Origin
Monmouth Beach, NJ
Morning in Monmouth Beach on Saturday
Local time
9:00 AM
EDT
Current temp
67°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Monmouth Beach, NJ to Union, NJ
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
59m
Distance
40.7 mi
66 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$7
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 55m
★
6 AM
1h 0m
8 AM
1h 9m
10 AM
1h 3m
12 PM
1h 2m
3 PM
1h 4m
5 PM
1h 9m
8 PM
0h 57m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Monmouth Beach, NJ
David Kanigan
Union, NJ
Arjun Gheewala
Trip Overview
The drive from Monmouth Beach, NJ to Union, NJ covers 40.7 miles and takes about 59m 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, Newman Springs Road, Seven Bridges Road for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is highway-focused drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 30.5 miles on Garden State Parkway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $6.75 one way before food or hotel costs.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 59m. Total distance: 40.7 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
59m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (75%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Drive Character
This is a 59m highway drive covering 40.7 miles, with most of the trip on Garden State Parkway and Newman Springs Road. The longest continuous stretch is about 30.5 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 25 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 30.5 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Garden State Parkway and Newman Springs Road. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 4.5 miles in near CR 520 / Rumson Road.
Driving Effort
7/10
Focused - busy navigation packed into a short drive
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a short but busy drive. With 18 decision points packed into just 40.7 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 59m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 4.5 miles (CR 520 / Rumson Road): Navigation decision point; at 15 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 15.2 miles (GSP / Garden State Parkway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 18 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
5
4.5 mi into trip
|
~9m in
|
CR 520 / Rumson Road
At end of road, turn left onto CR 520 / Rumson Road
Navigation decision point
6
15 mi into trip
|
~23m in
Take the exit toward Crossover to Express Roadway
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight left lane.
Toward Crossover to Express Roadway
5
15.2 mi into trip
|
~23m in
|
GSP / Garden State Parkway
Merge onto GSP / Garden State Parkway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight lane.
8
39.4 mi into trip
|
~55m in
Take the exit toward US 22, NJ 82: Hillside
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 140
Toward US 22, NJ 82: Hillside
6
39.7 mi into trip
|
~56m in
Take the exit toward NJ 82: Morris Avenue, Kean University, Elizabeth
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Toward NJ 82: Morris Avenue, Kean University, E...
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Monmouth Beach, NJ and Union, NJ, road signs point toward Gsp Toll North and Crossover To Express Roadway.
Gsp Toll North
8.2 mi in
|
~15m
Crossover To Express Roadway
15 mi in
|
~23m
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Garden State Parkway | 30.5 mi | 39m |
| Newman Springs Road | 1.9 mi | 2m |
| Seven Bridges Road | 1.6 mi | 2m |
| Monmouth Boulevard | 1.3 mi | 2m |
| Patten Avenue | 0.9 mi | 2m |
| Rumson Road | 0.8 mi | 1m |
| Morris Avenue | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| Pinckney Road | 0.6 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Garden State Parkway
— 30.5 mi, about 39m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Monmouth Beach, NJ and Union, NJ.
1
Start on Riverdale Avenue
469 ft
·
16 sec
·
Riverdale Avenue
2
Continue on Wesley Street
0.3 mi
·
51 sec
·
Wesley Street
3
Turn left onto Patten Avenue
0.9 mi
·
2 min
·
Patten Avenue
4
Turn right onto CR 33
1.3 mi
·
2 min
·
Monmouth Boulevard
5
Turn right onto CR 33
0.3 mi
·
36 sec
·
Myrtle Avenue
6
Continue on CR 33
1.6 mi
·
2 min
·
Seven Bridges Road
7
At end of road, turn left onto CR 520
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
Rumson Road
8
At end of road, turn right onto CR 520; CR 11
0.3 mi
·
31 sec
·
Branch Avenue
9
Turn left onto CR 520
0.6 mi
·
58 sec
·
Pinckney Road
10
At end of road, turn left onto CR 520
0.1 mi
·
20 sec
·
Broad Street
11
Turn right onto CR 520
1.9 mi
·
2 min
·
Newman Springs Road
12
Take the ramp
0.5 mi
·
1 min
Toward GSP Toll North
13
Merge onto GSP
6.3 mi
·
7 min
·
Garden State Parkway
14
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
12 sec
Toward Crossover to Express Roadway
Use the slight left lane.
15
Merge onto GSP
24 mi
·
32 min
·
Garden State Parkway
Use the straight lane.
16
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
39 sec
Exit 140
Toward US 22, NJ 82: Hillside
Use the slight right lane.
17
Merge onto US 22
158 ft
·
3 sec
·
US 22
18
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
24 sec
Toward NJ 82: Morris Avenue, Kean University, Elizabeth
19
Turn slight right onto NJ 82
0.1 mi
·
14 sec
·
Morris Avenue
20
Turn slight right
507 ft
·
44 sec
21
Turn left onto NJ 82
0.5 mi
·
55 sec
·
Morris Avenue
22
Turn right onto Harding Avenue
0.1 mi
·
28 sec
·
Harding Avenue
23
Turn right onto CR 630
32 ft
·
4 sec
·
Vauxhall Road
24
Turn left onto Harding Avenue
243 ft
·
10 sec
·
Harding Avenue
25
Arrive at destination
Harding Avenue
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 20.4 mi from Monmouth Beach, NJ · 30m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
20 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 40.7 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 20.4 miles from Monmouth Beach, NJ, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Union, NJ
Allow a few extra minutes for the final approach into Union, NJ if you are unfamiliar with the area.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$6.75 one way
$13.50 round trip
$4.21/gal
25.4 MPG avg
14 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.61 | $7.39 | $14.78 |
| premium | $4.93 | $7.89 | $15.79 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $8.99 | $17.97 |
Estimated Tolls: $1.83
Garden State Parkway
(30.5 mi)
$1.83
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$7
Tolls
$2
Total
$9
Estimated CO2 emission: 14.2 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $4 in charging · 0 stops · 64% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 12.2 | 0 | $4.27 | $1.95 |
| Efficient EV | 10.2 | 0 | $3.56 | $1.63 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 16.3 | 0 | $5.70 | $2.60 |
Gas CO2
14 kg
EV CO2
5 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.
Destination
Union, NJ
Morning in Union on Saturday
Local time
9:00 AM
EDT
Current temp
53°F
Mostly Cloudy
E 2 mph
0% chance
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
14 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
59m on the road
The weather snapshot is not static. If you are leaving later, give both cities one more quick forecast check before departure.
Weather data from the National Weather Service. Conditions may change; check closer to your travel date.
Frequently Asked Questions
The drive from Monmouth Beach, NJ to Union, NJ covers 40.7 miles and takes about 59m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Garden State Parkway, Newman Springs Road, Seven Bridges Road. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 20.4 miles from Monmouth Beach, NJ. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $6.75 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 short but busy drive. With 18 decision points packed into just 40.7 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 59m.
The main spots that need attention: at 4.5 miles (CR 520 / Rumson Road): Navigation decision point; at 15 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 15.2 miles (GSP / Garden State Parkway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Between Monmouth Beach, NJ and Union, NJ, road signs point toward Gsp Toll North and Crossover To Express Roadway.
Yes. Nearby national parks include Thomas Edison National Historical Park, Morristown National Historical Park and Paterson Great Falls National Historical Park. There are 4 parks within detour distance of this route.
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, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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