If you are planning a trip to Puerto Rico then there’s a good chance you will spend some time in the capital of San Juan. San Juan is a gorgeous city on the north coast of Puerto Rico with some of the best beaches on the island. The beaches of San Juan are beautiful, with crystal clear waters and silky sand beneath your feet. While living in San Juan in 2022 I visited all of these beaches personally and brought you all the recommendations.
Playa Pena
Most people never end up finding Playa Pena, but if you do, it’s quite a treat. The beach is a long strip of sand that runs for half a mile. The only people I ever saw here were a couple of fishermen. To get to the beach you have to climb down the stairs in front of the Capitol building. The stairs end at a pretty pool where you can swim at low tide. At high tide the beach gets very rough and I wouldn’t recommend going in the water. This is the closest beach to Old San Juan. Just remember it is a completely secluded beach and there probably won’t be a single other person down there which I found pretty awesome.
Escambron Beach
Playa Ocho, as the surfers call it, is the first beach outside of Old San Juan. Escambron beach is my favorite beach in San Juan because of the natural pool the reef forms. Due to the reef, this is the only place in San Juan where you can snorkel and find some really interesting species of fish. Esacmbron beach is right next to Bateria del Escambron which is a famous diving spot to see turtles in San Juan. I once spotted a tiny seahorse here!
The beach is part of the public facilities that the city of San Juan offers so there are clean washrooms, showers, tables and lifeguards on duty. There is a sandy area on the right side of the beach where you can sit under the picturesque palm trees. The left side is a long grassy strip running parallel to the ocean where families usually gather to BBQ. At the end is a platform from where you can see the La Ocho surf break. On good days you can use binoculars or your camera to see some surfers catch epic waves.
Condado Lagoon
Condado Lagoon is the huge water body beneath the bridge when you enter Condado. There is a small beach right next to the bridge where I would see families picnicking and kids jumping from the bridge into the water below. I never did, but it looked very fun. There is a park around the lagoon which is usually filled with people chilling after having done watersports. There are lots of companies that offer water sports such as kayaking and paddleboarding here. If you are lucky you might see some manatees!
La Playita del Condado
If you walk a little further west of Condado Beach, just before the Hilton Hotel, you will find La Playita del Condado. This is a much more protected area of water formed by a rock formation. It is better for families with children when the ocean current is too strong at Condado Beach which it often tends to be. There are vendors renting umbrellas and chairs here for the tourists and you will be close to the hotel as well. The La Punta Surf Club has yearly summer sessions for kids at this beach so that might be fun to join if you have young ones that are interested in surfing!
Condado Beach
Condado district is where most tourists end up staying in San Juan. It has a more upscale vibe with the Hilton Hotel, bougie clubs and lots of casinos and bars on the waterfront. The beach most frequented by the tourists that choose to stay in Condado is Condado Beach. The beach is right in front of all the hotels and resorts. This is mostly a white beach and I never saw any locals come here.
To get to Condado beach you can park at any cross street running perpendicular to the ocean and walk down to the beach. The good part about this beach is that there are some really nice restaurants nearby that you can go to for lunch and dinner right after leaving the beach.
Ocean Park Beach
A quiet beach in front of residential households, Ocean Park Beach holds much more charm in my eyes. The beach is large, full of soft white sand and lots of open space. The beach is famous for kitesurfers. On a windy day you can see some terrific performances by kitesurfers here. Kitesurfing lessons are also given at this beach, though do them at your own risk!
This is also the spot for Olive Ridley turtles to lay their eggs, so please be careful and steer clear of any nests that are marked with tape. My favorite part about this beach was that it was close to Pirilo Pizza and Kasalta (Obama visited here) that were right across the street. If Condado Beach has Miami vibes then Ocean Park is the Los Angeles of San Juan.
Hobie Beach
Also known as West Isla Verde Beach is the part of Isla Verde beach to the west of the point (piece of land sticking out into the ocean). It’s a quiet secluded beach away from the city with a great view to both the left and the right. It’s great if you want to get away from the crowds and just have an afternoon to yourself. There are no facilities on the beach so it tends to be nice and quiet.
Alambique Beach
Alambique beach is one of the three Isla Verde beaches at the west end of San Juan. It has a lot of resorts in front of it which makes it much more crowded than the beaches next to it. Since it is a resort area, there are lots of options to eat nearby. The beach is much more exposed than the beaches on the east side so carrying an umbrella would be a good idea.
Pine Grove Beach
This is the second of the three beaches of Isla Verde. It is also called the Pine Grove surfing beach because of a great beginner surf break out front. You can enjoy a lot of cool watersports such as surfing, kite surfing, banana boat, jet skiing and paragliding here.
Carolina Beach (Balneario de Carolina)
This is my second favorite beach in San Juan because of how big it is. It’s the last Isla Verde Beach and has an enormous park, Parque Lineal de Loiza, right next to it. It is the other public beach in San Juan that is maintained by the city which means it has showers, washrooms and a lifeguard on duty. There are no resorts near this beach and it usually only has locals and their kids playing in the water. After chilling in the water you can grab a spot under one of the many trees in Parque Lineal de Loiza and have a nice time just relaxing and reading a book.
Pocita de Pinones (Pocita Beach)
30 minutes to the east of San Juan you will find Pocita de Pinones. A gorgeous natural pool formed by the reef that is perfect for snorkeling and swimming. The pool is shallow with clear water. Pinones is a great day trip from San Juan and lots of tourists make this journey especially to taste the food at the Pinones kiosks. The beach has more of a natural feel because there isnt a metropolitan city right next to it. If you want to get out in nature and relax away from the city then this is the best beach for you.
Isla de Cabras
25 minutes to the west of San Juan is an islet called Isla de Cabras. The islet has two sides for swimming, the left being open to the sea. The right side is a natural pool perfect for a beach day. The land connected island has some of the most amazing views of San Juan bay and the El Morro fort. The park on the islet is also home to the sister fort of El Morro fort – Fort Amezquital. The fort was built so that it could provide double sided fire along with El Morro if enemy ships tried to enter the channel. Now the islet has a pretty park that you can explore along with the ruins!
FAQs
Does San Juan have good beaches?
San Juan has some really good white sand beaches. Escambron beach is great for snorkeling while Condado and Ocean Park beaches have more of a city vibe with restaurants and bars nearby.
What beach is closest to Old San Juan?
Playa Pena is the closest beach to San Juan. The beach is quiet and secluded. It is one of the nicest beaches to visit in San Juan.
Are San Juan beaches public?
All the beaches are accessible to the public without any fees. Escambron Beach and Carolina Beach are also classified as public beaches and maintained by the city. This means they have shower facilities, the sand is raked everyday and there are lifeguards on duty.
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