The drive from Union, NJ to Cape May, NJ covers 144.1 miles and takes about 2h 55m 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, Garden State Parkway Southbound, Lafayette Street for much of the mileage,
and the overall profile is highway-focused drive.
The longest uninterrupted segment is about 134.6 miles on Garden State Parkway.
At current regular gas prices, budget about $23.89 one way before food or hotel costs.
Trip Pace
Same-day drive is realistic
A same-day return is realistic if you keep stops short.
Break Rhythm
1 planned break
A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
Midpoint
72 miles from Union, NJ
A natural place for your longest stop of the day
, about 1h 28m into the drive
.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 2h 55m. Total distance: 144.1 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 1 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
2h 55m drive, comfortable solo distance.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (98%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Drive Character
This is a 2h 55m highway drive covering 144.1 miles, with most of the trip on Garden State Parkway and Garden State Parkway Southbound. The longest continuous stretch is about 134.6 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 18 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 134.6 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Garden State Parkway and Garden State Parkway Southbound. You will hit about 13 points where you need to pay attention to lane position or signs. The trickiest moment comes around 1 miles in.
Driving Effort6/10
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 144.1 miles you will encounter 13 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 1 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 1.3 miles (GSP / Garden State Parkway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 16.8 miles (GSP / Garden State Parkway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 13 key points
These are the spots where you need to pay the most attention. Preview them before you drive.
6
1 mi into trip|~3m in
Take the ramp toward GSP Toll South
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
Toward GSP Toll South
5
1.3 mi into trip|~3m in|GSP / Garden State Parkway
Merge onto GSP / Garden State Parkway
Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
6
16.8 mi into trip|~24m 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.
5
143.1 mi into trip|~2h 51m in|NJ 109; OD / Sidney Avenue
Turn left onto NJ 109; OD / Sidney Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Use the left lane.
8
143.2 mi into trip|~2h 51m in|Washington Street
At end of road, turn right onto Washington Street
Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Main Roads
Road
Distance
Duration
Garden State Parkway
134.6 mi
2h 38m
Garden State Parkway Southbound
6.2 mi
8m
Lafayette Street
1.1 mi
1m
Reading Avenue
0.7 mi
2m
Stuyvesant Avenue
0.6 mi
1m
Vauxhall Road
0.2 mi
<1m
Chestnut Street
0.1 mi
<1m
Massachusetts Avenue
<0.1 mi
<1m
Longest stretch:
Garden State Parkway
— 134.6 mi, about 2h 38m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Union, NJ and Cape May, NJ.
1
Start on Harding Avenue
243 ft·11 sec·Harding Avenue
2
Turn right onto CR 630
0.2 mi·42 sec·Vauxhall Road
3
Turn left onto CR 619
0.6 mi·1 min·Stuyvesant Avenue
4
Continue on CR 619
0.1 mi·27 sec·Chestnut Street
5
Take the ramp
0.3 mi·38 sec
Toward GSP Toll SouthUse the straight / slight right lanes.
6
Merge onto GSP
8.6 mi·11 min·Garden State Parkway
Use the straight / right lanes.
7
Continue on Garden State Parkway
6.2 mi·8 min·Garden State Parkway Southbound
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
8
Keep slight left at fork onto GSP
0.7 mi·49 sec·Garden State Parkway
9
Keep slight right at fork onto GSP
125 mi·2 hr 25 min·Garden State Parkway
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
10
Continue on NJ 109
1.1 mi·1 min·Lafayette Street
Use the left / uturn / straight lanes.
11
Turn left onto NJ 109; OD
275 ft·8 sec·Sidney Avenue
Use the left lane.
12
At end of road, turn right onto Washington Street
293 ft·13 sec·Washington Street
Use the right lane.
13
Turn left onto East Street
302 ft·15 sec·East Street
14
Turn right onto Massachusetts Avenue
324 ft·15 sec·Massachusetts Avenue
15
Turn left onto Reading Avenue
0.7 mi·2 min·Reading Avenue
16
Turn left onto New York Avenue
104 ft·6 sec·New York Avenue
17
Turn right
82 ft·6 sec
18
Arrive at destination
Trip Plan
Morning Departure
Leave by 9 AM and you'll arrive before lunch.
Evening Departure
Even a 4 PM departure gets you there before dark in summer.
You can normally do this drive in one day.
Plan roughly 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, and rest.
The halfway point lands around 72 miles from Union, NJ, or about 1h 28m into the drive.
The longest continuous stretch on this route runs about 134.6 miles.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
Departure
Before you leave
Start with fuel, water, and navigation already sorted so the first hour feels easy.
First stop
Around 32 miles or 42m in
Use this first pause for coffee, a restroom break, and a quick traffic check ahead.
Halfway reset
Around 72 miles or 1h 28m in
This is the best place for your longest stop, a real meal, and a full fuel check.
Final approach
Final hour starts around 2h 22m
Traffic, exits, and arrival timing usually matter more near Cape May, NJ than in the middle of the route.
Before You Leave
+
Open the route before leaving Union, NJ so your first major turns are already loaded.
+
Leave with enough water and a charging cable within reach, not packed away.
+
Check your fuel range against the first long segment, especially if you are starting outside city service areas.
Day 1
Settle into the route from Union, NJ
This is one driving day of about 144.1 miles and 2h 55m.
Your first comfortable stop window is around 32 miles from Union, NJ.
This route can stay practical as a one-day drive if traffic stays reasonable.
Plan about 1 real break rather than only quick fuel stops.
The longest stretch is on Garden State Parkway for about 134.6 miles.
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 72 mi from Union, NJ
· 1h 28m into the drive
Place data sourced from public business listings. Hours and availability may vary.
National Parks Near This Route
Worth a detour if your schedule allows.
Thomas Edison National Historical Park
National Historical Park
Today, the brick buildings on Main Street in West Orange, NJ seem quiet, betraying little evidence of the research, development, and innovation of their heyday. Visitors can step back in time to Thoma...
Morristown National Historical Park commemorates the sites of General Washington and the Continental Army’s winter encampment from December 1779 to June 1780, where soldiers survived the coldest winte...
Silk cloth and steam locomotives; textiles and continuous paper rolls; firearms and aircraft engines. What do these things have in common? All were manufactured in the same place - Paterson, NJ. In 17...
Spanning 27,000 acres from Sandy Hook in New Jersey to Breezy Point in New York City, the park is both the gateway from the ocean into New York Harbor, and the gateway to the National Park Service for...
18 mi from route
~46 min detour
Free
near mile 29.8
Station data from NREL Alternative Fuel Stations database.
Driving Electric?
About $15 in charging
· 0 stops
· 66% less CO2
Vehicle Type
kWh
Stops
DC Fast
Home Charge
Average EV
43.2
0
$15.13
$6.92
Efficient EV
36
0
$12.61
$5.76
EV Truck/SUV
57.6
0
$20.17
$9.22
Gas CO2
50 kg
EV CO2
17 kg (66% 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 18, 2026
Origin
Union, NJ
Morning
in Union on Saturday
Local time
7:22 AM
EDT
Current temp
53°F
Mostly Cloudy
E 2 mph0% chanceLive forecast
Destination
Cape May, NJ
Morning
in Cape May on Saturday
Local time
7:22 AM
EDT
Current temp
50°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Seasonal Notes
Summer travel usually means heavier construction, hotter rest stops, and busier weekend traffic around major cities.
Winter travel shortens daylight, so a route that looks manageable on paper can feel much longer after dark.
Holiday weekends tend to make both departure and arrival windows slower than the raw route time suggests.
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
3 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
2h 55m 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 Union, NJ to Cape May, NJ covers 144.1 miles and takes about 2h 55m without stops. Add 15-30 minutes for a fuel or rest stop on longer drives.
The main roads are Garden State Parkway, Garden State Parkway Southbound, Lafayette Street. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 72 miles from Union, NJ. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $23.89 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.
Plan about 1 meaningful break for fuel, food, or rest. A short stop every 2 to 3 hours is enough for this drive.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 144.1 miles you will encounter 13 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 1 miles: Lane positioning matters here; at 1.3 miles (GSP / Garden State Parkway): Merge point - match speed before joining. Lane positioning matters here; at 16.8 miles (GSP / Garden State Parkway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here.
The route from Union, NJ to Cape May, NJ does not surface many named destination signs beyond the main corridor.
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, NREL for EV charging, and NPS for national parks. See our methodology for refresh cadence and limitations.
