Cabo Frio to Barra Mansa is about 170 road miles (274 km): roughly 3 h 58 min at the wheel if you don't stop.
- 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: “Use caution when walking or driving at night.”
| Distance by road | 170 mi (274 km) |
|---|---|
| Drive time without stops | 3 h 58 min |
| Main roads, in order | RJ-140 → RJ-124 → BR-101 → BR-040 → BR-116 |
| States on the route | Rio de Janeiro |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 6.8 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 9 |
How the Cabo Frio to Barra Mansa drive plays out
BR-116 (65 mi) and BR-101 (46 mi) carry about 65% of the 170 miles. Of the 9 stops listed below, 1 are within a mile of the road.
Cabo Frio to Barra Mansa: the road sequence
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–2 | 2 | Rio de Janeiro |
| RJ-140 | 2–9 | 7 | Rio de Janeiro |
| connecting roads | 9–12 | 3 | Rio de Janeiro |
| RJ-124 | 12–47 | 35 | Rio de Janeiro |
| BR-101 | 47–93 | 46 | Rio de Janeiro |
| BR-040 | 93–102 | 9 | Rio de Janeiro |
| connecting roads | 102–104 | 2 | Rio de Janeiro |
| BR-116 | 104–169 | 65 | Rio de Janeiro |
| local roads | 169–170 | 1 | Rio de Janeiro |
Stops between Cabo Frio and Barra Mansa
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Museu de Astronomia e Ciências Afins (mile 93)
- Nature and outdoors: Costa do Sol State Park (mile 12), Araruama Lagoon (mile 18), Praia do Buraco (mile 79)
- Museums and history: Museu de História e Artes do Estado do Rio de Janeiro (mile 85), Forte de São Domingos de Gragoatá (mile 86), Centro Cultural do Movimento Escoteiro (mile 89), Museu da Polícia Militar do Estado do Rio de Janeiro (mile 92), Museu de Astronomia e Ciências Afins (mile 93), Museum Dom João VI (mile 96)
Costa do Sol State Park
Scattered along the coast of Rio de Janeiro state, Costa do Sol State Park protects fragments of Atlantic Forest coastal habitat under pressure from urban growth.
Araruama Lagoon
In Rio de Janeiro state's Região dos Lagos, Araruama Lagoon is a permanent hypersaline lagoon covering 220 km², about 40 km long and 13 km wide.
Praia do Buraco
About four kilometers from Praia Central in Balneário Camboriú, Praia do Buraco borders Praia do Canto; strong waves make it unsafe for swimming, so it draws mostly fishermen and photographers.
Museu de História e Artes do Estado do Rio de Janeiro
Also called Museu do Ingá, this history and art museum occupies the Palácio Nilo Peçanha on Rua Presidente Pedreira in Niterói's Ingá area and is linked to the state arts foundation.
Forte de São Domingos de Gragoatá
Forte de São Domingos de Gragoatá is a fort in the city of Niterói, in the state of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Centro Cultural do Movimento Escoteiro
Founded in 1985 in Rio de Janeiro, the Centro Cultural do Movimento Escoteiro (CCME) preserves and shares the memory and culture of scouting in Brazil and holds the country's largest scouting collection.
Museu da Polícia Militar do Estado do Rio de Janeiro
Museu da Polícia Militar do Estado do Rio de Janeiro is a themed museum that preserves and presents the history of Rio de Janeiro's state military police.
Museu de Astronomia e Ciências Afins
A public federal institution in Rio's São Cristóvão district, the Museu de Astronomia e Ciências Afins studies and shares the history of science and technology in Brazil.
Museum Dom João VI
Museu Dom João VI is an art and history museum linked to the School of Fine Arts at the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, on Ilha do Fundão.
More drives to Barra Mansa
- Niterói to Barra Mansa
- Jacareí to Barra Mansa
- São Paulo to Barra Mansa
- Bragança Paulista to Barra Mansa
- Jundiaí to Barra Mansa
- Campinas to Barra Mansa
From Cabo Frio to other places in Brazil
- Cabo Frio to Nova Friburgo
- Cabo Frio to Teresópolis
- Cabo Frio to Itaguaí
- Cabo Frio to Angra dos Reis
- Cabo Frio to Resende
- Cabo Frio to Penedo
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to drive from Cabo Frio to Barra Mansa?
About 3 h 58 min of driving without stops, over 170 miles.
What is the driving distance from Cabo Frio to Barra Mansa?
About 170 miles (274 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 Cabo Frio to Barra Mansa drive?
The U.S. State Department rates Brazil Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution. Read the full advisory before you go.
What roads does the drive from Cabo Frio to Barra Mansa use?
In order: RJ-140, RJ-124, BR-101, BR-040 and BR-116. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
What are good stops between Cabo Frio and Barra Mansa?
Closest to the road: Museu de História e Artes do Estado do Rio de Janeiro (history museum, mile 85, 2 mi from the route); Museu de Astronomia e Ciências Afins (museum, mile 93, 0.5 mi from the route); Museum Dom João VI (museum, mile 96, 1 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.