Origin
Union, NJ
Late night in Union on Friday
Local time
3:50 AM
EDT
Current temp
47°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Union, NJ to Spring Lake Heights, NJ
Compiled and reviewed by the Trip.ovh planning team at COD Solutions Oy · Last reviewed Apr 17, 2026 · Editorial standards
Drive Time
1h 5m
Distance
47.9 mi
77 km
Drive Score
6/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$8
one way
EV Charging
Good
8 stations
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 0m
★
6 AM
1h 6m
8 AM
1h 16m
10 AM
1h 9m
12 PM
1h 8m
3 PM
1h 10m
5 PM
1h 16m
8 PM
1h 3m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Union, NJ
Arjun Gheewala
Spring Lake Heights, NJ
JINISH RAJAGOPAL
Trip Overview
This straightforward 47.9-mile drive from Union, NJ, to Spring Lake Heights, NJ, is easily manageable in about 1 hour and 5 minutes, making it an ideal day trip. The journey is primarily highway-focused, with 90% of the route utilizing major roads like the Garden State Parkway and NJ 18. You can expect a fuel cost of around $8 for this relatively short distance. Since it's a quick trip within the Northeast region of New Jersey, no overnight stay is necessary. This route offers a practical and efficient way to travel between these two New Jersey locations.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 5m. Total distance: 47.9 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 5m 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
Expect a highway-focused drive for the majority of this trip, with 90% of the 47.9 miles on major roadways. You'll spend a significant portion of your time on the Garden State Parkway, including a continuous stretch of 27.5 miles. This section is designed for steady travel, allowing for a consistent pace. While the roads are predominantly highway, the overall experience is geared towards efficient transit rather than scenic exploration. The route progresses smoothly, largely on the Parkway, before potentially transitioning to NJ 18 closer to your destination.
Most of the miles stay on highways, which makes pacing and fuel planning easier than turn-by-turn city driving.
There are about 24 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 27.5 miles.
How Hard Is This Drive?
This is a straightforward highway drive that stays mostly on Garden State Parkway and Garden State Parkway Southbound. This route has several spots where lane changes, forks, or exits need your full attention. The trickiest moment comes around 1 miles in.
Driving Effort
10/10
Demanding - stay alert through the decision-heavy sections
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 47.9 miles you will encounter 16 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 16.8 miles (GSP / Garden State Parkway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 35 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 16 key pointsThese 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
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.
8
35 mi into trip
|
~45m in
Take the exit toward NJ 36 North, NJ 18: Eatontown, Long Branch, Tinton Falls
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 105
Toward NJ 36 North, NJ 18: Eatontown, Long Bran...
7
35.4 mi into trip
|
~46m in
Keep slight right at fork toward NJ 18 JCT: Tinton Falls
Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Toward NJ 18 JCT: Tinton Falls
7
42.4 mi into trip
|
~55m in
Take the exit toward NJ 33 East: Neptune
Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here
Use the right lane.
Exit 8A
Toward NJ 33 East: Neptune
Towns Mentioned on Route Signs
Based on OSRM destination-sign hints, not a full list of every settlement the road passes.
Between Union, NJ and Spring Lake Heights, NJ, road signs point toward Long Branch, Tinton Falls and Gsp South.
Long Branch
35 mi in
|
~45m
Tinton Falls
35 mi in
|
~45m
Gsp South
36 mi in
|
~47m
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Garden State Parkway | 27.5 mi | 33m |
| Garden State Parkway Southbound | 6.2 mi | 8m |
| NJ 18 | 6.2 mi | 6m |
| Route 71 | 1.8 mi | 4m |
| West Sylvania Avenue | 1.4 mi | 2m |
| NJ 35 | 1.4 mi | 1m |
| Stuyvesant Avenue | 0.6 mi | 1m |
| Warren Avenue | 0.4 mi | 1m |
Longest stretch:
Garden State Parkway
— 27.5 mi, about 33m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Union, NJ and Spring Lake Heights, 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 South
Use 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
18 mi
·
21 min
·
Garden State Parkway
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
10
Take the exit
0.4 mi
·
50 sec
Exit 105
Toward NJ 36 North, NJ 18: Eatontown, Long Branch, Tinton Falls
Use the slight right lane.
11
Keep slight right at fork
0.2 mi
·
39 sec
Toward NJ 18 JCT: Tinton Falls
Use the slight right lane.
12
Turn left onto CR 38
0.3 mi
·
34 sec
·
Wayside Road
13
Take the ramp
0.2 mi
·
29 sec
Toward GSP South, NJ 18 South, NJ 36 East
14
Merge onto NJ 18
6.2 mi
·
6 min
·
NJ 18
Use the straight / slight right lanes.
15
Take the exit
0.3 mi
·
57 sec
Exit 8A
Toward NJ 33 East: Neptune
Use the right lane.
16
Merge onto NJ 33
313 ft
·
6 sec
·
NJ 33
17
Take the exit
460 ft
·
14 sec
18
Continue on CR 17
1.4 mi
·
2 min
·
West Sylvania Avenue
19
Turn straight onto NJ 35
1.4 mi
·
1 min
·
NJ 35
20
Turn slight left onto NJ 71
244 ft
·
6 sec
·
H Street
21
Continue on NJ 71
1.8 mi
·
4 min
·
Route 71
22
Turn left onto CR 47
0.4 mi
·
1 min
·
Warren Avenue
Use the left lane.
23
Turn right onto 4th Avenue
55 ft
·
2 sec
·
4th Avenue
24
Arrive at destination
4th Avenue
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 23.9 mi from Union, NJ · 32m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
24 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 11 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 23.9 miles from Union, NJ, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Spring Lake Heights, NJ
The final approach into Spring Lake Heights, 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
$7.94 one way
$15.88 round trip
$4.21/gal
25.4 MPG avg
17 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.61 | $8.70 | $17.39 |
| premium | $4.93 | $9.29 | $18.58 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $10.58 | $21.15 |
Estimated Tolls: $2.02
Garden State Parkway
(33.7 mi)
$2.02
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$8
Tolls
$2
Total
$10
Estimated CO2 emission: 16.8 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $5 in charging · 0 stops · 65% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 14.4 | 0 | $5.03 | $2.30 |
| Efficient EV | 12 | 0 | $4.19 | $1.92 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 19.2 | 0 | $6.71 | $3.07 |
Gas CO2
17 kg
EV CO2
6 kg (65% 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
Spring Lake Heights, NJ
Late night in Spring Lake Heights on Friday
Local time
3:50 AM
EDT
Current temp
46°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
1 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
1h 5m 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 Union, NJ to Spring Lake Heights, NJ covers 47.9 miles and takes about 1h 5m 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, NJ 18. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 23.9 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 $7.94 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 47.9 miles you will encounter 16 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 16.8 miles (GSP / Garden State Parkway): Highway fork - watch signs carefully. Lane positioning matters here; at 35 miles: Exit ramp - move to the correct lane early. Lane positioning matters here. Multiple destination signs - pick the right one.
Between Union, NJ and Spring Lake Heights, NJ, road signs point toward Long Branch, Tinton Falls and Gsp South.
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 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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