19 Best Sights in The North Coast and the Cordillera Central, Puerto Rico

The main attraction of the 7,000-acre "Black Bull" State Forest is the island's crowning glory: 4,398-foot Cerro de Punta. Toro Negro also has the island's highest lake, Lago Guineo, as well as an impressive waterfall, the 200-foot Salto de Doña Juana. The best place to start is at the ranger station on Route 143. Ask the friendly staffers for a map; the trails—like the one that leads from the ranger station to an observation tower with views of the northern and southern sides of the island—are not always well marked. There are more trails east of the ranger station, at the Area Recreacional Doña Juana. Keep an eye out for exotic birds, such as the Guadalupe woodpecker. The reserve also contains a huge swimming pool (often out of service) built into a mountainside.

Don't be confused with Toro Verde Adventure Park, located in Orocovis and offering more extreme outdoor option.

This beach is only a short drive from Dorado, and it matches the unique look of the natural pools surrounded by limestone walls one finds along Puerto Rico’s northern coast. This half-moon-shape natural pool is one of the island's most visited, and the crashing waves are a spectacular sight. Food trucks selling all of PR’s fave fried goodies are always set up here, and arts vendors come out on the weekends when the beach is busier. Shade can be limited so bringing your own umbrella is a good idea. The water gets rough in the winter months, so swimming may not always be a good idea. Amenities: food and drink; parking (no fee). Best for: snorkeling; swimming; walking.

About a 30-minute drive outside of Dorado you can find Poza de las Mujeres, another natural North Coast swimming hole protected by rock formations, which split the beach almost in two. On the left, the water is shallow, calm, and protected from the rougher waters outside the natural barricade. On the right, the rocks do not form a protective barrier and the water is much rougher year-round and not suitable for swimming. Amenities: parking (no fee). Best for: snorkeling; swimming; walking.

Well-marked hiking trails surrounded by wild impatiens lead up to the 3,900-foot Pico Guilarte and elsewhere in this state forest. Bird-watchers have 26 different species to look for, including the carpenter bird. If your interest is botany, you can find a variety of trees, such as candlewood, trumpet, Honduran mahogany, and Honduran pine.

The canyon may be difficult to find, but it's well worth the effort. Trails of tropical vegetation lead to a breathtaking waterfall. Tour guides can take you straight to the action while you learn about the plants and animals that inhabit this stunning region. This difficult trail is not suited for children or those with limited experience or mobility, so remember to be safe and plan accordingly.

A beautiful example of Spanish-colonial architecture, the Faro de Arecibo is one of the loveliest lighthouses on the island. Dating from 1897, it sits on a bluff high above Arecibo. Although the museum inside the lighthouse has maritime treasures that will interest everyone in your group, the rest of the park is strictly kid stuff. There are scaled-down replicas of Christopher Columbus's Niña, Pinta, and Santa María, as well as replicas of the huts used by the island's original inhabitants, the Taíno Indians. On weekends, groups in traditional costumes play live music; you can watch the revelry from the sitting area of the café.

Hacienda Don Carmelo means different things to different people. To couples getting married, it's a gorgeous backdrop for a dream wedding. To jockeys and horse lovers, it's a school of equestrian art and a venue for the finest horse shows on the island. To visitors who stop by on the first Saturday of the month, it's a pleasant opportunity to take a break from the traffic on a walk through a 60-acre property with views of the Atlantic Ocean. The branches of a 130-year-old tree hold a beautiful tree house. If the property looks vaguely familiar, you might have seen it before: the hacienda appeared on Anthony Bourdain's No Reservations. You will, however, need to make a reservation if you want to access the property and go on a tour of its grounds.

One of several Conservation Trust properties around the island is a restored sugar plantation with a functioning steam engine that once powered the sugarcane press, increasing production fourfold. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the hacienda requires an appointment for tours, but visitors with a little time will find it a worthwhile opportunity to learn a great deal about the bittersweet role of sugar in Puerto Rican and Caribbean history.

This huge boulder with a handful of highly visible Taíno petroglyphs is located in a stream among several other large rocks. There are several viewing areas and a shady spot for a picnic lunch. Don't worry: the boulder in the parking lot painted a lurid shade of blue is not La Piedra Escrita. Also remember wet rocks are slippery, so for your own safety do not jump from the stones or climb them after dark.

Degetau Lookout Rock is a scenic point near Aibonito. From the tower, use the telescope to get a closer look at the surrounding mountains. You'll find picnic tables under gazebos and a playground nearby. The tower is currently closed for renovation and safety concerns, so views are limited to those in the surrounding hill area. 

This could be the most unique building in Puerto Rico. Named for a Taíno artifact with religious significance, the tiny structure resembles the snail-like cemí—you enter through its mouth. The collection, however, is only interesting if you like history; it consists of religious and ceremonial objects of the Taíno found on the island.

This scientific haven was once attached to the world's largest radio telescope, which has sadly been pronounced defunct recently. However, over 100,000 visitors check out the science center every year, with information about the radio telescope's history, accomplishment, and ultimate ending. Besides all the valuable information here, the way up to the center is a steep climb with some of the most beautiful views Arecibo has to offer. This is a must-do for folks in STEM and for families with children interested in the field!

This exceptional strand is known for surfing, but adventurous swimmers also enjoy the waves. The beach itself is crescent-shape, and its light golden sands are a popular backdrop for local photo shoots. Amenities: none. Best for: surfing.

The 2,500-foot-long beach, one of Puerto Rico's government-administered balnearios, is a crescent-shape stretch of groomed sand lined with cliffs. It's very popular and can get crowded on weekends, especially for the newly cleared biking trails. Take care if you intend to scramble around on the rocks; currents here are strong, and it's not uncommon for crashing waves to wash over the rocks unexpectedly. This beach also has a large camping area and some facilities, including food kiosks that tend to be open only on busy days. Amenities: food and drink; toilets. Best for: biking; walking.

Because of the strong currents and tides, this beach is best for looking, not swimming! There's a summer festival with live music and water-sports competitions here, normally the first week of July. Amenities: parking (no fee). Best for: wave-watching.

This Dorado beach—not to be confused with a beach by the same name in the northwestern town of Isabela—is suitable for swimming and has shade trees, changing rooms, and restrooms, although it's certainly not top-of-class among North Coast beaches. Amenities: food and drink; lifeguards; parking (fee); showers; toilets. Best for: swimming.

Puerto Rico has incredible geographic diversity for such a small island, from the rain forest of El Yunque to the dry forest of Guánica. But along the northern coast, there are all sorts of micro-habitats, including marshes and lagoons and flat stretches of grasslands that have reclaimed their territory after their use as sugarcane fields for much of the 20th century. If you're speeding past in a car, they're hard to appreciate, so stop at this nature reserve, which is crisscrossed with mountain-biking trails and has a kayak launch point. Marsh and coastal birds, as well as an occasional caiman, can be spotted here especially earlier in the morning before the weather becomes too hot.