The drive from Clifton, NJ to Absecon, NJ covers 116.9 miles and takes about 2h 29m behind the wheel.
This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on Garden State Parkway, US 9, Garden State Parkway Southbound for much of the mileage,
and the overall profile is highway-focused drive.
The longest uninterrupted segment is about 99.5 miles on Garden State Parkway.
At current regular gas prices, budget about $19.38 one way before food or hotel costs.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Midpoint
58.5 miles from Clifton, NJ
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 16m into the drive
.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 2h 29m. Total distance: 116.9 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
2h 29m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (99%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Drive Character
This is a 2h 29m highway drive covering 116.9 miles, with most of the trip on Garden State Parkway and US 9. The longest continuous stretch is about 99.5 miles on Garden State Parkway.
Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 17 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 99.5 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Garden State Parkway and US 9. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.2 miles in near Olga B Terrace.
Driving Effort8/10
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a demanding drive. With 14 significant decision points across 116.9 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 0.2 miles (Olga B Terrace): Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch; at 0.9 miles (CR 602 / Allwood Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 1.1 miles: Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 14 key points
These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
6
0.2 mi into trip|~1m in|Olga B Terrace
At end of road, turn right onto Olga B Terrace
Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch
6
0.9 mi into trip|~2m in|CR 602 / Allwood Road
At end of road, turn right onto CR 602 / Allwood Road
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
7
1.1 mi into trip|~3m in
Take the ramp toward NJ 3 West, GSP South
Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward NJ 3 West, GSP South
6
1.3 mi into trip|~3m in
Take the exit toward GSP South
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Toward GSP South
8
107.3 mi into trip|~2h 13m in|US 9
Take the exit onto US 9 toward US 9 South: Port Republic, Smithville
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the straight / right lanes.
Exit 48
Toward US 9 South: Port Republic, Smithville
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
On the drive from Clifton, NJ to Absecon, NJ, road signs begin pointing toward Smithville along the way.
Smithville
107.3 mi in|~2h 13m|via US 9
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Garden State Parkway
99.5 mi
2h 1m
US 9
9.6 mi
15m
Garden State Parkway Southbound
6.2 mi
8m
Clifton Avenue
0.5 mi
1m
Allwood Road
0.2 mi
<1m
Donna Drive
0.1 mi
<1m
Olga B Terrace
0.1 mi
<1m
Holly Street
<0.1 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
Garden State Parkway
— 99.5 mi, about 2h 1m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Clifton, NJ and Absecon, NJ.
1
Start on Holly Street
516 ft·26 sec·Holly Street
2
Turn left onto Donna Drive
0.1 mi·34 sec·Donna Drive
3
At end of road, turn right onto Olga B Terrace
441 ft·21 sec·Olga B Terrace
4
Turn right onto Hutton Road
39 ft·7 sec·Hutton Road
5
Turn left onto Olga B Terrace
174 ft·13 sec·Olga B Terrace
6
Turn left onto NJ 161
0.5 mi·1 min·Clifton Avenue
7
At end of road, turn right onto CR 602
0.2 mi·31 sec·Allwood Road
Use the right lane.
8
Take the ramp
0.1 mi·18 sec
Toward NJ 3 West, GSP South
9
Merge onto NJ 3
304 ft·4 sec·State Route 3
10
Take the exit
0.4 mi·48 sec
Toward GSP SouthUse the slight right lane.
11
Merge onto GSP
22 mi·30 min·Garden State Parkway
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
12
Continue on Garden State Parkway
6.2 mi·8 min·Garden State Parkway Southbound
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
13
Keep slight left at fork onto GSP
0.7 mi·49 sec·Garden State Parkway
14
Keep slight right at fork onto GSP
77 mi·1 hr 29 min·Garden State Parkway
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
15
Take the exit onto US 9
9.6 mi·15 min·US 9
Exit 48Toward US 9 South: Port Republic, SmithvilleUse the straight / right lanes.
16
Turn left onto East Faunce Landing Road
71 ft·3 sec·East Faunce Landing Road
17
Arrive at destination
East Faunce Landing Road
Trip Plan
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 58.5 miles from Clifton, NJ, or about 1h 16m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 99.5 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 26 miles or 38m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 58.5 miles or 1h 16m 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
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Absecon, NJ than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Clifton, 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 Clifton, NJ
This is one driving day of about 116.9 miles and 2h 29m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 26 miles from Clifton, 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 99.5 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 58.5 mi from Clifton, NJ
· 1h 16m into the drive
The midpoint is around 58.5 miles from Clifton, 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 99.5 miles.
Arriving in Absecon, NJ
The final approach into Absecon, 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 Absecon, 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.
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...
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...
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 16.1
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
~46 min detour
Free
near mile 44.4
Station data from NREL Alternative Fuel Stations database.
Driving Electric?
About $12 in charging
· 0 stops
· 66% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
35.1
0
$12.27
$5.61
Efficient EV
29.2
0
$10.23
$4.68
EV Truck/SUV
46.8
0
$16.37
$7.48
Gas CO2
41 kg
EV CO2
14 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 16, 2026
Origin
Clifton, NJ
Morning
in Clifton on Friday
Local time
10:45 AM
EDT
Current temp
69°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Absecon, NJ
Morning
in Absecon on Friday
Local time
10:45 AM
EDT
Current temp
46°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
23 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
2h 29m 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 Clifton, NJ to Absecon, NJ covers 116.9 miles and takes about 2h 29m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Garden State Parkway, US 9, Garden State Parkway Southbound. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 58.5 miles from Clifton, NJ. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $19.38 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 14 significant decision points across 116.9 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 0.2 miles (Olga B Terrace): Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch; at 0.9 miles (CR 602 / Allwood Road): Lane positioning matters here; at 1.1 miles: Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
On the drive from Clifton, NJ to Absecon, NJ, road signs begin pointing toward Smithville along the way.
How this page is built
Compiled by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy from open government datasets — OSRM over OpenStreetMap for geometry, EIA for fuel prices, NREL for EV charging, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
