Origin
West Long Branch, NJ
Afternoon in West Long Branch on Sunday
Local time
3:05 PM
EDT
Current temp
46°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from West Long Branch, NJ to Lakewood, NJ
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 19, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
32m
Distance
22.9 mi
37 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$4
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 30m
★
6 AM
0h 33m
8 AM
0h 39m
10 AM
0h 35m
12 PM
0h 34m
3 PM
0h 35m
5 PM
0h 38m
8 PM
0h 31m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
West Long Branch, NJ
Malcolm Garret
Lakewood, NJ
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
This straightforward 22.9-mile drive from West Long Branch to Lakewood, New Jersey, will take you about 32 minutes, making it an ideal day trip. With a projected fuel cost of around $4, it's an economical journey. You'll primarily be on NJ 18 and Lakewood Farmingdale Road, with a portion on the Central Jersey Expressway. This route is heavily focused on highway driving, so expect a quicker pace. Given its short distance and duration, you won't need an overnight stay; flexibility is key here.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| NJ 18 | 8.2 mi | 9m |
| Lakewood Farmingdale Road | 4.3 mi | 6m |
| Central Jersey Expressway | 2.7 mi | 3m |
| NJ 36 | 2.2 mi | 3m |
| NJ 138 | 1.7 mi | 2m |
| Squankum Road | 1 mi | 1m |
| Parker Road | 0.4 mi | 1m |
| 9th Street | 0.4 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
NJ 18
— 8.2 mi, about 9m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between West Long Branch, NJ and Lakewood, NJ.
1
Start on CR 15
104 ft
·
9 sec
·
Locust Avenue
2
Turn left onto Parker Road
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
Parker Road
3
Turn right onto NJ 71
0.4 mi
·
39 sec
·
Monmouth Road
4
Turn left onto NJ 36
2.2 mi
·
3 min
·
NJ 36
5
Take the exit
0.6 mi
·
1 min
Toward NJ 18: Point Pleasant, New Burnswick
6
Keep slight left at fork
0.5 mi
·
1 min
Toward NJ 18 South: Port Pleasant
7
Merge onto NJ 18
8.2 mi
·
9 min
·
NJ 18
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Keep slight right at fork
0.2 mi
·
25 sec
Exit 6B
Toward NJ 138 West: Point Pleasant
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
9
Merge onto NJ 138
1.7 mi
·
2 min
·
NJ 138
Use the straight / right lanes.
10
Continue on I 195
2.7 mi
·
3 min
·
Central Jersey Expressway
11
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
47 sec
Exit 31A
Toward CR 547 South
Use the right lane.
12
Turn straight onto CR 547
4.3 mi
·
6 min
·
Lakewood Farmingdale Road
Use the left lane.
13
Continue on CR 547
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
Squankum Road
14
Turn right onto CR 547
0.4 mi
·
51 sec
·
9th Street
15
Turn left onto US 9; CR 547
360 ft
·
12 sec
·
Madison Avenue
16
Turn left onto 8th Street
46 ft
·
2 sec
·
8th Street
Use the left lane.
17
Arrive at destination
8th Street
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 125 decision points cluster between mile 3 and 22.9 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
5
3 mi into trip
|
~5m in
Take the exit toward NJ 18: Point Pleasant, New Burnswick
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward NJ 18: Point Pleasant, New Burnswick
5
3.6 mi into trip
|
~6m in
Keep slight left at fork toward NJ 18 South: Port Pleasant
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Toward NJ 18 South: Port Pleasant
8
12.3 mi into trip
|
~16m in
Keep slight right at fork toward NJ 138 West: Point Pleasant
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 6B
Toward NJ 138 West: Point Pleasant
7
16.8 mi into trip
|
~22m in
Take the exit toward CR 547 South
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Exit 31A
Toward CR 547 South
7
22.9 mi into trip
|
~32m in
|
8th Street
Turn left onto 8th Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$3.80 one way
$7.59 round trip
$4.21/gal
25.4 MPG avg
8 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.61 | $4.16 | $8.32 |
| premium | $4.93 | $4.44 | $8.88 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $5.06 | $10.11 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$4
Estimated CO2 emission: 8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 63% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 6.9 | 0 | $2.40 | $1.10 |
| Efficient EV | 5.7 | 0 | $2.00 | $0.92 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 9.2 | 0 | $3.21 | $1.47 |
Gas CO2
8 kg
EV CO2
3 kg (63% 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
Lakewood, NJ
Afternoon in Lakewood on Sunday
Local time
3:05 PM
EDT
Current temp
70°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
32m 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?
Expect a highway-focused experience for about 64% of this trip. The longest uninterrupted stretch you'll encounter is 8.2 miles on NJ 18, offering a consistent pace. As you transition between NJ 18, Lakewood Farmingdale Road, and the Central Jersey Expressway, the road maintains a generally high-speed character. This isn't a winding, scenic byway, but rather a direct and efficient path connecting these two New Jersey locales.
64% 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: 8.2 mi on NJ 18.
How Hard Is This Drive?
9/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on NJ 18 and Lakewood Farmingdale Road. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 3 miles in.
Driving Effort
9/10
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 12 decision points packed into just 22.9 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 32m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 3.6 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully; at 12.3 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. 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 West Long Branch, NJ and Lakewood, NJ, road signs point toward New Burnswick and Cr 547 South.
New Burnswick
3 mi in
|
~5m
Cr 547 South
16.8 mi in
|
~22m
About the Cities
Arriving in Lakewood, NJ
Full guide →Lakewood is a town in Ocean County, New Jersey.
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 32m. Total distance: 22.9 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
32m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (64%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 8.2 miles on NJ 18. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
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 Lakewood, 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 3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 3.6 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully; at 12.3 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes — Gateway National Recreation Area. 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 Lakewood, 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.
Was this helpful?
Thanks for your feedback!
Your tip has been submitted. Thanks!
/500
Recent Tips
·
Explore More
Continue From Lakewood, NJ
More from West Long Branch, NJ
More trips to Lakewood, NJ
Explore more options from West Long Branch, NJ or browse trips ending in Lakewood, NJ.
Looking for more statewide routes? Browse NJ road trips.