Plan on about 9 h 0 min of driving for the 407-mile (655 km) trip from Belo Horizonte to Praia Grande, before any stops.
- Level 4: Do Not Travel in Brazil: informal housing developments (favelas, vilas, comunidades or conglomerados).
Full advisory: Brazil. Advisory issued: Brazil August 31, 2026; checked October 10, 2026.
On the roads, the State Department says:
- Brazil: “Drivers must have their daytime running lights on during the day and headlights on at night on Federal Highways.”
| Total distance | 407 mi (655 km) |
|---|---|
| Drive time without stops | 9 h 0 min |
| Main roads, in order | BR-381 → BR-262 → SP-160 |
| States on the route | Minas Gerais, São Paulo |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 16.3 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 9 |
On the road from Belo Horizonte to Praia Grande
BR-381 (342 mi) and SP-160 (38 mi) carry about 93% of the 407 miles. It runs through 2 states: Minas Gerais, São Paulo. Of the 9 stops listed below, 2 are within a mile of the road.
Road-by-road breakdown: Belo Horizonte to Praia Grande
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–7 | 7 | Minas Gerais |
| BR-381 | 7–16 | 9 | Minas Gerais |
| BR-262 | 16–21 | 5 | Minas Gerais |
| BR-381 | 21–354 | 333 | Minas Gerais, São Paulo |
| connecting roads | 354–357 | 3 | São Paulo |
| local roads | 357–367 | 10 | São Paulo |
| SP-160 | 367–405 | 38 | São Paulo |
| local roads | 405–407 | 2 | São Paulo |
- Mile 298 of this route: Minas Gerais → São Paulo (state line)
Where to stop on the way to Praia Grande
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Zoológico Municipal de Guarulhos (mile 350), Botanical Garden of São Paulo (mile 367)
- Nature and outdoors: Albert Löfgren State Park (mile 351), Botanical Garden of São Paulo (mile 367)
- Museums and history: Nair Mendes Moreira House of Culture (mile 12), Museum of the Military Police of the state of São Paulo (mile 357), Museu Aberto de Arte Urbana de São Paulo (mile 357), Historical Museum of São Caetano do Sul (mile 362), Orthodox Metropolitan Cathedral of São Paulo (mile 362), Botanical Garden of São Paulo (mile 367)
- With kids: Zoológico Municipal de Guarulhos (mile 350)
Nair Mendes Moreira House of Culture
Known locally as Casa do Registro, the Casa da Cultura Nair Mendes Moreira is an 18th-century house in Contagem. Local tradition links it to a Portuguese Crown post that counted goods and checked tax payments.
Zoológico Municipal de Guarulhos
Founded in 1982, the Guarulhos Municipal Zoo keeps more than 400 animals of 100 species on 70,000 square meters, mostly birds, mammals and reptiles native to Brazil.
Albert Löfgren State Park
Better known as the São Paulo Forest Gardens, Albert Löfgren State Park is a state-run park in the state of São Paulo, Brazil.
Museum of the Military Police of the state of São Paulo
Founded in 1958, this São Paulo museum preserves and exhibits the history and material heritage of the state's Military Police and the forces that came before it.
Museu Aberto de Arte Urbana de São Paulo
Sixty-six graffiti panels on the pillars of the elevated Metro Line 1-Blue along Avenida Cruzeiro do Sul, between Santana and Portuguesa-Tietê stations, make up this open-air urban art museum.
Historical Museum of São Caetano do Sul
Run by the Fundação Pró-Memória, the Historical Museum of São Caetano do Sul (Museu Histórico Municipal) is the city's municipal history museum, set in São Caetano do Sul.
Orthodox Metropolitan Cathedral of São Paulo
On Rua Vergueiro in the Paraíso area of São Paulo, the Orthodox Metropolitan Cathedral belongs to the Greek Orthodox Church of Antioch and is dedicated to Paul the Apostle.
Cinemateca Brasileira
The Cinemateca Brasileira is the Brazilian institution responsible for preserving the country's audiovisual production.
Botanical Garden of São Paulo
Next to the São Paulo Zoo, the Botanical Garden of São Paulo spans 406 acres inside Fontes do Ipiranga State Park, in the Água Funda district of the city's South Zone.
In Praia Grande itself
Praia do Canto do Forte (Praia Grande)
At the eastern end of the Praia Grande shoreline in São Paulo state, Praia do Forte sits beside the Fortaleza de Itaipu, the military complex that gives the beach its name.
Paranapuã Beach
Also known as Praia das Vacas, Paranapuã Beach lies at the mouth of São Vicente Bay, on the slopes of Parque Prainha and close to the Ponte Pênsil suspension bridge.
Itararé Beach
Itararé Beach in São Vicente fronts Santos Bay and runs 2.9 kilometers from Ilha Porchat to Canal 1, crossing into neighboring Santos.
More drives to Praia Grande
- Jundiaí to Praia Grande
- Campinas to Praia Grande
- Piracicaba to Praia Grande
- Ribeirão Preto to Praia Grande
- Bauru to Praia Grande
- Uberlândia to Praia Grande
From Belo Horizonte to other places in Brazil
- Belo Horizonte to Conselheiro Lafaiete
- Belo Horizonte to Juiz de Fora
- Belo Horizonte to Muriaé
- Belo Horizonte to Passos
- Belo Horizonte to Araxá
- Belo Horizonte to Itaperuna
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from Belo Horizonte to Praia Grande?
About 9 h 0 min of driving without stops, over 407 miles.
What is the driving distance from Belo Horizonte to Praia Grande?
About 407 miles (655 km) on the Wayro route. Other map services may show a few miles more or less, depending on where they start and end in each city.
What does the U.S. travel advisory say about the Belo Horizonte to Praia Grande drive?
The U.S. State Department rates Brazil Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution. Read the full advisory before you go.
Which highways go from Belo Horizonte to Praia Grande?
In order: BR-381, BR-262 and SP-160. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
What are good stops between Belo Horizonte and Praia Grande?
Closest to the road: Zoológico Municipal de Guarulhos (zoo, mile 350, 1 mi from the route); Historical Museum of São Caetano do Sul (museum, mile 362, 1 mi from the route); Botanical Garden of São Paulo (museum, mile 367, 0.6 mi from the route). All stops are described above.
How we put this guide together
Wayro calculates the route from OpenStreetMap road data; mile numbers are positions along this route, not highway markers, and "from the route" distances are straight-line, so the real detour depends on access roads. Stops are chosen from parks, natural sites, museums, historic sites and attractions close to the route: at least one strong stop for each stretch of the drive, then the best-known places nearest the road, up to nine in all. Places that are closed, private or not open to visitors are removed. Place descriptions are written by the Wayro team from official park, museum, tourism and government websites and other published sources. Safety levels and entry rules were checked against the U.S. Department of State on October 10, 2026. Conditions change, so check the linked sources before you travel.
Route data © OpenStreetMap contributors.