The Wayro route from Praia Grande to Macaé is 424 miles (683 km), about 8 h 58 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.”
| Total distance | 424 mi (683 km) |
|---|---|
| Time at the wheel, no stops | 8 h 58 min |
| Main roads, in order | SP-160 → SP-021 → SP-070 → SP-060 → BR-116 → BR-101 → RJ-168 |
| States on the route | São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 17.0 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 8 |
The Praia Grande–Macaé drive in a few lines
BR-101 (112 mi) and SP-060 (103 mi) carry about 51% of the 424 miles. It runs through 2 states: São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro. Of the 8 stops listed below, 3 are within a mile of the road.
Praia Grande to Macaé: the road sequence
| 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 | 301–413 | 112 | Rio de Janeiro |
| RJ-168 | 413–422 | 9 | Rio de Janeiro |
| local roads | 422–424 | 2 | Rio de Janeiro |
- Mile 194 of this route: São Paulo → Rio de Janeiro (state line)
Places worth a stop between Praia Grande and Macaé
- Right off the route (under 1 mile): Museu Frei Galvão (mile 154), Itatiaia National Park (mile 204), Museu de Astronomia e Ciências Afins (mile 310)
- Nature and outdoors: Serra do Mar State Park (mile 18), Itatiaia National Park (mile 204), Serra do Barbosão Municipal Nature Park (mile 347)
- Museums and history: Anthropology Museum of the Paraíba Valley (mile 89), Museu da Imigração Italiana de Quiririm "José Indiani" (mile 122), Museu Frei Galvão (mile 154), Museu de Astronomia e Ciências Afins (mile 310)
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.
Anthropology Museum of the Paraíba Valley
Ceramic vessels and stone tools are among the archaeological finds at the Museu de Antropologia do Vale do Paraíba in Jacareí, which also displays sacred art, folk art and paintings.
Museu da Imigração Italiana de Quiririm "José Indiani"
In Quiririm, a district of Taubaté, the Italian Immigration Museum fills the brick Casa Indiani, built between 1897 and 1903 by a family from Cremona, with photos, furniture, machinery and a period classroom recalling immigrant life.
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
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.
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.
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.
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.
In Macaé itself
Forte Marechal Hermes
Forte Marechal Hermes stands just south of the Macaé River mouth in Macaé, on the point of land between Imbetiba and Conchas beaches, facing the Sant'Anna archipelago.
Palácio dos Urubus
Palácio dos Urubus is a historic building on Rua Doutor Télio Barreto in the center of Macaé, in Rio de Janeiro state.
More drives to Macaé
- Taubaté to Macaé
- São José dos Campos to Macaé
- Mogi das Cruzes to Macaé
- São Paulo to Macaé
- Jundiaí to Macaé
- Campinas to Macaé
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 does it take to drive from Praia Grande to Macaé?
About 8 h 58 min of driving without stops, over 424 miles.
What is the driving distance from Praia Grande to Macaé?
About 424 miles (683 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 Praia Grande to Macaé drive?
The U.S. State Department rates Brazil Level 2: Exercise Increased Caution. Read the full advisory before you go.
Which highways go from Praia Grande to Macaé?
In order: SP-160, SP-021, SP-070, SP-060, BR-116, BR-101 and RJ-168. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
Where can you stop on the way from Praia Grande to Macaé?
Closest to the road: 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); Museu de Astronomia e Ciências Afins (museum, mile 310, 0.6 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.