There and Back Again: Roads to Freehold Raceway Mall

They say it’s the journey, not the destination, that matters. Unfortunately, this is not often the case in sojourns to the mall. You wind up ranting and raving all the way there about perpetually slow drivers and conspiratorially red lights, only to find that - SHOCKER! - the only available parking spots are about a mile away. Luckily, yours truly has hit the pavement for years to divine the best ways in and out of the Freehold Raceway Mall.

Three roads connect the outside world to the mall’s perimeter road, Winners Circle. They each provide specific benefits and a few drawbacks.

Trotters Way: This road connects to Route 537, which itself becomes Main St. downtown. Heading west, it also connects to Route 33, by far the fastest road to or from the mall due solely to the lack of traffic lights. Trotters Way is home to the AMC Loews movie theater, and the closest route to Dicks Sporting Goods. As for mall lots, this road gets you closest to Sears and Macy’s, and is one of the best ways to the Cheesecake Factory lot or the food court space. The downside of this route is the abundance of traffic lights - four in total, with one at Route 537, one at Winners Circle, and two in the short space between.

Raceway Mall Dr.: This other main road connects to Route 9, and easily leads to Route 33 Business by turning left onto Route 9 North and taking the first ramp. It houses Toys "R" Us and Home Depot, and will put you closest to JC Penney and Lord & Taylor; it is also a good route to the Cheesecake Factory parking lot. Additionally, when leaving the mall, Raceway Mall Drive is a straight shot to Barnes & Noble and Chili’s. Since Raceway Mall Dr. and Trotters Way are so close to each other, it is usually a better bet with half the traffic lights; Route 9 and Route 537 also connect to each other nearby, so it is convenient to either road.

Cardigan Bay Ln.: The last and least frequented road connects Winners Circle to Route 33 Business, also perhaps the slowest road leading away. It will bring you closest to Nordstrom or Lord & Taylor and is a fair way to access the food court parking lot. An issue with Cardigan Bay Ln. is that it is longer than the two other roads, and the light at the end often backs up (no right on red allowed). It can also be hard to make a left onto Winners Circle during peak hours.

Armed with this insider info, take the stress out of your trip to Freehold Raceway Mall. And most of all, drive safe, mall maniacs. Even I can be guilty of being a mall-parking-lot maniac, and I’ve seen my share of accidents on these silly little roads. Get in and out safely and painlessly, and enjoy!