The drive from Fairfield, NJ to Toms River, NJ covers 82 miles and takes about 1h 44m 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, Garden State Parkway Southbound, US 46 for much of the mileage,
and the overall profile is highway-focused drive.
The longest uninterrupted segment is about 65.5 miles on Garden State Parkway.
At current regular gas prices, budget about $13.59 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
41 miles from Fairfield, NJ
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 55m into the drive
.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 44m. Total distance: 82 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 44m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (97%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Drive Character
This is a 1h 44m highway drive covering 82 miles, with most of the trip on Garden State Parkway and Garden State Parkway Southbound. The longest continuous stretch is about 65.5 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 65.5 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Garden State Parkway and Garden State Parkway Southbound. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near Craig Place.
Driving Effort8/10
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 82 miles you will encounter 13 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: near the start (Craig Place): Navigation decision point; at 1.4 miles (US 46): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 8.9 miles (ramp to GSP Southbound): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. 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.
5
0 mi into trip|~0m in|Craig Place
Turn right onto Craig Place
Navigation decision point
5
1.4 mi into trip|~3m in|US 46
Merge onto US 46
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
8.9 mi into trip|~12m in|ramp to GSP Southbound
Take the exit onto ramp to GSP Southbound toward GSP Toll South
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Toward GSP Toll South
6
37.9 mi into trip|~52m in|GSP / Garden State Parkway
Keep slight right at fork onto GSP / Garden State Parkway
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
8
80.8 mi into trip|~1h 42m in
Take the exit toward NJ 37 East: Seaside Heights, Island Beach State Park
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the right lane.
Exit 82
Toward NJ 37 East: Seaside Heights, Island Beac...
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 Fairfield, NJ to Toms River, NJ, road signs begin pointing toward Gsp Toll South along the way.
Gsp Toll South
8.9 mi in|~12m|via ramp to GSP Southbound
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Garden State Parkway
65.5 mi
1h 21m
Garden State Parkway Southbound
6.2 mi
8m
US 46
6.2 mi
7m
NJ 3
1.3 mi
1m
Hollywood Avenue
1.2 mi
2m
North Main Street
0.7 mi
1m
Route 37 West
0.3 mi
<1m
ramp to GSP Southbound
0.3 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
Garden State Parkway
— 65.5 mi, about 1h 21m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Fairfield, NJ and Toms River, NJ.
1
Start on Alan Drive
183 ft·10 sec·Alan Drive
2
Turn right onto Craig Place
355 ft·17 sec·Craig Place
3
Turn right onto CR 625
1.2 mi·2 min·Hollywood Avenue
4
Take the ramp
0.1 mi·14 sec
5
Merge onto US 46
4.6 mi·5 min·US 46
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Continue on US 46
1.6 mi·1 min·US 46
Use the straight / right lanes.
7
Turn slight left onto NJ 3
1.3 mi·1 min·NJ 3
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Take the exit onto ramp to GSP Southbound
0.3 mi·36 sec·ramp to GSP Southbound
Toward GSP Toll SouthUse the slight right lane.
9
Merge onto GSP
22 mi·30 min·Garden State Parkway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
10
Continue on Garden State Parkway
6.2 mi·8 min·Garden State Parkway Southbound
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
11
Keep slight left at fork onto GSP
0.7 mi·49 sec·Garden State Parkway
12
Keep slight right at fork onto GSP
43 mi·50 min·Garden State Parkway
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
13
Take the exit
0.2 mi·48 sec
Exit 82Toward NJ 37 East: Seaside Heights, Island Beach State ParkUse the right lane.
14
Merge onto NJ 37
0.3 mi·33 sec·Route 37 West
15
Turn right onto NJ 166
0.7 mi·1 min·North Main Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
16
Turn left
78 ft·5 sec
17
Arrive at destination
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 41 miles from Fairfield, NJ, or about 55m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 65.5 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 18 miles or 25m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 41 miles or 55m 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 29m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Toms River, NJ than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Fairfield, NJ so your first major turns are already loaded.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Fairfield, NJ
This is one driving day of about 82 miles and 1h 44m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 18 miles from Fairfield, 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 65.5 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 41 mi from Fairfield, NJ
· 55m into the drive
Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
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...
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 48.1
Station data from NREL Alternative Fuel Stations database.
Driving Electric?
About $9 in charging
· 0 stops
· 66% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
24.6
0
$8.61
$3.94
Efficient EV
20.5
0
$7.18
$3.28
EV Truck/SUV
32.8
0
$11.48
$5.25
Gas CO2
29 kg
EV CO2
10 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
Fairfield, NJ
Afternoon
in Fairfield on Friday
Local time
1:53 PM
EDT
Current temp
70°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Destination
Toms River, NJ
Afternoon
in Toms River on Friday
Local time
1:53 PM
EDT
Current temp
45°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
25 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
1h 44m 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 Fairfield, NJ to Toms River, NJ covers 82 miles and takes about 1h 44m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Garden State Parkway, Garden State Parkway Southbound, US 46. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 41 miles from Fairfield, NJ. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $13.59 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 drive requires moderate attention. Across 82 miles you will encounter 13 spots where lane choice or exit timing matters. Not difficult for experienced highway drivers, but worth previewing the tricky sections before you go.
The main spots that need attention: near the start (Craig Place): Navigation decision point; at 1.4 miles (US 46): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 8.9 miles (ramp to GSP Southbound): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here.
On the drive from Fairfield, NJ to Toms River, NJ, road signs begin pointing toward Gsp Toll South 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.
