Skip to main content

Trip from Paterson, NJ to Monmouth 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

1h 21m

Distance

57.6 mi

93 km

Drive Score

7/10

Good drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$10

one way

EV Charging

Good

8 stations

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 19 min
4 AM
1h 15m ★
6 AM
1h 21m
8 AM
1h 34m
10 AM
1h 25m
12 PM
1h 24m
3 PM
1h 26m
5 PM
1h 33m
8 PM
1h 17m

Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.

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

Paterson, NJ

Wikimedia Commons

Downtown Monmouth Beach, NJ, NJ

Monmouth Beach, NJ

David Kanigan

Trip Overview

Paterson, NJ to Monmouth Beach, NJ is 57.6 miles and takes about 1h 21m via the Garden State Parkway, with a fuel budget near $10 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This drive stays within the Northeast region, specifically New Jersey, making it a convenient trip for those in the Garden State. It's a straightforward, highway-focused journey that's perfect for a single-day excursion. Given the relatively short distance and duration, you won't need to worry about overnight stays or extensive planning.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
Garden State Parkway 39.3 mi 51m
Garden State Parkway Southbound 6.2 mi 8m
Newman Springs Road 2.1 mi 3m
NJ 19 2 mi 2m
Seven Bridges Road 1.6 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 — 39.3 mi, about 51m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Paterson, NJ and Monmouth Beach, 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 right at fork onto GSP

15 mi · 17 min · Garden State Parkway
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
13

Take the exit

0.3 mi · 1 min
Exit 109 Toward CR 520: Red Bank, Lincroft Use the slight right lane.
14

Turn left onto CR 520

127 ft · 2 sec · Newman Springs Road
15

Continue on CR 520

2.0 mi · 3 min · Newman Springs Road
Use the straight lane.
16

Turn left onto NJ 35; CR 520

0.1 mi · 16 sec · Broad Street
17

Turn right onto CR 520

0.6 mi · 50 sec · Pinckney Road
18

Continue on CR 520; CR 11

0.3 mi · 36 sec · Branch Avenue
19

Turn left onto CR 520

0.8 mi · 1 min · Rumson Road
20

Turn right onto CR 33

1.6 mi · 2 min · Seven Bridges Road
21

Continue on CR 33

0.3 mi · 36 sec · Myrtle Avenue
Use the left lane.
22

Turn left onto CR 33

1.3 mi · 2 min · Monmouth Boulevard
Use the left lane.
23

Turn left onto Patten Avenue

0.9 mi · 2 min · Patten Avenue
24

At end of road, turn right onto Wesley Street

0.3 mi · 48 sec · Wesley Street
25

Continue on Riverdale Avenue

469 ft · 16 sec · Riverdale Avenue
26

Arrive at destination

Riverdale Avenue

Where to Stop

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

city in Union County, New Jersey, United States of America

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Rahway, NJ

29 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

Concord, NY

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 13 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

Rahway, NJ

Meal break

The midpoint is around 28.8 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 18

5 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 48.9 — 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.
8
48.9 mi into trip | ~1h 4m in

Take the exit toward CR 520: Red Bank, Lincroft

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 109 Toward CR 520: Red Bank, Lincroft

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$9.55 one way

$19.10 round trip

$4.21/gal 25.4 MPG avg 20 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.61 $10.46 $20.92
premium $4.93 $11.17 $22.34
diesel $5.61 $12.72 $25.43

Estimated Tolls: $2.73

Garden State Parkway (45.5 mi) $2.73

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

Drive Cost (one way)

Fuel

$10

Tolls

$3

Total

$12

Estimated CO2 emission: 20.2 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $6 in charging · 0 stops · 65% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 17.3 0 $6.05 $2.76
Efficient EV 14.4 0 $5.04 $2.30
EV Truck/SUV 23 0 $8.06 $3.69

Gas CO2

20 kg

EV CO2

7 kg (65% 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 Apr 18, 2026

Origin

Paterson, NJ

Morning in Paterson on Sunday

Local time

10:40 AM

EDT

Current temp

69°F

Mostly Sunny

SE 2 to 10 mph 1% chance Live forecast

Destination

Monmouth Beach, NJ

Morning in Monmouth Beach on Sunday

Local time

10:40 AM

EDT

Current temp

67°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

2 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

1h 21m 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 is a highway-focused drive with 82% of the route utilizing major roadways. You'll spend the majority of your time on the Garden State Parkway, including a continuous stretch of 39.3 miles. Expect a consistent driving experience for much of the trip, characterized by the efficiency of highway travel. Newman Springs Road will likely be part of your approach to the final destination, offering a slight shift in character as you get closer to Monmouth Beach.

82% 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: 39.3 mi on Garden State Parkway.

How Hard Is This Drive?

8/10

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 Effort 8/10

Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

This drive requires moderate attention. Across 57.6 miles you will encounter 18 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.

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 Monmouth Beach, NJ, road signs point toward Cr 520: Red Bank and Lincroft.

Cr 520: Red Bank

48.9 mi in | ~1h 4m

Lincroft

48.9 mi in | ~1h 4m

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 21m. Total distance: 57.6 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

1h 21m drive, comfortable solo distance.

EV Driver

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

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (82%). Some complex stretches to watch for.

Frequently Asked Questions

The longest stretch is about 39.3 miles on Garden State Parkway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.

Expect about $2.73 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 Monmouth 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: 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 Monmouth 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.

Was this helpful?

Thanks for your feedback!

Your tip has been submitted. Thanks!

/500

Explore More

Explore more options from Paterson, NJ or browse trips ending in Monmouth Beach, NJ.

Looking for more statewide routes? Browse NJ road trips.