With countless tanned bodies lounging or flexing their biceps around the volleyball net, this urban beach basks in its reputation as the Copacabana of Puerto Rico. Serenity seekers may prefer to head west to Ocean Park but despite the crowds, this broad, mile-long swath of sand lying between Punta Las Marías and Piñones is an undeniable beauty, especially at sunset. Jet Skis, flyboards, beach chairs and umbrellas are all available to rent; banana boats and parasailing are on offer too.
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Playa Isla Verde
Top choice in San Juan
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
18.69 MILES
El Yunque National Forest is one of Puerto Rico’s crown jewels with nearly 29,000 acres of lush, mountainous terrain scattered with waterfalls, rushing…
Cabezas de San Juan Reserva Natural
26.31 MILES
A nodule of land on Puerto Rico’s northeast tip, this Para La Naturaleza–run reserve protects the Laguna Grande bioluminescent bay, rare flora and fauna,…
6.78 MILES
A star of Old San Juan, brooding El Morro sits atop a headland, deterring would-be attackers. The 140ft walls (some up to 15ft thick) date to 1539 and it…
5.89 MILES
The city's second major fort is one of the largest Spanish-built military installations in the Americas. In its prime, it covered 27 acres with a maze of…
6.48 MILES
This museum presents an impressive overview of cultural development in the Americas, including indigenous, African and European influences. Four permanent…
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4.58 MILES
This sheltered arc's raked sand, decent surf breaks, local action and a 17th-century Spanish fort shimmering in the distance are the hallmarks of what's…
25.8 MILES
The St Christopher canyon is so unexpected – both in location and appearance – that it takes many a breath away. The deep green chasm seemingly drops out…
2.75 MILES
San Juan boasts one of the largest and most celebrated art museums in the Caribbean. Housed in a splendid neoclassical building that was once the city’s…
Nearby San Juan attractions
1.46 MILES
Wedged in between the high-rise hotel strip of Isla Verde and the rustic delights of Piñones, Balneario de Carolina is a fine, clean beach that's…
2.4 MILES
Protected by offshore reefs and caressed by cooling seasonal trade winds, this wide sweep of diamond-dust sand is a favorite of locals. But this…
3. Centro Cultural Ecoturístico de Piñones
2.5 MILES
This center hosts a number of cultural activities, many promoting Afro-Caribbean music and dance. It also houses the Corporación Piñones Se Integra, a…
4. Museo de Arte de Puerto Rico
2.75 MILES
San Juan boasts one of the largest and most celebrated art museums in the Caribbean. Housed in a splendid neoclassical building that was once the city’s…
3.04 MILES
Built in 1910, the Mercado de Santurce has been the center of activity for over a century, vendors doing a roaring trade in fruits and vegetables from…
6. Museo de Historia, Antropología y Arte de Río Piedras
3.2 MILES
Puerto Rico's first national museum was founded in 1951, home to some of its most important cultural pieces, including Francisco Oller's El Velorio,…
7. Museo de Arte Contemporáneo de Puerto Rico
3.29 MILES
This museum sits just down the road from the Museo de Arte de Puerto Rico in an eye-catching neoclassical Georgian building – the former Rafael M de Labra…
3.33 MILES
Hemmed in by hotel towers and punctuated by rocky outcrops, Condado’s narrow beaches are busier than Ocean Park’s and less exclusive than Isla Verde’s…