Praia Grande to Cabo Frio is about 403 road miles (648 km): roughly 8 h 33 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: “Flooding makes some roads through the Amazon impassable for much of the year.”
| Distance | 403 mi (648 km) |
|---|---|
| Time at the wheel, no stops | 8 h 33 min |
| Main roads, in order | SP-160 → SP-021 → SP-070 → 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 16.1 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 9 |
What the drive from Praia Grande to Cabo Frio is like
SP-060 (103 mi) and BR-116 (76 mi) carry about 44% of the 403 miles. It runs through 2 states: São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro. Of the 9 stops listed below, 2 are within a mile of the road.
The route from Praia Grande to Cabo Frio, road by road
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–2 | 2 | São Paulo |
| SP-160 | 2–29 | 27 | São Paulo |
| connecting roads | 29–30 | 1 | São Paulo |
| SP-021 | 30–62 | 32 | São Paulo |
| connecting roads | 62–63 | 1 | São Paulo |
| SP-070 | 63–119 | 56 | São Paulo |
| connecting roads | 119–122 | 3 | São Paulo |
| SP-060 | 122–225 | 103 | São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro |
| BR-116 | 225–301 | 76 | Rio de Janeiro |
| BR-101 | 301–355 | 54 | Rio de Janeiro |
| RJ-124 | 355–391 | 36 | Rio de Janeiro |
| connecting roads | 391–393 | 2 | Rio de Janeiro |
| RJ-140 | 393–401 | 8 | Rio de Janeiro |
| local roads | 401–403 | 2 | Rio de Janeiro |
- Mile 194 of this route: São Paulo → Rio de Janeiro (state line)
What to see on the way from Praia Grande to Cabo Frio
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Museu Frei Galvão (mile 154), Itatiaia National Park (mile 204)
- Nature and outdoors: Serra do Mar State Park (mile 18), Itatiaia National Park (mile 204), Tijuca National Park (mile 309), Araruama Lagoon (mile 385)
- Museums and history: Museu Mazzaropi (mile 127), Museu Frei Galvão (mile 154), Museu Penitenciário do Estado do Rio de Janeiro (mile 311), Espaço Cultural da Marinha (mile 314), Museu Judaico do Rio de Janeiro (mile 314)
Serra do Mar State Park
Covering 778,381 acres of the Serra do Mar mountain range in São Paulo state, this state park protects a vast expanse of continuous Atlantic Forest.
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.
Museu Frei Galvão
Guaratinguetá's city government and a local association of museum friends jointly maintain the Museu Frei Galvão, a municipal cultural institution in São Paulo state.
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.
Tijuca National Park
Covering mountains inside the city of Rio de Janeiro, Tijuca National Park is an urban national park within the Atlantic Forest Biosphere Reserve, managed by the Chico Mendes Institute for Biodiversity Conservation.
Museu Penitenciário do Estado do Rio de Janeiro
The Museu Penitenciário do Estado do Rio de Janeiro covers the history of the state's prisons and displays contraband seized in prison units, from cell phones to tools used in escape attempts.
Espaço Cultural da Marinha
Overseen by the Brazilian Navy, the Espaço Cultural da Marinha is a cultural center on Rio de Janeiro's Orla Conde, between Largo da Candelária and Praça XV, with about 1,100 square meters of exhibits.
Museu Judaico do Rio de Janeiro
Founded in 1977 with the donation of a menorah, the Museu Judaico do Rio de Janeiro keeps permanent exhibits on the city's Jewish community and on Jewish religious, cultural and historical traditions.
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.
In Cabo Frio itself
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.
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.
Convento de Nossa Senhora dos Anjos
Cabo Frio's former Franciscan convent dates from the late 17th century and now houses the city's Museum of Religious and Traditional Art.
More drives to Cabo Frio
- Niterói to Cabo Frio
- Petrópolis to Cabo Frio
- Taubaté to Cabo Frio
- São José dos Campos to Cabo Frio
- Jacareí to Cabo Frio
- Mogi das Cruzes to Cabo Frio
From Praia Grande to other places in Brazil
- Praia Grande to Paranapiacaba
- Praia Grande to Bragança Paulista
- Praia Grande to Itu
- Praia Grande to Limeira
- Praia Grande to Mogi Guaçu
- Praia Grande to Botucatu
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from Praia Grande to Cabo Frio?
About 8 h 33 min of driving without stops, over 403 miles.
What is the driving distance from Praia Grande to Cabo Frio?
About 403 miles (648 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 Praia Grande to Cabo Frio?
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 Praia Grande to Cabo Frio use?
In order: SP-160, SP-021, SP-070, 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 Praia Grande and Cabo Frio?
Closest to the road: Museu Mazzaropi (museum, mile 127, 2 mi from the route); Museu Frei Galvão (museum, mile 154, 0.4 mi from the route); Itatiaia National Park (national park, mile 204, 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.