There are some truly great things to do in Fajardo, Puerto Rico. After all, Fajardo is a diverse city that features attractions for beach lovers, nature lovers, and even sailing enthusiasts.
I’m a Puerto Rico local, and I can assure you that Fajardo is one of the very best places to visit in Puerto Rico on your vacation. In this article, I’m going to spill all the best things to do in Fajardo so you don’t miss a single thing.
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21 Best Things to Do in Fajardo
Seven Seas Beach
Swim in gorgeous turquoise waters next to a beach with all the amenities.
📍 Google Maps | Entrance: $5 parking | Hours: 8:30 am – 5 pm October-April, 8:30 am – 6 pm May-September
Awarded with a Blue Flag, Seven Seas in Fajardo is one of the most beautiful beaches in Puerto Rico. This popular beach sports brilliant turquoise waters plus facilities like gazebos, lifeguards, and bathrooms, although you have to pay $1 to use them. You can also camp on this beach just for $10 a night.
⛱️ Read Next: Best Beaches in Fajardo
El Yunque National Rainforest
Explore this lush national landmark that’s home to a diverse ecosystem.
📍 Google Maps | Phone: (787) 888-1880 | Website | Hours: 8 am – 5 pm daily | Entrance: $2 / car | 👉 Browse Viator’s Top El Yunque Rainforest Tours
El Yunque National Rainforest extends all through Luquillo, Rio Grande, and Fajardo. This national landmark is home to an impressive biodiverse ecosystem, multiple waterfalls, a rainforest zip line park, and thrilling hiking routes.
Note that you have to book your ticket ahead of time. Alternatively, if you prefer someone else to handle the logistics and transportation, check out my guide to the best tours to El Yunque National Rainforest.
👉 Want More Things to Do?Check out my guide to the top activities you can do in Puerto Rico!
Icacos Island
Take a catamaran to one of Puerto Rico’s best islands.
📍 Google Maps | 👉 Browse Viator’s Top Icacos Tours
Icacos Island belongs to Fajardo and is easily one of the top beaches in Puerto Rico. It’s most definitely one of the things to do in Fajardo. You can reach Icacos Island by water taxi, or by catamaran from the main island.
East Island Excursions is one of the companies that offer a catamaran sailing cruise with music, lunch, drinks, and snorkeling equipment included to admire the abundant coral reefs in the area.
Laguna Grande Bioluminescent Bay
Take a kayaking tour in one of Puerto Rico’s three bioluminescent bays.
📍 Google Maps | 👉 Browse Viator’s Top Laguna Grande Tours
Puerto Rico is home to three bioluminescent bays and you can find one of them in Fajardo. Laguna Grande Bioluminescent Bay, as it’s known, is one of the top things to do in Fajardo.
You will find multiple companies that offer kayaking tours and will take you through the narrow and long canal to the bioluminescent bay. Just make sure to book your tour during a night with a new moon to better appreciate the glow!
La Zanja
Hike to a natural pool formed by the ocean water.
If you love finding hidden gems, then pay a visit to La Zanja, a natural pool created by the open sea waters in a ditch in Fajardo. To get to La Zanja, you have to hike around 30 minutes from Playa La Matita.
At some point, you will have to get your feet wet crossing the water to get there and the five last minutes are the most challenging, but being able to swim in this natural beauty is worth the effort.
📚 Bookmark for later:Top Destinations to Visit in Puerto Rico
Las Tinajas Waterfall
Cool off on a hot day at this top Puerto Rico waterfall.
📍 Google Maps | Entrance: Free | 👉 Book a Tour to Las Tinajas
If you rather spend your days swimming in the river rather than the beach, then set Las Tinajas Waterfall as your destination.
Las Tinajas is one of the top waterfalls in Puerto Rico. Spend a day relaxing or experiencing the thrill of jumping from a rope swing. Just make sure to ask the locals how to do it safely.
Coqui Water Park
Have a blast at this water park inside El Conquistador Resort.
📍 Google Maps | Phone: (787) 863-1000 | Hours: 9 am – 6 pm daily | Entrance: $20, adults, $15 under 12
Coqui Water Park is one of the best waterparks in Puerto Rico. It is located inside El Conquistador Resort in Fajardo. It sports pools and water slides for a family fun day. You don’t have to stay in the resort to enter the park, but it would certainly add to the whole experience!
El Conquistador Resort sports a prime location from where you can see the beach, plus it offers boat tours to Palomino Island, where you can practice snorkeling with your kids.
Marina Puerto del Rey
Check out the largest marina in the Caribbean.
Marina Puerto del Rey is the Caribbean’s largest marina, and it’s worth a stop when you’re in Fajardo. Bringing in boats from all over the world, this spot is one of two Blue Flag marinas in Puerto Rico and is naturally protected from the elements.
While you’re here, be sure to stop in at some of the restaurants and bars nearby. Or, hop on a snorkeling tour and see what’s going on under the surface!
Las Croabas Park
Take a stroll at this park with lots of activities for the whole family.
📍 Google Maps | Entrance: free
Las Croabas Park is one of the best places to visit in Fajardo with your kids. It sports playgrounds, and food kiosks all right by a waterfront where you can see boats navigating the sea.
Once you’re visiting this recreation park, don’t miss the chance to take a picture with the giant mural of Puerto Rico’s flag, one of the many painted around the island by artist Hector Collazo!
Las Cabezas de San Juan Lighthouse
Visit this neo-classical style lighthouse in Fajardo.
📍 Google Maps | Phone: (787) 722-5882 | Website | Hours: 9 am – 4 pm Wed-Sun, Closed Monday to Tuesday | Entrance: $12, adults, $9 minors
Las Cabezas de San Juan Lighthouse, also Cape San Juan Light, is one of the 15 lighthouses around Puerto Rico and it’s located inside a Nature Reserve in Fajardo. This lighthouse sports a neoclassical style and from its observation deck, you can appreciate great views of the coast.
👉 Local Tip: If you want to explore other areas of the Nature Reserve, then make a reservation ahead through the Para La Naturaleza website.
Palomino
Snorkel around this island adjacent to Fajardo.
Palomino is a private island next to Fajardo. This island is almost exclusive to the guest’s activities of El Conquistador Hotel in Fajardo. But, if you’re not staying in El Conquistador, you can visit the island on a private tour or through a water taxi.
Besides Palomino you can go island hopping and visit Cayo Icacos, Cayo Largo, and Cayo Diablo.
👉Local Tip: Nature and beach lovers should consider staying in Fajardo since they’ll have more activities to do close to them. Check out my guide to learn about the other places to stay on the island.
Las Cabezas de San Juan Nature Reserve
Take a walk through this nature reserve that’s home to coral reefs, a dry forest, mangroves, beaches, and more.
📍 Google Maps | Phone: (787) 722-5882 | Website | Hours: 8 am – 4 pm Wed-Sun, Closed Monday to Tuesday | Entrance: $12, adults, $9 minors
I already said you should visit the lighthouse but you absolutely need to explore the rest of this lovely green space if you’re a nature lover.
Las Cabezas de San Juan Nature Reserve is home to Laguna Grande Bio Bay, mangroves, coral reefs, a dry forest, and beaches. There are even records of sightings of whales from here.
Scuba Diving
Explore the coral reefs and marine life below Fajardo’s surface.
👉 Browse Viator’s Top Diving Tours
Whether you’re an experienced diver or you just want to know what it feels like to be underwater at least once, you’ll get to live the experience in Fajardo. With crystal clear waters, beautiful coral reefs, and diverse marine life, diving in Fajardo makes the perfect adult half day tour.
Playa Colora
Sunbathe on this gorgeous beach with distinctive red-ish sand.
📍 Google Maps | Entrance: $5 parking in Seven Seas
Just a 20-minute hike from Seven Seas Beach, you’ll find a beautiful hidden beach to take a romantic walk. Playa Colorá is a small beach with scenic views, clear waters, and distinctive red-ish sand.
The beach is never crowded as you have to hike to get there, so it’s perfect to enjoy your own paradise for a few hours while enjoying the ocean breeze.
👉 Local Tip: Playa Colorá is not a beach for swimming. It’s home to strong rip currents that are dangerous even to the most experienced swimmer. There aren’t any facilities nor any lifeguards on this beach so if you do go into the water, it’s at your own risk.
Las Croabas
Check out some of the most popular local restaurants in Fajardo.
Las Croabas is one of the top areas to eat in Fajardo. You can find multiple restaurants and bars aligned in front of the sea, where you can eat local food. Some of the most popular restaurants in Las Croabas are Las Vistas Cafe, La Estación, and Restaurante El Pescador.
Flamenco Beach
Hop on the ferry and take a day trip to Flamenco Beach on Culebra Island.
📍 Google Maps | 👉 Browse Viator’s Top Culebra Tours
While not exactly in Fajardo, the ferry terminal to go to Vieques and Culebra is just 20 minutes away by car, and with half an hour more by ferry, you can reach the municipality with the top beaches on the island, Culebra. If you’re a beach lover, then you can’t miss the opportunity to swim in Flamenco Beach or Tamarindo Beach.
👉Local Tip: If you also love snorkeling, make sure to hike from Flamenco Beach to Playa Carlos Rosario too. Check out my list of the other top beaches in Puerto Rico to find other great beaches to visit.
Vieques Wildlife Refuge
Check out this epic wildlife refuge on the nearby Vieques Island.
📍 Google Maps | 👉 Browse Viator’s Top Vieques Tours
While Flamenco Beach is undoubtedly popular, the Vieques Wildlife Refuge is also worth a spot on your list of what to do in Vieques. This refugee sports stunning beaches, bays, flora, and lovely wild horses.
A whole day wouldn’t be enough to explore this refuge, and during the low season, you will have the beaches mostly for yourself. Like Culebra, Vieques is only a 30-minute ferry away.
👉 Did you Know? Vieques is home to one of the three bioluminescent bays in Puerto Rico, and the one that holds the Guinness record for the brightest bioluminescent bay in the world. Multiple companies offer a bio bay kayak tour, and you can book a tour through Viator.
Hacienda Chocolat
Tour this cacao farm and finish your day with a hot chocolate made with local cacao.
📍 Google Maps | Phone: (787) 637-5666 | Website | Entrance: $38-$148
Hacienda Chocolat in Fajardo is one of the best places to visit in Puerto Rico if you’re a chocolate fiend looking for unique experiences.
Tour the cacao fields and harvest cacao while you enjoy unique views of El Yunque National Forest. Get a taste of the cacao and enjoy a hot chocolate made with the site’s fresh fruit. Depending on the tour, you can also enjoy a wine tasting or a sip and paint.
Fajardo MTB Trail
Adventure into this fun MTB trail hidden right within Fajardo’s urban area.
While many visit Fajardo for its beautiful beaches and bio bay lagoon, Fajardo also hosts an MTB trail ideal for adventures that want to spend a day away from the coast. The trails have almost 5 miles of challenging ups and downs.
You’ll cross over a small river multiple times, pass under a highway tunnel, and bike over a boardwalk in the mostly single-track route. Keep in mind some locals use the route for hiking too.
Downtown Fajardo
Explore Fajardo’s downtown filled with restaurants, malls, and historical landmarks.
Fajardo’s downtown has dozens of restaurants, shops, and landmarks. During the holidays, your kids will rave about the decorations and light ornaments in the Plaza Antonio Romero Barceló.
In the same plaza, history enthusiasts can check out Catedral de Santiago Apóstol, a cathedral with original walls and tiles from 1776, part of the National Register of Historical Sites.
Don’t miss out on the restaurants and coffee shops in the local market known as Plaza del Mercado. You can also buy local produce at Joe’s Plaza and Del Campo.
Playa Jayuya
Meditate on a rocky and remote beach on Fajardo’s coast.
Playa Los Lirios is one of the lesser-known beaches in Fajardo. It has a rocky shore filled with dead corals and volcanic rock. On its shore, trained eyes can also find archeological traces the Puerto Rican natives left behind.
The beach is not for swimming, but instead, you’ll love its solitude and photo-ready landscape.
Getting to Playa Los Lirios (listed as Playa El Crater in Google Maps) takes about an hour through the interior trail of Cabezas de San Juan Nature Reserve. If you book a tour with Para La Naturaleza, you can take the trolley ride there.
FAQs About Things to Do in Fajardo
Is Fajardo worth visiting?
Tourists that travel to Puerto Rico should visit Fajardo at least for a day during their vacation. There are many things to do in Fajardo like sunbathing on Seven Seas Beach, kayaking in a bioluminescent bay, visiting Icacos Island, eating in Las Croabas, or exploring Las Cabeza de San Juan Nature Reserve.
Is Fajardo Puerto Rico safe?
Fajardo is a safe city for visitors as it is one of the top tourist destinations in Puerto Rico. Visitors should take common safety precautions like avoiding dark and isolated areas, not leaving objects of value in a car, and not leaving belongings unattended. Read our full Puerto Rico safety guide for more information.
What is Fajardo known for?
Fajardo is best known for its Marina, the biggest one in Puerto Rico and the Caribbean, where both locals and international yacht owners dock, and for being home to one of the three bioluminescent bays in Puerto Rico.
How much is a taxi from San Juan to Fajardo?
Taxi rides from San Juan to Fajardo get charged according to the meter, but the visitors can expect to pay anything between $125 to $150. Some taxis also charge an extra fee for a piece of luggage or riding groups of over 5 persons.
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Whether you’re looking to relax on the beach, kayak in a bio bay, or hike inside the forest, you’ll find the perfect choice between all the things to do in Fajardo. If you’re looking for more adventure, don’t miss my list of the top activities to do in Puerto Rico!
