Located in the suburbs of San Juan, Isla Verde has become a hot spot for resorts. The beach here has much calmer waters than the other San Juan area beaches. If you sit off to the east of the larger hotels, you will avoid the nightclub set and still have plenty of room to build sandcastles with the kids and frolic in the waves. Along the beach are rental stands for water activities such as kayaks, catamarans, personal watercraft and more, as well as restaurants and food stalls.
Situated in Fajardo along Puerto Rico's eastern coast, Seven Seas is a Blue Flag beach. Its 1500 feet of shoreline hosts calm waters thanks to an offshore coral reef. Behind the beach are two coastal lagoons, Laguna Grande, which is known for its bioluminescent waters, and Laguna Aguas Prietas. The beach is also a monitored turtle nesting site, so if you are here in nesting season (typically June - September), you may have the chance to see turtles coming ashore. Do not disturb them with flash photography or lots of noise; they are endangered!
Located on Puerto Rico's southeast coast, Boqueron Beach is great for families. The mile-long strip of sand is quiet and hosts picnic tables, gazebos, a playground, basketball court, restrooms and lots of shaded areas thanks to the tall palm trees. The nearby village of Boqueron maintains the laid-back feel of a Caribbean outpost.
Luquillo's beach, which lies 30 miles east of San Juan, is cleaner and more tranquil than those in the capital. The off-shore reef protects the beach from big waves and currents, making it easy for smaller children to play in the ocean. An old coconut plantation on the oceanfront provides lots of big shade trees. Facilities at this Blue Flag beach include lifeguards, kayak and personal watercraft rentals, picnic areas and changing rooms with showers and lockers.
If you want to get off the beaten path a bit, Flamenco Beach on the offshore island of Culebra should fit the bill. The horseshoe-shaped white sand on this Blue Flag beach seems to bend on for miles. It abuts Culebra National Wildlife Refuge and offers first-class snorkeling in its protected bay. The reef also provides a surf barrier for the beach, providing calm waters for the little ones. Facilities at Flamenco Beach include picnic area, water activities rentals, food stalls and restrooms.
