How far is Cape May, NJ from Ocean City, NJ?

The driving distance from Cape May, NJ to Ocean City, NJ is about 32.1 miles (51.6 km), with a travel time of about 00h 46m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 29.6 miles (47.6 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 01h 32m of driving time before adding stops, traffic, or weather delays.
  • A comfortable departure window is usually 8:00 AM to 10:00 AM EDT.
Trip Tools

Reverse, save, or send this route

This route works well as a day trip with time at the destination. Copy the route link, send it to another device, or print a clean version before you head out.

Reverse Route
Quick Snapshot
Road
32.05 mi
00h 46m
Flight
29.6 mi
47.63 km direct

This route works well as a day trip with time at the destination.

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Cape May.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
29.6 mi
Kilometers
47.63 km
Flight Time
00h 03m

Driving Distance

Road route
32.05 mi
Kilometers
51.58 km
Drive Time
00h 46m

Gas Cost Calculator

Leave and Arrive Planner

Pick a departure time to see your estimated arrival and same-day return window.

Drive time stays fixed at 00h 46m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Ocean City
Mon, May 25, 12:31 PM EDT
Return by in Cape May
Mon, May 25, 1:18 PM EDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Cape May
2026-05-25T11:45
Arrive Ocean City
Mon, May 25, 12:31 PM EDT
Route Timing
00h 46m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
8:00 AM to 10:00 AM EDT
Aim for a morning departure
Arrive between
8:46 AM to 10:46 AM EDT

A morning start gives you useful time at the destination and keeps the return out of the late evening.

Leave by
4:58 PM EDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 03h 00m at the destination.
Back in Cape May
9:30 PM EDT
Morning start is best

You are leaving earlier than the recommended window, which gives you extra margin for breaks and traffic.

Halfway Point

A useful midpoint for breaks, coffee, or meeting in the middle.

Mid-route stop
Cedar Grove
NJ

Township in Essex County, New Jersey

From Cape May
16 mi
00h 23m
To Ocean City
16 mi
00h 23m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
Cape May Weather
NJ
Live fallback forecast
75°F
Memorial Day
Using Cape May Court House as the closest live forecast in the Cape May County weather hub.

Patchy Fog

Starts
Mon, May 25 6:00 AM EDT
Wind
5 to 10 mph SW
Destination
Ocean City Weather
NJ
Live fallback forecast
75°F
Memorial Day
Using Middletown as the closest live forecast in the Cape May County weather hub.

Patchy Fog

Starts
Mon, May 25 6:00 AM EDT
Wind
5 to 10 mph SW

Driving Route Map

The map below follows the saved road route between Cape May and Ocean City.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Cape May and Ocean City.

  1. 1

    Start on the route

    25 m · 11 sec

  2. 2

    Turn left onto New York Avenue

    32 m · 7 sec · New York Avenue

  3. 3

    Turn right onto Reading Avenue

    1.1 km · 3 min · Reading Avenue

  4. 4

    Turn right onto Massachusetts Avenue

    99 m · 20 sec · Massachusetts Avenue

  5. 5

    Turn left onto East Street

    92 m · 15 sec · East Street

  6. 6

    Turn right onto Washington Street

    1088 ft · 24 sec · Washington Street

  7. 7

    Keep slight right to continue on Washington Street

    31 m · 2 sec · Washington Street

  8. 8

    Turn straight onto Lafayette Street

    1.6 km · 2 min · Lafayette Street

  9. 9

    Turn straight onto Garden State Parkway

    19.1 mi · 22 min · Garden State Parkway

  10. 10

    Take the exit slight left

    2408 ft · 32 sec

  11. 11

    Merge slight right onto Garden State Parkway

    5.5 mi · 6 min · Garden State Parkway

  12. 12

    Take the exit slight right toward US 9 South: Ocean City

    1418 ft · 35 sec · GSP NB Exit 25

  13. 13

    Turn slight right

    58 m · 6 sec

  14. 14

    Turn slight right onto Roosevelt Boulevard

    1.6 mi · 3 min · Roosevelt Boulevard

  15. 15

    Continue on 34th Street

    1521 ft · 1 min · 34th Street

  16. 16

    Turn left onto Central Avenue

    2.7 mi · 7 min · Central Avenue

  17. 17

    Turn right onto East 9th Street

    112 m · 15 sec · East 9th Street

  18. 18

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · East 9th Street

Car Route Details

A richer read on the saved driving route between Cape May and Ocean City.

OSRM road route
Drive Character

Turn-heavy local drive

The route has frequent decision points for its length, so lane choice and turn timing will matter more than cruising speed.

Directions
18 steps
11 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
3
1 merges, 2 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
56.1 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
Garden State Parkway
25.1 mi · 78%
Central Avenue
2.67 mi · 8%
Roosevelt Boulevard
1.65 mi · 5%
Lafayette Street
0.99 mi · 3%
Reading Avenue
0.66 mi · 2%
34th Street
0.29 mi · 1%
Longest Stretch

Garden State Parkway

Turn straight onto Garden State Parkway

19.1 mi · 00h 22m

Route Summary

A quick read on whether this route feels easy, ambitious, or worth planning around.

Trip Read

A comfortable day-trip route

This route works well as a day trip. You can leave in the morning, spend meaningful time at the destination, and still return the same day.

Drive Time
00h 46m
Day trip friendly
Same-Day Return
01h 32m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+2.5 mi
29.6 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Cedar Grove
00h 23m from Cape May
Leave By
4:58 PM EDT
Morning start is best
Weather Watch

Patchy Fog leaving Cape May and Patchy Fog near Ocean City.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

How long does it take to drive from Cape May to Ocean City?

The road trip is about 32.1 miles (51.6 km) and usually takes 00h 46m in normal driving conditions.

Is this a same-day trip or an overnight route?

This route works well as a day trip. You can leave in the morning, spend meaningful time at the destination, and still return the same day.

What is the halfway point on this route?

Cedar Grove is a useful midpoint, sitting about 16 miles from Cape May and 16 miles from Ocean City.

How much longer is the road route than the straight-line distance?

The direct path is about 29.6 miles (47.6 km), while the road route adds roughly 2.5 extra miles because roads do not follow the straight air line.

When is the best time to leave for this route?

A good departure window is usually 8:00 AM to 10:00 AM EDT. If you want a more comfortable same-day return, try to leave by 4:58 PM EDT.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $4.62 one way or $9.23 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 10 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Patchy Fog around Cape May and Patchy Fog near Ocean City.

Stop Ideas Near Cedar Grove

Useful break, food, and waypoint ideas within about 15 miles of the route midpoint.

Mid-route Guidance
Local place coverage is thin around Cedar Grove, so nearby transit and meeting points are shown instead.
Reviewed stop coverage is still thin around this midpoint, so practical transit waypoints are shown on the right.

Transit and Meeting Points

Useful pickup, handoff, or rendezvous points close to Cedar Grove.

OTHER

Atlantic City Rail Terminal

36 mi away
1 Atlantic City Expressway
OTHER

Absecon

37 mi away
Shore Road and Ohio Ave
OTHER

Egg Harbor City, New Jersey

42 mi away
South Philadelphia Ave & Atlantic Ave
OTHER

Hammonton, New Jersey

52 mi away
Egg Harbor Rd & Line St.

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Cape May and Ocean City. Straight-line distance: 29.6 mi (47.63 km).

Cape May

#1 Cape May

City in New Jersey

Population3,404
Coordinates38.9351100, -74.9060100
Altitude2
CountryUnited States
Ocean City

#2 Ocean City

City in New Jersey

Population10,971
Coordinates39.2776200, -74.5746000
Altitude3
CountryUnited States
Start: Cape May (-74.90601, 38.93511)
End: Ocean City (-74.5746, 39.27762)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 52 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)01h 04m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)00h 48m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)00h 38m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)00h 32m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)00h 27m
80 mph (129 km/h)00h 23m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
1.13 gal
4.28 L · about $4.62
Round trip
$9.23
2.26 gal · 8.56 L
Estimated CO2
10 kg one way
Round trip: 20.1 kg / 44 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $4.09 $4.62 $9.23
Mid-grade $4.60 $5.20 $10.39
Premium $4.95 $5.60 $11.20
Diesel $5.98 $6.76 $13.51

Assumes 8.3 L/100 km (about 28.3 MPG). CO2 is an estimate and varies by vehicle, fuel blend, traffic, and terrain.

Prices in New Jersey · May 25, 2026

There is no time difference between Cape May and Ocean City. The current time is 11:45:52.

Distance to Other Cities

Planning a road trip? See the full trip guide on Trip.ovh — stops, fuel costs, weather, and departure timing.

How did we calculate? Place names are translated into coordinates. The Haversine formula calculates straight-line distance; driving distance uses road network data.