Carolina, Puerto Rico is a municipality in the Metro Region, with Puerto Rico’s main airport, popular tourist beaches, and lots of manufacturing.
It is five to ten minutes from the Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport terminal to the beach.
Things to Do in Carolina PR
Carolina has some great beaches and interesting museums.
Beaches of Carolina
Isla Verde (green island) is a small cay that is part of Reserva Marina Arrecife de la Isla Verde (Isla Verde Reef Marine Preserve).
The cay is just offshore from Punta El Medio, the point that separates the beaches of Carolina into two bays: Isla Verde Beach West and Isla Verde Beach.
Isla Verde Beach West is one of Puerto Rico’s top tourist destinations. It’s a wide white sand beach fronted by a strip of tourist hotels and restaurants. It is also popular with locals. Water sport rentals are available on the beach’s eastern end in front of the Fairmont El San Juan Hotel.
Isla Verde Beach on the eastern side of Punta El Medio, is in front of the Ritz-Carlton. There are water sports rentals. The photo is of Isla Verde Beach.
Balneario de Carolina, is a long white sand beach next to the airport runway that is usually empty. Vivo Beach Club has a brewery and hosts beachside concerts by major Latin artists.
Our favorite secret spot is the public passage to the beach next to the Plaza Del Mar Condominium, right on the border with San Juan. The passage has some beautiful graffiti art, and leads to a beach where you can see all of Isla Verde. We like to walk there.
Museums of Carolina
Museo del Niño is Puerto Rico’s big children’s museum.
El Museo de Historia y Arte Carolina is a wonderfully modern museum about the history of the region. It provides one of the best overviews of Puerto Rican history in the San Juan region.
Where to Stay
The Fairmont El San Juan Hotel has been a landmark resort since the 1950s. It hosts a popular night club.
The Ritz-Carlton San Juan is the most luxurious resort on the beach.
Families may prefer the San Juan Water and Beach Club Hotel or the Courtyard by Marriott Isla Verde Beach Resort both of which are on the beach
Where to Eat
We love Alambique Beach Lounge. The food is decent and it’s right on the beach. You always meet interesting people there. Playa Papaya is a great place for fruit smoothies and light meals. Mi Casita makes really good Puerto Rican food.
Famous Puerto Ricans from Carolina
Famous Puerto Ricans from Carolina include humanitarian and baseball legend Roberto Clemente, feminist poet Julia de Burgos, and Santo Pin Pin.
Santo Pin Pin (2019-2021) was a neutered family house cat whose trapping and killing by Carolina Animal Control, and subsequent cover-up by the Carolina Mayor and City Council, caused such an uproar across the island that the Puerto Rican Congress got involved.