Origin
Wharton, NJ
Morning in Wharton on Tuesday
Local time
9:49 AM
EDT
Current temp
43°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Wharton, NJ to Middletown, NJ
Pin this tripCompiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 21, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 17m
Distance
55.8 mi
90 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$9
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 12m
★
6 AM
1h 18m
8 AM
1h 30m
10 AM
1h 22m
12 PM
1h 21m
3 PM
1h 23m
5 PM
1h 29m
8 PM
1h 14m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Wharton, NJ
Alexa V. Mato
Middletown, NJ
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Wharton to Middletown is 55.8 miles and takes about 1 hour 17 minutes via Garden State Parkway, with a fuel budget near $9 and enough daylight to finish in a day. This trip stays within New Jersey, moving from the Northeast region to the Northeast region. It's a straightforward drive primarily on toll roads, making it a convenient option for a quick trip. Given its short duration and mainly highway profile, it's an easy day trip.
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Garden State Parkway | 17.9 mi | 22m |
| NJ 24 | 9.3 mi | 10m |
| Garden State Parkway Southbound | 6.2 mi | 8m |
| NJ 35 | 5.3 mi | 8m |
| NJ 10 | 3.5 mi | 4m |
| Phillipsburg-Newark Expressway | 3.4 mi | 3m |
| Route 10 East | 2.1 mi | 3m |
| West Blackwell Street | 1.2 mi | 2m |
Longest stretch:
Garden State Parkway
— 17.9 mi, about 22m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Wharton, NJ and Middletown, NJ.
1
Start on CR 634
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
South Main Street
2
Turn left onto US 46
0.5 mi
·
43 sec
·
W. Blackwell Street
Use the left lane.
3
Continue on CR 659
1.2 mi
·
2 min
·
West Blackwell Street
4
Turn right onto CR 665
0.9 mi
·
2 min
·
South Salem Street
Use the right lane.
5
Continue on CR 665
0.1 mi
·
15 sec
·
S. Salem Street
6
Take the ramp
94 ft
·
2 sec
7
Keep slight left at fork
0.3 mi
·
37 sec
8
Merge onto NJ 10
2.1 mi
·
3 min
·
Route 10 East
Use the right lane.
9
Continue on NJ 10
3.5 mi
·
4 min
·
NJ 10
Use the right lane.
10
Take the exit
0.5 mi
·
1 min
Toward I 287 South: Morristown, Morristown Airport
11
Merge onto I 287
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
I 287
12
Take the exit
0.7 mi
·
1 min
Exit 37
Toward NJ 24 East: Springfield
Use the slight right lane.
13
Continue on NJ 24
9.3 mi
·
10 min
·
NJ 24
Use the straight lane.
14
Keep slight left at fork
0.4 mi
·
29 sec
Toward I 78 East: Holland Tunnel, New York City, Newark
15
Keep slight right at fork
0.2 mi
·
17 sec
Toward I 78 East Local: Newark
Use the slight right lane.
16
Merge onto I 78
3.4 mi
·
3 min
·
Phillipsburg-Newark Expressway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
17
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
47 sec
Exit 52
Toward GSP: G.S. Parkway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
18
Keep slight right at fork
0.6 mi
·
1 min
Toward GSP South
19
Merge onto GSP
11 mi
·
14 min
·
Garden State Parkway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
20
Continue on Garden State Parkway
6.2 mi
·
8 min
·
Garden State Parkway Southbound
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
21
Keep slight left at fork onto GSP
0.7 mi
·
49 sec
·
Garden State Parkway
22
Keep slight left at fork onto GSP
6.6 mi
·
7 min
·
Garden State Parkway
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
23
Take the exit
0.6 mi
·
1 min
Exit 117
Toward NJ 35, NJ 36 South: Hazlet, Keyport
Use the slight right lane.
24
Keep slight left at fork
165 ft
·
4 sec
Use the straight / right lanes.
25
Keep slight right at fork
0.2 mi
·
27 sec
Toward NJ 35: Hazlet
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
26
Merge onto NJ 35
5.3 mi
·
8 min
·
NJ 35
27
Turn right onto CR 50
0.3 mi
·
31 sec
·
New Monmouth Road
28
At end of road, turn right onto CR 50
0.2 mi
·
20 sec
·
Kings Highway
29
Arrive at destination
CR 50
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
28 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.
Pacing Suggestions
Fuel and coffee
A short stop after about 12 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 27.9 miles from Wharton, 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.
Heads-up: tricky spots
5 of 225 decision points cluster between mile 10.3 and 49.9 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
7
10.3 mi into trip
|
~16m in
Take the exit toward NJ 24 East: Springfield
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 37
Toward NJ 24 East: Springfield
7
20.7 mi into trip
|
~29m in
Keep slight right at fork toward I 78 East Local: Newark
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Toward I 78 East Local: Newark
7
24.3 mi into trip
|
~33m in
Take the exit toward GSP: G.S. Parkway
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Exit 52
Toward GSP: G.S. Parkway
8
49.3 mi into trip
|
~1h 6m in
Take the exit toward NJ 35, NJ 36 South: Hazlet, Keyport
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 117
Toward NJ 35, NJ 36 South: Hazlet, Keyport
8
49.9 mi into trip
|
~1h 8m in
Keep slight right at fork toward NJ 35: Hazlet
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward NJ 35: Hazlet
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$9.25 one way
$18.50 round trip
$4.21/gal
25.4 MPG avg
20 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.61 | $10.13 | $20.26 |
| premium | $4.93 | $10.82 | $21.64 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $12.32 | $24.64 |
Estimated Tolls: $1.45
Garden State Parkway
(24.1 mi)
$1.45
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$9
Tolls
$1
Total
$11
Estimated CO2 emission: 19.5 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $6 in charging · 0 stops · 65% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 16.7 | 0 | $5.86 | $2.68 |
| Efficient EV | 14 | 0 | $4.88 | $2.23 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 22.3 | 0 | $7.81 | $3.57 |
Gas CO2
20 kg
EV CO2
7 kg (65% 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
Middletown, NJ
Morning in Middletown on Tuesday
Local time
9:49 AM
EDT
Current temp
60°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
17 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 17m 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?
You'll spend about 87% of this 55.8-mile drive on highways, with the longest stretch on the Garden State Parkway covering 17.9 miles. The bulk of your time will be on the Garden State Parkway Southbound, with a brief section on NJ 24. Expect a significant amount of highway cruising with frequent exits and merges as you navigate this corridor.
87% highway — fuel and pacing are the main things to plan.
29 navigation steps total — most of the decisions cluster near the start and finish.
Longest single stretch: 17.9 mi on Garden State Parkway.
How Hard Is This Drive?
10/10
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Garden State Parkway and NJ 24. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 10.3 miles in.
Driving Effort
10/10
Demanding - stay alert through the decision-heavy sections
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 55.8 miles you will encounter 22 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 10.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 20.7 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 24.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. 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 Wharton, NJ and Middletown, NJ, road signs point toward Morristown Airport, New York City, Newark, Gsp South and Keyport.
Morristown Airport
9 mi in
|
~14m
New York City
20.3 mi in
|
~28m
Newark
20.3 mi in
|
~28m
Gsp South
24.6 mi in
|
~34m
Keyport
49.3 mi in
|
~1h 6m
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 17m. Total distance: 55.8 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 17m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (87%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 17.9 miles on Garden State Parkway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Expect about $1.45 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 5 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 Middletown, 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 10.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 20.7 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 24.3 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
Yes. A round trip is manageable in a single day if you plan a break at Middletown, 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, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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