São Paulo is Brazil's most populous state and the economic engine of South America, dominated by São Paulo city — the largest city in the Southern Hemisphere and a global capital of art, gastronomy, and finance. Beyond the metropolis, the state stretches to the Atlantic coastline of Santos, Guarujá, Ubatuba, and Ilhabela, and up into the cool mountain air of Campos do Jordão.
Top day trips
Handpicked excursions within easy reach.
Campos do Jordão — Brazil's Alpine Mountain Retreat
Highlights: Palácio Boa Vista governor's winter residence and art collection · Horto Florestal pine forest trails and waterfall · Morro do Elefante cable car with valley views · Rua Dr. Djalma Forjaz fondue restaurants and chocolate shops · July Winter Music Festival (Festival de Inverno)
Ilhabela — Atlantic Forest Island Archipelago
Highlights: Vila do Ilhabela's colonial waterfront and schooner tour departures · Cachoeira da Toca and Cachoeira do Gato waterfall hikes · Praia do Bonete, a trail- or boat-only southern beach · Parque Estadual de Ilhabela's Atlantic Forest trail network · Praia do Curral's beachfront kiosks and calm swimming
Ubatuba — 100 Beaches on the Green Coast
Highlights: Itamambuca and Vermelha do Norte surf beaches · Praia do Perequê-Açu's calmer, family-friendly waters · Parque Estadual da Serra do Mar waterfall trails, including Cachoeira do Prumirim · Picinguaba's quieter southern beaches and fishing village · Rua Guarani seafood restaurants in the town centre
Paranapiacaba — Historic Railway Village
Highlights: Historic weekend tourist train up the Serra do Mar escarpment · Torre do Relógio clock tower and Museu do Castelinho · Funicular incline plane railway heritage exhibits · Reserva Biológica do Alto da Serra de Paranapiacaba cloud-forest trails · Preserved 19th-century railway company village architecture
Embu das Artes — Colonial Arts and Crafts Town
Highlights: Feira de Artes e Artesanato weekend crafts fair · Igreja Nossa Senhora do Rosário colonial church and Largo dos Jesuítas · Museu de Arte Sacra dos Jesuítas in the former Jesuit college · Antique shops and furniture workshops around the historic centre · Cobblestone streets of the preserved colonial core
Santos — Historic Port City and Coastal Garden
Highlights: Jardim da Orla, the world's longest beachfront garden · Museu do Café and Bolsa Oficial de Café in the historic coffee-trade centre · Museu Pelé honouring Santos FC's football legacy · Monte Serrat funicular with port and bay panoramas · Praia do Gonzaga beachfront promenade and cycling path
São Sebastião — Historic Colonial Coastal Town
Highlights: Colonial centre around Igreja Matriz de São Sebastião · Waterfront fish market and morning boat unloading · Maresias beach, a well-known surf destination · Boiçucanga's calmer family-friendly beach · Ferry gateway to Ilhabela across the channel
Serra da Cantareira State Park — Urban Atlantic Forest
Highlights: Núcleo Águas Claras natural stream-fed swimming pool · Núcleo Engordador's longer Atlantic Forest hiking trails · One of the largest urban Atlantic Forest reserves worldwide · Picnic areas within reach of São Paulo's water-supply forest · Wildlife viewing including native bird species along quieter trails
Alto da Serra and Cubatão — Caminho do Mar
Highlights: Preserved sections of the original 19th-century Caminho do Mar mule trail · Historic rail incline of the Estrada de Ferro Santos-Jundiaí · Escarpment viewpoints over the Cubatão valley and coast · Reserva Florestal do Alto da Serra de Cubatão Atlantic Forest trails · Seasonal historic train excursions departing from Paranapiacaba
Trips by distance
How far you can go in a day.
Getting there
Transport options for day trips.
- Tours
- Organized day tours from São Paulo run to Campos do Jordão, Ilhabela, and Ubatuba for R$150-350 (approx $29-68), including transport and a guide
- Private
- Private car or van hire runs R$500-800/day (approx $97-156) for groups, useful for the coastal beach-hopping routes around São Sebastião and Ilhabela
- Public
- Intercity buses depart from Tietê Bus Terminal (mountain and northern coast routes) and Jabaquara Terminal (southern coast routes to Santos)
- Rental
- Car rental from R$150-250/day (approx $29-49); the Rodovia dos Imigrantes and Rodovia dos Tamoios are the main routes down the Serra do Mar to the coast
Day trip tips
Make the most of your excursions.
Weekend traffic on the Imigrantes and Tamoios highways toward the coast can add 2+ hours — leave before 7AM on Fridays and Saturdays in summer
Ilhabela and Ubatuba reward an overnight stay rather than a rushed day trip given the distance from São Paulo city
The Paranapiacaba tourist train only runs on weekends and holidays — plan accordingly or drive on weekdays
Campos do Jordão gets genuinely cold at night in June-August — pack warm layers even for a day visit
Book coastal accommodation well ahead for the December-February high season when São Paulo residents flood the Litoral Norte beaches