São José do Rio Preto to Caraguatatuba is about 362 road miles (582 km): roughly 7 h 38 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.”
| Total distance | 362 mi (582 km) |
|---|---|
| Driving time, no stops | 7 h 38 min |
| Main roads, in order | SP-310 → SP-330 → SP-065 → SP-070 → SP-099 |
| States on the route | São Paulo |
| Fuel estimate (car at 25 mpg) | about 14.5 gal; actual use varies by vehicle and traffic |
| Stops listed below | 9 |
The São José do Rio Preto–Caraguatatuba drive in a few lines
SP-310 (177 mi) and SP-065 (91 mi) carry about 74% of the 362 miles. None of the 9 stops below is right on the road, so plan each as a short side trip.
Road-by-road breakdown: São José do Rio Preto to Caraguatatuba
| Road | Route miles (from–to) | Length, mi | State |
|---|---|---|---|
| local roads | 0–1 | 1 | São Paulo |
| SP-310 | 1–178 | 177 | São Paulo |
| SP-330 | 178–208 | 30 | São Paulo |
| connecting roads | 208–209 | 1 | São Paulo |
| SP-065 | 209–300 | 91 | São Paulo |
| connecting roads | 300–301 | 1 | São Paulo |
| SP-070 | 301–314 | 13 | São Paulo |
| connecting roads | 314–315 | 1 | São Paulo |
| SP-099 | 315–359 | 44 | São Paulo |
| local roads | 359–362 | 3 | São Paulo |
Breaking up the drive: stops between São José do Rio Preto and Caraguatatuba
- Nature and outdoors: Museu de História Natural (mile 220), Parque Estadual de Itaberaba (mile 268)
- Museums and history: St. Charles Borromeo Cathedral, São Carlos (mile 128), Museum of Science Professor Mario Tolentino (mile 128), Museu de Minerais e Rochas Heinz Ebert (mile 164), Mata de Santa Genebra (mile 211), Museu Exploratório de Ciências da Unicamp (mile 214), Museu de História Natural (mile 220), Anthropology Museum of the Paraíba Valley (mile 304)
- With kids: Museum of Science Professor Mario Tolentino (mile 128)
St. Charles Borromeo Cathedral, São Carlos
St. Charles Borromeo Cathedral is a Catholic church on Dom José Marcondes Homem de Melo Square in the city of São Carlos, São Paulo state.
Museum of Science Professor Mario Tolentino
Opened by the city of São Carlos in 2012, this science museum offers interactive exhibits and experiments in science, technology and art, named for professor and historian Mario Tolentino.
Museu de Minerais e Rochas Heinz Ebert
In Rio Claro, Unesp's Institute of Geosciences and Exact Sciences houses the Museu de Minerais e Rochas Heinz Ebert in its Department of Petrology and Metallogeny building.
Mata de Santa Genebra
Mata de Santa Genebra is a forest in Campinas protected as an Area of Relevant Ecological Interest. The José Pedro de Oliveira Foundation has hosted guided trail walks there with wildlife researchers from Unicamp.
Museu Exploratório de Ciências da Unicamp
Run by the State University of Campinas (Unicamp), the Museu Exploratório de Ciências aims to reveal the relationship between humans and nature; its headquarters design came from an international competition held in 2009.
Centro de Convivência
The Centro de Convivência Cultural "Carlos Gomes" is an architectural complex in the Cambuí neighborhood of Campinas. Designed by architect Fábio Penteado, it opened on September 9, 1976.
Museu de História Natural
In Campinas' Bosque dos Jequitibás, the Natural History Museum (Museu de História Natural) has displayed about 5,000 pieces since 1939, from taxidermied mammals, birds and reptiles to fossils and specimens from Brazil's biomes.
Parque Estadual de Itaberaba
Created in 2010, Itaberaba State Park (Parque Estadual Itaberaba) protects land in São Paulo state spread across Arujá, Guarulhos, Mairiporã, Nazaré Paulista and Santa Isabel.
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.
Once you reach Caraguatatuba
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 São José do Rio Preto to other places in Brazil
- São José do Rio Preto to Piracicaba
- São José do Rio Preto to Passos
- São José do Rio Preto to Mogi Guaçu
- São José do Rio Preto to Itu
- São José do Rio Preto to Poços de Caldas
- São José do Rio Preto to Tatuí
Frequently asked questions
How long is the drive from São José do Rio Preto to Caraguatatuba?
About 7 h 38 min of driving without stops, over 362 miles.
How far is Caraguatatuba from São José do Rio Preto by car?
About 362 miles (582 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 São José do Rio Preto 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 São José do Rio Preto to Caraguatatuba use?
In order: SP-310, SP-330, SP-065, SP-070 and SP-099. The road-by-road table above shows the route miles for each one.
Where can you stop on the way from São José do Rio Preto to Caraguatatuba?
Closest to the road: Museum of Science Professor Mario Tolentino (museum, mile 128, 2 mi from the route); St. Charles Borromeo Cathedral, São Carlos (cathedral, mile 128, 2 mi from the route); Museu Exploratório de Ciências da Unicamp (museum, mile 214, 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.