Most people do either Santos OR the beaches, but you can easily do both in one day. Santos is 79km from São Paulo - take Rodovia Anchieta highway, 1.5-2 hours depending on traffic. Hit the Pelé Museum (R$20 entry, closes 5pm) and Coffee Museum in the morning at the historic port area, then drive 30-45 minutes to Guarujá beaches for the afternoon.

The smart way: Organized tours cost R$250-300 for 10-12 hours, but rent a car for R$120/day and control your own timing. Leave São Paulo by 8am to beat traffic both ways.

Guarujá specifics: Praia de Pitangueiras is the main strip with restaurants and decent swimming conditions. Parking costs R$15-20 near the beach. The water is actually clean here unlike the muddy Santos port area where locals don't swim.

Return route: Drive back via Santos to avoid tolls (saves R$24 each way). Total driving time is about 4 hours, leaves you 6 hours for sightseeing and beach time. Worth it if you want real ocean beaches without flying to Rio.