The Wayro route from Campos dos Goytacazes to Caraguatatuba is 425 miles (684 km), about 9 h 39 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: “Use caution when walking or driving at night.”
| Distance by road | 425 mi (684 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 9 h 39 min |
| Main roads, in order | RJ-180 → BR-101 → BR-040 → BR-116 → SPI 117/070 → SP-099 |
| States on the route | Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 17.0 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 9 |
How the Campos dos Goytacazes to Caraguatatuba drive plays out
BR-116 (176 mi) and RJ-180 (158 mi) carry about 79% of the 425 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.
The route from Campos dos Goytacazes to Caraguatatuba, road by road
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–2 | 2 | Rio de Janeiro |
| RJ-180 | 2–160 | 158 | Rio de Janeiro |
| BR-101 | 160–169 | 9 | Rio de Janeiro |
| BR-040 | 169–178 | 9 | Rio de Janeiro |
| connecting roads | 178–180 | 2 | Rio de Janeiro |
| BR-116 | 180–356 | 176 | Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo |
| connecting roads | 356–357 | 1 | São Paulo |
| SPI 117/070 | 357–378 | 21 | São Paulo |
| SP-099 | 378–423 | 45 | São Paulo |
| local roads | 423–425 | 2 | São Paulo |
- Mile 285 of this route: Rio de Janeiro → São Paulo (state line)
Breaking up the drive: stops between Campos dos Goytacazes and Caraguatatuba
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Baths of King João VI at Caju (mile 168), Itatiaia National Park (mile 275), Museu Histórico Pedagógico Conselheiro Rodrigues Alves (mile 324)
- Nature and outdoors: Serra do Barbosão Municipal Nature Park (mile 132), Itatiaia National Park (mile 275)
- Museums and history: Museu Antônio Parreiras (mile 161), Forte de São Domingos de Gragoatá (mile 162), Museu do Negro (mile 165), Baths of King João VI at Caju (mile 168), Museu Histórico Pedagógico Conselheiro Rodrigues Alves (mile 324), Museu Mazzaropi (mile 352)
- With kids: Rio de Janeiro Zoological Garden (mile 170)
Serra do Barbosão Municipal Nature Park
Serra do Barbosão Municipal Nature Park is a protected area in Rio de Janeiro state, set aside by the municipality to safeguard a stretch of Atlantic Forest.
Museu Antônio Parreiras
In Niterói's Ingá neighborhood, on Rua Tiradentes, the Museu Antônio Parreiras is devoted to preserving the memory and work of Brazilian painter Antônio Parreiras.
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.
Museu do Negro
Museu do Negro is a museum in Rio de Janeiro dedicated to the history of Black people in Brazil, with a particular focus on religion.
Baths of King João VI at Caju
Also known as the Museu da Limpeza Urbana, the Baths of King João VI (Casa de Banho de Dom João VI) is a museum on Praia do Caju in Rio de Janeiro's Caju neighborhood.
Rio de Janeiro Zoological Garden
Located in the São Cristóvão district, the Rio de Janeiro Zoological Garden runs environmental and educational activities built around its animal collection of mainly fish, reptiles, birds and mammals.
Itatiaia National Park
Brazil's national park system started here: Itatiaia National Park (Parque Nacional do Itatiaia) was created in 1937 as the country's first. The protected area lies on the border between Rio de Janeiro and Minas Gerais states.
Museu Histórico Pedagógico Conselheiro Rodrigues Alves
In 1956, São Paulo state created a set of museums for presidents born in the state, among them this one in Guaratinguetá dedicated to Rodrigues Alves, Brazil's president from 1902 to 1906.
Museu Mazzaropi
More than 20,000 items, from photos and furniture to film props and equipment, tell the story of Amácio Mazzaropi at this Taubaté museum, set on the grounds of the comedian's former studio.
In Caraguatatuba itself
Prainha (Caraguatatuba)
Prainha is a beach in Caraguatatuba between Martim de Sá and Pedra da Freira; a trail along the hillside leads to the Pedra do Jacaré rock.
Martim de Sá Beach
About 2.5 km from downtown Caraguatatuba, Martim de Sá Beach sits between Prainha to the south and Praia Brava to the north.
Brava Beach (Caraguatatuba)
Close to Martim de Sá in Caraguatatuba, Praia Brava sees few visitors because of its isolated access, and nudism is permitted on the beach.
More drives to Caraguatatuba
- Pindamonhangaba to Caraguatatuba
- Guarujá to Caraguatatuba
- São Paulo to Caraguatatuba
- Jundiaí to Caraguatatuba
- Sorocaba to Caraguatatuba
- Itu to Caraguatatuba
From Campos dos Goytacazes to other places in Brazil
- Campos dos Goytacazes to Itaguaí
- Campos dos Goytacazes to Barra Mansa
- Campos dos Goytacazes to Angra dos Reis
- Campos dos Goytacazes to Resende
- Campos dos Goytacazes to Penedo
- Campos dos Goytacazes to Fumaça
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to drive from Campos dos Goytacazes to Caraguatatuba?
About 9 h 39 min of driving without stops, over 425 miles.
How far is Caraguatatuba from Campos dos Goytacazes by car?
About 425 miles (684 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.
Is it safe to drive from Campos dos Goytacazes to Caraguatatuba?
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 Campos dos Goytacazes to Caraguatatuba use?
In order: RJ-180, BR-101, BR-040, BR-116, SPI 117/070 and SP-099. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
What are good stops between Campos dos Goytacazes and Caraguatatuba?
Closest to the road: Baths of King João VI at Caju (museum, mile 168, 0.1 mi from the route); Itatiaia National Park (national park, mile 275, 0.4 mi from the route); Museu Histórico Pedagógico Conselheiro Rodrigues Alves (museum, mile 324, 0.5 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.