Origin
Sea Bright, NJ
Morning in Sea Bright on Sunday
Local time
6:28 AM
EDT
Current temp
47°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Sea Bright, NJ to Lakewood, NJ
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
42m
Distance
28.4 mi
46 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$5
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 39m
★
6 AM
0h 43m
8 AM
0h 50m
10 AM
0h 45m
12 PM
0h 45m
3 PM
0h 46m
5 PM
0h 50m
8 PM
0h 41m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Sea Bright, NJ
Aisling Kerr
Lakewood, NJ
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Sea Bright to Lakewood is 28.4 miles and takes about 42 minutes via NJ 18, with a fuel budget near $5 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This relatively short trip stays within New Jersey, connecting two points in the Northeast region. It's a straightforward drive that's perfect for a quick commute or an easy day trip. With a mixed highway and surface road profile, you'll experience a bit of both faster travel and local cruising.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| NJ 18 | 8.2 mi | 9m |
| Joline Avenue | 5.1 mi | 8m |
| Lakewood Farmingdale Road | 4.3 mi | 6m |
| Ocean Avenue | 2.7 mi | 5m |
| Central Jersey Expressway | 2.7 mi | 3m |
| NJ 138 | 1.7 mi | 2m |
| Squankum Road | 1 mi | 1m |
| Ocean Boulevard North | 0.7 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
NJ 18
— 8.2 mi, about 9m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Sea Bright, NJ and Lakewood, NJ.
1
Start on East Church Street
23 ft
·
6 sec
·
East Church Street
2
Turn left onto NJ 36
305 ft
·
8 sec
·
Ocean Avenue
3
Continue on NJ 36
2.6 mi
·
5 min
·
Ocean Avenue
4
Continue on NJ 36
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
Ocean Boulevard North
5
Turn right onto NJ 36
5.1 mi
·
8 min
·
Joline Avenue
6
Take the exit
0.6 mi
·
1 min
Toward NJ 18: Point Pleasant, New Burnswick
7
Keep slight left at fork
0.5 mi
·
1 min
Toward NJ 18 South: Port Pleasant
8
Merge onto NJ 18
8.2 mi
·
9 min
·
NJ 18
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Keep slight right at fork
0.2 mi
·
25 sec
Exit 6B
Toward NJ 138 West: Point Pleasant
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Merge onto NJ 138
1.7 mi
·
2 min
·
NJ 138
Use the straight / right lanes.
11
Continue on I 195
2.7 mi
·
3 min
·
Central Jersey Expressway
12
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
47 sec
Exit 31A
Toward CR 547 South
Use the right lane.
13
Turn straight onto CR 547
4.3 mi
·
6 min
·
Lakewood Farmingdale Road
Use the left lane.
14
Continue on CR 547
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
Squankum Road
15
Turn right onto CR 547
0.4 mi
·
51 sec
·
9th Street
16
Turn left onto US 9; CR 547
360 ft
·
12 sec
·
Madison Avenue
17
Turn left onto 8th Street
46 ft
·
2 sec
·
8th Street
Use the left lane.
18
Arrive at destination
8th Street
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 125 decision points cluster between mile 8.5 and 28.4 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
8.5 mi into trip
|
~15m in
Take the exit toward NJ 18: Point Pleasant, New Burnswick
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward NJ 18: Point Pleasant, New Burnswick
5
9 mi into trip
|
~16m in
Keep slight left at fork toward NJ 18 South: Port Pleasant
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Toward NJ 18 South: Port Pleasant
8
17.7 mi into trip
|
~26m in
Keep slight right at fork toward NJ 138 West: Point Pleasant
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 6B
Toward NJ 138 West: Point Pleasant
7
22.3 mi into trip
|
~32m in
Take the exit toward CR 547 South
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Exit 31A
Toward CR 547 South
7
28.4 mi into trip
|
~42m in
|
8th Street
Turn left onto 8th Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$4.71 one way
$9.42 round trip
$4.21/gal
25.4 MPG avg
10 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.61 | $5.16 | $10.31 |
| premium | $4.93 | $5.51 | $11.02 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $6.27 | $12.54 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$5
Estimated CO2 emission: 9.9 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 70% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 8.5 | 0 | $2.98 | $1.36 |
| Efficient EV | 7.1 | 0 | $2.49 | $1.14 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 11.4 | 0 | $3.98 | $1.82 |
Gas CO2
10 kg
EV CO2
3 kg (70% 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.
Destination
Lakewood, NJ
Morning in Lakewood on Sunday
Local time
6:28 AM
EDT
Current temp
70°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
23 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
42m on the road
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.
What kind of drive is this?
This route is 44% highway, meaning you'll spend less than half the trip on faster-paced roads. The longest continuous stretch on a main road is 8.2 miles on NJ 18. You'll transition from more developed areas to potentially less congested surface streets as you approach your destination. Expect a moderate number of exits and intersections along the way.
44% highway, the rest on surface roads — varied driving throughout.
18 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 8.2 mi on NJ 18.
How Hard Is This Drive?
9/10
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 8.5 miles in.
Driving Effort
9/10
Focused - lots of decisions in a short distance, but it is over quickly
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 12 decision points packed into just 28.4 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 42m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 8.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 9 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully; at 17.7 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. 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.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Sea Bright, NJ and Lakewood, NJ, road signs point toward New Burnswick and Cr 547 South.
New Burnswick
8.5 mi in
|
~15m
Cr 547 South
22.3 mi in
|
~32m
About the Cities
Arriving in Lakewood, NJ
Full guide →Lakewood is a town in Ocean County, New Jersey.
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 42m. Total distance: 28.4 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
42m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (44%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Scenic Drive
Mixed highway & surface route profile with national parks nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 8.2 miles on NJ 18. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Yes — we found about 1 rest area or service plaza 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 Lakewood, 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: at 8.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 9 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully; at 17.7 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes — Gateway National Recreation Area. 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 Lakewood, 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.
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