If you are planning a quick getaway from Union to Tuckerton, you can expect a straightforward 86.9-mile journey that typically takes about 1 hour and 47 minutes. This route is perfectly suited for a single-day trip, allowing you to reach your destination in the Northeast region without the need for an overnight stay. You should budget approximately $14 for fuel to cover the distance. Because the trip is entirely contained within New Jersey, you will experience a consistent regional feel from start to finish. It is a highly practical drive for those looking to balance travel time with efficiency, making it an ideal choice for a spontaneous day trip.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Midpoint
43.4 miles from Union, NJ
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 55m into the drive
.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Garden State Parkway
75.5 mi
1h 29m
Garden State Parkway Southbound
6.2 mi
8m
CR 539
3.6 mi
5m
Stuyvesant Avenue
0.6 mi
1m
Vauxhall Road
0.2 mi
<1m
Chestnut Street
0.1 mi
<1m
Harding Avenue
<0.1 mi
<1m
South Green Street
—
—
Some road-level metrics are being recalculated.
Longest stretch:
Garden State Parkway
— 75.5 mi, about 1h 29m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Union, NJ and Tuckerton, NJ.
1
Start on Harding Avenue
243 ft·11 sec·Harding Avenue
2
Turn right onto CR 630
0.2 mi·42 sec·Vauxhall Road
3
Turn left onto CR 619
0.6 mi·1 min·Stuyvesant Avenue
4
Continue on CR 619
0.1 mi·27 sec·Chestnut Street
5
Take the ramp
0.3 mi·38 sec
Toward GSP Toll SouthUse the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Merge onto GSP
8.6 mi·11 min·Garden State Parkway
Use the straight / right lanes.
7
Continue on Garden State Parkway
6.2 mi·8 min·Garden State Parkway Southbound
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Keep slight left at fork onto GSP
0.7 mi·49 sec·Garden State Parkway
9
Keep slight right at fork onto GSP
66 mi·1 hr 17 min·Garden State Parkway
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
10
Take the exit
0.2 mi·34 sec
Exit 58Toward CR 539: Little Egg Harbor, TuckertonUse the slight right lane.
11
Turn left onto CR 539
3.6 mi·5 min·CR 539
Use the left lane.
12
Arrive at destination
(603)
Trip Plan
Since this is a relatively short drive, you have the flexibility to depart whenever fits your schedule best. You won't need to plan for any mandatory stops, as you can easily complete the entire 1 hour and 47-minute duration in one go. Keep in mind that the Garden State Parkway is the backbone of your trip, so check for traffic reports before you leave to ensure your timing remains accurate. Since you are spending nearly the entire route on the highway, ensure your vehicle is fueled up before hitting the Parkway to avoid unnecessary detours. This streamlined route is all about getting you from Union to Tuckerton as efficiently as possible.
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 43.4 miles from Union, NJ, or about 55m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 75.5 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 19 miles or 27m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 43.4 miles or 55m 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 30m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Tuckerton, NJ than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Union, NJ so your first major turns are already loaded.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Union, NJ
This is one driving day of about 86.9 miles and 1h 47m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 19 miles from Union, 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 75.5 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 8
5 decision points cluster between mile 1 and 83.2 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
6
1 mi into trip|~3m in
Take the ramp toward GSP Toll South
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward GSP Toll South
5
1.3 mi into trip|~3m in|GSP / Garden State Parkway
Merge onto GSP / Garden State Parkway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
6
16.8 mi into trip|~24m in|GSP / Garden State Parkway
Keep slight right at fork onto GSP / Garden State Parkway
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
8
83 mi into trip|~1h 41m in
Take the exit toward CR 539: Little Egg Harbor, Tuckerton
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 58
Toward CR 539: Little Egg Harbor, Tuckerton
6
83.2 mi into trip|~1h 42m in|CR 539
Turn left onto CR 539
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$14.41 one way
$28.81 round trip
$4.21/gal25.4 MPG avg30 kg CO2
Fuel Type
$/gal
One Way
Round Trip
midgrade
$4.61
$15.78
$31.56
premium
$4.93
$16.85
$33.71
diesel
$5.61
$19.19
$38.37
Estimated Tolls: $4.90
Garden State Parkway
(81.7 mi)$4.90
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
$44–$69
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 30.4 kg one way.
Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $9 in charging
· 0 stops
· 67% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
26.1
0
$9.12
$4.17
Efficient EV
21.7
0
$7.60
$3.48
EV Truck/SUV
34.8
0
$12.17
$5.56
Gas CO2
30 kg
EV CO2
10 kg (67% 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 14, 2026
Origin
Union, NJ
Afternoon
in Union on Sunday
Local time
4:21 PM
EDT
Current temp
86°F
Mostly Sunny
SW 2 to 13 mph10% chanceLive forecast
Destination
Tuckerton, NJ
Afternoon
in Tuckerton on Sunday
Local time
4:21 PM
EDT
Current temp
80°F
Sunny
SW 5 to 15 mph5% 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
6 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 47m 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...
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...
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...
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...
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
More Details
What kind of drive is this?
Expect a highway-focused experience, as 98% of this trip relies on major thoroughfares. You will spend the vast majority of your time on the Garden State Parkway, including a significant 75.5-mile stretch that allows for steady cruising. The route transitions from the busy corridors near Union into the more open stretches of the Garden State Parkway Southbound. Eventually, you will exit the high-speed environment to finish the final leg on CR 539. While the drive is efficient, be prepared for the characteristic pace of New Jersey’s major parkways, which define the personality of this transit.
98% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
12 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 75.5 mi on Garden State Parkway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
6/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Garden State Parkway and Garden State Parkway Southbound. You will hit about 8 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 1 miles in.
Driving Effort6/10
Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 86.9 miles you will encounter 8 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 1 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 1.3 miles (GSP / Garden State Parkway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 16.8 miles (GSP / Garden State Parkway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 47m. Total distance: 86.9 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 47m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (98%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 75.5 miles on Garden State Parkway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Expect about $4.90 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 6 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.
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 Tuckerton, 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 1 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 1.3 miles (GSP / Garden State Parkway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 16.8 miles (GSP / Garden State Parkway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes — Thomas Edison National Historical Park, Morristown National Historical Park 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 Tuckerton, NJ before heading back.
