Skip to main content
Trip.ovh Logo
Trip.ovh

Trip from Elizabeth, NJ to Brookdale, NJ

Data updated 2 hours ago

Drive Time

25m

Distance

14.7 mi

24 km

Drive Score

8/10

Great drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$2

one way

EV Charging

None

0 DC fast

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 7 min
4 AM
0h 23m ★
6 AM
0h 26m
8 AM
0h 30m
10 AM
0h 27m
12 PM
0h 27m
3 PM
0h 27m
5 PM
0h 30m
8 PM
0h 24m

Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.

Best Time Drive vs Fly
Google Maps Waze Apple Maps
Download GPX
Downtown Elizabeth, NJ, NJ

Elizabeth, NJ

Wikimedia Commons

Downtown Brookdale, NJ, NJ

Brookdale, NJ

Joel Zar

Trip Overview

The drive from Elizabeth, NJ to Brookdale, NJ covers 14.7 miles and takes about 25m 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, North Broad Street, Hillside Avenue for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is mixed drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 8 miles on Garden State Parkway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $2.44 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.

Break Rhythm

0 planned breaks

A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.

Midpoint

7.4 miles from Elizabeth, NJ

A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 14m into the drive .

Loading map...

Drive Character

The drive from Elizabeth, NJ to Brookdale, NJ covers 14.7 miles and takes about 25m, using a mix of highways and local roads.

Expect a mix of faster highway mileage and slower local approaches near the beginning or end.
There are about 21 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 8 miles.

How Hard Is This Drive?

This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 0.3 miles in near East Grand Street.

Route Complexity 7/10

Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers

This is a demanding drive. With 16 significant decision points across 14.7 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 0.3 miles (East Grand Street): Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach; at 4.8 miles (CR 602 / Lyons Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 5.1 miles (Cleremont Avenue): Lane positioning matters here.

Critical Maneuvers

5 of 16 key points

These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.

6
0.3 mi into trip | ~1m in | East Grand Street

Turn sharp left onto East Grand Street

Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach

6
4.8 mi into trip | ~10m in | CR 602 / Lyons Avenue

Turn left onto CR 602 / Lyons Avenue

Lane positioning matters here

Use the left lane.
7
5.1 mi into trip | ~10m in | Cleremont Avenue

Turn left onto Cleremont Avenue

Lane positioning matters here

Use the left lane.
6
5.2 mi into trip | ~11m in

Take the ramp toward GSP North Toll

Complex interchange - multiple decisions in a short stretch

Toward GSP North Toll
8
13.4 mi into trip | ~22m in

Take the exit toward Montclair, Nutley

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 151 Toward Montclair, Nutley

Towns Mentioned on Route Signs

Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.

Between Elizabeth, NJ and Brookdale, NJ, road signs point toward Gsp North Toll, Montclair and Nutley.

Gsp North Toll

5.2 mi in | ~11m

Montclair

13.4 mi in | ~22m

Nutley

13.4 mi in | ~22m

Main Roads

Road Distance Duration
Garden State Parkway 8 mi 11m
North Broad Street 1.6 mi 2m
Hillside Avenue 1 mi 1m
Broad Street 0.8 mi 1m
Coit Street 0.6 mi 1m
East Passaic Avenue 0.4 mi <1m
West Passaic Avenue 0.4 mi <1m
Chestnut Avenue 0.4 mi <1m
Longest stretch: Garden State Parkway — 8 mi, about 11m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Elizabeth, NJ and Brookdale, NJ.

1

Start on this road

34 ft · 4 sec · this road
2

Turn right onto East Jersey Street

0.1 mi · 28 sec · East Jersey Street
3

Turn right onto Jefferson Avenue

0.2 mi · 46 sec · Jefferson Avenue
4

Turn sharp left onto East Grand Street

0.2 mi · 30 sec · East Grand Street
5

At end of road, turn right onto CR 623

0.6 mi · 1 min · Broad Street
6

Keep slight left at fork onto NJ 27

1.6 mi · 2 min · North Broad Street
7

Turn left onto CR 628

1.0 mi · 1 min · Hillside Avenue
Use the left lane.
8

Turn right onto CR 509

0.4 mi · 40 sec · Chestnut Avenue
Use the right lane.
9

Continue on CR 509

0.6 mi · 1 min · Coit Street
10

Turn slight left onto CR 509

0.1 mi · 15 sec · Grove Street
11

Turn left onto CR 602

0.3 mi · 43 sec · Lyons Avenue
Use the left lane.
12

Turn left onto Cleremont Avenue

0.1 mi · 16 sec · Cleremont Avenue
Use the left lane.
13

Take the ramp

0.1 mi · 18 sec
Toward GSP North Toll
14

Merge onto GSP

8.0 mi · 11 min · Garden State Parkway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
15

Take the exit

0.2 mi · 21 sec
Exit 151 Toward Montclair, Nutley Use the slight right lane.
16

Turn right onto CR 655

483 ft · 15 sec · Watchung Avenue
17

At end of road, turn left onto CR 652

0.4 mi · 55 sec · East Passaic Avenue
18

Continue on CR 622

0.4 mi · 47 sec · West Passaic Avenue
19

Turn right onto CR 509

0.1 mi · 16 sec · Broad Street
20

Turn left onto Irwin Place

473 ft · 20 sec · Irwin Place
21

Arrive at destination

Irwin Place

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 7.4 miles from Elizabeth, NJ, or about 14m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 8 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 14.7 miles or 25m in

Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.

Halfway reset

Around 7.4 miles or 14m in

This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.

Final approach

Final hour starts around 21m

Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Brookdale, NJ than in the middle of the route.

Before You Leave

+

Open the route before leaving Elizabeth, 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 Elizabeth, NJ

This is one driving day of about 14.7 miles and 25m.

Your first comfortable stop window is around 80 miles from Elizabeth, NJ.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
You may only need one short stretch stop if conditions stay smooth.
The longest stretch is on Garden State Parkway for about 8 miles.

Where to Stop

Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.

Halfway Point

Midpoint

About 7.4 mi from Elizabeth, NJ · 14m into the drive

Mid-route town

Meal stop

Staten Island, NY

7 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

New York City, NY

Fuel and coffee

A short stop after about 14.7 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.

New York City, NY

Meal break

The midpoint is around 7.4 miles from Elizabeth, NJ, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.

Arriving in Brookdale, NJ

The final approach into Brookdale, 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 Brookdale, 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

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...

2 mi from route ~5 min detour $10 near mile 10.2
Park Closure: Glenmont Mansion and Grounds Closed
View on nps.gov
Paterson Great Falls National Historical Park

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...

6 mi from route ~14 min detour Free near mile 14.2
View on nps.gov
Morristown National Historical Park

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...

16 mi from route ~40 min detour Free near mile 5.1
View on nps.gov
Gateway National Recreation Area

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...

17 mi from route ~42 min detour Free
View on nps.gov

Park data from the National Park Service API. Alerts update every 2 hours.

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$2.44 one way

$4.87 round trip

$4.21/gal 25.4 MPG avg 5 kg CO2
Fuel Type $/gal One Way Round Trip
midgrade $4.61 $2.67 $5.34
premium $4.93 $2.85 $5.70
diesel $5.61 $3.25 $6.49

Estimated Tolls: $0.48

Garden State Parkway (8 mi) $0.48

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

$2

Tolls

$0

Meals

$25–$50

Total

$28–$53

Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.

Estimated CO2 emission: 5.1 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 60% less CO2

Vehicle Type kWh Stops DC Fast Home Charge
Average EV 4.4 0 $1.54 $0.71
Efficient EV 3.7 0 $1.29 $0.59
EV Truck/SUV 5.9 0 $2.06 $0.94

Gas CO2

5 kg

EV CO2

2 kg (60% 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 data refreshed 5 days ago

Origin

Elizabeth, NJ

Night in Elizabeth on Tuesday

Local time

9:28 PM

EDT

Current temp

61°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Brookdale, NJ

Night in Brookdale on Tuesday

Local time

9:28 PM

EDT

Current temp

59°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

2 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

25m 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 Elizabeth, NJ to Brookdale, NJ covers 14.7 miles and takes about 25m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Garden State Parkway, North Broad Street, Hillside Avenue. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 7.4 miles from Elizabeth, NJ. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $2.44 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 16 significant decision points across 14.7 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 0.3 miles (East Grand Street): Sharp turn - reduce speed on approach; at 4.8 miles (CR 602 / Lyons Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 5.1 miles (Cleremont Avenue): Lane positioning matters here.
Between Elizabeth, NJ and Brookdale, NJ, road signs point toward Gsp North Toll, Montclair and Nutley.

Was this route helpful?

Thanks for your feedback!

Your tip has been submitted. Thanks!

/500

Explore More

Continue From Brookdale, NJ

Union City, NJ 11.2 mi · 16m Newark, NJ 10.6 mi · 15m

More from Elizabeth, NJ

Cape May, NJ 143.2 mi · 2h 54m Wildwood, NJ 140.6 mi · 2h 50m North Wildwood, NJ 139.7 mi · 2h 49m Cape May Court House, NJ 131.9 mi · 2h 38m Port Norris, NJ 120.1 mi · 2h 39m Margate City, NJ 111.6 mi · 2h 17m

More trips to Brookdale, NJ

Elizabethport, NJ 16.9 mi Jersey City, NJ 14.1 mi Newark, NJ 11.1 mi Union City, NJ 10.7 mi Paterson, NJ 6.8 mi

Explore more options from Elizabeth, NJ or browse trips ending in Brookdale, NJ.

Looking for more statewide routes? Browse NJ road trips.

Explore maps for Elizabeth, NJ or Brookdale, NJ on MapSof.net.