Origin
Monmouth Beach, NJ
Late night in Monmouth Beach on Sunday
Local time
4:08 AM
EDT
Current temp
67°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Monmouth Beach, NJ to Elizabeth, NJ
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
58m
Distance
38.3 mi
62 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$6
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 54m
★
6 AM
0h 59m
8 AM
1h 8m
10 AM
1h 2m
12 PM
1h 1m
3 PM
1h 3m
5 PM
1h 8m
8 PM
0h 56m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Monmouth Beach, NJ
David Kanigan
Elizabeth, NJ
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Monmouth Beach, NJ to Elizabeth, NJ is 38.3 miles and takes about 58 minutes via Garden State Parkway, with a fuel budget near $7 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within New Jersey, moving from the Northeast region to the Northeast region. It's a relatively short drive, making it a convenient option for a quick transit or a day trip. Given its duration, you can easily complete this journey in a single day, allowing for flexibility in your schedule. The route is primarily highway-focused, so expect consistent speeds for most of the drive.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Garden State Parkway | 17 mi | 20m |
| US 9 | 9.2 mi | 14m |
| Newman Springs Road | 1.9 mi | 2m |
| Seven Bridges Road | 1.6 mi | 2m |
| Carlton Street | 1.5 mi | 2m |
| Monmouth Boulevard | 1.3 mi | 2m |
| Patten Avenue | 0.9 mi | 2m |
| Rumson Road | 0.8 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
Garden State Parkway
— 17 mi, about 20m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Monmouth Beach, NJ and Elizabeth, NJ.
1
Start on Riverdale Avenue
469 ft
·
16 sec
·
Riverdale Avenue
2
Continue on Wesley Street
0.3 mi
·
51 sec
·
Wesley Street
3
Turn left onto Patten Avenue
0.9 mi
·
2 min
·
Patten Avenue
4
Turn right onto CR 33
1.3 mi
·
2 min
·
Monmouth Boulevard
5
Turn right onto CR 33
0.3 mi
·
36 sec
·
Myrtle Avenue
6
Continue on CR 33
1.6 mi
·
2 min
·
Seven Bridges Road
7
At end of road, turn left onto CR 520
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
Rumson Road
8
At end of road, turn right onto CR 520; CR 11
0.3 mi
·
31 sec
·
Branch Avenue
9
Turn left onto CR 520
0.6 mi
·
58 sec
·
Pinckney Road
10
At end of road, turn left onto CR 520
0.1 mi
·
20 sec
·
Broad Street
11
Turn right onto CR 520
1.9 mi
·
2 min
·
Newman Springs Road
12
Take the ramp
0.5 mi
·
1 min
Toward GSP Toll North
13
Merge onto GSP
6.3 mi
·
7 min
·
Garden State Parkway
14
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
12 sec
Toward Crossover to Express Roadway
Use the slight left lane.
15
Merge onto GSP
9.4 mi
·
11 min
·
Garden State Parkway
16
Take the exit onto GSP
1.2 mi
·
2 min
·
Garden State Parkway
Exit 127
Toward GSP North, US 9 North, NJ 440: Woodbridge, Staten Island
Use the slight right lane.
17
Keep slight right at fork
0.2 mi
·
24 sec
Exit 127
Toward US 9 North, I 287, NJ 440: Woodbridge, Staten Island
Use the slight right lane.
18
Keep slight left at fork
0.3 mi
·
45 sec
Toward US 9 North: Woodbridge
Use the slight left lane.
19
Merge onto US 9
9.2 mi
·
14 min
·
US 9
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
20
Keep slight left at fork onto US 1; US 9
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
East Edgar Road
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
21
Continue on US 1; US 9
1.5 mi
·
2 min
·
Carlton Street
22
Turn right
60 ft
·
6 sec
23
Turn right
383 ft
·
28 sec
24
Turn right
278 ft
·
22 sec
25
Turn right onto East Jersey Street
0.3 mi
·
50 sec
·
East Jersey Street
26
Turn right
34 ft
·
2 sec
27
Arrive at destination
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
19 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 38 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 19.1 miles from Monmouth Beach, 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 215 decision points cluster between mile 15 and 35.6 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
15 mi into trip
|
~23m in
Take the exit toward Crossover to Express Roadway
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left lane.
Toward Crossover to Express Roadway
8
24.6 mi into trip
|
~35m in
|
GSP / Garden State Parkway
Take the exit onto GSP / Garden State Parkway toward GSP North, US 9 North, NJ 440: Woodbridge, Staten Island
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 127
Toward GSP North, US 9 North, NJ 440: Woodbridg...
9
25.9 mi into trip
|
~37m in
Keep slight right at fork toward US 9 North, I 287, NJ 440: Woodbridge, Staten Island
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 127
Toward US 9 North, I 287, NJ 440: Woodbridge, S...
7
26.1 mi into trip
|
~37m in
Keep slight left at fork toward US 9 North: Woodbridge
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left lane.
Toward US 9 North: Woodbridge
6
35.6 mi into trip
|
~53m in
|
US 1; US 9 / East Edgar Road
Keep slight left at fork onto US 1; US 9 / East Edgar Road
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$6.35 one way
$12.70 round trip
$4.21/gal
25.4 MPG avg
13 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.61 | $6.95 | $13.91 |
| premium | $4.93 | $7.43 | $14.86 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $8.46 | $16.91 |
Estimated Tolls: $1.01
Garden State Parkway
(17 mi)
$1.01
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$6
Tolls
$1
Total
$7
Estimated CO2 emission: 13.4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 69% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 11.5 | 0 | $4.02 | $1.84 |
| Efficient EV | 9.6 | 0 | $3.35 | $1.53 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 15.3 | 0 | $5.36 | $2.45 |
Gas CO2
13 kg
EV CO2
4 kg (69% 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
Elizabeth, NJ
Late night in Elizabeth on Sunday
Local time
4:08 AM
EDT
Current temp
48°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
19 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
58m 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 route is characterized as a highway-focused drive, with 68% of it utilizing major roadways. You'll experience a significant portion of your journey on the Garden State Parkway, including the longest uninterrupted stretch of 17 miles. While mainly comprised of highway driving, the inclusion of US 9 and Newman Springs Road suggests some transitions to more local, albeit still direct, routes. Expect a generally efficient and straightforward driving experience, with the majority of the miles covered at higher speeds on the parkway.
68% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
27 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 17 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 US 9. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 15 miles in.
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 21 decision points packed into just 38.3 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 58m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 15 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 24.6 miles (GSP / Garden State Parkway): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 25.9 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. 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 Monmouth Beach, NJ and Elizabeth, NJ, road signs point toward Gsp Toll North, Crossover To Express Roadway, Gsp North and Staten Island.
Gsp Toll North
8.2 mi in
|
~15m
Crossover To Express Roadway
15 mi in
|
~23m
Gsp North
24.6 mi in
|
~35m
|
via GSP
Staten Island
24.6 mi in
|
~35m
|
via GSP
About the Cities
Arriving in Elizabeth, NJ
Full guide →Elizabeth is the fourth largest city in 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 58m. Total distance: 38.3 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
58m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (68%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 17 miles on Garden State Parkway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Expect about $1.01 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 Elizabeth, 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 15 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 24.6 miles (GSP / Garden State Parkway): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 25.9 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes — Thomas Edison National Historical Park, Gateway National Recreation Area and Paterson Great Falls 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 Elizabeth, 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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