This 109-mile drive from Beach Haven, NJ, to Paterson, NJ, is designed for a single day, taking about 2 hours and 24 minutes. You'll primarily be on the Garden State Parkway, with a brief stint on the Manahawkin Bay Bridge and Long Beach Boulevard. With an estimated fuel cost of $18, this trip is budget-friendly. The route is mostly highway-focused, making it a straightforward journey through the Northeast region. It's a practical option for a quick transit between these two New Jersey points without needing an overnight stay.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Midpoint
54.5 miles from Beach Haven, NJ
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 12m into the drive
.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 2h 24m. Total distance: 109 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
2h 24m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (85%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Drive Character
Expect a highway-focused drive for 85% of this 109-mile journey. The majority of your time will be spent on the Garden State Parkway, including a continuous stretch of over 90 miles. While the initial and final segments might involve local roads like Long Beach Boulevard and the Manahawkin Bay Bridge, the character of the drive quickly shifts to a faster pace. This route offers a consistent driving experience with minimal interruptions, allowing you to maintain a steady speed for most of the trip.
Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 20 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
Garden State Parkway is the longest continuous segment at about 90.9 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Garden State Parkway and Manahawkin Bay Bridge. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 14.1 miles in.
Driving Effort9/10
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 13 significant decision points across 109 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 14.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 105.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 108.3 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 13 key points
These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
6
14.1 mi into trip|~24m in
Take the exit toward GSP Toll North
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Toward GSP Toll North
7
105.9 mi into trip|~2h 19m in
Take the exit toward NJ 19: Paterson
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
Exit 155A
Toward NJ 19: Paterson
8
108.3 mi into trip|~2h 22m in
Keep slight right at fork toward Grand Street
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
Toward Grand Street
7
108.4 mi into trip|~2h 23m in|CR 638 / Grand Street
Turn right onto CR 638 / Grand Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
6
108.6 mi into trip|~2h 23m in|CR 509 / Main Street
Turn left onto CR 509 / Main Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Beach Haven, NJ and Paterson, NJ, road signs point toward Manahawkin, Gsp Toll North and Gsp North.
Manahawkin
7.6 mi in|~15m|via NJ 72
Gsp Toll North
14.1 mi in|~24m
Gsp North
14.3 mi in|~25m|via GSP Northbound entrance ramp
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Garden State Parkway
90.9 mi
1h 53m
Manahawkin Bay Bridge
6.4 mi
9m
Long Beach Boulevard
5.4 mi
11m
South Bay Avenue
1.8 mi
3m
NJ 19
1.7 mi
1m
West 8th Street
0.4 mi
<1m
Main Street
0.3 mi
<1m
GSP Northbound entrance ramp
0.2 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
Garden State Parkway
— 90.9 mi, about 1h 53m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Beach Haven, NJ and Paterson, NJ.
1
Start on CR 607
1.8 mi·3 min·South Bay Avenue
2
Continue on CR 607
5.4 mi·11 min·Long Beach Boulevard
3
Take the ramp
423 ft·11 sec
Toward NJ 72 West: Manahawkin
4
Merge onto NJ 72
0.4 mi·43 sec·West 8th Street
Use the straight / left lanes.
5
Continue on NJ 72
154 ft·3 sec·West 8th Street
Toward Manahawkin
6
Continue on NJ 72
6.4 mi·9 min·Manahawkin Bay Bridge
Toward Manahawkin
7
Take the exit
0.2 mi·36 sec
Toward GSP Toll NorthUse the right lane.
8
Continue on GSP Northbound entrance ramp
0.2 mi·25 sec·GSP Northbound entrance ramp
Toward GSP North
9
Merge onto GSP
39 mi·46 min·Garden State Parkway
Use the straight lane.
10
Keep slight left at fork
0.5 mi·31 sec
11
Continue on GSP
52 mi·1 hr 7 min·Garden State Parkway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
12
Take the exit
0.7 mi·1 min
Exit 155AToward NJ 19: PatersonUse the straight / slight left lanes.
13
Merge onto NJ 19
1.7 mi·1 min·NJ 19
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
14
Take the exit
313 ft·7 sec
Toward I 80 West: Grand Street, Del Water Gap
15
Keep slight right at fork
0.1 mi·23 sec
Toward Grand StreetUse the slight left / slight right lanes.
16
Turn right onto CR 638
0.2 mi·27 sec·Grand Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
17
Turn left onto CR 509
0.3 mi·29 sec·Main Street
Use the straight lane.
18
Turn right onto CR 648
453 ft·15 sec·Market Street
19
Turn left onto Colt Street
42 ft·3 sec·Colt Street
20
Arrive at destination
Colt Street
Trip Plan
Given the 2 hour and 24-minute duration, this trip is easily manageable in one day, offering flexibility in your departure time. Aim to leave earlier in the day to avoid potential traffic, especially on the Garden State Parkway. While there are no mandated stops in the data, consider a brief break during the longest stretch of 90.9 miles on the parkway to stay refreshed. Keep an eye on your fuel gauge, as the estimated cost is $18, and plan your refueling accordingly before embarking on the longer highway segments.
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 54.5 miles from Beach Haven, NJ, or about 1h 12m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 90.9 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 24 miles or 36m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 54.5 miles or 1h 12m 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 58m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Paterson, NJ than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Beach Haven, 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 Beach Haven, NJ
This is one driving day of about 109 miles and 2h 24m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 24 miles from Beach Haven, 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 90.9 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 54.5 mi from Beach Haven, NJ
· 1h 12m into the drive
The midpoint is around 54.5 miles from Beach Haven, NJ, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Before the longest stretch
Fuel check
Top up before Garden State Parkway if your tank is already low. That segment runs about 90.9 miles.
Arriving in Paterson, NJ
The final approach into Paterson, NJ usually feels slower than the middle of the drive, so avoid planning your tightest schedule at the very end.
Try to arrive with enough fuel left to skip an immediate station stop unless you already know the area around Paterson, NJ.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
National Parks Near This Route
Worth a detour if your schedule allows.
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...
0 mi from route
~1 min detour
Free
near mile 109
Caution: Limited Amphitheater Accessibility
Caution: Overlook Park Parking Lot - Vehicles Must Be Parked in a Designated Spot
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...
15 mi from route
~37 min detour
Free
near mile 90.2
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...
18 mi from route
~45 min detour
Free
near mile 63.9
Station data from NREL Alternative Fuel Stations database.
Driving Electric?
About $11 in charging
· 0 stops
· 66% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
32.7
0
$11.44
$5.23
Efficient EV
27.3
0
$9.54
$4.36
EV Truck/SUV
43.6
0
$15.26
$6.98
Gas CO2
38 kg
EV CO2
13 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
Beach Haven, NJ
Afternoon
in Beach Haven on Thursday
Local time
1:00 PM
EDT
Current temp
50°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Paterson, NJ
Afternoon
in Paterson on Thursday
Local time
1:00 PM
EDT
Current temp
61°F
Unavailable
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
11 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
2h 24m 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.
Frequently Asked Questions
The drive from Beach Haven, NJ to Paterson, NJ covers 109 miles and takes about 2h 24m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Garden State Parkway, Manahawkin Bay Bridge, Long Beach Boulevard. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 54.5 miles from Beach Haven, NJ. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $18.07 one way. This estimate uses 25.4 MPG — your actual cost will vary with your vehicle's fuel efficiency and current gas prices.
Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch. Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.
This is a demanding drive. With 13 significant decision points across 109 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.
The main spots that need attention: at 14.1 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 105.9 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 108.3 miles: Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Between Beach Haven, NJ and Paterson, NJ, road signs point toward Manahawkin, Gsp Toll North and Gsp North.
