Origin
Westfield, NJ
Afternoon in Westfield on Thursday
Local time
2:06 PM
EDT
Current temp
45°F
Unavailable
Live forecast
Trip from Westfield, NJ to Toms River, NJ
Last recalculated Apr 16, 2026
Drive Time
1h 17m
Distance
58.5 mi
94 km
Drive Score
7/10
Good drive
Same Day?
Yes, doable
Fuel Cost
$10
one way
EV Charging
Unknown
Best Time to Leave
4 AM
1h 11m
★
6 AM
1h 17m
8 AM
1h 29m
10 AM
1h 21m
12 PM
1h 20m
3 PM
1h 22m
5 PM
1h 29m
8 PM
1h 13m
Estimated drive times based on typical traffic patterns. Actual times may vary with weather, construction, and real-time conditions.
Westfield, NJ
Wikimedia Commons
Toms River, NJ
Wikimedia Commons
Trip Overview
The drive from Westfield, NJ to Toms River, NJ covers 58.5 miles and takes about 1h 17m 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, Central Avenue for much of the mileage, and the overall profile is highway-focused drive. The longest uninterrupted segment is about 47.4 miles on Garden State Parkway. At current regular gas prices, budget about $9.70 one way before food or hotel costs.
Who Is This Route For?
Weekend Trip
Doable as a same-day drive at 1h 17m. Total distance: 58.5 miles.
Family Friendly
Moderate complexity with 0 natural rest stops along the way.
Solo Traveler
1h 17m drive, comfortable solo distance.
EV Driver
0 DC fast chargers along the route. Coverage: unknown.
First-Time Driver
Mostly highway driving (92%). Some complex stretches to watch for.
Drive Character
This is a 1h 17m highway drive covering 58.5 miles, with most of the trip on Garden State Parkway and Garden State Parkway Southbound. The longest continuous stretch is about 47.4 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 14 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 47.4 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 early in the drive near Harrison Avenue.
Driving Effort
8/10
Demanding - plan breaks and stay ahead of the key maneuvers
Balances navigation complexity with total wheel time.
This drive requires moderate attention. Across 58.5 miles you will encounter 11 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: near the start (Harrison Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 0.6 miles (CR 613 / Central Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 3.4 miles: Lane positioning matters here.
Critical Maneuvers
5 of 11 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
|
Harrison Avenue
Turn right onto Harrison Avenue
Navigation decision point
5
0.6 mi into trip
|
~2m in
|
CR 613 / Central Avenue
Turn left onto CR 613 / Central Avenue
Lane positioning matters here
Use the straight / right lanes.
5
3.4 mi into trip
|
~9m in
Take the ramp toward GSP Toll South
Lane positioning matters here
Use the slight right lane.
Toward GSP Toll South
6
14.4 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
57.3 mi into trip
|
~1h 14m 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...
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 Westfield, NJ to Toms River, NJ, road signs begin pointing toward Gsp Toll South along the way.
Gsp Toll South
3.4 mi in
|
~9m
Main Roads
| Road | Distance | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Garden State Parkway | 47.4 mi | 56m |
| Garden State Parkway Southbound | 6.2 mi | 8m |
| Central Avenue | 2.8 mi | 7m |
| North Main Street | 0.7 mi | 1m |
| Route 37 West | 0.3 mi | <1m |
| East Broad Street | 0.3 mi | 1m |
| Harrison Avenue | 0.3 mi | 1m |
| Maple Street | <0.1 mi | <1m |
Longest stretch:
Garden State Parkway
— 47.4 mi, about 56m
Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions
Step-by-step road directions between Westfield, NJ and Toms River, NJ.
1
Start on Maple Street
94 ft
·
6 sec
·
Maple Street
2
Turn right onto Harrison Avenue
0.3 mi
·
1 min
·
Harrison Avenue
3
At end of road, turn right onto CR 509
0.3 mi
·
1 min
·
East Broad Street
4
Turn left onto CR 613
2.8 mi
·
7 min
·
Central Avenue
Use the straight / right lanes.
5
Take the ramp
0.3 mi
·
34 sec
Toward GSP Toll South
Use the slight right lane.
6
Merge onto GSP
3.8 mi
·
5 min
·
Garden State Parkway
Use the straight / slight 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
43 mi
·
50 min
·
Garden State Parkway
Use the slight left / slight right lanes.
10
Take the exit
0.2 mi
·
48 sec
Exit 82
Toward NJ 37 East: Seaside Heights, Island Beach State Park
Use the right lane.
11
Merge onto NJ 37
0.3 mi
·
33 sec
·
Route 37 West
12
Turn right onto NJ 166
0.7 mi
·
1 min
·
North Main Street
Use the straight / right lanes.
13
Turn left
78 ft
·
5 sec
14
Arrive at destination
Where to Stop
Rest stops, refuel points, and overnight suggestions along this route.
Halfway Point
Midpoint
About 29.3 mi from Westfield, NJ · 41m into the drive
Mid-route town
Meal stop
29 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 13 miles helps settle the day before fatigue starts building.
Meal break
The midpoint is around 29.3 miles from Westfield, NJ, which is a good place for a longer meal and fuel stop.
Arriving in Toms River, NJ
The final approach into Toms River, 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
$9.70 one way
$19.40 round trip
$4.21/gal
25.4 MPG avg
21 kg CO2
| Fuel Type | $/gal | One Way | Round Trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| midgrade | $4.61 | $10.62 | $21.24 |
| premium | $4.93 | $11.35 | $22.69 |
| diesel | $5.61 | $12.92 | $25.83 |
Estimated Tolls: $3.22
Garden State Parkway
(53.6 mi)
$3.22
Toll estimates based on average 2024-2025 rates. EZ-Pass/SunPass discounts may lower the actual cost.
Drive Cost (one way)
Fuel
$10
Tolls
$3
Total
$13
Estimated CO2 emission: 20.5 kg one way. Prices: EIA weekly data, 2026-04-13.
Driving Electric?
About $6 in charging · 0 stops · 65% less CO2
| Vehicle Type | kWh | Stops | DC Fast | Home Charge |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average EV | 17.6 | 0 | $6.14 | $2.81 |
| Efficient EV | 14.6 | 0 | $5.12 | $2.34 |
| EV Truck/SUV | 23.4 | 0 | $8.19 | $3.74 |
Gas CO2
20 kg
EV CO2
7 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
Toms River, NJ
Afternoon in Toms River on Thursday
Local time
2:06 PM
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
1h 17m 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 Westfield, NJ to Toms River, NJ covers 58.5 miles and takes about 1h 17m 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, Central Avenue. Most of the drive stays on highways, so watch for ramps and exits.
This is a comfortable same-day trip.
The midpoint is about 29.3 miles from Westfield, NJ. Look for rest areas, gas stations, or food options near the halfway mark.
At current regular gas prices, expect to spend about $9.70 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 58.5 miles you will encounter 11 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: near the start (Harrison Avenue): Navigation decision point; at 0.6 miles (CR 613 / Central Avenue): Lane positioning matters here; at 3.4 miles: Lane positioning matters here.
On the drive from Westfield, NJ to Toms River, NJ, road signs begin pointing toward Gsp Toll South along the way.
Yes. Nearby national parks include Thomas Edison National Historical Park, Morristown National Historical Park and Gateway National Recreation Area. There are 4 parks within detour distance of this route.
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