Plan on about 6 h 46 min of driving for the 311-mile (500 km) trip from Jacareí to Cabo Frio, 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: “Driving on Brazil’s roads poses significant risks.”
| Total distance | 311 mi (500 km) |
|---|---|
| Drive time without stops | 6 h 46 min |
| Main roads, in order | SP-060 → BR-116 → BR-101 → RJ-124 → RJ-140 |
| States on the route | São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 12.4 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 8 |
Driving Jacareí to Cabo Frio: the shape of the trip
SP-060 (131 mi) and BR-116 (76 mi) carry about 67% of the 311 miles. It runs through 2 states: São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro. Of the 8 stops listed below, 2 are within a mile of the road.
Road-by-road breakdown: Jacareí to Cabo Frio
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–2 | 2 | São Paulo |
| SP-060 | 2–133 | 131 | São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro |
| BR-116 | 133–209 | 76 | Rio de Janeiro |
| BR-101 | 209–263 | 54 | Rio de Janeiro |
| RJ-124 | 263–300 | 37 | Rio de Janeiro |
| connecting roads | 300–301 | 1 | Rio de Janeiro |
| RJ-140 | 301–309 | 8 | Rio de Janeiro |
| local roads | 309–311 | 2 | Rio de Janeiro |
- Mile 103 of this route: São Paulo → Rio de Janeiro (state line)
Places worth a stop between Jacareí and Cabo Frio
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Museu Histórico Pedagógico Conselheiro Rodrigues Alves (mile 62), Itatiaia National Park (mile 112)
- Nature and outdoors: Itatiaia National Park (mile 112), Araruama Lagoon (mile 293)
- Museums and history: Museu Histórico Pedagógico Conselheiro Rodrigues Alves (mile 62), Civil Police Museum (mile 219), Museu da Imagem e do Som do Rio de Janeiro (mile 222), Naval Museum (mile 222)
Municipal Market of São José dos Campos
Completed in 1923 on the site of an 1896 market, the heritage-listed Municipal Market of São José dos Campos sells cheeses, spices, medicinal herbs, preserves, fish and meat, and is known for pastel with sugarcane juice.
Museu Histórico Pedagógico Conselheiro Rodrigues Alves
Francisco de Paula Rodrigues Alves, who lived in Guaratinguetá and served as Brazil's president from 1902 to 1906, is honored at the town's history museum.
Itatiaia National Park
Created in 1937, Parque Nacional do Itatiaia holds the distinction of being Brazil's first national park. It sits on the border of two states, Rio de Janeiro and Minas Gerais.
Civil Police Museum
Through permanent and temporary exhibitions, the Rio de Janeiro Civil Police Museum shows documents and objects tracing the work of the Civil Police in the city since colonial times.
Museu da Imagem e do Som do Rio de Janeiro
Opened on September 3, 1965, for Rio's fourth centenary, the Museu da Imagem e do Som do Rio de Janeiro is a state museum dedicated to carioca culture.
Naval Museum
Dedicated to preserving Brazil's naval history, the Naval Museum (Museu Naval) is in the center of Rio de Janeiro.
Pedra do Índio
On Icaraí beach in Niterói, Pedra do Índio is a rock formation used by local anglers and beachgoers, with views over Guanabara Bay.
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.
When you get to Cabo Frio
Forte de São Mateus do Cabo Frio
Forte de São Mateus do Cabo Frio is a fort in Cabo Frio, in the state of Rio de Janeiro.
Museu de Arte Religiosa e Tradicional
In Cabo Frio, the Museu de Arte Religiosa e Tradicional occupies the former Convent of Nossa Senhora dos Anjos, a 17th-century Baroque building, and is run by the Brazilian Institute of Museums.
Praia do Foguete
On the Cabo Frio coast in Rio de Janeiro state, Praia do Foguete is a beach with cold, deep and clear water.
More drives to Cabo Frio
- Niterói to Cabo Frio
- Petrópolis to Cabo Frio
- Taubaté to Cabo Frio
- São José dos Campos to Cabo Frio
- Mogi das Cruzes to Cabo Frio
- São Paulo to Cabo Frio
From Jacareí to other places in Brazil
- Jacareí to Bragança Paulista
- Jacareí to Itu
- Jacareí to Itanhaém
- Jacareí to Mogi Guaçu
- Jacareí to Botucatu
- Jacareí to Araxá
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to drive from Jacareí to Cabo Frio?
About 6 h 46 min of driving without stops, over 311 miles.
What is the driving distance from Jacareí to Cabo Frio?
About 311 miles (500 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 Jacareí to Cabo Frio 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 Jacareí to Cabo Frio use?
In order: SP-060, BR-116, BR-101, RJ-124 and RJ-140. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
What are good stops between Jacareí and Cabo Frio?
Closest to the road: Municipal Market of São José dos Campos (market, mile 11, 1 mi from the route); Museu Histórico Pedagógico Conselheiro Rodrigues Alves (museum, mile 62, 0.4 mi from the route); Itatiaia National Park (national park, mile 112, 0.2 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.