Trip from Menlo Park, NJ to Hamilton, NJ

Q: What are the main roads on this route?

The main roads are Garden State Parkway, NJ 33, Middlesex-Essex Turnpike. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.

Q: Is this a good same-day trip?

This is a comfortable same-day trip.

Q: Where should I stop halfway?

The midpoint is about 16.4 miles from Menlo Park, NJ. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.

Q: How much does gas cost for this trip?

At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $5.42 one way. This estimate uses 25.4 MPG — your actual cost will vary with your vehicle's fuel efficiency and current gas prices.

Q: What is the best time to leave?

Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch. Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.

Q: What towns show up on signs driving from Menlo Park, NJ to Hamilton, NJ?

The route from Menlo Park, NJ to Hamilton, NJ does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.

Q: Are there national parks near the route from Menlo Park, NJ to Hamilton, NJ?

Yes. Nearby national parks include Thomas Edison National Historical Park, Morristown National Historical Park and Gateway National Recreation Area. There are 4 parks within detour distance of this route.

Last recalculated Apr 16, 2026

Drive Time

41m

Distance

32.7 mi

53 km

Drive Score

6/10

Good drive

Same Day?

Yes, doable

Fuel Cost

$5

one way

EV Charging

Unknown

Best Time to Leave

Save up to 10 min

4 AM

0h 38m ★

6 AM

0h 41m

8 AM

0h 48m

10 AM

0h 44m

12 PM

0h 43m

3 PM

0h 44m

5 PM

0h 48m

8 PM

0h 39m

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

Best Time Drive vs Fly

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Trip Overview

The drive from Menlo Park, NJ to Hamilton, NJ covers 32.7 miles and takes about 41m 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, NJ 33, Middlesex-Essex Turnpike for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is highway-focused drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 30.3 miles on Garden State Parkway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $5.42 one way before food or hotel costs.

Who Is This Route For?

Weekend Trip

Doable as a same-day drive at 41m. Total distance: 32.7 miles.

Family Friendly

Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.

Solo Traveler

41m drive, comfortable solo distance.

EV Driver

0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.

First-Time Driver

Mostly highway driving (96%). Some complex stretches to watch for.

Drive Character

This is a 41m highway drive covering 32.7 miles, with most of the trip on Garden State Parkway and NJ 33. The longest continuous stretch is about 30.3 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 13 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 30.3 miles.

How Hard Is This Drive?

This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Garden State Parkway and NJ 33. 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 NJ 27 / Lincoln Highway.

Driving Effort 8/10

Focused - busy navigation packed into a short drive

Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.

This is a short but busy drive. With 11 decision points packed into just 32.7 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 41m.

Where does it get tricky?

The main spots that need attention: at 0.2 miles (NJ 27 / Lincoln Highway): Navigation decision point; at 0.5 miles (CR 657 / Middlesex-Essex Turnpike): Lane positioning matters here; at 0.7 miles: Lane positioning matters here.

Critical Maneuvers

5 of 11 key points

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

5

0.2 mi into trip | ~0m in | NJ 27 / Lincoln Highway

At end of road, turn left onto NJ 27 / Lincoln Highway

Navigation decision point

6

0.5 mi into trip | ~1m in | CR 657 / Middlesex-Essex Turnpike

Turn left onto CR 657 / Middlesex-Essex Turnpike

Lane positioning matters here

Use the left lane.

6

0.7 mi into trip | ~2m in

Take the ramp toward GSP Toll South

Lane positioning matters here

Use the slight right lane. Toward GSP Toll South

6

7.3 mi into trip | ~10m 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.

7

31.2 mi into trip | ~38m in

Take the exit toward NJ 33 East: Ocean Grove

Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here

Use the right lane. Exit 100A Toward NJ 33 East: Ocean Grove

Main Roads

Road	Distance	Duration
Garden State Parkway	30.3 mi	35m
NJ 33	0.8 mi	1m
Middlesex-Essex Turnpike	0.2 mi	<1m
Lincoln Highway	0.2 mi	<1m
Old Corlies Avenue	0.2 mi	<1m
Philip Street	0.2 mi	<1m
Wood Avenue	<0.1 mi	<1m
Gully Road	<0.1 mi	<1m

Longest stretch: Garden State Parkway — 30.3 mi, about 35m

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Menlo Park, NJ and Hamilton, NJ.

1

Start on Philip Street

0.2 mi · 35 sec · Philip Street

2

At end of road, turn left onto NJ 27

0.2 mi · 25 sec · Lincoln Highway

3

Turn right onto CR 649

497 ft · 21 sec · Wood Avenue

4

Turn left onto CR 657

0.2 mi · 46 sec · Middlesex-Essex Turnpike

Use the left lane.

5

Take the ramp

0.2 mi · 26 sec

Toward GSP Toll South Use the slight right lane.

6

Merge onto GSP

5.6 mi · 7 min · Garden State Parkway

Use the straight / slight right lanes.

7

Keep slight left at fork onto GSP

0.7 mi · 49 sec · Garden State Parkway

8

Keep slight right at fork onto GSP

24 mi · 27 min · Garden State Parkway

Use the slight left / slight right lanes.

9

Take the exit

0.4 mi · 1 min

Exit 100A Toward NJ 33 East: Ocean Grove Use the right lane.

10

Merge onto NJ 33

0.8 mi · 1 min · NJ 33

11

Turn right onto (17)

0.2 mi · 31 sec · Old Corlies Avenue

12

Turn right onto Gully Road

155 ft · 4 sec · Gully Road

13

Arrive at destination

Gully Road

Fuel & Cost

Regular Gas

$5.42 one way

$10.84 round trip

$4.21/gal 25.4 MPG avg 11 kg CO₂

Fuel Type	$/gal	One Way	Round Trip
midgrade	$4.61	$5.94	$11.87
premium	$4.93	$6.34	$12.68
diesel	$5.61	$7.22	$14.44

Estimated Tolls: $1.82

Garden State Parkway (30.3 mi) $1.82

Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.

Drive Cost (one way)

Fuel

$5

Tolls

$2

Total

$7

Estimated CO2 emission: 11.4 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.

Driving Electric?

About $3 in charging · 0 stops · 64% less CO₂

Vehicle Type	kWh	DC Fast	Home Charge
Average EV	9.8	$3.43	$1.57
Efficient EV	8.2	$2.86	$1.31
EV Truck/SUV	13.1	$4.58	$2.09

Gas CO2

11 kg

EV CO2

4 kg (64% 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

Menlo Park, NJ

Afternoon in Menlo Park on Thursday

Local time

3:41 PM

EDT

Current temp

45°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

Destination

Hamilton, NJ

Afternoon in Hamilton on Thursday

Local time

3:41 PM

EDT

Current temp

46°F

Unavailable

Live forecast

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 warmer at arrival

A meaningful temperature swing is a good cue to rethink layers, water, and how soon you want to arrive.

Road read

41m 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 Menlo Park, NJ to Hamilton, NJ covers 32.7 miles and takes about 41m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.