Skip to main content
US Trip Planner Logo
US Trip Planner

Trip from Paterson, NJ to Vista Center, NJ

Pin this trip

Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Sep 12, 2026 · Editorial standards

Drive Time

1h 26m

Distance

58.3 mi

94 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 20 min
4 AM
1h 20m ★
6 AM
1h 27m
8 AM
1h 40m
10 AM
1h 32m
12 PM
1h 30m
3 PM
1h 32m
5 PM
1h 40m
8 PM
1h 23m

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

Best Time
Google Maps Waze Apple Maps
Download GPX
city in and the county seat of Passaic County, New Jersey, United States

Paterson, NJ

Wikimedia Commons

Downtown Vista Center, NJ, NJ

Vista Center, NJ

Dajana Blakcori

Trip Overview

This 58.3-mile drive from Paterson, NJ, to Vista Center, NJ, is a straightforward, highway-focused journey that can easily be completed in about 1 hour and 26 minutes. With an estimated fuel cost of $10, it's an economical option for a day trip. The route primarily utilizes the Garden State Parkway and US Highway 9, making it a convenient option for those looking to stay on well-traveled roads. You'll be spending most of your time on the highway, so prepare for a driving experience that prioritizes efficiency over scenic detours. Given its short duration and minimal stops, this trip is ideal for a single-day excursion within the Northeast region.

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
Garden State Parkway 25 mi 34m
US Highway 9 17.6 mi 26m
Garden State Parkway Southbound 6.2 mi 8m
Jackson Mills Road 5 mi 8m
NJ 19 2 mi 2m
Eltone Road 0.8 mi 3m
Ward Street 0.3 mi <1m
Oliver Street 0.2 mi <1m
Longest stretch: Garden State Parkway — 25 mi, about 34m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Paterson, NJ and Vista Center, 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

0.4 mi · 29 sec · Garden State Parkway
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
13

Take the exit

0.4 mi · 46 sec
Exit 123 Toward US 9 South: Sayreville, Old Bridge Use the slight right lane.
14

Merge onto US 9

18 mi · 26 min · US Highway 9
Use the straight / right lanes.
15

Turn right onto Jackson Mills Road

5.0 mi · 8 min · Jackson Mills Road
Use the straight / right lanes.
16

Turn right onto Eltone Road

0.8 mi · 3 min · Eltone Road
17

Turn left

470 ft · 34 sec
18

Arrive at destination

Where to Stop

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

Downtown Metuchen, NJ, NJ

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Metuchen, 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

New York City, NY

Fuel and coffee

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

Staten Island, NY

Meal break

The midpoint is around 29.2 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 14

5 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 34.5 — 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
34.5 mi into trip | ~47m in

Take the exit toward US 9 South: Sayreville, Old Bridge

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 123 Toward US 9 South: Sayreville, Old Bridge

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$10.02 one way

$20.04 round trip

$4.37/gal 25.4 MPG avg 20 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.79 $10.99 $21.99
premium $5.13 $11.77 $23.54
diesel $5.97 $13.70 $27.39

Estimated Tolls: $1.87

Garden State Parkway (31.2 mi) $1.87

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

Drive Cost (one way)

Fuel

$10

Tolls

$2

Total

$12

Estimated CO2 emission: 20.4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-09-07.

Driving Electric?

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

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 17.5 0 $6.12 $2.80
Efficient EV 14.6 0 $5.10 $2.33
EV Truck/SUV 23.3 0 $8.16 $3.73

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 Sep 1, 2026

Origin

Paterson, NJ

Morning in Paterson on Saturday

Local time

6:48 AM

EDT

Current temp

66°F

Showers And Thunderstorms then Mostly Cloudy

NE 5 mph 89% chance Live forecast

Special Weather Statement

Special Weather Statement issued September 1 at 5:58PM EDT by NWS Upton NY

Severe Thunderstorm Watch

Severe Thunderstorm Watch issued September 1 at 4:35PM EDT until September 2 at 12:00AM EDT by NWS Mount Holly NJ

Destination

Vista Center, NJ

Morning in Vista Center on Saturday

Local time

6:48 AM

EDT

Current temp

68°F

Chance Showers And Thunderstorms then Mostly Cloudy

NE 0 to 5 mph 62% chance Live forecast

Special Weather Statement

Special Weather Statement issued September 1 at 5:58PM EDT by NWS Upton NY

Severe Thunderstorm Watch

Severe Thunderstorm Watch issued September 1 at 4:35PM EDT until September 2 at 12:00AM 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

2 degrees warmer at arrival

A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.

Road read

1h 26m 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?

Expect a predominantly highway-focused drive, with 87% of the journey taking place on major roadways. You'll navigate stretches of the Garden State Parkway and US Highway 9, offering a consistent driving pace for much of the trip. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is approximately 25 miles on the Garden State Parkway. While the route is largely highway-centric, be aware that transitions between these main roads will occur. The overall feel is that of a functional commute rather than a leisurely exploration, designed for getting from point A to point B efficiently.

87% 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: 25 mi on Garden State Parkway.

How Hard Is This Drive?

9/10

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Garden State Parkway and US Highway 9. 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 9/10

Demanding - stay alert through the decision-heavy sections

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

This drive requires moderate attention. Across 58.3 miles you will encounter 14 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.

Elevation Profile

Mostly flat terrain

169 ft 63 ft

Total Climb

287 ft

Total Descent

243 ft

Highest Point

169 ft

~12.5 mi in

Elevation Range

106 ft

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 Vista Center, NJ

Full guide →

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 26m. Total distance: 58.3 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

1h 26m drive, comfortable solo distance.

EV Driver

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

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (87%). Some complex stretches to watch for.

Frequently Asked Questions

The longest stretch is about 25 miles on Garden State Parkway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.

Expect about $1.87 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 Vista Center, 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 Vista Center, 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.

Was this helpful?

Thanks for your feedback!

Your tip has been submitted. Thanks!

/500

Explore More

More from Paterson, NJ

Wildwood, NJ 158.7 mi · 3h 14m Erma, NJ 158.2 mi · 3h 13m North Wildwood, NJ 157.8 mi · 3h 13m Fairton, NJ 133.8 mi · 2h 55m Harmony, NJ 128.4 mi · 2h 50m Linwood, NJ 128 mi · 2h 39m

More trips to Vista Center, NJ

Camden, NJ 58 mi Passaic, NJ 55.2 mi
Escape planner: Paterson, NJ Scenic drives in NJ

Explore more options from Paterson, NJ or browse trips ending in Vista Center, NJ.

Looking for more statewide routes? Browse NJ road trips.