Piñones

This is one of the funnest spots to visit near San Juan. Part of it is in Carolina and part in Loíza. There are tons of restaurant and stands selling mainly seafood. I've been to several of the stands and they are generally the same. It's hard to wrong, but my favorites are Iguana and Rinconcito Latino.

There are a couple beaches down the long stretch of road. They are kid friendly beaches with light waves. Piñones also has a bike trail, a state forest, and a lake.

This is where you come and eat all the fried goodie's that Puerto Rico has to offer. They have plenty of kiosks to choose from. But I have to say if you are on a diet this place is not for you. 99% of everything is fried. All nice to stop by and eat with the locals and have a nice cold medalla beer.

This is a must visit area when in PR. The area is vibrant and alive. Lots of eatery establishments, adult beverages, the beach, shopping, etc. The music is awesome from one vendor to the next.

This was an incredibly relaxing beach area, away from the more popular ones! All along the way, there are a handful of restaurants and bars that are essentially shacks, and you can view the beach from most of them. It's really cool! My fam was meeting a friend here, and we set up shop and were quite comfortable!

There's a long rocky structure a few hundred feet into the water... so the coast itself and the water before that structure is so calm! I had such a blast floating in the water there... until I got adventurous and wanted to chill with the unique birds that were on the rocks. My nieces and I decided to swim towards it and try sitting on it... but the water got a little crazy and deeper as we got closer... annnnnd I stepped on a sea urchin.

THAT'S RIGHT!

This didn't downright ruin the rest of the trip or my time at the beach... we ended up being chased away because of the rain lol. But let's just say I was hobbling for a couple weeks after that happened... that is some pain I wouldn't wish on anybody!! The warning signs were that the ocean bottom got really rocky... and that's where they tend to reside. Now, I know!

So here's a pro tip: if you are trying to go out far, wear water shoes... otherwise, still in that calm area far away from the rocks! But honestly, the beach is super relaxing and I recommend anyone who visits PR to check it out.

This beach is a very calm beach and is suitable for families and for children. The good thing is there are a lot of places to eat near by.

Piñones es una playa muy tranquila apta para todas las edades. Lo bueno es que tambien hay muchos lugares de comer cerca.

This is really for the El Puerto de Mar kiosk at Piñones. And first off, go to Loiza, drive 15-20 minutes further. Go get educated on the history of the ADOS in PR. Then come to El Puerto de Mar to eat... the rice and beans are like my grandmother's- savory, full of flavor w/o being too salty or over done. I literally moaned at the first bite. You can eat inside where there are tables and staff - grab you the Parcha frozen cocktail it's the best- and then order an amazing meal. Or order a la cart, on the side and grab frituras, skewered meats, and a cold one. You cannot go wrong here. Buen provecho!

A must visit for locals and tourists alike. Piñones is located in the town of Loíza. It's near Isla Verde and the airport. It's a short Uber ride, in case you don't have a vehicle. The popular thing to do here is enjoy local street food and alcoholic drinks from the several shacks, restaurants and bars along the side of the road. Aside from street food there is plenty of good seafood too. But Piñones is more than just bar hopping. It's family friendly. The stretch of road is long with plenty of beaches. I really like Vacía Talega which is near the end.

The Bosque Estatal de Piñones (Piñones State Park) is located in Piñones (as the name suggests). There is a bike trail. I believe you can also hike here. There is also a lake, the Laguna de Piñones, where you can kayak or paddle board. There are also picnic tables and an observation tower by the lake.

I come here for the beach and alcapurrias. Late night music and a few beers. A cool place to relax and enjoy yourself .

My wife, two teenage sons (16 yrs, 14 yrs), and I drove along Route 187 in early April 2022 to see the beaches of Pinones. While this route is surprisingly close to San Juan, it has a very different vibe from the resort areas of San Juan. Pinones is a natural beach with authentic street food kiosks and provides a window into the life of many Puerto Rican families.

On the plus side, it gives you a glimpse of local culture. We especially loved Playa Vacia Talega (the long stretch of beach along Route 187 which is far away from San Juan - closer to Loiza). For a detailed review that I wrote, please go to https://www.yelp.com/biz/playa-vacia-talega-lo%C3%ADza.

On the minus side, the roadside of Pinones is filled with trash, which spoils the natural beauty of the area. Also, parking can be hard to find when it gets busy (just find a spot anywhere on the side of the road). Based on our day trip, I can understand why many tourists avoid coming here. First, it's hard to discern the quality of food at kiosks. Second, Spanish must be used when speaking with locals here. Third, there are no clean, public restrooms that are easily accessible from the beaches. Lastly, seeing trash everywhere along the highway was not appealing. That said, I think Playa Vacia Talega is a gem of a beach that is family-friendly and well worth a visit!

the beaches in Pinones are quite different then famous san Juan beaches- no buoys, no lifeguard- no shower-no parking areas. Some beaches are quite nice, others are rocky. windy and rough waves. so these beaches are not known for swimming.

but hey, this area is known for its food. Here you will find the best Alcapurrias, Bacalaito, and other local foods.
Piñones is the area that surrounds the PR-187 from Carolina to Loíza -- a sandy road that is replete with restaurants and chinchorros, bordered by the Piñones State Forest on the south and the Atlantic Ocean on the north

Sundays are the busiest and most interesting days to go to Piñones since most kiosks are open. Locals prefer this area and tourists prefer San Juan. finding parking can be tough on weekends.