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 positioned right in front of Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport (except for the periodic roar of jumbo jets overhead you'd never know it). Equipped with plenty of lifeguards, bathrooms, showers and barbecue pits, the beach is a party zone on weekends but you're likely to have it to yourself the rest of the week.
Balneario de Carolina
San Juan
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
17.57 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
24.91 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,…
8.16 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…
7.27 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…
7.87 MILES
This museum presents an impressive overview of cultural development in the Americas, including indigenous, African and European influences. Four permanent…
-
5.93 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…
26.9 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…
4.2 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. Centro Cultural Ecoturístico de Piñones
1.18 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…
1.46 MILES
With countless tanned bodies lounging or flexing their biceps around the volleyball net, this urban beach basks in its reputation as the Copacabana of…
2.93 MILES
Kids love this sprawling hands-on museum in suburban San Juan. Interactive and fun displays focus on volcanoes, electricity and music, while dress-up…
3.79 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…
5. Museo de Arte de Puerto Rico
4.2 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…
6. Museo de Historia, Antropología y Arte de Río Piedras
4.23 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. Plaza del Mercado de Río Piedras
4.44 MILES
If you enjoy the bustle of a traditional market where locals barter for everything from bananas to bacalao, this is for you. As much a scene as a place to…
4.48 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…