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Trip from Harding, NJ to Middletown, NJ

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Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Sep 2, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

2h 1m

Distance

89 mi

143 km

Drive Score

9/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$15

one way

EV Charging

Excellent

28 DC fast

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 27 min
4 AM
1h 52m ★
6 AM
2h 1m
8 AM
2h 19m
10 AM
2h 7m
12 PM
2h 6m
3 PM
2h 8m
5 PM
2h 18m
8 PM
1h 56m

Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.

Best Time
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township in New Jersey, United States

Harding, NJ

Wikimedia Commons

township in Monmouth County, New Jersey, United States

Middletown, NJ

Wikimedia Commons

Trip Overview

The drive from Harding, NJ to Middletown, NJ covers 89 miles and takes about 2h 1m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.

The route leans on New Jersey Turnpike, Veterans Memorial Highway, East Main Street for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mixed highway & surface. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 41.7 miles on New Jersey Turnpike. At current regular gas prices, budget about $14.87 one way before food or hotel costs.

Trip Pace

Same-day drive is realistic

A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.

Midpoint

44.5 miles from Harding, NJ

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 57m into the drive .

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
New Jersey Turnpike 41.7 mi 48m
Veterans Memorial Highway 12.9 mi 15m
East Main Street 9.4 mi 14m
Franklin Street 9.3 mi 13m
Middletown Lincroft Road 4.4 mi 7m
NJ 33 Business 3 mi 5m
Swimming River Road 1.8 mi 3m
West Main Street 0.8 mi 1m
Longest stretch: New Jersey Turnpike — 41.7 mi, about 48m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Harding, NJ and Middletown, NJ.

1

Start on Willow Grove Road

167 ft · 4 sec · Willow Grove Road
2

Turn left onto CR 538

0.1 mi · 14 sec · Elk Road
3

Turn right onto CR 553

0.6 mi · 55 sec · Buck Road
4

Take the ramp

0.3 mi · 43 sec
Toward NJ 55 North: Bellmawr Use the left lane.
5

Merge onto NJ 55

13 mi · 15 min · Veterans Memorial Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6

Take the exit onto Exit 58

0.3 mi · 29 sec · Exit 58
Exit 58 Toward Deptford, Almonesson Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7

Continue on Deptford Center Road

0.6 mi · 1 min · Deptford Center Road
Use the straight / left / right lanes.
8

Turn left onto NJ 41

0.7 mi · 1 min · Hurffville Road
Use the left / straight lanes.
9

Continue on NJ 41; CR 544

0.3 mi · 45 sec · Clements Bridge Road
Use the straight lane.
10

Keep slight left at fork onto NJ 41

0.8 mi · 1 min · West Clements Bridge Road
11

Turn left onto NJ 168

0.8 mi · 1 min · Black Horse Pike
Use the straight / right lanes.
12

Take the ramp

0.3 mi · 33 sec
Toward NJTP Toll: New Jersey Turnpike
13

Keep slight left at fork

0.6 mi · 1 min
Toward NJTP North: New York Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
14

Merge onto NJTP

23 mi · 26 min · New Jersey Turnpike
15

Keep slight right at fork onto NJTP

19 mi · 21 min · New Jersey Turnpike
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
16

Turn right onto NJ 33

9.3 mi · 13 min · Franklin Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
17

Take the exit onto NJ 33 Business

3.0 mi · 5 min · NJ 33 Business
Toward NJ 33 Business East: Freehold Business District Use the slight right lane.
18

Turn left onto CR 537

0.8 mi · 1 min · West Main Street
Use the left lane.
19

Keep slight right at fork onto CR 537

9.4 mi · 14 min · East Main Street
Use the left lane.
20

Turn left onto CR 50

1.8 mi · 3 min · Swimming River Road
Use the left lane.
21

Continue on CR 50

4.4 mi · 7 min · Middletown Lincroft Road
22

Continue on CR 50

0.3 mi · 37 sec · Church Street
23

At end of road, turn right onto CR 50

35 ft · 0 sec · Kings Highway
24

Arrive at destination

CR 50

Trip Plan

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.

You can normally do this drive in one day.
You may only need one short stretch break if traffic stays light.
The halfway point lands around 44.5 miles from Harding, NJ, or about 57m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 41.7 miles.

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 20 miles or 28m in

Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.

Halfway reset

Around 44.5 miles or 57m 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 38m

Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Middletown, NJ than in the middle of the route.

Before You Leave

+

Open the route before leaving Harding, NJ so your first major turns are already loaded.

+

Leave with enough water and a charging cable within reach, not packed away.

+

Check your fuel range against the first long segment, especially if you are starting outside city service areas.

Day 1

Settle into the route from Harding, NJ

This is one driving day of about 89 miles and 2h 1m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 20 miles from Harding, NJ.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on New Jersey Turnpike for about 41.7 miles.

Where to Stop

Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.

Downtown Lawrence, NJ, NJ

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Lawrence, NJ

45 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.

Pacing Suggestions

Center City, PA

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 20 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Bristol, PA

Meal break

The midpoint is around 44.5 miles from Harding, 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.

Heads-up: tricky spots

5 of 18

5 decision points cluster between mile 14 and 72.2 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.

8
14 mi into trip | ~17m in | Exit 58

Take the exit onto Exit 58 toward Deptford, Almonesson

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one

Use the straight / slight right lanes. Exit 58 Toward Deptford, Almonesson
7
17.7 mi into trip | ~25m in

Keep slight left at fork toward NJTP North: New York

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the slight left / slight right lanes. Toward NJTP North: New York
6
41.4 mi into trip | ~53m in | NJTP / New Jersey Turnpike

Keep slight right at fork onto NJTP / New Jersey Turnpike

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
6
69.2 mi into trip | ~1h 28m in | NJ 33 Business

Take the exit onto NJ 33 Business toward NJ 33 Business East: Freehold Business District

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here

Use the slight right lane. Toward NJ 33 Business East: Freehold Business D...
6
72.2 mi into trip | ~1h 33m in | CR 537 / West Main Street

Turn left onto CR 537 / West Main Street

Lane positioning matters here

Use the left lane.

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$14.87 one way

$29.74 round trip

$4.24/gal 25.4 MPG avg 31 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.67 $16.37 $32.73
premium $5.01 $17.56 $35.12
diesel $5.60 $19.62 $39.24

Estimated Tolls: $5.83

New Jersey Turnpike (41.7 mi) $5.83

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

$15

Tolls

$6

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$46–$71

Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.

Estimated CO2 emission: 31.1 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-08-31.

EV Charging Along Route

28 DC fast chargers · Coverage: excellent

Lawnside, NJ - Tesla Supercharger

Lawnside, NJ

Tesla

32 DCFC

Blackwood, NJ - Tesla Supercharger

Blackwood, NJ

Tesla

16 DCFC

Deptford, NJ - Tesla Supercharger

Deptford, NJ

Tesla

12 DCFC

Marlton, NJ - Tesla Supercharger

Marlton, NJ

Tesla

12 DCFC

Gloucester City, NJ - Tesla Supercharger

Gloucester City, NJ

Tesla

8 DCFC

Bellmawr, NJ - Tesla Supercharger

Bellmawr, NJ

Tesla

8 DCFC

Magnolia, NJ - Tesla Supercharger

Magnolia, NJ

Tesla

8 DCFC

Walmart 4456 (Somerdale, NJ)

Somerdale, NJ

Electrify America

8 DCFC

Tesla: 9 Electrify America: 5 ChargePoint Network: 4 eVgo Network: 3 Blink Network: 3 FORD_CHARGE: 2 APPLEGREEN: 1 IONNA: 1

Station data from NREL Alternative Fuel Stations database.

Driving Electric?

About $9 in charging · 0 stops · 68% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 26.7 0 $9.35 $4.27
Efficient EV 22.3 0 $7.79 $3.56
EV Truck/SUV 35.6 0 $12.46 $5.70

Gas CO2

31 kg

EV CO2

10 kg (68% 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.

Forecast as of Sep 2, 2026

Origin

Harding, NJ

Late night in Harding on Wednesday

Local time

3:19 AM

EDT

Current temp

70°F

Scattered Showers And Thunderstorms then Mostly Cloudy

0 mph 50% chance Live forecast

Severe Thunderstorm Warning

Severe Thunderstorm Warning issued September 1 at 10:12PM EDT until September 1 at 11:00PM EDT by NWS Mount Holly NJ

Severe Thunderstorm Warning

Severe Thunderstorm Warning issued September 1 at 10:09PM EDT until September 1 at 10:30PM EDT by NWS Mount Holly NJ

Destination

Middletown, NJ

Late night in Middletown on Wednesday

Local time

3:19 AM

EDT

Current temp

68°F

Chance Showers And Thunderstorms then Mostly Cloudy

NE 0 to 5 mph 66% chance Live forecast

Severe Thunderstorm Warning

Severe Thunderstorm Warning issued September 1 at 10:12PM EDT until September 1 at 11:00PM EDT by NWS Mount Holly NJ

Severe Thunderstorm Warning

Severe Thunderstorm Warning issued September 1 at 10:09PM EDT until September 1 at 10:30PM EDT by NWS Mount Holly NJ

80°F

Lawrence, NJ

45 mi in

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

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 cooler at arrival

A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.

Road read

2h 1m on the road

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.

What kind of drive is this?

89 mi in 2h 1m — 50% highway, the rest on surface roads. Biggest road: New Jersey Turnpike.

50% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
24 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 41.7 mi on New Jersey Turnpike.

How Hard Is This Drive?

9/10

This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 14 miles in near Exit 58.

Driving Effort 9/10

High effort - long or complex enough to need steady focus all day

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

This is a demanding drive. With 18 significant decision points across 89 miles, you will need to stay alert - especially through interchange areas and urban stretches. Consider splitting it into segments if you are not comfortable with fast highway navigation.

Where does it get tricky?

The main spots that need attention: at 14 miles (Exit 58): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 17.7 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 41.4 miles (NJTP / New Jersey Turnpike): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.

Elevation Profile

Mostly flat terrain

158 ft 28 ft

Total Climb

189 ft

Total Descent

196 ft

Highest Point

158 ft

~70.6 mi in

Elevation Range

130 ft

Towns Mentioned on Route Signs

Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.

Between Harding, NJ and Middletown, NJ, road signs point toward Deptford, Almonesson, Njtp Toll: New Jersey Turnpike and Njtp North: New York.

Deptford

14 mi in | ~17m | via Exit 58

Almonesson

14 mi in | ~17m | via Exit 58

Njtp Toll: New Jersey Turnpike

17.5 mi in | ~25m

Njtp North: New York

17.7 mi in | ~25m

About the Cities

Starting in Harding, NJ

Full guide →

Top landmarks

  • • Tempe Wick Road-Washington Corners Historic District — historic district in Morris County, New Jersey
  • • Peter Kemble House — historic house in Morris County, New Jersey

Arriving in Middletown, NJ

Full guide →

Founded 1693

Middletown is a bedroom community of New York City in Monmouth County, New Jersey. Middletown sits on the Raritan Bay within the Raritan Valley region. This article also covers Highlands borough. Residents like Middletown for its central location and proximity to the rest of the Jersey Shore.

Top landmarks

  • • Sandy Hook Light — lighthouse in New Jersey, United States
  • • All Saint's Memorial Church — historic church in Navesink, New Jersey
  • • PS Alexander Hamilton

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 2h 1m. Total distance: 89 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

2h 1m drive, comfortable solo distance.

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (50%). Some complex stretches to watch for.

Scenic Drive

Mixed highway & surface route profile with national parks nearby.

Frequently Asked Questions

The longest stretch is about 41.7 miles on New Jersey Turnpike. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.

Expect about $5.83 in tolls one way, starting with New Jersey Turnpike. 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 Middletown, NJ before sunset when you can. Check the Trip Plan for departure windows that land you in daylight.

Only with planning. This is a long drive for kids — consider splitting it into two days rather than pushing through. Dedicated rest areas are limited, so plan gas or food stops as your bathroom breaks.

The main spots that need attention: at 14 miles (Exit 58): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 17.7 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 41.4 miles (NJTP / New Jersey Turnpike): 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 Middletown, 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, USGS 3DEP for elevation, NREL for EV charging, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.

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