Origin
Menlo Park, NJ
Afternoon in Menlo Park on Sunday
Local time
12:17 PM
EDT
Current temp
45°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Menlo Park, NJ to Point Pleasant Beach, NJ
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
52m
Distance
40.9 mi
66 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$7
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 48m
★
6 AM
0h 53m
8 AM
1h 1m
10 AM
0h 56m
12 PM
0h 55m
3 PM
0h 56m
5 PM
1h 1m
8 PM
0h 50m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Menlo Park, NJ
Wikimedia Commons
Point Pleasant Beach, NJ
Mary V
Trip Overview
Menlo Park to Point Pleasant Beach is 40.9 miles and takes about 52 minutes via the Garden State Parkway and NJ 34/35, with a fuel budget near $7 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This is a straightforward, highway-focused drive within New Jersey, making it ideal for a quick day trip or a short segment of a larger Northeast journey. Expect a significant portion of your travel to be on the Garden State Parkway. Given its relatively short length and the estimated fuel cost, this route is an economical and time-efficient option for getting from one point to another in the Garden State.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Garden State Parkway | 32.9 mi | 38m |
| NJ 34 | 3.3 mi | 3m |
| NJ 35 | 2.4 mi | 4m |
| Middlesex-Essex Turnpike | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| Lincoln Highway | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| Philip Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| Wood Avenue | <0.1 mi | <1m |
| American Legion Way | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Garden State Parkway
— 32.9 mi, about 38m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Menlo Park, NJ and Point Pleasant Beach, NJ.
1
Start on Philip Street
0.2 mi
·
35 sec
·
Philip Street
2
At end of road, turn left onto NJ 27
0.2 mi
·
25 sec
·
Lincoln Highway
3
Turn right onto CR 649
497 ft
·
21 sec
·
Wood Avenue
4
Turn left onto CR 657
0.2 mi
·
46 sec
·
Middlesex-Essex Turnpike
Use the left lane.
5
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
26 sec
Toward GSP Toll South
Use the slight right lane.
6
Merge onto GSP
5.6 mi
·
7 min
·
Garden State Parkway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Keep slight left at fork onto GSP
0.7 mi
·
49 sec
·
Garden State Parkway
8
Keep slight right at fork onto GSP
27 mi
·
30 min
·
Garden State Parkway
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
9
Take the exit
0.6 mi
·
1 min
Exit 98
Toward NJ 138 East, I 195 West, NJ 34: Belmar, Trenton
Use the slight right lane.
10
Keep slight left at fork
0.2 mi
·
20 sec
Toward NJ 34 South, NJ 34 North, I 195 West: Brielle, Trenton
11
Keep slight left at fork
0.6 mi
·
1 min
Toward NJ 34 South: Brielle
Use the straight lane.
12
Merge onto NJ 34
0.6 mi
·
45 sec
·
NJ 34
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Enter roundabout onto NJ 34
228 ft
·
2 sec
·
NJ 34
14
Continue on NJ 34
2.6 mi
·
3 min
·
NJ 34
15
Continue on NJ 35
2.4 mi
·
4 min
·
NJ 35
16
Turn left onto American Legion Way
416 ft
·
23 sec
·
American Legion Way
17
Turn left onto NJ 35
175 ft
·
2 sec
·
Cincinnati Avenue
18
Arrive at destination
NJ 35
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 40.9 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 20.5 miles from Menlo Park, 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 145 decision points cluster between mile 0.5 and 34.5 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
0.5 mi into trip
|
~1m in
|
CR 657 / Middlesex-Essex Turnpike
Turn left onto CR 657 / Middlesex-Essex Turnpike
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
6
0.7 mi into trip
|
~2m in
Take the ramp toward GSP Toll South
Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Toward GSP Toll South
6
7.3 mi into trip
|
~10m in
|
GSP / Garden State Parkway
Keep slight right at fork onto GSP / Garden State Parkway
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
8
33.8 mi into trip
|
~41m in
Take the exit toward NJ 138 East, I 195 West, NJ 34: Belmar, 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 98
Toward NJ 138 East, I 195 West, NJ 34: Belmar,...
7
34.5 mi into trip
|
~42m in
Keep slight left at fork toward NJ 34 South: Brielle
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
Toward NJ 34 South: Brielle
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$6.78 one way
$13.56 round trip
$4.21/gal
25.4 MPG avg
14 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.61 | $7.43 | $14.85 |
| premium | $4.93 | $7.93 | $15.86 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $9.03 | $18.06 |
Estimated Tolls: $1.97
Garden State Parkway
(32.9 mi)
$1.97
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: 14.3 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 | 12.3 | 0 | $4.29 | $1.96 |
| Efficient EV | 10.2 | 0 | $3.58 | $1.64 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 16.4 | 0 | $5.73 | $2.62 |
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
Point Pleasant Beach, NJ
Afternoon in Point Pleasant Beach on Sunday
Local time
12:17 PM
EDT
Current temp
68°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
23 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
52m 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 predominantly highway-focused, with a 95% highway share, giving it a consistent pace for most of the 40.9 miles. You'll spend the longest uninterrupted stretch, 32.9 miles, on the Garden State Parkway. While the majority of the journey keeps you on this main artery, the route incorporates NJ 34 and NJ 35, which may offer a slight shift in scenery and traffic patterns as you approach your destination. The overall feel is efficient and direct, designed for covering distance quickly rather than exploring winding backroads.
95% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
18 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 32.9 mi on Garden State Parkway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
10/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Garden State Parkway and NJ 34. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.5 miles in near CR 657 / Middlesex-Essex Turnpike.
Driving Effort
10/10
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 14 decision points packed into just 40.9 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 52m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.5 miles (CR 657 / Middlesex-Essex Turnpike): Lane positioning matters here; at 0.7 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 7.3 miles (GSP / Garden State Parkway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
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.
On the drive from Menlo Park, NJ to Point Pleasant Beach, NJ, road signs begin pointing toward Trenton along the way.
Trenton
33.8 mi in
|
~41m
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 52m. Total distance: 40.9 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
52m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (95%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 32.9 miles on Garden State Parkway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Expect about $1.97 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 Point Pleasant Beach, 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 0.5 miles (CR 657 / Middlesex-Essex Turnpike): Lane positioning matters here; at 0.7 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 7.3 miles (GSP / Garden State Parkway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes — Thomas Edison National Historical Park, Morristown National Historical Park and Gateway National Recreation Area (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 Point Pleasant Beach, 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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