Origin
Shark River Hills, NJ
Morning in Shark River Hills on Saturday
Local time
11:54 AM
EDT
Current temp
45°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Shark River Hills, NJ to Middletown, NJ
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 18, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
26m
Distance
17 mi
27 km
Drive Score
8/10
Great drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$3
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 24m
★
6 AM
0h 26m
8 AM
0h 31m
10 AM
0h 28m
12 PM
0h 27m
3 PM
0h 28m
5 PM
0h 30m
8 PM
0h 25m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Shark River Hills, NJ
Wikimedia Commons
Middletown, NJ
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
Traveling between Shark River Hills and Middletown covers a quick 17-mile distance that typically takes about 26 minutes to complete. This straightforward journey within the Northeast region is perfect for a single-day trip, as it requires no overnight stops or extensive planning. With fuel costs estimated at around $3, it is an incredibly budget-friendly commute or local excursion. You will primarily navigate a combination of NJ 18, Middletown Lincroft Road, and Swimming River Road. Since the entire route is quite short, you have the flexibility to head out whenever your schedule allows without worrying about complex logistics.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 26m. Total distance: 17 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
26m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (42%). Straightforward navigation.
Scenic Drive
Mixed drive route profile with national parks nearby.
Drive Character
This trip offers a mixed driving profile that transitions between highway efficiency and local road navigation. Approximately 42% of your journey is spent on major highways, providing a balanced feel behind the wheel. You will encounter your longest uninterrupted stretch while cruising for 7.1 miles along NJ 18, which allows for a steady pace before you transition onto smaller roads. As you move away from the main highway, the character of the drive shifts into a more localized experience. Expect a functional drive that blends the speed of a highway transition with the pace of suburban connectors.
Expect a mix of faster highway mileage and slower local approaches near the beginning or end.
There are about 13 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
NJ 18 is the longest continuous segment at about 7.1 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This route mixes highway mileage with some local-road sections near the start or finish. There are only a few real navigation decisions along the way. The trickiest moment comes around 0.4 miles in near Brighton Avenue.
Driving Effort
3/10
Easy - simple navigation with a manageable amount of wheel time
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This is a straightforward 26m drive. You will face about 7 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: at 0.4 miles (Brighton Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 0.8 miles: Navigation decision point; at 0.9 miles (NJ 18): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 7 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
4
0.4 mi into trip
|
~1m in
|
Brighton Avenue
At end of road, turn left onto Brighton Avenue
Navigation decision point
5
0.8 mi into trip
|
~2m in
Take the ramp toward NJ 18 North: Eatontown
Navigation decision point
Toward NJ 18 North: Eatontown
5
0.9 mi into trip
|
~2m in
|
NJ 18
Merge onto NJ 18
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
7
8.1 mi into trip
|
~10m in
Take the exit toward Wayside Road North
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 15A
Toward Wayside Road North
4
17 mi into trip
|
~26m in
|
CR 50 / Kings Highway
At end of road, turn right onto CR 50 / Kings Highway
Navigation decision point
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 Shark River Hills, NJ to Middletown, NJ, road signs begin pointing toward Wayside Road North along the way.
Wayside Road North
8.1 mi in
|
~10m
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| NJ 18 | 7.1 mi | 7m |
| Middletown Lincroft Road | 4.4 mi | 7m |
| Swimming River Road | 1.8 mi | 3m |
| Wayside Road | 1.3 mi | 2m |
| Tinton Avenue | 0.8 mi | 1m |
| Lakewood Road | 0.4 mi | 1m |
| Brighton Avenue | 0.4 mi | <1m |
| Church Street | 0.3 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
NJ 18
— 7.1 mi, about 7m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Shark River Hills, NJ and Middletown, NJ.
1
Start on Forest Drive
26 ft
·
6 sec
·
Forest Drive
2
Turn left onto Lakewood Road
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
Lakewood Road
3
At end of road, turn left onto Brighton Avenue
0.4 mi
·
59 sec
·
Brighton Avenue
4
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
21 sec
Toward NJ 18 North: Eatontown
5
Merge onto NJ 18
7.1 mi
·
7 min
·
NJ 18
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
34 sec
Exit 15A
Toward Wayside Road North
Use the slight right lane.
7
Turn straight onto CR 38
1.3 mi
·
2 min
·
Wayside Road
8
Continue on CR 537
0.8 mi
·
1 min
·
Tinton Avenue
9
Turn right onto CR 50
1.8 mi
·
3 min
·
Swimming River Road
10
Continue on CR 50
4.4 mi
·
7 min
·
Middletown Lincroft Road
11
Continue on CR 50
0.3 mi
·
37 sec
·
Church Street
12
At end of road, turn right onto CR 50
35 ft
·
0 sec
·
Kings Highway
13
Arrive at destination
CR 50
Fuel & Cost
Regular Gas
$2.82 one way
$5.64 round trip
$4.21/gal
25.4 MPG avg
6 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.61 | $3.09 | $6.17 |
| premium | $4.93 | $3.30 | $6.59 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $3.75 | $7.51 |
No toll roads detected on this route.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$3
Estimated CO2 emission: 5.9 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $2 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 5.1 | 0 | $1.78 | $0.82 |
| Efficient EV | 4.3 | 0 | $1.49 | $0.68 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 6.8 | 0 | $2.38 | $1.09 |
Gas CO2
6 kg
EV CO2
2 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
Middletown, NJ
Morning in Middletown on Saturday
Local time
11:54 AM
EDT
Current temp
88°F
Mostly Sunny
SW 5 to 10 mph
2% 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
43 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
26m 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 Shark River Hills, NJ to Middletown, NJ covers 17 miles and takes about 26m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are NJ 18, Middletown Lincroft Road, Swimming River Road. Expect a mix of highway and local road driving.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 8.5 miles from Shark River Hills, NJ. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $2.82 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 straightforward 26m drive. You will face about 7 decision points, but nothing that requires special attention if you follow navigation.
The main spots that need attention: at 0.4 miles (Brighton Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 0.8 miles: Navigation decision point; at 0.9 miles (NJ 18): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
On the drive from Shark River Hills, NJ to Middletown, NJ, road signs begin pointing toward Wayside Road North along the way.
Yes. Nearby national parks include Gateway National Recreation Area and Thomas Edison National Historical Park.
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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