This 72.1-mile drive from Lakewood to River Vale, New Jersey, is a straightforward trip that can easily be completed in about 1 hour and 47 minutes. It's a perfect option for a single-day excursion, requiring no overnight stays. With an estimated fuel cost of $12, it's also an economical choice for your travels within the Northeast region. The route is primarily highway-focused, making for an efficient journey. You'll find this drive to be practical and direct, ideal for getting from point A to point B without much fuss.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Midpoint
36 miles from Lakewood, NJ
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 54m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Garden State Parkway
39.8 mi
55m
US Highway 9
26 mi
38m
Forest Avenue
1.1 mi
1m
Madison Avenue
1 mi
1m
Oradell Avenue
0.7 mi
1m
3rd Avenue
0.7 mi
1m
Westwood Avenue
0.6 mi
1m
4th Avenue
0.6 mi
1m
Longest stretch:
Garden State Parkway
— 39.8 mi, about 55m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Lakewood, NJ and River Vale, NJ.
1
Start on 8th Street
46 ft·4 sec·8th Street
2
Turn right onto US 9; CR 547
1.0 mi·1 min·Madison Avenue
Use the straight / right lanes.
3
Continue on US 9
26 mi·38 min·US Highway 9
Use the straight lane.
4
Take the exit
0.4 mi·1 min
Toward GSP North: Garden State Parkway
5
Merge onto GSP
40 mi·55 min·Garden State Parkway
Use the straight lane.
6
Take the exit
0.3 mi·36 sec
Exit 165A-BToward Ridgewood, OradellUse the slight right lane.
7
Keep slight right at fork
0.2 mi·25 sec
Exit 165AToward OradellUse the slight right lane.
8
Turn right onto CR 80
0.7 mi·1 min·Oradell Avenue
9
Turn left onto CR 59
1.1 mi·1 min·Forest Avenue
Use the left lane.
10
Continue on CR 59
0.6 mi·1 min·4th Avenue
11
Keep slight right at fork onto CR 59
0.7 mi·1 min·3rd Avenue
12
At end of road, turn right onto CR 502; CR 110
309 ft·7 sec·Washington Avenue
13
Continue on CR 110
0.2 mi·24 sec·Westwood Avenue
14
Turn slight right onto CR 110
0.4 mi·1 min·Harrington Avenue
15
Continue on CR 110
0.1 mi·15 sec·Cedar Lane
16
Continue on CR 110
0.4 mi·1 min·Westwood Avenue
17
Turn left onto Rockland Avenue
305 ft·15 sec·Rockland Avenue
18
Turn right onto Park Place
171 ft·7 sec·Park Place
19
Arrive at destination
Park Place
Trip Plan
Given the relatively short duration of this 1 hour and 47-minute drive, you have a lot of flexibility in planning your departure. Consider leaving early to avoid potential traffic, especially if you're traveling on a weekday. With no designated stops provided, you can choose your own adventure for breaks, perhaps pulling over during the longest stretch on the Garden State Parkway if needed. Keep an eye on your fuel, as the estimated cost is $12, and plan your refueling accordingly before you get too low. Since this is a single-day trip, you can easily adjust your timing based on your needs.
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 36 miles from Lakewood, NJ, or about 54m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 39.8 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 16 miles or 24m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 36 miles or 54m 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 29m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near River Vale, NJ than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Lakewood, NJ so your first major turns are already loaded.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Lakewood, NJ
This is one driving day of about 72.1 miles and 1h 47m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 16 miles from Lakewood, NJ.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on Garden State Parkway for about 39.8 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 11
5 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 68.3 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
0 mi into trip|~0m in|US 9; CR 547 / Madison Avenue
Turn right onto US 9; CR 547 / Madison Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
5
27.4 mi into trip|~42m in|GSP / Garden State Parkway
Merge onto GSP / Garden State Parkway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
8
67.2 mi into trip|~1h 37m in
Take the exit toward Ridgewood, Oradell
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 165A-B
Toward Ridgewood, Oradell
9
67.4 mi into trip|~1h 38m in
Keep slight right at fork toward Oradell
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 165A
Toward Oradell
6
68.3 mi into trip|~1h 39m in|CR 59 / Forest Avenue
Turn left onto CR 59 / Forest Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$11.95 one way
$23.91 round trip
$4.21/gal25.4 MPG avg25 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.61
$13.09
$26.18
premium
$4.93
$13.98
$27.97
diesel
$5.61
$15.92
$31.84
Estimated Tolls: $2.39
Garden State Parkway
(39.8 mi)$2.39
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
$12
Tolls
$2
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$39–$64
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 25.2 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $8 in charging
· 0 stops
· 68% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
21.6
0
$7.57
$3.46
Efficient EV
18
0
$6.31
$2.88
EV Truck/SUV
28.8
0
$10.09
$4.61
Gas CO2
25 kg
EV CO2
8 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 Apr 16, 2026
Origin
Lakewood, NJ
Morning
in Lakewood on Sunday
Local time
6:17 AM
EDT
Current temp
70°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
River Vale, NJ
Morning
in River Vale on Sunday
Local time
6:17 AM
EDT
Current temp
45°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
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
25 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
1h 47m 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.
National Parks Near This Route
Worth a detour if your schedule allows.
Paterson Great Falls National Historical Park
National Historical Park
Silk cloth and steam locomotives; textiles and continuous paper rolls; firearms and aircraft engines. What do these things have in common? All were manufactured in the same place - Paterson, NJ. In 17...
Today, the brick buildings on Main Street in West Orange, NJ seem quiet, betraying little evidence of the research, development, and innovation of their heyday. Visitors can step back in time to Thoma...
Morristown National Historical Park commemorates the sites of General Washington and the Continental Army’s winter encampment from December 1779 to June 1780, where soldiers survived the coldest winte...
15 mi from route
~37 min detour
Free
near mile 42.3
Spanning 27,000 acres from Sandy Hook in New Jersey to Breezy Point in New York City, the park is both the gateway from the ocean into New York Harbor, and the gateway to the National Park Service for...
20 mi from route
~49 min detour
Free
near mile 47.2
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
Expect a highly highway-focused experience on this 72.1-mile route, with 91% of the drive occurring on major roadways. You'll spend a significant portion of your time on the Garden State Parkway, including a continuous stretch of 39.8 miles. This means you'll encounter a relatively fast-paced environment for most of the journey, with less time spent on slower, local roads. The character of the drive is consistent, offering a predictable and efficient travel experience largely defined by the highway system.
91% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
19 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 39.8 mi on Garden State Parkway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
7/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Garden State Parkway and US Highway 9. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near US 9; CR 547 / Madison Avenue.
Driving Effort7/10
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 72.1 miles you will encounter 11 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: near the start (US 9; CR 547 / Madison Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 27.4 miles (GSP / Garden State Parkway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 67.2 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.
Between Lakewood, NJ and River Vale, NJ, road signs point toward Ridgewood and Oradell.
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 47m. Total distance: 72.1 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 47m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (91%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 39.8 miles on Garden State Parkway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Expect about $2.39 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 River Vale, 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: near the start (US 9; CR 547 / Madison Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 27.4 miles (GSP / Garden State Parkway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 67.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes — Paterson Great Falls National Historical Park, Thomas Edison 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 River Vale, NJ before heading back.
