Origin
Surf City, NJ
Afternoon in Surf City on Sunday
Local time
12:30 PM
EDT
Current temp
61°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Surf City, NJ to Elizabeth, 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 50m
Distance
84 mi
135 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$14
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 42m
★
6 AM
1h 50m
8 AM
2h 6m
10 AM
1h 56m
12 PM
1h 54m
3 PM
1h 57m
5 PM
2h 6m
8 PM
1h 45m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Surf City, NJ
Jimmy Boos
Elizabeth, NJ
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from Surf City, NJ to Elizabeth, NJ covers 84 miles and takes about 1h 50m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Garden State Parkway, US 9, Manahawkin Bay Bridge for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mostly highway. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 62.8 miles on Garden State Parkway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $13.93 one way before food or hotel costs.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Midpoint
42 miles from Surf City, NJ
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 53m into the drive .
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Garden State Parkway | 62.8 mi | 1h 14m |
| US 9 | 9.2 mi | 14m |
| Manahawkin Bay Bridge | 6.4 mi | 9m |
| Carlton Street | 1.5 mi | 2m |
| North Central Avenue | 1 mi | 2m |
| East Edgar Road | 0.7 mi | 1m |
| West 8th Street | 0.4 mi | <1m |
| East Jersey Street | 0.3 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Garden State Parkway
— 62.8 mi, about 1h 14m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Surf City, NJ and Elizabeth, NJ.
1
Start on North 12th Street
498 ft
·
26 sec
·
North 12th Street
2
Turn left onto CR 89
1.0 mi
·
2 min
·
North Central Avenue
Use the straight / left / right lanes.
3
Turn right onto NJ 72
0.3 mi
·
39 sec
·
West 8th Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
4
Continue on NJ 72
154 ft
·
3 sec
·
West 8th Street
Toward Manahawkin
5
Continue on NJ 72
6.4 mi
·
9 min
·
Manahawkin Bay Bridge
Toward Manahawkin
6
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
36 sec
Toward GSP Toll North
Use the right lane.
7
Continue on GSP Northbound entrance ramp
0.2 mi
·
25 sec
·
GSP Northbound entrance ramp
Toward GSP North
8
Merge onto GSP
39 mi
·
46 min
·
Garden State Parkway
Use the straight lane.
9
Keep slight left at fork
0.5 mi
·
31 sec
10
Continue on GSP
22 mi
·
26 min
·
Garden State Parkway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Take the exit onto GSP
1.2 mi
·
2 min
·
Garden State Parkway
Exit 127
Toward GSP North, US 9 North, NJ 440: Woodbridge, Staten Island
Use the slight right lane.
12
Keep slight right at fork
0.2 mi
·
24 sec
Exit 127
Toward US 9 North, I 287, NJ 440: Woodbridge, Staten Island
Use the slight right lane.
13
Keep slight left at fork
0.3 mi
·
45 sec
Toward US 9 North: Woodbridge
Use the slight left lane.
14
Merge onto US 9
9.2 mi
·
14 min
·
US 9
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
15
Keep slight left at fork onto US 1; US 9
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
East Edgar Road
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
16
Continue on US 1; US 9
1.5 mi
·
2 min
·
Carlton Street
17
Turn right
60 ft
·
6 sec
18
Turn right
383 ft
·
28 sec
19
Turn right
278 ft
·
22 sec
20
Turn right onto East Jersey Street
0.3 mi
·
50 sec
·
East Jersey Street
21
Turn right
34 ft
·
2 sec
22
Arrive at destination
Trip Plan
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.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
You may only need one short stretch break if traffic stays light.
The halfway point lands around 42 miles from Surf City, NJ, or about 53m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 62.8 miles.
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 18 miles or 25m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 42 miles or 53m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 1h 28m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Elizabeth, NJ than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Surf City, NJ so your first major turns are already loaded.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Surf City, NJ
This is one driving day of about 84 miles and 1h 50m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 18 miles from Surf City, NJ.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
The longest stretch is on Garden State Parkway for about 62.8 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
42 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
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 18 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 42 miles from Surf City, 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 62.8 miles.
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 155 decision points cluster between mile 0.1 and 71.8 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
0.1 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
CR 89 / North Central Avenue
Turn left onto CR 89 / North Central Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / left / right lanes.
6
1.1 mi into trip
|
~2m in
|
NJ 72 / West 8th Street
Turn right onto NJ 72 / West 8th Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
8
70.4 mi into trip
|
~1h 26m in
|
GSP / Garden State Parkway
Take the exit onto GSP / Garden State Parkway toward GSP North, US 9 North, NJ 440: Woodbridge, Staten Island
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 127
Toward GSP North, US 9 North, NJ 440: Woodbridg...
9
71.6 mi into trip
|
~1h 28m in
Keep slight right at fork toward US 9 North, I 287, NJ 440: Woodbridge, Staten Island
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 127
Toward US 9 North, I 287, NJ 440: Woodbridge, S...
7
71.8 mi into trip
|
~1h 29m in
Keep slight left at fork toward US 9 North: Woodbridge
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left lane.
Toward US 9 North: Woodbridge
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$13.93 one way
$27.85 round trip
$4.21/gal
25.4 MPG avg
29 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.61 | $15.25 | $30.50 |
| premium | $4.93 | $16.29 | $32.58 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $18.55 | $37.09 |
Estimated Tolls: $10.76
Bay Bridge
$7.00
Garden State Parkway
(62.8 mi)
$3.76
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
$14
Tolls
$11
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$50–$75
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 29.4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $9 in charging · 0 stops · 66% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 25.2 | 0 | $8.82 | $4.03 |
| Efficient EV | 21 | 0 | $7.35 | $3.36 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 33.6 | 0 | $11.76 | $5.38 |
Gas CO2
29 kg
EV CO2
10 kg (66% 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
Elizabeth, NJ
Afternoon in Elizabeth on Sunday
Local time
12:30 PM
EDT
Current temp
48°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
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
Same local time
Origin and destination are on the same clock, so arrival timing is easier to judge at a glance.
Temperature spread
13 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 50m 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.
National Parks Near This Route
Worth a detour if your schedule allows.
Thomas Edison National Historical Park
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...
9 mi from route
~21 min detour
$10
near mile 87.6
View on nps.gov
Gateway National Recreation Area
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...
17 mi from route
~42 min detour
Free
near mile 87.6
View on nps.gov
Paterson Great Falls National Historical Park
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...
17 mi from route
~44 min detour
Free
near mile 87.6
View on nps.gov
Morristown National Historical Park
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...
18 mi from route
~45 min detour
Free
near mile 81.6
View on nps.gov
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
What kind of drive is this?
84 mi in 1h 50m, mostly highway — 62.8 mi of that is on Garden State Parkway.
86% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
22 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 62.8 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 9. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.1 miles in near CR 89 / North Central Avenue.
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 84 miles you will encounter 15 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: at 0.1 miles (CR 89 / North Central Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 1.1 miles (NJ 72 / West 8th Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 70.4 miles (GSP / Garden State Parkway): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
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 Surf City, NJ and Elizabeth, NJ, road signs point toward Gsp Toll North, Gsp North and Staten Island.
Gsp Toll North
7.9 mi in
|
~12m
Gsp North
8.1 mi in
|
~13m
|
via GSP Northbound entrance ramp
Staten Island
70.4 mi in
|
~1h 26m
|
via GSP
About the Cities
Arriving in Elizabeth, NJ
Full guide →Elizabeth is the fourth largest city in 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 1h 50m. Total distance: 84 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 50m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (86%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 62.8 miles on Garden State Parkway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Expect about $10.76 in tolls one way, starting with Bay Bridge. 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 Elizabeth, 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 0.1 miles (CR 89 / North Central Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 1.1 miles (NJ 72 / West 8th Street): Lane positioning matters here; at 70.4 miles (GSP / Garden State Parkway): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes — Thomas Edison National Historical Park, Gateway National Recreation Area and Paterson Great Falls 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 Elizabeth, 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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