Origin
Spotswood, NJ
Morning in Spotswood on Friday
Local time
8:07 AM
EDT
Current temp
45°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Spotswood, NJ to Toms River, NJ
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 17, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
57m
Distance
43.5 mi
70 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$7
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
0h 53m
★
6 AM
0h 58m
8 AM
1h 7m
10 AM
1h 1m
12 PM
1h 0m
3 PM
1h 2m
5 PM
1h 7m
8 PM
0h 55m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Spotswood, NJ
Alexa V. Mato
Toms River, NJ
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from Spotswood, NJ to Toms River, NJ covers 43.5 miles and takes about 57m behind the wheel. This route is realistic as a one-day drive if you keep your stops efficient.
The route leans on State Route 18, Garden State Parkway, NJ 34 for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is highway-focused drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 15.7 miles on State Route 18. At current regular gas prices, budget about $7.21 one way before food or hotel costs.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 57m. Total distance: 43.5 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
57m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (90%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Drive Character
This is a 57m highway drive covering 43.5 miles, with most of the trip on State Route 18 and Garden State Parkway. The longest continuous stretch is about 15.7 miles on State Route 18.
Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 18 navigation steps in the underlying route data, so the final approach matters more than the middle miles.
State Route 18 is the longest continuous segment at about 15.7 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on State Route 18 and Garden State Parkway. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes early in the drive near Eaton Avenue.
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 12 decision points packed into just 43.5 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 57m.
Where does it get tricky?
The main spots that need attention: near the start (Eaton Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 18.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 27.4 miles (GSP / Garden State Parkway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 12 key pointsThese are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
5
0 mi into trip
|
~0m in
|
Eaton Avenue
Turn left onto Eaton Avenue
Navigation decision point
7
18.2 mi into trip
|
~23m in
Take the exit toward NJ 34 South: Point Pleasant
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Exit 19B
Toward NJ 34 South: Point Pleasant
5
27.4 mi into trip
|
~37m in
|
GSP / Garden State Parkway
Merge onto GSP / Garden State Parkway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
8
42.3 mi into trip
|
~55m in
Take the exit toward NJ 37 East: Seaside Heights, Island Beach State Park
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one
Use the right lane.
Exit 82
Toward NJ 37 East: Seaside Heights, Island Beac...
5
42.8 mi into trip
|
~56m in
|
NJ 166 / North Main Street
Turn right onto NJ 166 / North Main Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
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 Spotswood, NJ to Toms River, NJ, road signs begin pointing toward Gsp Toll South along the way.
Gsp Toll South
26.7 mi in
|
~36m
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| State Route 18 | 15.7 mi | 17m |
| Garden State Parkway | 14.9 mi | 17m |
| NJ 34 | 8.3 mi | 11m |
| Main Street | 1.9 mi | 4m |
| North Main Street | 0.7 mi | 1m |
| Route 37 West | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| Snowhill Street | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| CR 527 | 0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
State Route 18
— 15.7 mi, about 17m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Spotswood, NJ and Toms River, NJ.
1
Start on Willard Clark Circle
236 ft
·
15 sec
·
Willard Clark Circle
2
Turn left onto Eaton Avenue
332 ft
·
16 sec
·
Eaton Avenue
3
Turn right onto Snowhill Street
0.3 mi
·
44 sec
·
Snowhill Street
4
Continue on CR 615
1.9 mi
·
4 min
·
Main Street
5
Take the ramp onto CR 527
0.1 mi
·
18 sec
·
CR 527
6
Merge onto NJ 18; CR 527
16 mi
·
17 min
·
State Route 18
7
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
1 min
Exit 19B
Toward NJ 34 South: Point Pleasant
Use the slight right lane.
8
Turn straight onto NJ 34
3.1 mi
·
4 min
·
NJ 34
9
Take the ramp onto NJ 34
1.2 mi
·
1 min
·
NJ 34
10
Enter roundabout onto NJ 34
219 ft
·
3 sec
·
NJ 34
11
Continue on NJ 34
3.9 mi
·
4 min
·
NJ 34
12
Take the exit
0.7 mi
·
1 min
Toward GSP Toll South
13
Merge onto GSP
15 mi
·
17 min
·
Garden State Parkway
Use the straight / slight left lanes.
14
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
48 sec
Exit 82
Toward NJ 37 East: Seaside Heights, Island Beach State Park
Use the right lane.
15
Merge onto NJ 37
0.3 mi
·
33 sec
·
Route 37 West
16
Turn right onto NJ 166
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
North Main Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
17
Turn left
78 ft
·
5 sec
18
Arrive at destination
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 21.8 mi from Spotswood, NJ · 29m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
22 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 10 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 21.8 miles from Spotswood, NJ, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Toms River, NJ
Allow a few extra minutes for the final approach into Toms River, 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
$7.21 one way
$14.42 round trip
$4.21/gal
25.4 MPG avg
15 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.61 | $7.90 | $15.80 |
| premium | $4.93 | $8.44 | $16.87 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $9.60 | $19.21 |
Estimated Tolls: $0.89
Garden State Parkway
(14.9 mi)
$0.89
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$7
Tolls
$1
Total
$8
Estimated CO2 emission: 15.2 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 67% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 13 | 0 | $4.57 | $2.09 |
| Efficient EV | 10.9 | 0 | $3.81 | $1.74 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 17.4 | 0 | $6.09 | $2.78 |
Gas CO2
15 kg
EV CO2
5 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
Toms River, NJ
Morning in Toms River on Friday
Local time
8:07 AM
EDT
Current temp
45°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
Very similar conditions
Both ends of the route are sitting at about the same temperature right now.
Road read
57m 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 Spotswood, NJ to Toms River, NJ covers 43.5 miles and takes about 57m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are State Route 18, Garden State Parkway, NJ 34. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 21.8 miles from Spotswood, NJ. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $7.21 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 12 decision points packed into just 43.5 miles, you will need to pay attention to lane changes and exits — but the whole thing is over in 57m.
The main spots that need attention: near the start (Eaton Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 18.2 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here; at 27.4 miles (GSP / Garden State Parkway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here.
On the drive from Spotswood, NJ to Toms River, NJ, road signs begin pointing toward Gsp Toll South along the way.
Yes. Nearby national parks include Gateway National Recreation Area, Morristown National Historical Park and Thomas Edison National Historical Park.
How this page is built
Compiled and maintained by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy (Helsinki). Each route is built from authoritative open government and mapping datasets rather than crowdsourced reviews. Distances and geometry come from OSRM over OpenStreetMap. Fuel cost uses EIA weekly regional averages. National park proximity is from the NPS API. Pages are published only after passing our data-quality checks; our methodology page documents refresh cadence, editorial standards, and known limitations.
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