Origin
Matawan, NJ
Morning in Matawan on Tuesday
Local time
7:02 AM
EDT
Current temp
46°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Matawan, NJ to Toms River, NJ
Pin this tripCompiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 21, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
49m
Distance
39.5 mi
64 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$7
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 45m
★
6 AM
0h 49m
8 AM
0h 57m
10 AM
0h 52m
12 PM
0h 51m
3 PM
0h 52m
5 PM
0h 57m
8 PM
0h 47m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Matawan, NJ
Wikimedia Commons
Toms River, NJ
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
If you are looking for a quick transition from Matawan to Toms River, this 39.5-mile journey is a straightforward commute that fits easily into a single day. You can expect to spend about 49 minutes behind the wheel, making it an efficient trip that requires no overnight stops. Budgeting approximately $7 for fuel will cover your transit across the Northeast region of New Jersey. Because the route is short and highly accessible, you have the flexibility to head out whenever it suits your schedule. It is a practical, no-nonsense drive that connects two points in the same state without the need for extensive planning.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Garden State Parkway | 36 mi | 41m |
| North Main Street | 0.7 mi | 1m |
| Main Street | 0.5 mi | <1m |
| Lower Main Street | 0.5 mi | <1m |
| Route 37 West | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| Gerard Avenue | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| Lloyd Road | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| Ravine Drive | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Garden State Parkway
— 36 mi, about 41m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Matawan, NJ and Toms River, NJ.
1
Start on Little Street
238 ft
·
15 sec
·
Little Street
2
Turn left onto Jackson Street
139 ft
·
10 sec
·
Jackson Street
3
Turn left onto CR 6A
266 ft
·
13 sec
·
Ravine Drive
4
Turn left onto CR 516
0.5 mi
·
50 sec
·
Main Street
5
Continue on CR 516
0.5 mi
·
51 sec
·
Lower Main Street
6
Turn right onto Gerard Avenue
0.3 mi
·
45 sec
·
Gerard Avenue
7
Turn right onto CR 3
0.2 mi
·
18 sec
·
Lloyd Road
8
Take the ramp
0.6 mi
·
1 min
Toward GSP Toll South
9
Merge onto GSP
36 mi
·
41 min
·
Garden State Parkway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
48 sec
Exit 82
Toward NJ 37 East: Seaside Heights, Island Beach State Park
Use the right lane.
11
Merge onto NJ 37
0.3 mi
·
33 sec
·
Route 37 West
12
Turn right onto NJ 166
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
North Main Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
13
Turn left
78 ft
·
5 sec
14
Arrive at destination
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
20 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
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 39.5 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 19.7 miles from Matawan, 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 115 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 38.8 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
4
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
Jackson Street
Turn left onto Jackson Street
Navigation decision point
5
1.4 mi into trip
|
~3m in
|
CR 3 / Lloyd Road
Turn right onto CR 3 / Lloyd Road
Navigation decision point
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
38.2 mi into trip
|
~46m in
Take the exit toward NJ 37 East: Seaside Heights, Island Beach State Park
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the right lane.
Exit 82
Toward NJ 37 East: Seaside Heights, Island Beac...
5
38.8 mi into trip
|
~47m in
|
NJ 166 / North Main Street
Turn right onto NJ 166 / North Main Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$6.55 one way
$13.10 round trip
$4.21/gal
25.4 MPG avg
14 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.61 | $7.17 | $14.34 |
| premium | $4.93 | $7.66 | $15.32 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $8.72 | $17.44 |
Estimated Tolls: $2.16
Garden State Parkway
(36 mi)
$2.16
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$7
Tolls
$2
Total
$9
Estimated CO2 emission: 13.8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 64% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 11.9 | 0 | $4.15 | $1.90 |
| Efficient EV | 9.9 | 0 | $3.46 | $1.58 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 15.8 | 0 | $5.53 | $2.53 |
Gas CO2
14 kg
EV CO2
5 kg (64% 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
Toms River, NJ
Morning in Toms River on Tuesday
Local time
7:02 AM
EDT
Current temp
61°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
15 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
49m 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?
Expect a highway-focused experience, as 92% of this trip is spent on major thoroughfares. You will spend the vast majority of your time on the Garden State Parkway, which accounts for a 36-mile uninterrupted stretch of your travel. The transition from the Parkway onto North Main Street and Main Street marks the final phase of your arrival in Toms River. While the route is dominated by high-speed interstate driving, the brief shift to local streets toward the end provides a clear change in pace. It is a functional, efficient drive that prioritizes speed and directness over winding scenic detours.
92% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
14 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 36 mi on Garden State Parkway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
6/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Garden State Parkway and North Main Street. You will hit about 11 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near Jackson Street.
Driving Effort
6/10
Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 39.5 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 (Jackson Street): Navigation decision point; at 1.4 miles (CR 3 / Lloyd Road): Navigation decision point; at 2.3 miles (GSP / Garden State Parkway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
About the Cities
Arriving in Toms River, NJ
Full guide →Founded 1768
Toms River is the county seat of Ocean County, New Jersey. It is a few miles west of the beaches of the Jersey Shore Region, midway between New York and Philadelphia and a short distance from Atlantic City. Toms River is easy to get to by car as the Garden State Parkway bisects the town, and it is served by express bus service to and from New York City.
Top landmarks
- • Ocean County Courthouse — county courthouse in Ocean County, New Jersey
- • Stoutenburgh-Minturn House — historic house in Ocean County, New Jersey
- • Captain Amos Birdsall House — historic house in Ocean County, New Jersey
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 49m. Total distance: 39.5 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
49m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (92%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 36 miles on Garden State Parkway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Expect about $2.16 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 Toms River, 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 (Jackson Street): Navigation decision point; at 1.4 miles (CR 3 / Lloyd Road): Navigation decision point; at 2.3 miles (GSP / Garden State Parkway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes — Gateway National Recreation Area, Thomas Edison National Historical Park and Morristown National Historical Park. 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 Toms River, 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.
Was this helpful?
Thanks for your feedback!
Your tip has been submitted. Thanks!
/500
Recent Tips
·
Explore More
Continue From Toms River, NJ
More from Matawan, NJ
More trips to Toms River, NJ
Explore more options from Matawan, NJ or browse trips ending in Toms River, NJ.
Looking for more statewide routes? Browse NJ road trips.