Playa El Cocal
This is what you came here for; the main attraction. Just a 5 minute drive from our residence, El Cocal is the perfect beach to relax, swim, and soak up some sun. It is a spacious coastline with crystal turquoise water and pure golden fine sand, so you don't need special shoes. You may not be the only one that takes advantage of the beach either, as you may find an area bordered off when a sea turtle lays its eggs!
Food and Drink
The meals in the area are as excellent as one could ask for; it’s difficult to narrow down to just a few choices, but we’ve done our best. Keep in mind, many restaurants and bars in Yabucoa are only open Friday, Saturday, and Sunday; luckily, there’s a grocery store only 10 minutes from our residence to keep you well fed.
Aguaviva Restaurant & Bar
Located in the urban area of Yabucoa near the beach, Aguaviva is an excellent dining choice for any group wanting great Puerto Rican cuisine. Aguaviva offers a wide range of platters of seafood, pastas, traditional mofongo, and more, in addition to a bar that can make all your favorite tropical cocktails. Whatever you’re in the mood for, come hungry!
Bacoa Finca + Fogón
Featured on New York Times’ list of 50 best restaurants in America, make a trip here for the finest dining experience of your trip. Bacoa plants its tables right in the middle of the farm, in the rolling mountains about 30 miles south of San Juan. The experience of eating right in the middle of a farm is as unique as the food is delicious.
Cafe Don Mario
The drive to this amazing local coffee and breakfast spot is mere seconds from our location. Start your mornings right by making your way over to Cafe Don Mario for a delicious first meal accompanied by one of the island’s many beautiful views.
La Casita de Roldi
Pictured is the view from this dining venue! Perched atop one of the many mountains around Yabucoa, this locale offers some of the best scenery you can ask for in the region. Enjoy a pleasant meal alongside a refreshing beer as you look out over the countryside.
Excursions
Yabucoa and the surrounding areas offer so many things to do that you’ll never have a dull moment when you choose not to relax on one of the beaches. A helpful thing to note is that many excursions here require a ticket, often available the day before, so make sure you don’t miss out!
Bioluminescent Bay Kayak
The conditions of the water have created the perfect environment for glow-in-the-dark, neon blue, bioluminescent plankton to be visible! It is truly a once in a lifetime experience watching the plankton glow. This is an experience you can only find in a handful of spots in the world because it requires the perfect conditions. As you move through the water with your oar or hand, the plankton will glow and dance around in a magical way.
Pork Highway
La Ruta del Lechón (Pork Highway) is part of a Puerto Rican tradition called chinchorreo, where friends and family members come together and go restaurant hopping. The term chinchorreo comes from chinchorro, a local word for a kiosk or small shack serving food or drinks.
El Yunque National Forest
Covering 28,000 acres, and receiving more than 200 inches of rain per year, El Yunque National Forest is the only tropical rain forest in the US Forest System. Noted for its biodiversity, the forest is home to more than 400 different plant species. It has more than a dozen maintained trails for hiking, picnic pavilions, stone towers, rivers, waterfalls, and an interpretive visitors' center.
Old San Juan
This is the perfect destination to bookend your stay. Old San Juan is a great place to go for a day trip and walk around. It is entertaining enough to walk the streets for a few hours, but there are also multiple castles/forts with tours. There are also great restaurants, including Spiga, a small sandwich shop where they make their bread in house.
Isla de Vieques
Isla de Vieques is one of the offshore Islands of Puerto Rico, easily accessible by ferry. Vieques offers breathtaking scenery, unparalleled beauty, unexplored spaces, and laid-back experiences. The trade winds that blow directly over the island also provide a perfectly tropical marine climate with minimal temperature fluctuations.