Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Sep 12, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
47m
Distance
36 mi
58 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$6
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Toms River, NJ
Wikimedia Commons
Rumson, NJ
Aisling Kerr
Toms River to Rumson is 36 miles and takes about 47 minutes via Garden State Parkway, with a fuel budget near $6 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This short trip stays within New Jersey, moving from the Northeast region to the Northeast region. It's a straightforward drive, mostly on the highway, making it a convenient option for a quick local excursion. Given its brevity, it's ideal for a same-day trip with minimal planning required.
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Garden State Parkway | 26.6 mi | 31m |
| Rumson Road | 3.7 mi | 5m |
| Newman Springs Road | 1.7 mi | 2m |
| North Main Street | 0.7 mi | 1m |
| Pinckney Road | 0.6 mi | <1m |
| Avenue of Two Rivers | 0.4 mi | 1m |
| Branch Avenue | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| East River Road | 0.2 mi | <1m |
Step-by-step road directions between Toms River, NJ and Rumson, NJ.
Start on this road
Turn right onto NJ 166
Turn left onto NJ 37
Take the exit
Merge onto GSP; US 9
Keep slight left at fork
Take the exit
Merge onto GSP
Take the exit
Keep slight right at fork
Keep slight right at fork
Turn straight onto CR 520
Turn left onto NJ 35; CR 520
Turn right onto CR 520
Continue on CR 520; CR 11
Turn left onto CR 520
Turn left onto CR 34
Turn left onto CR 34
Turn right onto CR 10
Turn right onto Black Point Road
Arrive at destination
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
18 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 36 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
The midpoint is around 18 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.
5 decision points cluster between mile 0.8 and 28.7 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
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
Merge onto GSP; US 9 / Garden State Parkway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Take the exit toward CR 520: Red Bank, Lincroft
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Keep slight right at fork toward CR 520 East: Red Bank
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Keep slight right at fork toward CR 520 East
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Regular Gas
$6.19 one way
$12.37 round trip
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.79 | $6.79 | $13.58 |
| premium | $5.13 | $7.27 | $14.53 |
| diesel | $5.97 | $8.46 | $16.91 |
Estimated Tolls: $1.60
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: 12.6 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-09-07.
Driving Electric?
About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 69% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 10.8 | 0 | $3.78 | $1.73 |
| Efficient EV | 9 | 0 | $3.15 | $1.44 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 14.4 | 0 | $5.04 | $2.30 |
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.
Current conditions at both ends of the drive.
Origin
Morning in Toms River on Saturday
Local time
6:41 AM
EDT
Current temp
87°F
Mostly Sunny
Destination
Morning in Rumson on Saturday
Local time
6:41 AM
EDT
Current temp
83°F
Mostly Cloudy
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
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.
This drive is predominantly highway, with 74% of the 36 miles on expressways. You'll experience a longest stretch of 26.6 miles on the Garden State Parkway before transitioning to surface roads like Rumson Road and Newman Springs Road. Expect a high concentration of exits and merges typical of a major parkway.
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Garden State Parkway and Rumson Road. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.8 miles in.
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 16 decision points packed into just 36 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 47m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: 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; at 28.5 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Mostly flat terrain
Total Climb
187 ft
Total Descent
172 ft
Highest Point
138 ft
~23.1 mi in
Elevation Range
122 ft
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Toms River, NJ and Rumson, NJ, road signs point toward Cr 520: Red Bank, Lincroft, Cr 520 East: Red Bank and Cr 520 East.
Cr 520: Red Bank
Lincroft
Cr 520 East: Red Bank
Cr 520 East
Founded 1768
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.
Top landmarks
City content from Wikivoyage (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Wikidata (CC0).
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 47m. Total distance: 36 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
47m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (74%). 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.
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