If you are looking to head south from Toms River to the coast, this 82-mile trip to Wildwood is a straightforward journey through the Northeast. You can expect about 1 hour and 38 minutes of travel time, making this a perfect candidate for a single-day excursion. Budgeting roughly $14 for fuel should cover your transit costs comfortably. Since the drive is relatively short and focused on efficiency, most travelers find it easy to complete in one go without needing an overnight stop. It is a practical, no-nonsense route that connects two popular points within New Jersey, getting you from point A to point B with minimal fuss.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Midpoint
41 miles from Toms River, NJ
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 48m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Garden State Parkway
75.1 mi
1h 27m
North Wildwood Boulevard
3.3 mi
5m
New Jersey Avenue
1.5 mi
2m
West Spruce Avenue
0.5 mi
<1m
Lakehurst Road
0.4 mi
<1m
West Anglesea Drive
0.3 mi
<1m
West Water Street
0.3 mi
<1m
North Main Street
0.1 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
Garden State Parkway
— 75.1 mi, about 1h 27m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Toms River, NJ and Wildwood, NJ.
1
Start on this road
78 ft·10 sec·this road
2
Turn left onto NJ 166
0.1 mi·11 sec·North Main Street
3
Turn right onto NJ 166; CR 527
0.3 mi·40 sec·West Water Street
4
Continue on CR 527
0.3 mi·47 sec·Lakehurst Road
5
Continue on Lakehurst Road
328 ft·7 sec·Lakehurst Road
6
Take the ramp
0.1 mi·8 sec
Toward GSP South, US 9 South: Atlantic City, Beachwood
7
Merge onto GSP; US 9
75 mi·1 hr 27 min·Garden State Parkway
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
8
Take the exit
0.2 mi·27 sec
Exit 6Toward NJ 147: North Wildwood, WhitesboroUse the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Turn right onto NJ 147
3.3 mi·5 min·North Wildwood Boulevard
10
Continue on NJ 147; OD
0.5 mi·50 sec·West Spruce Avenue
11
Continue on NJ 147; OD
0.3 mi·36 sec·West Anglesea Drive
12
Continue on CR 621; OD
1.5 mi·2 min·New Jersey Avenue
13
Turn right onto West Wildwood Avenue
142 ft·11 sec·West Wildwood Avenue
14
Turn left
38 ft·2 sec
15
Arrive at destination
Trip Plan
Because this is a quick 1-hour and 38-minute drive, you have the flexibility to depart whenever suits your schedule best. Keep in mind that since the route is nearly entirely on the Garden State Parkway, your main task is maintaining steady speeds during the long 75.1-mile stretch. You won't necessarily need to plan formal stops given the short duration, but having your $14 fuel budget ready before you leave ensures you won't need to hunt for gas stations mid-trip. If you find yourself needing a break, look to exit the Parkway well before you reach the local turnoffs to avoid congestion. Enjoy the simplicity of this direct route and focus on a smooth arrival in Wildwood.
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 41 miles from Toms River, NJ, or about 48m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 75.1 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 18 miles or 21m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 41 miles or 48m 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 21m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Wildwood, 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 82 miles and 1h 38m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 18 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 75.1 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 7
5 decision points cluster between mile 0 and 82 — 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 left onto NJ 166 / North Main Street
Navigation decision point
5
0.8 mi into trip|~1m in
Take the ramp toward GSP South, US 9 South: Atlantic City, Beachwood
Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward GSP South, US 9 South: Atlantic City, Be...
5
0.9 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 left lanes.
8
76.1 mi into trip|~1h 29m in
Take the exit toward NJ 147: North Wildwood, Whitesboro
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 6
Toward NJ 147: North Wildwood, Whitesboro
4
82 mi into trip|~1h 38m in
Turn left
Navigation decision point
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$13.59 one way
$27.19 round trip
$4.21/gal25.4 MPG avg29 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.61
$14.89
$29.78
premium
$4.93
$15.90
$31.81
diesel
$5.61
$18.10
$36.21
Estimated Tolls: $4.51
Garden State Parkway
(75.1 mi)$4.51
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
$5
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$43–$68
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 28.7 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
24.6
0
$8.61
$3.94
Efficient EV
20.5
0
$7.18
$3.28
EV Truck/SUV
32.8
0
$11.48
$5.25
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.
Forecast as of Apr 15, 2026
Origin
Toms River, NJ
Night
in Toms River on Saturday
Local time
10:54 PM
EDT
Current temp
45°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Wildwood, NJ
Night
in Wildwood on Saturday
Local time
10:54 PM
EDT
Current temp
48°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
46°F
Bass River, NJ
41 mi in
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
3 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
1h 38m 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.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
This trip is heavily highway-focused, with 92% of your travel spent on major arterial roads. You will settle in for a long, uninterrupted stretch of 75.1 miles on the Garden State Parkway, which defines the bulk of the driving experience. As you approach your destination, the rhythm changes when you transition onto North Wildwood Boulevard and New Jersey Avenue for the final leg of the journey. While the interstate portion is consistent and fast-paced, the shift to local roads at the end requires a bit more attention as you navigate toward the shore. Expect a steady, predictable pace for the vast majority of your time behind the wheel.
92% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
15 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 75.1 mi on Garden State Parkway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
1/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Garden State Parkway and North Wildwood Boulevard. Navigation is very simple - set it and forget it for most of the drive. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near NJ 166 / North Main Street.
Driving Effort1/10
Very easy - short and simple to drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
The drive from Toms River, NJ to Wildwood, NJ is easy. At 1h 38m with 92% highway, most drivers will find it relaxed and low-stress.
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: Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 0.9 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.
On the drive from Toms River, NJ to Wildwood, NJ, road signs begin pointing toward Whitesboro along the way.
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.
Wildwood is on the Southern Shore of New Jersey. It is primarily a resort town whose population swells in the summer months (June - August) with vacationers coming mainly from New Jersey, New York, Philadelphia, and Quebec. There are also a significant number of seasonal workers from Pennsylvania, Ireland and Eastern Europe. Together with the small bordering towns of North Wildwood and Wildwood Crest, Wildwood is often called "the Wildwoods."
The longest stretch is about 75.1 miles on Garden State Parkway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Expect about $4.51 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. 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: Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 0.9 miles (GSP; US 9 / Garden State Parkway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Wildwood, NJ before heading back.
