Route 88 begins at an intersection with US 9 and CR 547 in Lakewood Township, and heads eastward on Main Street, a two-lane undivided road.

[1] The road heads through the downtown, passing south of NJ Transit's Lakewood Bus Terminal and crossing the Southern Secondary railroad line operated by the Delaware and Raritan River Railroad, before heading into wooded residential areas, where it becomes Ocean Avenue at the Pearl Street intersection before coming to a junction with CR 20.

[1][3] A short distance later, the route passes under the Garden State Parkway without an interchange before crossing the Metedeconk River into Brick Township.

It turns south and passes west of Ocean University Medical Center, intersecting CR 40 before crossing Route 70.

[1] Past the one-way pair, the route continues northeast on Princeton Post Road, which passes by numerous businesses.

The route heads into Point Pleasant, where it intersects CR 56 before crossing Beaver Dam Creek and becoming Sea Avenue.

[4] This road was incorporated into the Camp Dix Way, an auto trail running from Camden to Seaside Heights.