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Tourist Places to Visit in Rincon, Puerto Rico, America

Rincon is a town and municipality situated in Puerto Rico in the Caribbean at 18°20′25″ N 67°15′06″ W. The municipality of Rincon consists of 9 wards and Rincón Pueblo (downtown area). Rincon receives a large number of tourists throughout the year (especially during dry season) for its spectacular beaches such as Tres Palmas, Pools Beach, Sandy Beach and Marias.

 

Geography of Rincon:

Rincon is situated on the west coast of Puerto Rico covering a land area of 36 sq. km and it shares its borders with Añasco in the southeast and Aguada in the northeast.

 

History of Rincon:

The literal meaning of Rincon in Spanish language is ‘corner’ (the name ‘Rincon’ may be derived from its position on the island). Rincon was founded by Don Luis de Añasco in 1771 who was also the founder of Añasco.

 

How to reach Rincon?

Eugenio Maria De Hostos Airport in Mayagüez is the closest airport to Añasco located at a distance of 10 km. Other nearby airports include Rafael Hernandez Airport (18 km) and Arecibo Airport (50 km). Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport is around 100 km away from Rincon.

It takes around 30 minutes from Aguadilla, 20 minutes from Mayaguez and 70 minutes from Ponce through road.

Tourists can refer the following tour operators for local journey and to reach the airport and tourist spots:

• Rincon Tours & Taxi
• Ramon Full Transportation Services

 

Culture, Food and shopping in Rincon:

Rincon is the site of many grand cultural festivals and competitions and list of major events include:

• Coconut Festival (May)
• Whale Festival (March)
• Festival de Patronales (August)

Shops to buy in Rincon are:

• Ranjani of Rincon
• Mango Beach Shop
• Parrotphernalia & More Gift Shop

Tourists can reach below food corners for both traditional and exotic cuisines:

• Das Alpen Café
• EL Bambino Italian Restaurant
• Brasas Grill & Pelican Grill
• Harbor Restaurant

 

Things to do in Rincon:

• Katarina Sail Charters
• Moon Dog Fishing Charters
• Surf Camp
• Whale watching

 

Places of interest in Rincon:

Rincón Lighthouse:

Rincón Lighthouse was originally constructed in 1890 by the Spaniards and later damaged by an earthquake and was rebuilt in 1921. There is a park that is generally open at 10:30, housing gift shop and a snack bar and offering great views of Desecheo Island National Wildlife Refuge.

 

Desecheo Island National Wildlife Refuge:

Desecheo Island National Wildlife Refuge is a striking island located around 14 miles away from Rincon coast. It is not open for tourists but tourists can enjoy diving, fishing and snorkeling around the island. It can be reachable by boat.

 

Beaches of Rincon:

Rincon is a beach town boasting more than 10 spectacular beaches and the major beaches include Córcega Beach, Los Almendros Beach, Rincón Public Beach, Sandy Beach, Almirante Beach, Spanish Wall Beach, Indicator Beach, Dogman’s Beach and Steps Beach.

 

Other places of interest in and around Rincon include:

• Macor by the Sea
• Rincón Pottery
• Bonus Nuclear Plant
• Rincon Skate Park
• The Spanish Wall
• Surf Town
• Tres Palmas Coral Reef Reserve
• Rincón Town Square

 

Best time to visit Rincon:

Generally the months of dry season would be ideal to explore the beaches of Rincon.

 

Accommodation options in Rincon:

The budget hotels in Rincon charge around $75-150 per night, mid range- $150-$200/night and luxury- $200+ (note- prices depend on the facilities and may vary with season). A list of prominent hotels and resorts in Rincon are:

• Rincón Beach Resort
• Relais & Châteaux Horned Dorset Primavera Hotel
• Rincón of the Seas – Grand Caribbean Hotel
• Villa Cofresí Hotel
• Beside the Pointe Inn
• Casa Vista del Mar
• Coconut Palms Inn at the Beach
• EV Vacation Rentals
• Parador Villa Antonio
• The Pineapple Inn
• Beachside Villas
• Villa Orleans
• El Mirador Guesthouse
• Rincon Ocean Villa
• Tres Amigos Beach House

Beautiful Tourist Places to Visit in Ponce, Puerto Rico, America

Ponce is a city as well as municipality located in the southern portion of Puerto Rico Island (an unincorporated territory of USA). Ponce is the second most populated city after San Juan city and the 2^nd largest municipality on the island. It is popularly called ‘La Perla del Sur’, ‘La Ciudad Señorial’ and ‘La Ciudad de las Quenepas’.

 

Geography of Ponce:

Ponce coordinates with 18°00′ N latitude and 66°37′ W longitude and spans over a total area of 501.44 sq. km with an average elevation 50 meters.

 

History of Ponce:

Ponce takes its name from Juan Ponce de León y Loayza who was the grandson of the Spanish explorer and conquistador, Juan Ponce de León. Ponce Municipal Hall (1840) and McCabe Memorial Church (1908) are the historical icons of Ponce.

 

How to reach Ponce?

Ponce is situated around 70 km southwest of San Juan, the capital of Puerto Rico. Ponce has its own airport located 4 km away from the downtown Ponce and it was named Mercedita Airport which operates every day flights to New York and Orland in USA, served by JetBlue Airways.

There are taxis available at the airport, taking 10 minute to reach and also city is served by public bus services with regular buses to San Juan. Tourists can also hire a taxi or car for comfort journey.

 

Culture, Food and Shopping in Ponce:

Ponce is known for its rich culture with many libraries, museums, galleries, historical residences and estates. The most famous festivals that take place in Ponce are:

• Ponce Jazz Festival (April)
• Ponce Carnival (February)
• Barrio San Anton’s Bomba Festival (July)
• Día Mundial de Ponce (September)

The shopping centres in Ponce are:

• Fox Delicias Mall
• Centro Comercial Plaza del Caribe
• Centro del Sur Shopping Center

The prominent restaurants in Ponce are listed below:

• Classic Delights
• King’s Cream
• Cafe Cafe Cocina Criolla Espresso Bar
• Chez Mademoiselle Coco

 

Places of interest in Ponce:

Plaza Las Delicias:

Plaza Las Delicias is the main square of Ponce hosting many historical and modern attractions such as Lions Fountain, Parque de Bombas (museum), Ponce Cathedral and the plaza is surrounded by Ponce City Hall (the oldest colonial building of Ponce) and Armstrong-Poventud Residence.

 

Museums of Ponce:

Ponce is considered as the museum city of Puerto Rico with museums of Casa Wiechers-Villaronga, Museo de la Música Puertorriqueña, Casa de la Masacre and Casa Armstrong Poventud and Museo de Arte de Ponce.

 

Isla de Caja de Muertos:

Isla de Caja de Muertos or Coffin Island is located around 45-minute boat ride away from Ponce city. It is an uninhabited island but houses beautiful beach and lighthouse which dates back to 1887.

 

Other places of interest near Ponce are:

• Catedral de la Guadalupe
• La Guancha Paseo Tablado
• Castillo Serralles
• Paseo Tablado La Guancha
• Hacienda Buena Vista
• Panteón Nacional Román Baldorioty de Castro
• Cementerio Catolico San Vicente de Paul
• Tibes Indigenous Ceremonial Center
• Serrallés Castle
• Cruceta El Vigía
• Casa de la Masacre de Ponce

Best time to visit Ponce:

Generally the beginning and ending months of the year are best suited to travel Ponce.

 

Accommodation options in Ponce:

Most of the hotels in Ponce are sited at Plaza Degetau that range from budget options to luxury resort. Budget hotels charge around $65 per night, mid range- around $90 and top end- around $150. List of famed hotels and resorts in Ponce include:

• Hilton Ponce Golf & Casino Resort
• Hotel Melia Ponce
• Hotel Belgica
• Howard Johnson Ponce PR
• Holiday Inn Ponce & Tropical Casino
• Ramada Ponce Hotel
• Quality Inn El Tuque
• Casa del Sol Guest House
• Hacienda Pomarrosa
• Hotel Las Colinas
• Belgica

Places to Visit in Mayaguez, Puerto Rico, America

Mayaguez is one of the major municipalities on the island of Puerto Rico, an incorporated territory of the United States. The city of Mayaguez is placed in the heart of the western coast of Puerto Rico with a maximum altitude of 480.6 meters.

Mayaguez has a land area of 201.07 sq. km and its coordinates are 18°12′04″ N 67°08′23″ W. It enjoys a tropical monsoon climate with moderate dry and cool winter and very hot and humid summer.

 

History of Mayaguez:

Mayaguez was initially founded as ‘Nuestra Señora de la Candelaria’ on September 18, 1760 and was also called by different names such as ‘La Sultana del Oeste’, ‘Ciudad de las Aguas Puras’ and ‘Ciudad del Mangó’. The Spanish named it as ‘Excelente ciudad de Mayagüez’ (Excellent City of Mayaquez) on April 6, 1894.

 

Connectivity to Mayaguez:

Mayaguez is accessible Eugenio María de Hostos Airport situated 5 km north from the downtown Mayaguez. Mayaguez Airport is served by Cape Air with daily 5 flights (during the high season) and daily 3 flights (low season) to the capital city, San Juan.

There is ferry service available to Dominican Republic from Mayagüez Port by America Cruise Ferries.

Mayagüez Urbano is the bus operator within the city and Linea Sultana which operates between Mayagüez and San Juan. Private taxi companies also offer healthy and comfort transportation services.

 

Culture, Food and Shopping in Mayaguez:

There are many palatial festivals celebrated throughout the year at Mayaguez and the list of major festivals include:

• Danza National Festival (February)
• Mayagüez Carnival (May)
• Three Kings Festival (February)
• Mango Festival (August)

 

Mayagüez Mall is the main shopping centre of Mayaguez boasting 100 stores which includes branded product shops and entertainment centres.

The famous food corners in Mayaguez include:

• Mia Bistro
• Sancho Panza Restaurant
• Gonzalez Sea Food
• Pizza Circo

 

Places of interest in Mayaguez:

Dr. Juan A. Rivero Zoo:

Dr. Juan A. Rivero Zoo is the only zoo on the island of Puerto Rico covering an area of 45 acres. It is home to diverse species of native and exotic animals and zoo is divided into two sections such as African Forest and the African Savannah. The zoo features a museum, recreational area, bird sanctuary and much more. It is open from 8:30 AM-4 PM (Wednesday- Sunday).

 

Centro Cultural Baudilio Vega Berríos:

Located in the centre of the town, adjoined by City Hall, Centro Cultural Baudilio Vega Berríos is the prime cultural center of Mayaguez featuring majestic theater, historic museum, and conference rooms. A must visit place.

 

Mayagüez City Hall:

Mayagüez City Hall is located opposite of Nuestra Señora de la Candelaria Cathedral. It was initially built in 1845 and damaged by the earthquake of 1918, it was rebuilt in 1926 in neoclassical architectural style. Arq. Carmoega and Ing M. Font Giménez were the architects of this splendid structure.

 

Other places of interest near Mayaguez are:

• Casa Grande Museum
• Gomez Residence
• India Brewery
• Customs House
• Plaza Colón
• Parque del Litoral Israel “Shorty” Castro
• Hostos Museum
• Eugenio María de Hostos Monument
• José de Diego Park
• Mayagüez Mall
• Mayagüez Children’s Library
• Parque de los Próceres
• Tropical Agricultural Research Station
• University of Puerto Rico at Mayagüez

 

Best time to visit Mayaguez:

Generally from November to July will be the ideal time to visit Mayaguez for both festivals celebrations and healthy weather.

 

Accommodation options in Mayaguez:

Mayaguez highly houses luxury accommodation centres and budget options are less in number. Hotel rates are higher compared to other Puerto Rican cities. List of famous hotels and resorts in and around Mayaguez are:

• Holiday Inn Mayaquez & Tropical Casino
• Hotel Colonial
• Howard Johnson Downtown Mayaguez
• Mayaguez Resort & Casino
• WesternBay Mayaguez
• IHP Mayaguez Plaza
• Rincon Beach Resort
• Horned Dorset Primavera
• Parador La Cima
• Casa Islena Inn Rincon
• Ocean Front Hotel & Restaurant
• Parador Villa Parguera

Jayuya Tourist Places to Visit in Jayuya, Puerto Rico, America

Jayuya is a municipality located in Puerto Rico (an unincorporated territory of the United States) in the Caribbean. It is positioned in the heart of the island, around 90 km southwest of the island capital, San Juan. The municipality of Jayuya boasts 10 wards and a downtown area, Jayuya Pueblo.

Jayuya was the home town of many talented wood carvers including sculptor, Tomas Batista who was noted for his work for Nemesio Canales statue and the bust of Jayuya.

 

Geography of Jayuya:

Jayuya occupies an area of 102.1 sq. km and its coordinates are 18°13′07″ N 66°35′30″ W. Cerro Punta is the highest peak on the island positioned at an altitude of 1,338 meters.  Jayuya generally enjoys a cool climate.

 

History of Jayuya:

Jayuya was named in the honor of Hayuya, a Taino tribal leader, later changed to Jayuya. It came into existence as a municipality in the year 2011. Since from the end of the 19^th century, coffee production is the major economic source of Jayuya.

 

How to reach Jayuya?

Adjuntas Airport is the nearest airport to Jayuya but that is used only by private flights. So the closest major airport to Jayuya is Mercedita Airport which is located in Ponce, around 45 km away from Jayuya and is served by JetBlue Airways with flights from New York and Orlando.

There are taxis and rental cars available at the local travel agencies that are placed in the town centre. Taxis and cars are helpful for local travel, to reach airport and tourist destinations.

 

Culture, Food and Culture in Jayuya:

Jayuya is renowned for two grand festivals namely Tomato Festival which is celebrated in February and Festival Indígena (Indian Festival) which takes place in the month of November.

Jayuya also houses many traditional and modernized shops all around the town. Restaurante La Fragua is one of the major food corners in Jayuya serving guests with variety of Puerto Rican and international dishes.

 

Things to do in Jayuya:

• Hiking
• Climbing
• Shopping

 

Places of interest in Jayuya:

Nemesio Canales Museum:

Nemesio Canales Museum exhibits life story and achievements of renowned essayist, novelist, playwright, and politician of Puerto Rico, Nemesio R. Canales Rivera who was the great defender of civil rights of women. There is a Cemí Museum placed in the vicinity of Nemesio Canales Museum.

 

Hayuya Monument:

Hayuya Monument is placed in the proximity of the Taíno Tomb in the downtown Jayuya. Hayuya was a Taino tribal leader and his statue was sculptured by famous sculptor, Tomás Batista.

 

Cerro de Punta:

At an elevation of 4,389 feet, Cerro de Punta is the highest peak in Jayuya. It is placed in the outskirts of the town and other mountains include Monte Jayuya, Cerro Rosa, and Tres Picachos.

 

Other places of interest in and around Jayuya include:

• Taíno Tomb
• Toro Negro State Forest
• Río Naranjito
• Río Yunes
• Río Grande de Jayuya

 

Best time to visit Jayuya:

The months of February and November will be ideal to travel Jayuya while the two major festivals like Tomato Festival and Festival Indigena held in Jayuya respectively.

 

Accommodation options in Jayuya:

Jayuya is a mountainous region featuring relatively cool climate throughout the year which attracts tourists from all around the island and other American and European countries. It also houses many nice hotels with upgraded facilities and services and list of hotels in Jayuya and Adjuntas (18 km) include:

• Hacienda Gripinas
• Hotel Belgica
• La Adjuntena Hotel
• Parador Villas Sotomayor
• Hilton Ponce Golf & Casino Resort
• Holiday Inn Ponce & Tropical Casino
• Hotel Melia Ponce
• Howard Johnson Ponce PR
• Ramada Ponce Hotel
• Quality Inn El Tuque
• Hotel Las Colinas
• Hotel Ramada Ponce
• Casa del Sol Guest House
• Hacienda Pomarrosa