Woodbridge Avenue
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 38m. Total distance: 24.3 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
38m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (90%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 13.3 miles on Garden State Parkway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Expect about $0.88 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 Highland Park, 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 1.8 miles (Oraton Parkway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 2.3 miles (GSP / Garden State Parkway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 16.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes — Thomas Edison National Historical Park, Paterson Great Falls National Historical Park and Morristown National Historical Park (4 total within detour distance). See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Highland Park, 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 NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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