Isla Verde, Puerto Rico

Isla Verde is a sector of San Juan. It is the area north and west of the Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport. You can think of Isla Verde as one long street, Avenida Isla Verde, lined on both sides with tourist-oriented initiatives. There are luxury hotels and there are relatively inexpensive inns and guest houses. There are auto rentals, agents for all kinds of tours, liquor stores, high-cuisine restaurants, mid-priced seafood and Puerto Rican food restaurants, fast food shops. In addition, there are sports-related shops, boutiques and souvenir shops. There are also many privately owned apartment buildings with some of the apartments offered for short-term rentals by their owners.

The photo at left shows the area known as El Alambique beach in Isla Verde. ( photo © Puerto Rico Internet Corp)

Going east along Avenida Isla Verde, the street ends as it crosses PR Road 187. Turn left on PR 187 and you will find several other hotels and tourist stops on the left. On the right you see airplanes leaving the Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport.

Two or three minutes later you'll see on your left the entrance to Balneario de Isla Verde, a public beach quite popular with both tourists and locals. The facilities are open Tuesday thru Sunday, 8:30 AM to 5:00 PM, Cars pay $2.00 per day for parking.

A few minutes beyond the Balneario, still on PR 187, you will cross a bridge into the area known as Piñones. Along both sides of the road there are all kinds of eateries selling mainly Puerto Rican staples such as alcapurrias, bacalaítos, tacos, empanadillas. All are fritters, filled with beef, shrimp, lobster or chicken. A few small restaurants feature fresh seafood and Puerto Rican cooking.

There is a walking and biking nature trail in Piñones that begins behind the restaurants on the left side of the road (EL Pulpo Loco and Restaurant Soleil). You can also rent bicycles at the restaurants. Parking is free. The nature trail will take you along the beach and then go through a part of the Piñones natural reserve. Take your camera!