How far is Menlo Park, NJ from Union Beach, NJ?

The driving distance from Menlo Park, NJ to Union Beach, NJ is about 15.3 miles (24.7 km), with a travel time of about 00h 24m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 11.7 miles (18.8 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 00h 49m of driving time before adding stops, traffic, or weather delays.
  • A comfortable departure window is usually 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM EDT.
Trip Tools

Reverse, save, or send this route

This is an easy same-day return drive. Copy the route link, send it to another device, or print a clean version before you head out.

Reverse Route
Quick Snapshot
Road
15.35 mi
00h 24m
Flight
11.71 mi
18.84 km direct

This is an easy same-day return drive.

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Menlo Park.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
11.71 mi
Kilometers
18.84 km
Flight Time
00h 01m

Driving Distance

Road route
15.35 mi
Kilometers
24.71 km
Drive Time
00h 24m

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 24m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in Union Beach
Tue, May 26, 6:44 AM EDT
Return by in Menlo Park
Tue, May 26, 7:09 AM EDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Menlo Park
2026-05-26T06:19
Arrive Union Beach
Tue, May 26, 6:44 AM EDT
Route Timing
00h 24m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
7:00 AM to 7:00 PM EDT
Leave when it suits your day
Arrive between
7:25 AM to 7:25 PM EDT

This is a short drive, so your comfort window is wide. Traffic and current weather matter more than the clock.

Leave by
7:40 PM EDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 01h 30m at the destination.
Back in Menlo Park
10:00 PM EDT
Flexible departure

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
South Amboy
NJ

City in New Jersey

From Menlo Park
7.6 mi
00h 12m
To Union Beach
7.7 mi
00h 12m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
81°F
Tuesday

Patchy Fog then Partly Sunny

Starts
Tue, May 26 6:00 AM EDT
Wind
0 to 5 mph E
Destination
79°F
Tuesday

Patchy Fog then Partly Sunny

Starts
Tue, May 26 6:00 AM EDT
Wind
5 mph E

Driving Route Map

The map below follows the saved road route between Menlo Park and Union Beach.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Menlo Park and Union Beach.

  1. 1

    Start on Philip Street

    897 ft · 36 sec · Philip Street

  2. 2

    At the end of the road, turn left onto Lincoln Highway

    1174 ft · 26 sec · Lincoln Highway

  3. 3

    Turn right onto Wood Avenue

    151 m · 22 sec · Wood Avenue

  4. 4

    Turn left onto Middlesex-Essex Turnpike

    1240 ft · 46 sec · Middlesex-Essex Turnpike

  5. 5

    Take the ramp slight right toward GSP Toll South

    1062 ft · 26 sec

  6. 6

    Merge slight left onto Garden State Parkway

    5 mi · 7 min · Garden State Parkway

  7. 7

    Take the exit slight right toward Riverton Boulevard, Sayreville

    920 ft · 23 sec

  8. 8

    Continue on Riverton Boulevard, Sayreville

    897 ft · 24 sec

  9. 9

    Turn left onto Riverton Boulevard

    1058 ft · 31 sec · Riverton Boulevard

  10. 10

    Take the ramp slight right toward US 9 South, NJ 35 South

    105 m · 10 sec

  11. 11

    Continue on US 9 South

    153 m · 12 sec

  12. 12

    Keep slight left to continue on US 9 South

    2.9 mi · 4 min

  13. 13

    Continue straight

    3 mi · 4 min

  14. 14

    Take the exit slight right toward Amboy Avenue East, Cliffwood Avenue East

    129 m · 14 sec

  15. 15

    Continue on Amboy Road

    2812 ft · 59 sec · Amboy Road

  16. 16

    Continue on West Front Street

    1.1 km · 1 min · West Front Street

  17. 17

    Turn left onto Broad Street

    111 m · 10 sec · Broad Street

  18. 18

    Turn right onto 1st Street

    1.3 km · 1 min · 1st Street

  19. 19

    Continue on Broadway

    1732 ft · 49 sec · Broadway

  20. 20

    At the end of the road, turn left onto Florence Avenue

    1908 ft · 52 sec · Florence Avenue

  21. 21

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · Florence Avenue

Car Route Details

A richer read on the saved driving route between Menlo Park and Union Beach.

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
21 steps
7 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
5
1 merges, 4 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
136.4 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
US 9 South
6.1 mi · 40%
Garden State Parkway
4.96 mi · 32%
1st Street
0.79 mi · 5%
West Front Street
0.67 mi · 4%
Riverton Boulevard
0.54 mi · 4%
Amboy Road
0.53 mi · 3%
Longest Stretch

Garden State Parkway

Merge slight left onto Garden State Parkway

4.96 mi · 00h 07m

Route Summary

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

Trip Read

A short regional drive

This route is short enough to handle as a quick errand, commute, or easy same-day return without much planning overhead.

Drive Time
00h 24m
Quick drive
Same-Day Return
00h 50m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+3.6 mi
11.7 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
South Amboy
00h 12m from Menlo Park
Leave By
7:40 PM EDT
Flexible departure
Weather Watch

Patchy Fog then Partly Sunny leaving Menlo Park and Patchy Fog then Partly Sunny near Union Beach.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

How long does it take to drive from Menlo Park to Union Beach?

The road trip is about 15.3 miles (24.7 km) and usually takes 00h 24m in normal driving conditions.

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

This route is short enough to handle as a quick errand, commute, or easy same-day return without much planning overhead.

What is the halfway point on this route?

South Amboy is a useful midpoint, sitting about 7.6 miles from Menlo Park and 7.7 miles from Union Beach.

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

The direct path is about 11.7 miles (18.8 km), while the road route adds roughly 3.6 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 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM EDT. If you want a more comfortable same-day return, try to leave by 7:40 PM EDT.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $2.21 one way or $4.41 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 4.8 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Patchy Fog then Partly Sunny around Menlo Park and Patchy Fog then Partly Sunny near Union Beach.

Stop Ideas Near South Amboy

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

Mid-route Guidance
Local place coverage is thin around South Amboy, 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 South Amboy.

RAIL

Metropark station

10 mi away
100 Middlesex-Essex Turnpike
RAIL

New Brunswick station

13 mi away
French and Albany Streets
RAIL

Newark Liberty International Airport

27 mi away
Newark Liberty International Airport
RAIL

Pennsylvania Station

30 mi away
1 Raymond Plaza West

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Menlo Park and Union Beach. Straight-line distance: 11.71 mi (18.84 km).

Photo coming soon

#1 Menlo Park

Township in Middlesex County, New Jersey, United States

Population97,687
Coordinates40.5651000, -74.3373700
Altitude42
CountryUnited States
Union Beach

#2 Union Beach

Borough in Monmouth County, New Jersey, United States

Population5,296
Coordinates40.4465000, -74.1782000
Altitude1
CountryUnited States
Start: Menlo Park (-74.33737, 40.5651)
End: Union Beach (-74.1782, 40.4465)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 25 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)00h 30m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)00h 23m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)00h 18m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)00h 15m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)00h 13m
80 mph (129 km/h)00h 11m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
0.54 gal
2.05 L · about $2.21
Round trip
$4.41
1.08 gal · 4.1 L
Estimated CO2
4.8 kg one way
Round trip: 9.6 kg / 21 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $4.09 $2.21 $4.41
Mid-grade $4.60 $2.48 $4.97
Premium $4.95 $2.68 $5.35
Diesel $5.98 $3.23 $6.46

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 26, 2026

There is no time difference between Menlo Park and Union Beach. The current time is 06:19:43.

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.