Origin
Toms River, NJ
Morning in Toms River on Sunday
Local time
6:29 AM
EDT
Current temp
45°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Toms River, NJ to Keansburg, NJ
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
50m
Distance
37.7 mi
61 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$6
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 47m
★
6 AM
0h 51m
8 AM
0h 59m
10 AM
0h 54m
12 PM
0h 53m
3 PM
0h 54m
5 PM
0h 59m
8 PM
0h 48m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Toms River, NJ
Wikimedia Commons
Keansburg, NJ
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Toms River to Keansburg is 37.7 miles and takes about 50 minutes via Garden State Parkway, with a fuel budget near $6 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This straightforward drive stays within New Jersey, traversing the Northeast region. It's a quick trip, ideal for a single day, and primarily utilizes major parkways and avenues. Consider this route if you're looking for an uncomplicated journey with minimal time commitment.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Garden State Parkway | 30.1 mi | 35m |
| South Laurel Avenue | 1.1 mi | 2m |
| Laurel Avenue | 1.1 mi | 2m |
| Van Schoick Road | 1 mi | 1m |
| Palmer Avenue | 0.9 mi | 2m |
| North Main Street | 0.7 mi | 1m |
| Middle Road | 0.5 mi | 1m |
| Main Street | 0.4 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
Garden State Parkway
— 30.1 mi, about 35m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Toms River, NJ and Keansburg, NJ.
1
Start on this road
78 ft
·
7 sec
·
this road
2
Turn right onto NJ 166
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
North Main Street
3
Turn left onto NJ 37
0.1 mi
·
21 sec
·
Route 37 West
4
Take the exit
0.5 mi
·
47 sec
Toward US 9 Toll North, GSP Toll North: Lakewood, New York, Woodbridge
5
Merge onto GSP; US 9
21 mi
·
24 min
·
Garden State Parkway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Keep slight left at fork
0.5 mi
·
31 sec
7
Take the exit
0.1 mi
·
9 sec
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Merge onto GSP
9.1 mi
·
10 min
·
Garden State Parkway
9
Take the exit
0.5 mi
·
1 min
Exit 114
Toward Holmdel, Middletown
Use the slight right lane.
10
Turn right onto CR 52
440 ft
·
11 sec
·
Red Hill Road
11
Continue on CR 52
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
Van Schoick Road
12
Continue on CR 52
1.1 mi
·
2 min
·
South Laurel Avenue
13
Continue on CR 52
1.1 mi
·
2 min
·
Laurel Avenue
Use the left lane.
14
Turn right onto Middle Road
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
Middle Road
15
Turn left onto Palmer Avenue
0.9 mi
·
2 min
·
Palmer Avenue
16
Continue on CR 7
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
Main Street
17
Arrive at destination
CR 7
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
19 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 37.7 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 18.8 miles from Toms River, 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 105 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 32 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
4
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
NJ 166 / North Main Street
Turn right onto NJ 166 / North Main Street
Navigation decision point
5
0.8 mi into trip
|
~1m in
Take the exit toward US 9 Toll North, GSP Toll North: Lakewood, New York, Woodbridge
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward US 9 Toll North, GSP Toll North: Lakewoo...
5
1.3 mi into trip
|
~2m in
|
GSP; US 9 / Garden State Parkway
Merge onto GSP; US 9 / Garden State Parkway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
22.8 mi into trip
|
~27m in
Take the exit
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
32 mi into trip
|
~38m in
Take the exit toward Holmdel, Middletown
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 114
Toward Holmdel, Middletown
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$6.25 one way
$12.50 round trip
$4.21/gal
25.4 MPG avg
13 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.61 | $6.85 | $13.69 |
| premium | $4.93 | $7.31 | $14.62 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $8.32 | $16.65 |
Estimated Tolls: $1.81
Garden State Parkway
(30.1 mi)
$1.81
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$6
Tolls
$2
Total
$8
Estimated CO2 emission: 13.2 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 69% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 11.3 | 0 | $3.96 | $1.81 |
| Efficient EV | 9.4 | 0 | $3.30 | $1.51 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 15.1 | 0 | $5.28 | $2.41 |
Gas CO2
13 kg
EV CO2
4 kg (69% 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
Keansburg, NJ
Morning in Keansburg on Sunday
Local time
6:29 AM
EDT
Current temp
69°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
24 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
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.
What kind of drive is this?
This drive is heavily focused on highway travel, with 80% of the journey taking place on major roadways. You'll experience a significant stretch of 30.1 miles on the Garden State Parkway, offering a consistent, high-speed experience. The latter part of the trip transitions to local roads like South Laurel Avenue and Laurel Avenue, providing a change in pace as you approach your destination. Expect a driving experience dominated by efficient travel on well-maintained parkways.
80% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
17 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 30.1 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 South Laurel Avenue. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near NJ 166 / North Main Street.
Driving Effort
8/10
Focused - busy navigation packed into a short drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 10 decision points packed into just 37.7 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 50m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (NJ 166 / North Main Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 1.3 miles (GSP; US 9 / Garden State Parkway): Merge point - match speed before joining. 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 Toms River, NJ and Keansburg, NJ, road signs point toward Holmdel and Middletown.
Holmdel
32 mi in
|
~38m
Middletown
32 mi in
|
~38m
About the Cities
Starting in Toms River, NJ
Full guide →Toms River is the county seat of Ocean County, New Jersey. It is a few miles west of the beaches of the Jersey Shore Region, midway between New York and Philadelphia and a short distance from Atlantic City. Toms River is easy to get to by car as the Garden State Parkway bisects the town, and it is served by express bus service to and from New York City.
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 50m. Total distance: 37.7 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
50m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (80%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 30.1 miles on Garden State Parkway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Expect about $1.81 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 Keansburg, 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 (NJ 166 / North Main Street): Navigation decision point; at 0.8 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 1.3 miles (GSP; US 9 / Garden State Parkway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes — Gateway National Recreation Area and Thomas Edison National Historical Park. 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 Keansburg, 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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