Origin
Monmouth Beach, NJ
Morning in Monmouth Beach on Saturday
Local time
9:09 AM
EDT
Current temp
67°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Monmouth Beach, NJ to Clifton, NJ
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 18m
Distance
53.9 mi
87 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$9
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 13m
★
6 AM
1h 19m
8 AM
1h 31m
10 AM
1h 23m
12 PM
1h 22m
3 PM
1h 24m
5 PM
1h 30m
8 PM
1h 15m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Monmouth Beach, NJ
David Kanigan
Clifton, NJ
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from Monmouth Beach, NJ to Clifton, NJ covers 53.9 miles and takes about 1h 18m 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 41.4 miles on Garden State Parkway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $8.94 one way before food or hotel costs.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 18m. Total distance: 53.9 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 18m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (77%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Drive Character
This is a 1h 18m highway drive covering 53.9 miles, with most of the trip on Garden State Parkway and Newman Springs Road. The longest continuous stretch is about 41.4 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 30 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 41.4 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Garden State Parkway and Newman Springs Road. You will hit about 22 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 4.5 miles in near CR 520 / Rumson Road.
Driving Effort
6/10
Moderate - straightforward overall, but long enough or busy enough to require pacing
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 53.9 miles you will encounter 22 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: 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 22 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
50.3 mi into trip
|
~1h 11m 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
5
51.5 mi into trip
|
~1h 13m in
|
CR 622 / Darling Avenue
Turn left onto CR 622 / Darling Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
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 Clifton, NJ, road signs point toward Gsp Toll North, Crossover To Express Roadway, Montclair and Nutley.
Gsp Toll North
8.2 mi in
|
~15m
Crossover To Express Roadway
15 mi in
|
~23m
Montclair
50.3 mi in
|
~1h 11m
Nutley
50.3 mi in
|
~1h 11m
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Garden State Parkway | 41.4 mi | 54m |
| Newman Springs Road | 1.9 mi | 2m |
| Seven Bridges Road | 1.6 mi | 2m |
| Monmouth Boulevard | 1.3 mi | 2m |
| Allwood Road | 1 mi | 1m |
| Patten Avenue | 0.9 mi | 2m |
| Rumson Road | 0.8 mi | 1m |
| Pinckney Road | 0.6 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Garden State Parkway
— 41.4 mi, about 54m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Monmouth Beach, NJ and Clifton, 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
35 mi
·
47 min
·
Garden State Parkway
Use the straight lane.
16
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
21 sec
Exit 151
Toward Montclair, Nutley
Use the slight right lane.
17
Turn right onto CR 655
483 ft
·
15 sec
·
Watchung Avenue
18
At end of road, turn left onto CR 652
0.4 mi
·
45 sec
·
East Passaic Avenue
19
Turn right onto CR 622
0.5 mi
·
52 sec
·
West Passaic Avenue
20
Turn left onto CR 622
411 ft
·
7 sec
·
Darling Avenue
Use the left lane.
21
Continue on CR 622
0.4 mi
·
37 sec
·
Bloomfield Avenue
Use the straight / right lanes.
22
Enter roundabout onto CR 602
261 ft
·
4 sec
·
Allwood Road
23
Continue on CR 602
1.0 mi
·
1 min
·
Allwood Road
24
Turn right onto NJ 161
0.5 mi
·
1 min
·
Clifton Avenue
25
Turn right onto Olga B Terrace
174 ft
·
9 sec
·
Olga B Terrace
26
Turn right onto Hutton Road
39 ft
·
6 sec
·
Hutton Road
27
Turn left onto Olga B Terrace
441 ft
·
25 sec
·
Olga B Terrace
28
Turn left onto Donna Drive
0.1 mi
·
33 sec
·
Donna Drive
29
Turn right onto Holly Street
516 ft
·
22 sec
·
Holly Street
30
Arrive at destination
Holly Street
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 26.9 mi from Monmouth Beach, NJ · 39m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
27 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 12 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 26.9 miles from Monmouth Beach, NJ, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Clifton, NJ
The final approach into Clifton, NJ usually feels slower than the middle of the drive, so avoid planning your tightest schedule at the very end.
These stop ideas are pacing suggestions — the exact town or exit can change with traffic, hotel plans, and fuel range.
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$8.94 one way
$17.87 round trip
$4.21/gal
25.4 MPG avg
19 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.61 | $9.79 | $19.57 |
| premium | $4.93 | $10.45 | $20.91 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $11.90 | $23.80 |
Estimated Tolls: $2.49
Garden State Parkway
(41.4 mi)
$2.49
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$9
Tolls
$2
Total
$11
Estimated CO2 emission: 18.9 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $6 in charging · 0 stops · 68% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 16.2 | 0 | $5.66 | $2.59 |
| Efficient EV | 13.5 | 0 | $4.72 | $2.16 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 21.6 | 0 | $7.55 | $3.45 |
Gas CO2
19 kg
EV CO2
6 kg (68% 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
Clifton, NJ
Morning in Clifton on Saturday
Local time
9:09 AM
EDT
Current temp
69°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
2 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
1h 18m 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 Monmouth Beach, NJ to Clifton, NJ covers 53.9 miles and takes about 1h 18m 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 26.9 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 $8.94 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 53.9 miles you will encounter 22 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: 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 Clifton, NJ, road signs point toward Gsp Toll North, Crossover To Express Roadway, Montclair and Nutley.
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, and EIA for fuel prices. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
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