The Wayro route from Cabo Frio to Jaú is 521 miles (838 km), about 10 h 42 min of driving without 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: “Road maintenance is inadequate in many areas.”
| Distance by road | 521 mi (838 km) |
|---|---|
| Drive time without stops | 10 h 42 min |
| Main roads, in order | RJ-140 → RJ-124 → BR-101 → BR-040 → BR-116 → SP-065 → SP-330 → SP-310 → SP-225 |
| States on the route | Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 20.8 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 9 |
The Cabo Frio–Jaú drive in a few lines
BR-116 (209 mi) and SP-065 (87 mi) carry about 57% of the 521 miles. It runs through 2 states: Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo. Of the 9 stops listed below, 3 are within a mile of the road.
Road-by-road breakdown: Cabo Frio to Jaú
| 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 | 104–313 | 209 | Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo |
| SP-065 | 313–400 | 87 | São Paulo |
| connecting roads | 400–401 | 1 | São Paulo |
| SP-330 | 401–431 | 30 | São Paulo |
| SP-310 | 431–465 | 34 | São Paulo |
| SP-225 | 465–516 | 51 | São Paulo |
| local roads | 516–521 | 5 | São Paulo |
- Mile 208 of this route: Rio de Janeiro → São Paulo (state line)
Breaking up the drive: stops between Cabo Frio and Jaú
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Museu de Astronomia e Ciências Afins (mile 93), Itatiaia National Park (mile 198), Museu Paulista de Antiguidades Mecânicas (mile 287)
- Nature and outdoors: Araruama Lagoon (mile 18), Itatiaia National Park (mile 198), Itapetinga State Park (mile 345)
- Museums and history: Old Cathedral of Rio de Janeiro (mile 89), Museu de Astronomia e Ciências Afins (mile 93), Museu Paulista de Antiguidades Mecânicas (mile 287), Museu de Arte Contemporânea de Campinas-José Pancetti (mile 390), Museu Histórico e Pedagógico Municipal Doutor João da Silva Carrão (mile 415)
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.
Carioca Aqueduct
Better known as Arcos da Lapa, the Carioca Aqueduct in Rio de Janeiro was built in the mid-18th century to carry fresh water from the Carioca River to the city.
Old Cathedral of Rio de Janeiro
Dedicated to Our Lady of Mount Carmel, Rio's Old Cathedral is a Carmelite church that served as cathedral from around 1808 to 1976 and as Royal and then Imperial Chapel.
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.
Itatiaia National Park
Straddling the line between Rio de Janeiro and Minas Gerais states, Itatiaia National Park dates to 1937, when it became the first national park Brazil ever created.
Museu Paulista de Antiguidades Mecânicas
A rare Tucker Torpedo and a 1973 Ford Maverick are among the vintage vehicles and engines on display at the Museu Paulista de Antiguidades Mecânicas in Caçapava.
Itapetinga State Park
Created in 2010, Itapetinga State Park (Parque Estadual de Itapetinga) protects an area of São Paulo state shared by Atibaia, Bom Jesus dos Perdões, Mairiporã and Nazaré Paulista.
Museu de Arte Contemporânea de Campinas-José Pancetti
Campinas's Museum of Contemporary Art (MACC), founded in 1965, sits on Avenida Benjamin Constant downtown, beside the city hall and municipal library. Its collection focuses on postwar Brazilian art, with paintings, sculpture, works on paper and installations.
Museu Histórico e Pedagógico Municipal Doutor João da Silva Carrão
Americana's municipal history museum occupies the old headquarters of the Fazenda Salto Grande, near where the Atibaia and Jaguari rivers meet to form the Piracicaba, and is run by the city's culture and tourism department.
When you get to Jaú
Catedral Nossa Senhora do Patrocínio
Jaú's Catedral Nossa Senhora do Patrocínio is the seat of the Diocese of Jaú and the church of a parish created on August 15, 1853.
More drives to Jaú
- Bragança Paulista to Jaú
- São Vicente to Jaú
- Santos to Jaú
- Mogi das Cruzes to Jaú
- Taubaté to Jaú
- Guarujá to Jaú
From Cabo Frio to other places in Brazil
- Cabo Frio to Nova Friburgo
- Cabo Frio to Teresópolis
- Cabo Frio to Itaguaí
- Cabo Frio to Barra Mansa
- Cabo Frio to Angra dos Reis
- Cabo Frio to Resende
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from Cabo Frio to Jaú?
About 10 h 42 min of driving without stops, over 521 miles.
What is the driving distance from Cabo Frio to Jaú?
About 521 miles (838 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 Jaú 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 Jaú use?
In order: RJ-140, RJ-124, BR-101, BR-040, BR-116, SP-065, SP-330, SP-310 and SP-225. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
What are good stops between Cabo Frio and Jaú?
Closest to the road: Museu de Astronomia e Ciências Afins (museum, mile 93, 0.5 mi from the route); Itatiaia National Park (national park, mile 198, 0.2 mi from the route); Museu Paulista de Antiguidades Mecânicas (museum, mile 287, 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.