Origin
Lakewood, NJ
Morning in Lakewood on Wednesday
Local time
6:23 AM
EDT
Current temp
56°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Lakewood, NJ to Cape May, NJ
Data updated 0 seconds ago
Drive Time
1h 56m
Distance
93.8 mi
151 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$16
one way
EV Charging
Loading...
station data
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 48m
★
6 AM
1h 57m
8 AM
2h 14m
10 AM
2h 3m
12 PM
2h 1m
3 PM
2h 4m
5 PM
2h 13m
8 PM
1h 52m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Lakewood, NJ
Wikimedia Commons
Cape May, NJ
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from Lakewood, NJ to Cape May, NJ covers 93.8 miles and takes about 1h 56m 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, Lakewood Road, River Avenue for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is highway-focused drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 83.9 miles on Garden State Parkway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $15.55 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
46.9 miles from Lakewood, NJ
A natural place for your longest stop of the day , about 59m into the drive .
Loading map...
Drive Character
This is a 1h 56m highway drive covering 93.8 miles, with most of the trip on Garden State Parkway and Lakewood Road. The longest continuous stretch is about 83.9 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 15 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 83.9 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Garden State Parkway and Lakewood Road. You will hit about 10 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near US 9; CR 547 / Madison Avenue.
Route Complexity
5/10
Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 93.8 miles you will encounter 10 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 (US 9; CR 547 / Madison Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 7.6 miles (US 9): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 7.8 miles (GSP; US 9 / Garden State Parkway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 10 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
6
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
US 9; CR 547 / Madison Avenue
Turn left onto US 9; CR 547 / Madison Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
5
7.6 mi into trip
|
~13m in
|
US 9
Take the exit onto US 9 toward GSP, US 9 South: Atlantic City, Garden State Parkway
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward GSP, US 9 South: Atlantic City, Garden S...
5
7.8 mi into trip
|
~13m in
|
GSP; US 9 / Garden State Parkway
Merge onto GSP; US 9 / Garden State Parkway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
5
92.9 mi into trip
|
~1h 53m in
|
NJ 109; OD / Sidney Avenue
Turn left onto NJ 109; OD / Sidney Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
8
92.9 mi into trip
|
~1h 53m in
|
Washington Street
At end of road, turn right onto Washington Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
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 Lakewood, NJ to Cape May, NJ, road signs begin pointing toward Gsp along the way.
Gsp
7.6 mi in
|
~13m
|
via US 9
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Garden State Parkway | 83.9 mi | 1h 37m |
| Lakewood Road | 4 mi | 6m |
| River Avenue | 2.6 mi | 4m |
| Lafayette Street | 1.1 mi | 1m |
| Madison Avenue | 0.9 mi | 1m |
| Reading Avenue | 0.7 mi | 2m |
| US 9 | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| Massachusetts Avenue | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Garden State Parkway
— 83.9 mi, about 1h 37m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Lakewood, NJ and Cape May, NJ.
1
Start on 8th Street
46 ft
·
7 sec
·
8th Street
2
Turn left onto US 9; CR 547
0.9 mi
·
1 min
·
Madison Avenue
Use the straight lane.
3
Continue on US 9
2.6 mi
·
4 min
·
River Avenue
4
Continue on US 9
4.0 mi
·
6 min
·
Lakewood Road
Use the straight / right lanes.
5
Take the exit onto US 9
0.3 mi
·
24 sec
·
US 9
Toward GSP, US 9 South: Atlantic City, Garden State Parkway
6
Merge onto GSP; US 9
84 mi
·
1 hr 37 min
·
Garden State Parkway
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
Continue on NJ 109
1.1 mi
·
1 min
·
Lafayette Street
Use the left / uturn / straight lanes.
8
Turn left onto NJ 109; OD
275 ft
·
8 sec
·
Sidney Avenue
Use the left lane.
9
At end of road, turn right onto Washington Street
293 ft
·
13 sec
·
Washington Street
Use the right lane.
10
Turn left onto East Street
302 ft
·
15 sec
·
East Street
11
Turn right onto Massachusetts Avenue
324 ft
·
15 sec
·
Massachusetts Avenue
12
Turn left onto Reading Avenue
0.7 mi
·
2 min
·
Reading Avenue
13
Turn left onto New York Avenue
104 ft
·
6 sec
·
New York Avenue
14
Turn right
82 ft
·
6 sec
15
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 46.9 miles from Lakewood, NJ, or about 59m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 83.9 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 80 miles or 1h 37m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 46.9 miles or 59m 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 33m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Cape May, NJ than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Lakewood, 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 Lakewood, NJ
This is one driving day of about 93.8 miles and 1h 56m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 80 miles from Lakewood, 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 83.9 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 46.9 mi from Lakewood, NJ · 59m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
47 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 80 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 46.9 miles from Lakewood, 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 83.9 miles.
Arriving in Cape May, NJ
The final approach into Cape May, 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 Cape May, NJ.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$15.55 one way
$31.10 round trip
$4.21/gal
25.4 MPG avg
33 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.61 | $17.03 | $34.06 |
| premium | $4.93 | $18.19 | $36.38 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $20.71 | $41.42 |
Estimated Tolls: $5.04
Garden State Parkway
(83.9 mi)
$5.04
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
$16
Tolls
$5
Meals
$25–$50
Total
$46–$71
Rough estimate based on US averages. Hotel $80–$140/night, meals $25–$50/day.
Estimated CO2 emission: 32.8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $10 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 28.1 | 0 | $9.85 | $4.50 |
| Efficient EV | 23.5 | 0 | $8.21 | $3.75 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 37.5 | 0 | $13.13 | $6.00 |
Gas CO2
33 kg
EV CO2
11 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
Cape May, NJ
Morning in Cape May on Wednesday
Local time
6:23 AM
EDT
Current temp
55°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
1 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 56m 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 Lakewood, NJ to Cape May, NJ covers 93.8 miles and takes about 1h 56m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Garden State Parkway, Lakewood Road, River Avenue. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 46.9 miles from Lakewood, NJ. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $15.55 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 93.8 miles you will encounter 10 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 (US 9; CR 547 / Madison Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 7.6 miles (US 9): Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one; at 7.8 miles (GSP; US 9 / Garden State Parkway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
On the drive from Lakewood, NJ to Cape May, NJ, road signs begin pointing toward Gsp along the way.
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