Origin
Wildwood, NJ
Night in Wildwood on Saturday
Local time
9:15 PM
EDT
Current temp
48°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Wildwood, NJ to Jersey City, NJ
Compiled and reviewed by the US Trip Planner planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
3h 2m
Distance
148.3 mi
239 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$25
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
2h 51m
★
6 AM
3h 3m
8 AM
3h 26m
10 AM
3h 11m
12 PM
3h 8m
3 PM
3h 12m
5 PM
3h 24m
8 PM
2h 56m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Trip Overview
Traveling from Wildwood to Jersey City covers 148.3 miles and typically takes about 3 hours and 2 minutes. Since this route is primarily a highway-focused drive, it is perfectly manageable as a single-day trip, allowing you to reach your destination without the need for an overnight stay. You should budget approximately $25 for fuel to complete the journey. The route stays entirely within the Northeast region of New Jersey, transitioning from the coastal atmosphere of Wildwood up to the urban landscape of Jersey City. Expect a straightforward transit that prioritizes efficiency over scenic detours, making it a reliable option for those looking to reach the northern part of the state quickly.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
Midpoint
74.1 miles from Wildwood, NJ
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 1h 28m into the drive .
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Garden State Parkway | 121.5 mi | 2h 22m |
| New Jersey Turnpike | 14 mi | 17m |
| North Wildwood Boulevard | 3.1 mi | 4m |
| Lincoln Highway | 1.5 mi | 2m |
| New Jersey Avenue | 1.5 mi | 2m |
| New Jersey Turnpike Eastern Spur | 1.1 mi | 1m |
| US 1 Truck | 0.7 mi | 1m |
| West Spruce Avenue | 0.5 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Garden State Parkway
— 121.5 mi, about 2h 22m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Wildwood, NJ and Jersey City, NJ.
1
Start on this road
38 ft
·
4 sec
·
this road
2
Turn right onto West Wildwood Avenue
142 ft
·
13 sec
·
West Wildwood Avenue
3
Turn left onto CR 621
1.5 mi
·
2 min
·
New Jersey Avenue
Use the straight / right lanes.
4
Continue on CR 621; OD
0.3 mi
·
36 sec
·
West Anglesea Drive
5
Continue on NJ 147; OD
0.5 mi
·
52 sec
·
West Spruce Avenue
6
Continue on NJ 147; OD
3.1 mi
·
4 min
·
North Wildwood Boulevard
7
Turn slight right
432 ft
·
15 sec
Use the slight right lane.
8
Keep slight left at fork
0.2 mi
·
24 sec
Exit 6
Toward GSP Toll North: Garden State Parkway
9
Merge onto GSP
12 mi
·
14 min
·
Garden State Parkway
Use the slight right lane.
10
Take the exit
0.5 mi
·
31 sec
11
Merge onto GSP
34 mi
·
39 min
·
Garden State Parkway
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
12
Keep slight left at fork onto GSP
50 mi
·
58 min
·
Garden State Parkway
Use the straight lane.
13
Keep slight left at fork
0.5 mi
·
31 sec
14
Continue on GSP
25 mi
·
30 min
·
Garden State Parkway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
15
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
48 sec
Exit 129
Toward I 95, NJTP: New York City, Trenton
Use the slight right lane.
16
Keep slight right at fork
0.1 mi
·
16 sec
17
Continue on this road
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
this road
18
Continue on this road
0.1 mi
·
16 sec
·
this road
Toward I 95 North, NJTP North: New York City
19
Keep slight right at fork
0.5 mi
·
1 min
Toward I 95 North, NJTP North: New York City
20
Merge onto I 95; NJTP
14 mi
·
17 min
·
New Jersey Turnpike
21
Keep slight right at fork onto NJTP
1.1 mi
·
1 min
·
New Jersey Turnpike Eastern Spur
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
22
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
58 sec
Exit 15E
Toward US 1 North Truck, US 9 North Truck: Newark, Jersey City
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
23
Keep slight right at fork
322 ft
·
7 sec
Toward US 1 Truck North, US 9 Truck North: Jersey City, Doremus Avenue
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
24
Keep slight left at fork
0.2 mi
·
31 sec
Toward US 1 North Truck, US 9 North Truck: Jersey City
25
Merge onto US 1 Truck; US 9 Truck
1.5 mi
·
2 min
·
Lincoln Highway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
26
Take the exit onto US 1 Truck; US 9 Truck
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
US 1 Truck; US 9 Truck
Toward US 1 Truck North, US 9 Truck North
Use the left lane.
27
Turn right onto Duncan Avenue
0.4 mi
·
51 sec
·
Duncan Avenue
Use the straight / right lanes.
28
Turn left onto Olean Avenue
316 ft
·
13 sec
·
Olean Avenue
29
Arrive at destination
Olean Avenue
Trip Plan
Planning your departure is key to avoiding the heaviest traffic, especially as you head toward the busy Jersey City area. With a total duration of just over 3 hours, you have the flexibility to leave mid-morning or early afternoon to miss the worst of the regional rush hours. You will only need to account for one planned stop, making it easy to keep your momentum steady throughout the day. Keep an eye on your fuel gauge early on, as the $25 estimate assumes consistent highway speeds. A helpful tip for this specific route is to stay alert for the transition between the Garden State Parkway and the New Jersey Turnpike, as navigating these major junctions requires steady attention to signage.
Morning Departure
An early start around 7-8 AM gets you there with plenty of daylight left.
Evening Departure
A late afternoon start means arriving after dark. Morning is better.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 74.1 miles from Wildwood, NJ, or about 1h 28m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 121.5 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 33 miles or 41m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 74.1 miles or 1h 28m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 2h 25m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Jersey City, NJ than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Wildwood, NJ so your first major turns are already loaded.
+
Leave with enough water and a charging cable within reach, not packed away.
+
Check your fuel range against the first long segment, especially if you are starting outside city service areas.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Wildwood, NJ
This is one driving day of about 148.3 miles and 3h 2m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 33 miles from Wildwood, NJ.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
Plan about 1 real break rather than only quick fuel stops.
The longest stretch is on Garden State Parkway for about 121.5 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Mid-route town
Meal stop
74 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 33 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 74.1 miles from Wildwood, NJ, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Before the longest stretch
Fuel checkTop up before Garden State Parkway if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 121.5 miles.
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 215 decision points cluster between mile 5.6 and 145.4 — GPS handles the exact turns, but know they're coming. Your lane choice matters more than the turn itself.
7
5.6 mi into trip
|
~9m in
Keep slight left at fork toward GSP Toll North: Garden State Parkway
Highway fork - watch signs carefully
Exit 6
Toward GSP Toll North: Garden State Parkway
8
128.2 mi into trip
|
~2h 33m in
Take the exit toward I 95, NJTP: New York City, Trenton
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 129
Toward I 95, NJTP: New York City, Trenton
8
144.9 mi into trip
|
~2h 56m in
Take the exit toward US 1 North Truck, US 9 North Truck: Newark, Jersey City
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 15E
Toward US 1 North Truck, US 9 North Truck: Newa...
8
145.3 mi into trip
|
~2h 57m in
Keep slight right at fork toward US 1 Truck North, US 9 Truck North: Jersey City, Doremus Avenue
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward US 1 Truck North, US 9 Truck North: Jers...
7
145.4 mi into trip
|
~2h 57m in
Keep slight left at fork toward US 1 North Truck, US 9 North Truck: Jersey City
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward US 1 North Truck, US 9 North Truck: Jers...
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$24.59 one way
$49.17 round trip
$4.21/gal
25.4 MPG avg
52 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.61 | $26.93 | $53.86 |
| premium | $4.93 | $28.76 | $57.52 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $32.74 | $65.49 |
Estimated Tolls: $9.39
Garden State Parkway
(121.5 mi)
$7.28
New Jersey Turnpike
(15.1 mi)
$2.11
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
$25
Tolls
$9
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$59–$84
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 51.9 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $16 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 44.5 | 0 | $15.57 | $7.12 |
| Efficient EV | 37.1 | 0 | $12.98 | $5.93 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 59.3 | 0 | $20.76 | $9.49 |
Gas CO2
52 kg
EV CO2
17 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.
Destination
Jersey City, NJ
Night in Jersey City on Saturday
Local time
9:15 PM
EDT
Current temp
65°F
Slight Chance Showers And Thunderstorms then Partly Cloudy
SW 6 to 10 mph
18% chance
Live 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
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
3h 2m 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...
7 mi from route
~18 min detour
$10
near mile 143.1
Park Closure: Glenmont Mansion and Grounds Closed
Gateway National Recreation Area
National Recreation Area
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...
14 mi from route
~35 min detour
Free
near mile 148.3
View on nps.gov
Paterson Great Falls National Historical Park
National Historical Park
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...
14 mi from route
~35 min detour
Free
near mile 148.3
View on nps.gov
Morristown National Historical Park
National Historical Park
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...
19 mi from route
~48 min detour
Free
near mile 138
View on nps.gov
Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.
What kind of drive is this?
Expect a high-speed transit, as 93% of this 148.3-mile route consists of highway driving. You will spend the bulk of your time on the Garden State Parkway, which accounts for a massive 121.5-mile uninterrupted stretch. While you start on North Wildwood Boulevard, the character of the drive quickly shifts into a focused interstate experience. This is a classic highway-heavy trek, so prepare for a consistent pace rather than technical winding roads. By utilizing the New Jersey Turnpike toward the end of your trip, you will experience the transition from open road to the more dense traffic patterns typical of the approach into Jersey City.
93% 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: 121.5 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 New Jersey Turnpike. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 5.6 miles in.
Driving Effort
10/10
High effort - long or complex enough to need steady focus all day
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a demanding drive. With 21 significant decision points across 148.3 miles, you will need to stay alert - especially through interchange areas and urban stretches. Consider splitting it into segments if you are not comfortable with fast highway navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 5.6 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully; at 128.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 144.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Elevation Profile
Mostly flat terrain
53 ft
6 ft
Total Climb
53 ft
Total Descent
27 ft
Highest Point
53 ft
~63.5 mi in
Elevation Range
47 ft
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 Wildwood, NJ and Jersey City, NJ, road signs point toward Njtp: New York City, Trenton and Njtp North: New York City.
Njtp: New York City
128.2 mi in
|
~2h 33m
Trenton
128.2 mi in
|
~2h 33m
Njtp North: New York City
129.2 mi in
|
~2h 35m
About the Cities
Starting in Wildwood, NJ
Full guide →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."
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 3h 2m. Total distance: 148.3 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
3h 2m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (93%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Frequently Asked Questions
The longest stretch is about 121.5 miles on Garden State Parkway. The full list of main roads is in the Roads section above.
Expect about $9.39 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.
We did not find dedicated rest areas on this route. For a drive this long, plan bathroom and stretch breaks around gas stations, fast-food stops, or small-town downtowns — check the Nearby Places section for options.
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 Jersey City, NJ before sunset when you can. Check the Trip Plan for departure windows that land you in daylight.
Only with planning. This is a long drive for kids — consider splitting it into two days rather than pushing through. Plan at least 1 meaningful breaks. Dedicated rest areas are limited, so plan gas or food stops as your bathroom breaks.
The main spots that need attention: at 5.6 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully; at 128.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 144.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Yes — Thomas Edison National Historical Park, Gateway National Recreation Area and Paterson Great Falls National Historical Park (4 total within detour distance). See the National Parks section for detour distances and tips on detours.
Possible but tiring. At 3.0 hours each way, an in-and-out day trip would put you behind the wheel for 6.1 hours — manageable with a long break at Jersey City, NJ, but most travelers stay overnight.
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, USGS 3DEP for elevation, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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