If you are planning a quick excursion within New Jersey, this 94.1-mile route from Paterson to Lincoln Park is a straightforward choice. You can expect to spend about 2 hours behind the wheel, making it an ideal candidate for a simple day trip that requires no overnight stay. Budgeting approximately $16 for fuel should cover your needs for the journey. Since the trip takes place entirely within the Northeast region, you will remain in familiar territory throughout your travels. Because it is a compact drive, you have the flexibility to head out whenever it fits your schedule.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Midpoint
47.1 miles from Paterson, NJ
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 2m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Garden State Parkway
82 mi
1h 41m
Garden State Parkway Southbound
6.2 mi
8m
NJ 19
2 mi
2m
South Barnegat Boulevard
0.9 mi
2m
West Bay Avenue
0.6 mi
1m
Village Drive
0.4 mi
1m
Ward Street
0.3 mi
<1m
Lighthouse Drive
0.2 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
Garden State Parkway
— 82 mi, about 1h 41m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Paterson, NJ and Lincoln Park, 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 SouthUse 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 right at fork onto GSP
57 mi·1 hr 7 min·Garden State Parkway
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
13
Take the exit
0.4 mi·41 sec
Exit 67AToward CR 554 East: BarnegatUse the slight right lane.
14
Turn right onto (105)
0.2 mi·38 sec·Lighthouse Drive
15
Turn right onto West Bay Avenue
0.6 mi·1 min·West Bay Avenue
Use the straight lane.
16
Turn right onto CR 8
0.9 mi·2 min·South Barnegat Boulevard
17
Turn right onto Village Drive
0.4 mi·1 min·Village Drive
18
Arrive at destination
Village Drive
Trip Plan
Since this is a relatively short 2-hour drive, you have the luxury of departing at your convenience without needing to worry about complex pacing or multiple overnight stops. With zero scheduled stops included in this itinerary, you can easily complete the entire 94.1 miles in one go. Keep an eye on your fuel gauge before you merge onto the Garden State Parkway to ensure you have enough of your $16 gas budget allocated. Because the route relies so heavily on the highway system, try to avoid peak rush hours to ensure you maintain that 2-hour travel time. Flexibility is your biggest asset here, so feel free to adjust your departure to best suit your personal traffic tolerance.
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 47.1 miles from Paterson, NJ, or about 1h 2m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 82 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 21 miles or 29m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 47.1 miles or 1h 2m 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 37m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Lincoln Park, NJ than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Paterson, NJ so your first major turns are already loaded.
+
Leave with enough water and a charging cable within reach, not packed away.
+
Check your fuel range against the first long segment, especially if you are starting outside city service areas.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Paterson, NJ
This is one driving day of about 94.1 miles and 2h.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 21 miles from Paterson, 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 82 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 13
5 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 91.6 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
0 mi into trip|~0m in|Ellison Street
Turn right onto Ellison Street
Navigation decision point
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
6
34.1 mi into trip|~47m 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.
7
91.6 mi into trip|~1h 54m in
Take the exit toward CR 554 East: Barnegat
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 67A
Toward CR 554 East: Barnegat
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$16.64 one way
$33.28 round trip
$4.49/gal25.4 MPG avg33 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.92
$18.23
$36.45
premium
$5.24
$19.43
$38.86
diesel
$5.35
$19.82
$39.64
Estimated Tolls: $5.29
Garden State Parkway
(88.2 mi)$5.29
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
$17
Tolls
$5
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$47–$72
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 32.9 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-06-01.
Driving Electric?
About $10 in charging
· 0 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
28.2
0
$9.88
$4.52
Efficient EV
23.5
0
$8.23
$3.76
EV Truck/SUV
37.6
0
$13.17
$6.02
Gas CO2
33 kg
EV CO2
11 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 Jun 1, 2026
Origin
Paterson, NJ
Afternoon
in Paterson on Wednesday
Local time
3:56 PM
EDT
Current temp
58°F
Mostly Cloudy
N 1 mph10% chanceLive forecast
Destination
Lincoln Park, NJ
Afternoon
in Lincoln Park on Wednesday
Local time
3:56 PM
EDT
Current temp
58°F
Mostly Cloudy
NW 5 mph0% chanceLive 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
Very similar conditions
Both ends of the route are sitting at about the same temperature right now.
Road read
2h 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.
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...
0 mi from route
~1 min detour
Free
Caution: Limited Amphitheater Accessibility
Caution: Overlook Park Parking Lot - Vehicles Must Be Parked in a Designated Spot
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 19.5
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...
18 mi from route
~45 min detour
Free
near mile 45.4
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
Expect a high-speed, highway-focused experience as you navigate this 94.1-mile path, with 96% of the trip spent on major thoroughfares. You will spend the vast majority of your time cruising on the Garden State Parkway, which accounts for an 82-mile stretch of the journey. This is a classic interstate grind designed for efficiency rather than leisurely winding roads. By utilizing NJ 19 and the Garden State Parkway Southbound, you can maintain a consistent pace from start to finish. It is a no-nonsense transit route that prioritizes speed and direct connectivity between these two points.
96% 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: 82 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 Garden State Parkway Southbound. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near Ellison Street.
Driving Effort7/10
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a demanding drive. With 13 significant decision points across 94.1 miles, you will need to stay alert - especially through interchange areas and urban stretches. Consider splitting it into segments if you are not comfortable with fast highway navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (Ellison Street): Navigation decision point; 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.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
178 ft14 ft
Total Climb
378 ft
Total Descent
389 ft
Highest Point
178 ft
~13.4 mi in
Elevation Range
164 ft
Detours Along the Way
Tagged by where each one fits in your drive — first break, midpoint, final stretch.
Sweetwaters Coffee & Tea
Cafe
Later in the drive, short detour
Final third
2.1 mi from route
~5 min detour
Toms River, NJ
Hours: Mo-Th 07:00-18:00; Fr 07:00-19:00; Sa 08...
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
Lincoln Park is a borough in Morris County, New Jersey. It is the easternmost municipality in Morris County, and it har a population of about 10,000 people in 2019.
Top landmarks
•John Dods House — historic house in Morris County, New Jersey
Doable as a same-day drive at 2h. Total distance: 94.1 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
2h drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (96%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 82 miles on Garden State Parkway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Expect about $5.29 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 Lincoln Park, NJ before sunset when you can. Check the Trip Plan for departure windows that land you in daylight.
Only with planning. This is a long drive for kids — consider splitting it into two days rather than pushing through. Dedicated rest areas are limited, so plan gas or food stops as your bathroom breaks.
The main spots that need attention: near the start (Ellison Street): Navigation decision point; 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.
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 Lincoln Park, NJ before heading back.
