Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
2h 39m
Distance
128 mi
206 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$21
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Paterson, NJ
Wikimedia Commons
Linwood, NJ
Wikimedia Commons
Traveling from Paterson to Linwood covers 128 miles through the heart of New Jersey, typically taking about 2 hours and 39 minutes. Because this is a turn-heavy local drive rather than a straight highway shot, it is best suited as a single-day trip. You should budget approximately $21 for fuel to complete the journey. Navigating via Ellison Street, Memorial Drive, and Ward Street keeps you on local arteries, providing a different perspective of the Northeast region than a standard interstate commute. While the duration is manageable for a one-day excursion, the local road focus means you should plan for plenty of intersections and varying traffic patterns.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
Midpoint
64 miles from Paterson, NJ
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 1h 22m into the drive .
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Garden State Parkway | 113.7 mi | 2h 17m |
| Garden State Parkway Southbound | 6.2 mi | 8m |
| Tilton Road | 2.4 mi | 4m |
| Shore Road | 2.1 mi | 3m |
| NJ 19 | 2 mi | 2m |
| Ward Street | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| Oliver Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
| Ellison Street | 0.2 mi | <1m |
Step-by-step road directions between Paterson, NJ and Linwood, NJ.
Start on Colt Street
Turn right onto Ellison Street
Turn right onto Memorial Drive
Turn right
Turn straight onto Ward Street
Continue on NJ 19
Turn slight left onto NJ 19
Take the exit
Merge onto GSP
Continue on Garden State Parkway
Keep slight left at fork onto GSP
Keep slight right at fork onto GSP
Take the exit
Turn straight onto CR 563
Turn right onto CR 585
Arrive at destination
Given the local nature of this 128-mile route, flexibility is your greatest advantage for planning. Aim to depart outside of peak local traffic hours to ensure your 2-hour and 39-minute travel time doesn't balloon due to city congestion. You should budget for at least one planned stop to stretch your legs, as the continuous turns can be more tiring than highway driving. Since fuel costs will run you about $21, consider fueling up before you hit the more congested local stretches to avoid unnecessary detours. Keep a close eye on your navigation apps while traveling through Ellison Street, Memorial Drive, and Ward Street, as the turn-heavy profile requires frequent course checks.
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.
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 28 miles or 39m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 64 miles or 1h 22m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 2h 9m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Linwood, NJ than in the middle of the route.
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 128 miles and 2h 39m.
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
64 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.
A short stop after about 28 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
The midpoint is around 64 miles from Paterson, NJ, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Before the longest stretch
Fuel checkTop up before Garden State Parkway if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 113.7 miles.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
5 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 123.3 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
Turn right onto Ellison Street
Navigation decision point
Turn right onto Memorial Drive
Lane positioning matters here
Take the exit toward GSP South
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Keep slight right at fork onto GSP / Garden State Parkway
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Take the exit toward CR 563: Northfield, Margate City
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Regular Gas
$21.22 one way
$42.44 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.61 | $23.24 | $46.48 |
| premium | $4.93 | $24.82 | $49.65 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $28.26 | $56.52 |
Estimated Tolls: $7.19
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
$21
Tolls
$7
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$53–$78
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 44.8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $13 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 38.4 | 0 | $13.44 | $6.14 |
| Efficient EV | 32 | 0 | $11.20 | $5.12 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 51.2 | 0 | $17.92 | $8.19 |
Gas CO2
45 kg
EV CO2
15 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.
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Origin
Night in Paterson on Saturday
Local time
9:12 PM
EDT
Current temp
87°F
Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms
Destination
Night in Linwood on Saturday
Local time
9:12 PM
EDT
Current temp
49°F
Unavailable
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
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.
Road read
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.
Worth a detour if your schedule allows.
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...
National Historical Park
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...
National Historical Park
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...
National Recreation Area
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...
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
Expect a hands-on driving experience as this route is entirely local, featuring a 0% highway share. You will be navigating turn-heavy roads that demand your full attention, moving away from the typical monotonous interstate grind. Because you are sticking to local infrastructure, the road changes frequently as you transition between neighborhoods and town centers. This configuration makes for a technical drive where the pace is dictated by local traffic lights and road designs rather than high-speed cruising. Be prepared to stay alert behind the wheel, as the lack of highway stretches means you will be actively maneuvering through the state for the duration of the 128-mile trip.
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Garden State Parkway and Garden State Parkway Southbound. You will hit about 12 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near Ellison Street.
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 128 miles you will encounter 12 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 (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.
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 2h 39m. Total distance: 128 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
2h 39m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (95%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
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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