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Trip from Paterson, NJ to Atlantic Highlands, NJ

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Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Jul 19, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

1h 13m

Distance

51.1 mi

82 km

Drive Score

7/10

Good drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$8

one way

EV Charging

Good

8 stations

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 18 min
4 AM
1h 8m ★
6 AM
1h 14m
8 AM
1h 26m
10 AM
1h 18m
12 PM
1h 17m
3 PM
1h 19m
5 PM
1h 25m
8 PM
1h 10m

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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city in and the county seat of Passaic County, New Jersey, United States

Paterson, NJ

Wikimedia Commons

Downtown Atlantic Highlands, NJ, NJ

Atlantic Highlands, NJ

Aisling Kerr

Trip Overview

Paterson, NJ to Atlantic Highlands, NJ is 51.1 miles and takes about 1h 13m via Garden State Parkway, with a fuel budget near $9 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays entirely within New Jersey, moving from the Northeast region down towards the coast. It's a straightforward drive that largely uses major parkways, making it a convenient option for a quick trip. You'll find this route is primarily highway-focused, so expect a steady pace for most of the drive. Consider this if you need a direct connection between these two points without much fuss.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
Garden State Parkway 31.1 mi 41m
Garden State Parkway Southbound 6.2 mi 8m
NJ 35 3.7 mi 5m
Leonardville Road 3.2 mi 4m
NJ 19 2 mi 2m
CR 516 1.9 mi 3m
East Garfield Avenue 0.3 mi 1m
Ward Street 0.3 mi <1m
Longest stretch: Garden State Parkway — 31.1 mi, about 41m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Paterson, NJ and Atlantic Highlands, NJ.

1

Start on Colt Street

216 ft · 17 sec · Colt Street
2

Turn right onto Ellison Street

0.2 mi · 28 sec · Ellison Street
3

Turn right onto Memorial Drive

0.1 mi · 14 sec · Memorial Drive
Use the right lane.
4

Turn right

267 ft · 9 sec
5

Turn straight onto Ward Street

0.3 mi · 34 sec · Ward Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
6

Continue on NJ 19

0.2 mi · 17 sec · Oliver Street
7

Turn slight left onto NJ 19

2.0 mi · 2 min · NJ 19
Use the slight left lane.
8

Take the exit

0.5 mi · 1 min
Toward GSP South Use the slight left lane.
9

Merge onto GSP

24 mi · 33 min · Garden State Parkway
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
10

Continue on Garden State Parkway

6.2 mi · 8 min · Garden State Parkway Southbound
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11

Keep slight left at fork onto GSP

0.7 mi · 49 sec · Garden State Parkway
12

Keep slight left at fork onto GSP

6.6 mi · 7 min · Garden State Parkway
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
13

Take the exit

0.6 mi · 1 min
Exit 117 Toward NJ 35, NJ 36 South: Hazlet, Keyport Use the slight right lane.
14

Keep slight left at fork

165 ft · 4 sec
Use the straight / right lanes.
15

Keep slight right at fork

0.2 mi · 27 sec
Toward NJ 35: Hazlet Use the straight / slight right lanes.
16

Merge onto NJ 35

3.7 mi · 5 min · NJ 35
17

Take the exit onto CR 516

0.1 mi · 20 sec · CR 516
Use the slight right lane.
18

Continue on CR 516

1.8 mi · 3 min · CR 516
Use the left lane.
19

Turn left onto CR 516

3.2 mi · 4 min · Leonardville Road
20

Take the ramp

348 ft · 9 sec
21

Merge onto NJ 36

0.2 mi · 22 sec · NJ 36
22

Take the exit

512 ft · 14 sec
Toward Athlantic Highlands, Business District, Seastreak Ferry
23

Continue on 1st Avenue

451 ft · 18 sec · 1st Avenue
24

Turn right onto East Garfield Avenue

0.3 mi · 1 min · East Garfield Avenue
25

Turn right onto Central Avenue

380 ft · 16 sec · Central Avenue
26

Arrive at destination

Central Avenue

Where to Stop

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

Downtown Metuchen, NJ, NJ

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Metuchen, NJ

26 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

New York City, NY

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 11 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Port Reading, NJ

Meal break

The midpoint is around 25.5 miles from Paterson, 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 20

5 decision points cluster between mile 0.2 and 50.5 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.

6
0.2 mi into trip | ~0m in | Memorial Drive

Turn right onto Memorial Drive

Lane positioning matters here

Use the right lane.
6
2.8 mi into trip | ~4m in

Take the exit toward GSP South

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

Use the slight left lane. Toward GSP South
8
40.7 mi into trip | ~55m in

Take the exit toward NJ 35, NJ 36 South: Hazlet, Keyport

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 117 Toward NJ 35, NJ 36 South: Hazlet, Keyport
8
41.3 mi into trip | ~56m in

Keep slight right at fork toward NJ 35: Hazlet

Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here

Use the straight / slight right lanes. Toward NJ 35: Hazlet
7
50.5 mi into trip | ~1h 11m in

Take the exit toward Athlantic Highlands, Business District, Seastreak Ferry

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

Toward Athlantic Highlands, Business District,...

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$8.15 one way

$16.30 round trip

$4.05/gal 25.4 MPG avg 18 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.48 $9.02 $18.03
premium $4.81 $9.67 $19.35
diesel $4.80 $9.65 $19.30

Estimated Tolls: $2.24

Garden State Parkway (37.3 mi) $2.24

Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.

Drive Cost (one way)

Fuel

$8

Tolls

$2

Total

$10

Estimated CO2 emission: 17.9 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-07-13.

Driving Electric?

About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 15.3 0 $5.37 $2.45
Efficient EV 12.8 0 $4.47 $2.04
EV Truck/SUV 20.4 0 $7.15 $3.27

Gas CO2

18 kg

EV CO2

6 kg (67% 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 Jul 13, 2026

Origin

Paterson, NJ

Afternoon in Paterson on Sunday

Local time

1:37 PM

EDT

Current temp

86°F

Sunny

SW 10 mph 1% chance Live forecast

Heat Advisory

Heat Advisory issued July 13 at 2:45PM EDT until July 15 at 8:00PM EDT by NWS Mount Holly NJ

Extreme Heat Watch

Extreme Heat Watch issued July 13 at 2:45PM EDT until July 15 at 8:00PM EDT by NWS Mount Holly NJ

Destination

Atlantic Highlands, NJ

Afternoon in Atlantic Highlands on Sunday

Local time

1:37 PM

EDT

Current temp

86°F

Sunny

S 10 mph 0% chance Live forecast

Heat Advisory

Heat Advisory issued July 13 at 2:45PM EDT until July 15 at 8:00PM EDT by NWS Mount Holly NJ

Extreme Heat Watch

Extreme Heat Watch issued July 13 at 2:45PM EDT until July 15 at 8:00PM EDT by NWS Mount Holly NJ

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

Very similar conditions

Both ends of the route are sitting at about the same temperature right now.

Road read

1h 13m 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?

This drive is 88% highway, meaning you'll spend most of your time on high-speed parkways. The longest continuous stretch on the highway is 31.1 miles on the Garden State Parkway. You'll transition to surface roads, specifically NJ 35, for the final portion of the trip as you approach your destination. Be prepared for a high volume of exits and merges as you navigate the parkway system before reaching more local roads.

88% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
26 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 31.1 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 Garden State Parkway Southbound. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.2 miles in near Memorial Drive.

Driving Effort 10/10

Demanding - stay alert through the decision-heavy sections

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

This drive requires moderate attention. Across 51.1 miles you will encounter 20 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: at 0.2 miles (Memorial Drive): Lane positioning matters here; at 2.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 40.7 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.

Elevation Profile

Mostly flat terrain

176 ft 7 ft

Total Climb

221 ft

Total Descent

273 ft

Highest Point

176 ft

~7.3 mi in

Elevation Range

169 ft

Towns Mentioned on Route Signs

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

Between Paterson, NJ and Atlantic Highlands, NJ, road signs point toward Gsp South and Keyport.

Gsp South

2.8 mi in | ~4m

Keyport

40.7 mi in | ~55m

About the Cities

Starting in Paterson, NJ

Full guide →

Founded 1792

For the township in the Hunter region of New South Wales, see Paterson (New South Wales). Paterson is New Jersey's third largest city (about 155,000 inhabitants as of 2022), and hosts a great attraction: the Great Falls, which are very extensive and second only to Niagara Falls in terms of volume of water in waterfalls east of the Mississippi. Paterson is 12 miles away from Manhattan. It is an ethnically diverse city that houses large Hispanic, Arab, Italian-American, African American and Bengali communities. South Paterson is home to one of the nation's largest Arab communities.

Top landmarks

  • • Great Falls — waterfalls on the Passaic River
  • • Passaic County Court House — courthouse in Paterson, New Jersey
  • • Lambert Castle — historic building in Paterson, New Jersey

Arriving in Atlantic Highlands, NJ

Full guide →

Founded 1887

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 1h 13m. Total distance: 51.1 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

1h 13m drive, comfortable solo distance.

EV Driver

0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (88%). Some complex stretches to watch for.

Frequently Asked Questions

The longest stretch is about 31.1 miles on Garden State Parkway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.

Expect about $2.24 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.

Yes — we found about 10 rest areas or service plazas within a short detour of the route (from OpenStreetMap). See the Rest Stops tab under Nearby Places for locations and mile markers. Plan to stretch, use the bathroom, and top off fluids every 2–3 hours on longer drives.

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 Atlantic Highlands, 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 0.2 miles (Memorial Drive): Lane positioning matters here; at 2.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 40.7 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 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 Atlantic Highlands, 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, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.

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