The Wayro route from Joinville to Santa Cruz do Sul is 467 miles (752 km), about 9 h 43 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 | 467 mi (752 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 9 h 43 min |
| Main roads, in order | BR-101 → BR-290 → BR-448 → BR-386 → RSC-287 |
| States on the route | Santa Catarina, Rio Grande do Sul |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 18.7 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 9 |
How the Joinville to Santa Cruz do Sul drive plays out
BR-101 (313 mi) and BR-290 (57 mi) carry about 79% of the 467 miles. It runs through 2 states: Santa Catarina, Rio Grande do Sul. Of the 9 stops listed below, 4 are within a mile of the road.
The route from Joinville to Santa Cruz do Sul, road by road
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–5 | 5 | Santa Catarina |
| BR-101 | 5–318 | 313 | Santa Catarina, Rio Grande do Sul |
| connecting roads | 318–320 | 2 | Rio Grande do Sul |
| BR-290 | 320–377 | 57 | Rio Grande do Sul |
| connecting roads | 377–378 | 1 | Rio Grande do Sul |
| BR-448 | 378–385 | 7 | Rio Grande do Sul |
| connecting roads | 385–386 | 1 | Rio Grande do Sul |
| BR-386 | 386–419 | 33 | Rio Grande do Sul |
| RSC-287 | 419–464 | 45 | Rio Grande do Sul |
| local roads | 464–467 | 3 | Rio Grande do Sul |
- Mile 265 of this route: Santa Catarina → Rio Grande do Sul (state line)
Places worth a stop between Joinville and Santa Cruz do Sul
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Praia da Ilhota (mile 66), São Miguel Aqueduct (mile 94), Museu Willy Zumblick (mile 184), Morro de Osório Protected Area (mile 321)
- Nature and outdoors: Praia das Taquaras (mile 63), Praia da Ilhota (mile 66), Praia de Naufragados (mile 124), Guarita State Park (mile 268), Jacuí Delta State Park (mile 384)
- Museums and history: Palácio Marcos Konder (mile 52), Museu Willy Zumblick (mile 184)
Palácio Marcos Konder
In the city of Itajaí, Santa Catarina, Palácio Marcos Konder is a 20th-century building listed as protected heritage by the FCC.
Praia das Taquaras
Reached by the Interpraias road, Praia das Taquaras (Praia de Taquaras) in Balneário Camboriú has about 1.1 km of coarse sand and calm but deep water, popular for surf casting, plus a small fishing community.
Praia da Ilhota
On Itapema's coast in Santa Catarina, Praia da Ilhota pairs clear water and a wide strip of coarse golden sand with a string of seafood spots, and its slightly choppy sea draws local surfers.
São Miguel Aqueduct
Built in the 19th century to carry water from the São Miguel waterfall dam to the beach, this aqueduct is part of the Vila de São Miguel ensemble in Biguaçu, listed as national heritage in 1969.
Praia de Naufragados
Praia de Naufragados is a beach about 1.45 km long on Santa Catarina Island in Florianópolis, reachable only by a 4 km walking trail.
Museu Willy Zumblick
In downtown Tubarão, Santa Catarina, the Museu Willy Zumblick keeps a permanent exhibition of part of the collection of local-born artist Willy Zumblick.
Guarita State Park
Officially Parque Estadual José Lutzenberger, Guarita State Park in Rio Grande do Sul protects a promontory on the South Atlantic Ocean.
Morro de Osório Protected Area
Created in 1994, the Morro de Osório Environmental Protection Area is a municipal conservation unit of Osório, Rio Grande do Sul, originally covering about 6,896 acres.
Jacuí Delta State Park
Created in 1976, Jacuí Delta State Park (Parque Estadual Delta do Jacuí) protects the delta between Porto Alegre, Canoas, Eldorado do Sul and nearby towns, where fishers from Ilha da Pintada still practice traditional fishing.
When you get to Santa Cruz do Sul
St. John the Baptist Cathedral, Santa Cruz do Sul
Facing Getúlio Vargas Square in central Santa Cruz do Sul, St. John the Baptist Cathedral is the city's Roman Catholic cathedral.
More drives to Santa Cruz do Sul
- Santa Maria, Brazil to Santa Cruz do Sul
- Ponta Grossa to Santa Cruz do Sul
- Curitiba to Santa Cruz do Sul
- Paranaguá to Santa Cruz do Sul
- Itajaí to Santa Cruz do Sul
- Blumenau to Santa Cruz do Sul
From Joinville to other places in Brazil
- Joinville to Paranaguá
- Joinville to Ponta Grossa
- Joinville to Guarapuava
- Joinville to Itanhaém
- Joinville to Chapecó
- Joinville to Ourinhos
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to drive from Joinville to Santa Cruz do Sul?
About 9 h 43 min of driving without stops, over 467 miles.
What is the driving distance from Joinville to Santa Cruz do Sul?
About 467 miles (752 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 Joinville to Santa Cruz do Sul?
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 Joinville to Santa Cruz do Sul use?
In order: BR-101, BR-290, BR-448, BR-386 and RSC-287. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
Where can you stop on the way from Joinville to Santa Cruz do Sul?
Closest to the road: Praia da Ilhota (beach, mile 66, 0.2 mi from the route); São Miguel Aqueduct (aqueduct, mile 94, 0.2 mi from the route); Museu Willy Zumblick (museum, mile 184, 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.