How far is Paterson, NJ from West Cape May, NJ?

The driving distance from Paterson, NJ to West Cape May, NJ is about 162.7 miles (261.9 km), with a travel time of about 03h 19m by car.

  • The straight-line flight distance is about 142.6 miles (229.5 km).
  • For a round trip, plan for roughly 06h 39m of driving time before adding stops, traffic, or weather delays.
  • A comfortable departure window is usually 6:00 AM to 8:00 AM EDT.
Trip Tools

Reverse, save, or send this route

This drive is better planned with a longer stop or an overnight stay. Copy the route link, send it to another device, or print a clean version before you head out.

Reverse Route
Quick Snapshot
Road
162.72 mi
03h 19m
Flight
142.63 mi
229.54 km direct

This drive is better planned with a longer stop or an overnight stay.

Learn Distance

Choose another destination from Paterson.

Flight Distance

Direct air line
142.63 mi
Kilometers
229.54 km
Flight Time
00h 17m

Driving Distance

Road route
162.72 mi
Kilometers
261.88 km
Drive Time
03h 19m

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 03h 19m.

Arrival Snapshot
Arrive in West Cape May
Sat, Oct 17, 3:08 AM EDT
Return by in Paterson
Sat, Oct 17, 6:28 AM EDT
Useful when you're deciding between a quick errand, a day trip, or a longer stop.
Leave Paterson
2026-10-16T23:48
Arrive West Cape May
Sat, Oct 17, 3:08 AM EDT
Route Timing
03h 19m
One way by road
Best Departure Window
6:00 AM to 8:00 AM EDT
Leave early for more breathing room
Arrive between
9:20 AM to 11:20 AM EDT

An early departure helps you fit a real stop into the day without turning the return into a late-night drive.

Leave by
10:20 AM EDT
Keeps a same-day return open with about 04h 00m at the destination.
Back in Paterson
9:00 PM EDT
Early departure recommended

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
Beachwood
NJ

Borough of New Jersey

From Paterson
81.3 mi
01h 39m
To West Cape May
81.4 mi
01h 39m

Route Weather Snapshot

Check the forecast at both ends before you head out.

Origin
76°F
Friday

Rain Showers

Starts
Fri, Oct 16 6:00 AM EDT
Wind
7 to 12 mph S
Destination
West Cape May Weather
NJ
Live fallback forecast
78°F
Friday
Using Cape May Court House as the closest live forecast in the Cape May County weather hub.

Rain Showers Likely then Partly Sunny

Starts
Fri, Oct 16 6:00 AM EDT
Wind
10 to 15 mph S

Driving Route Map

The map below follows the saved road route between Paterson and West Cape May.

Turn-by-Turn Driving Directions

Step-by-step road directions between Paterson and West Cape May.

  1. 1

    Start on Colt Street

    66 m · 18 sec · Colt Street

  2. 2

    Turn right onto Ellison Street

    879 ft · 28 sec · Ellison Street

  3. 3

    Turn right onto Memorial Drive

    744 ft · 15 sec · Memorial Drive

  4. 4

    Turn right

    81 m · 10 sec

  5. 5

    Turn straight onto Ward Street

    1656 ft · 34 sec · Ward Street

  6. 6

    Continue on Oliver Street

    942 ft · 18 sec · Oliver Street

  7. 7

    Turn slight left

    2 mi · 2 min

  8. 8

    Take the exit slight left toward GSP South

    2756 ft · 1 min

  9. 9

    Merge slight left onto Garden State Parkway

    23.8 mi · 33 min · Garden State Parkway

  10. 10

    Continue on Garden State Parkway Southbound

    6.2 mi · 8 min · Garden State Parkway Southbound

  11. 11

    Keep slight left to continue on Garden State Parkway

    1.2 km · 49 sec · Garden State Parkway

  12. 12

    Keep slight right to continue on Garden State Parkway

    125.2 mi · 2 hr 25 min · Garden State Parkway

  13. 13

    Continue on Lafayette Street

    1.1 mi · 2 min · Lafayette Street

  14. 14

    Continue on Lafayette Street

    1.1 mi · 2 min · Lafayette Street

  15. 15

    Turn right onto Jackson Street

    684 ft · 18 sec · Jackson Street

  16. 16

    Continue on West Perry Street

    1476 ft · 32 sec · West Perry Street

  17. 17

    Continue on Sunset Boulevard

    1.1 km · 2 min · Sunset Boulevard

  18. 18

    Turn right onto South Bayshore Drive

    126 m · 16 sec · South Bayshore Drive

  19. 19

    Turn right onto 2nd Avenue

    66 m · 10 sec · 2nd Avenue

  20. 20

    Arrive at your destination

    0 m · 1 sec · 2nd Avenue

Car Route Details

A richer read on the saved driving route between Paterson and West Cape May.

OSRM road route
Drive Character

Highway-focused drive

Most of the mileage stays on named highways, so the important moments are ramps, exits, merges, and the final local approach.

Directions
20 steps
8 turns on the saved route
Ramps & Exits
2
1 merges, 1 ramps or exits
Navigation Density
12.3 / 100 mi
Decision points by distance
Main Roads
Garden State Parkway
150 mi · 92%
Garden State Parkway Southbound
6.2 mi · 4%
Lafayette Street
2.21 mi · 1%
Sunset Boulevard
0.67 mi
GSP South
0.52 mi
Ward Street
0.31 mi
Longest Stretch

Garden State Parkway

Keep slight right to continue on Garden State Parkway

125 mi · 02h 25m

Route Summary

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

Trip Read

A longer out-and-back drive

This is still possible in one day, but it becomes a long driving day. Leaving early and planning your stop window matters more here.

Drive Time
03h 19m
Long day trip
Same-Day Return
06h 40m
Round-trip wheel time
Road vs Air
+20.1 mi
142.6 mi direct line
Halfway Stop
Beachwood
01h 39m from Paterson
Leave By
10:20 AM EDT
Early departure recommended
Weather Watch

Rain Showers leaving Paterson and Rain Showers Likely then Partly Sunny near West Cape May.

Trip Questions

Direct answers travelers usually want before committing to the drive.

How long does it take to drive from Paterson to West Cape May?

The road trip is about 162.7 miles (261.9 km) and usually takes 03h 19m in normal driving conditions.

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

This is still possible in one day, but it becomes a long driving day. Leaving early and planning your stop window matters more here.

What is the halfway point on this route?

Beachwood is a useful midpoint, sitting about 81.3 miles from Paterson and 81.4 miles from West Cape May.

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

The direct path is about 142.6 miles (229.5 km), while the road route adds roughly 20.1 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 6:00 AM to 8:00 AM EDT. If you want a more comfortable same-day return, try to leave by 10:20 AM EDT.

How much will gas cost for this route?

Using about 28.3 MPG, regular gas is estimated at $24.58 one way or $49.16 round trip. Estimated CO2 is about 51 kg one way.

What should you check before leaving?

Before you leave, expect Rain Showers around Paterson and Rain Showers Likely then Partly Sunny near West Cape May.

Stop Ideas Near Beachwood

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

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

RAIL

Princeton Junction station

56 mi away
2 Wallace Road
RAIL

Trenton Transit Center

57 mi away
72 South Clinton Avenue
OTHER

Egg Harbor City, New Jersey

60 mi away
South Philadelphia Ave & Atlantic Ave
OTHER

Hammonton, New Jersey

62 mi away
Egg Harbor Rd & Line St.

Flight Path Map

This map shows the direct air route between Paterson and West Cape May. Straight-line distance: 142.63 mi (229.54 km).

Paterson

#1 Paterson

The third most populous city in New Jersey.

Population144,801
Coordinates40.9167700, -74.1718100
Altitude26
CountryUnited States
West Cape May

#2 West Cape May

Borough in Cape May County, New Jersey, United States

Population991
Coordinates38.9387200, -74.9418400
Altitude2
CountryUnited States
Start: Paterson (-74.17181, 40.91677)
End: West Cape May (-74.94184, 38.93872)

Estimated Travel Time

Distance: 262 km by road

SpeedTime
30 mph (48.3 km/h)05h 25m
40 mph (64.37 km/h)04h 04m
50 mph (80.47 km/h)03h 15m
60 mph (96.56 km/h)02h 42m
70 mph (112.65 km/h)02h 19m
80 mph (129 km/h)02h 01m

Fuel, Round Trip and CO2

Estimated fuel cost and emissions for this route.

One-way fuel
5.74 gal
21.74 L · about $24.58
Round trip
$49.16
11.48 gal · 43.48 L
Estimated CO2
51 kg one way
Round trip: 102 kg / 225 lb CO2, using regular gasoline.
Fuel$/galOne wayRound trip
Regular gas $4.28 $24.58 $49.16
Mid-grade $4.86 $27.90 $55.79
Premium $5.17 $29.68 $59.36
Diesel $6.31 $36.24 $72.48

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 · Oct 16, 2026

There is no time difference between Paterson and West Cape May. The current time is 23:48:56.

Distance to Other Cities

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