Origin
Paterson, NJ
Night in Paterson on Saturday
Local time
9:13 PM
EDT
Current temp
61°F
Unavailable
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
3h 7m
Distance
153.8 mi
248 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$26
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
Whitesboro, NJ
James Kampeis
Planning a trip from Paterson, NJ, to Whitesboro, NJ? This 153.8-mile journey is designed for a single day, taking an estimated 3 hours and 7 minutes to complete. You'll primarily be on the Garden State Parkway Southbound and NJ 19, with the highway making up 98% of the route. With a projected fuel cost of around $26, this drive offers a straightforward travel experience within the Northeast region. It's an efficient way to cover ground, with a single recommended stop point, making it manageable for most travelers looking for a direct path.
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
76.9 miles from Paterson, NJ
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 1h 37m into the drive .
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Garden State Parkway | 143.2 mi | 2h 51m |
| Garden State Parkway Southbound | 6.2 mi | 8m |
| NJ 19 | 2 mi | 2m |
| Shore Road | 0.6 mi | <1m |
| Ward Street | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| North Wildwood Boulevard | 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 Whitesboro, 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 left onto NJ 147
Turn left onto US 9
Arrive at destination
For this 153.8-mile drive, starting early is a good strategy to maximize daylight and potentially avoid some traffic, especially as you begin in the Northeast. Since the total duration is just over 3 hours, you can easily complete this in one day without needing an overnight stay. The estimated fuel cost is $26, so ensure your tank is full before you depart. Given the longest stretch is over 143 miles on the Garden State Parkway, plan your single recommended stop accordingly to refuel or stretch your legs before hitting that extended section.
Morning Departure
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Evening Departure
A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.
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 34 miles or 47m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 76.9 miles or 1h 37m 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 34m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Whitesboro, 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 153.8 miles and 3h 7m.
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
77 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 34 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
The midpoint is around 76.9 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 143.2 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 152.8 — 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 NJ 147: North Wildwood, Whitesboro
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Regular Gas
$25.50 one way
$51.00 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.61 | $27.93 | $55.85 |
| premium | $4.93 | $29.83 | $59.66 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $33.96 | $67.91 |
Estimated Tolls: $8.96
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
$26
Tolls
$9
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$59–$84
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 53.8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $16 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 46.1 | 0 | $16.15 | $7.38 |
| Efficient EV | 38.5 | 0 | $13.46 | $6.15 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 61.5 | 0 | $21.53 | $9.84 |
Gas CO2
54 kg
EV CO2
18 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
9:13 PM
EDT
Current temp
61°F
Unavailable
Destination
Night in Whitesboro on Saturday
Local time
9:13 PM
EDT
Current temp
50°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
Use the two city cards together: check the sky where you start, then compare it with the local time and temperature at arrival.
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 highway-focused drive for the vast majority of this trip, with 98% of the route utilizing major roadways. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is a significant 143.2 miles, primarily on the Garden State Parkway. This suggests a consistent pace for much of the drive, allowing you to settle in. While the specific scenery isn't detailed, the highway-centric profile indicates you'll be on well-maintained roads designed for efficient travel, rather than winding scenic byways.
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 153.8 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.
Mostly flat terrain
Total Climb
244 ft
Total Descent
309 ft
Highest Point
170 ft
~44 mi in
Elevation Range
161 ft
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 3h 7m. Total distance: 153.8 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
3h 7m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (98%). 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, 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
Recent Tips
·
Explore more options from Paterson, NJ or browse trips ending in Whitesboro, NJ.
Looking for more statewide routes? Browse NJ road trips.