Toms River to Upper Saddle River is 91.9 miles and takes about 1h 58m via Garden State Parkway, with a fuel budget near $16 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This drive stays entirely within New Jersey, moving north through the Northeast region. Expect a route that's predominantly highway, making for a straightforward trip. Given the relatively short duration and straightforward path, this is a practical option for a single-day excursion.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Midpoint
46 miles from Toms River, NJ
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 57m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Garden State Parkway
88.1 mi
1h 51m
Lake Street
1.1 mi
2m
Grand Avenue West
0.8 mi
1m
North Main Street
0.7 mi
1m
Route 37 West
0.1 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
Garden State Parkway
— 88.1 mi, about 1h 51m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Toms River, NJ and Upper Saddle River, 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
Continue on GSP
67 mi·1 hr 26 min·Garden State Parkway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Take the exit
0.2 mi·28 sec
Exit 172Toward Montvale, Park RidgeUse the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Turn left onto CR 94
0.8 mi·1 min·Grand Avenue West
Use the straight / right lanes.
10
Continue on CR 96
1.1 mi·2 min·Lake Street
Use the straight lane.
11
Arrive at destination
CR 96
Trip Plan
For this 1h 58m drive, leaving early in the morning or later in the evening can help you avoid peak traffic, especially on the Garden State Parkway. Since it's a relatively short trip, you won't need many stops, but it's wise to fill up your tank before you leave Toms River to stay within the estimated $16 fuel cost. Pay attention to exit signs as you get closer to Upper Saddle River, as the highway will eventually give way to local streets. The flexibility of a single-day trip means you can depart whenever it's most convenient for you.
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 46 miles from Toms River, NJ, or about 57m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 88.1 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 20 miles or 24m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 46 miles or 57m 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 35m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Upper Saddle River, NJ than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Toms River, NJ so your first major turns are already loaded.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Toms River, NJ
This is one driving day of about 91.9 miles and 1h 58m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 20 miles from Toms River, 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 88.1 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 6
5 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 90.1 — 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.
8
89.9 mi into trip|~1h 54m in
Take the exit toward Montvale, Park Ridge
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 172
Toward Montvale, Park Ridge
5
90.1 mi into trip|~1h 55m in|CR 94 / Grand Avenue West
Turn left onto CR 94 / Grand Avenue West
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$16.25 one way
$32.51 round trip
$4.49/gal25.4 MPG avg32 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.92
$17.80
$35.60
premium
$5.24
$18.97
$37.95
diesel
$5.35
$19.36
$38.71
Estimated Tolls: $5.29
Garden State Parkway
(88.1 mi)$5.29
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
$16
Tolls
$5
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$47–$72
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 32.2 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-06-01.
Driving Electric?
About $10 in charging
· 0 stops
· 66% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
27.6
0
$9.65
$4.41
Efficient EV
23
0
$8.04
$3.68
EV Truck/SUV
36.8
0
$12.87
$5.88
Gas CO2
32 kg
EV CO2
11 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.
Forecast as of Jun 1, 2026
Origin
Toms River, NJ
Evening
in Toms River on Wednesday
Local time
5:04 PM
EDT
Current temp
59°F
Mostly Cloudy
W 0 to 5 mph2% chanceLive forecast
Destination
Upper Saddle River, NJ
Evening
in Upper Saddle River on Wednesday
Local time
5:04 PM
EDT
Current temp
54°F
Isolated Rain Showers
NW 3 mph20% chanceLive 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
5 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 58m on the road
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.
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...
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...
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...
15 mi from route
~38 min detour
Free
near mile 57.1
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...
18 mi from route
~45 min detour
Free
near mile 31.7
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
This route is heavily highway-based, with 96% of the drive on high-speed roads. You'll experience an 88.1-mile stretch on the Garden State Parkway, indicating a long, continuous highway segment. The transition to surface roads like Lake Street and Grand Avenue West will occur in the final miles, likely marked by an increase in local traffic and more frequent intersections as you approach your destination.
96% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
11 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 88.1 mi on Garden State Parkway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
3/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Garden State Parkway and Lake Street. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near NJ 166 / North Main Street.
Driving Effort3/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 1h 58m drive. You will face about 6 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
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.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
226 ft-5 ft
Total Climb
592 ft
Total Descent
393 ft
Highest Point
226 ft
~32.8 mi in
Elevation Range
231 ft
Detours Along the Way
Tagged by where each one fits in your drive — first break, midpoint, final stretch.
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
•Ocean County Courthouse — county courthouse in Ocean County, New Jersey
•Stoutenburgh-Minturn House — historic house in Ocean County, New Jersey
•Captain Amos Birdsall House — historic house in Ocean County, New Jersey
The longest stretch is about 88.1 miles on Garden State Parkway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Expect about $5.29 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.
Yes — we found about 13 rest areas or service plazas 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.
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 — Thomas Edison National Historical Park, Paterson Great Falls National Historical Park and Morristown 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 Upper Saddle River, NJ before heading back.
