4/08/2019

Puerto Rico - Lucia Patisserie


Lucia Patisserie is an amazing bakery located in Miramar, Puerto Rico - see location on map here. It was a short walk from where we were staying, so we walked their to pick up breakfast. They are only open on Saturdays from 8:30 am - 1 pm or until they sell out. We got there at 8:35 and there was already a line out the door, this place has a following and for good reason - everything was delicious! Check out their Instagram account here for more mouthwatering pictures.











4/04/2019

Puerto Rico - Arecibo Observatory


We woke up this morning and the weather was overcast and calling for rain, so we decided to travel an hour and twenty minutes west to visit the Arecibo Observatory.

Visitors can enjoy a self-guided tour through 3,500 square feet of exhibits, You can also watch a 20 minute film in the auditorium about the history and work being done called "The Arecibo Observatory: Beyond the Big Dreams".  Afterwards, visitors receive a short talk from one of the tour guides and and a chance to visit to the observation deck to view the telescope surrounded by the jungle. 

Open - Wednesdays to Sundays from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
Admission - Adults $12.00, Children (5-12 years) and Seniors $8.00













On the way back to San Juan we stopped at Cueva del Indio along the coast. It was too windy and raining on and off to walk down to the water, but there was a pretty view.



3/27/2019

Puerto Rico - Parque Luis Munoz Marin


The Luis Muñoz Marín park, a quick 10 minute drive from San Juan, is a wonderful family park. We could not say enough good things and we both agreed it was one of the nicest and cleanest parks we had ever been to. There are two water features - the main area has tall towers decorated with mosaics that spray water to a splash area below and the other water feature is a long, shallow, flat pool/fountain also decorated with mosaics. Among the other attractions there is an elevated walk, some 30 feet high, where you can walk among the trees and enjoy views of the park. The park is surrounded by modern sidewalks and colorful seats and as you walk around there are different play areas to visit including a large spider web climbing feature that towers high into the air and different playgrounds that range in design to accommodate children of all ages. 
The park opens from Wednesday to Sunday from 10 am to 7 pm. There is an entrance fees are as follows $2 adult, $1 children and $3 parking. There are clean bathrooms and seasonal fast food kiosk as well.




   

 



3/23/2019

Puerto Rico - Playa El Escambron


Playa El Escambron was 1.2 miles from where we were staying in Miramar and it took us about 30 minutes to walk there. We packed up the stroller with drinks, food and everything else we needed for a day out and we were off. This is another Blue Flag beach which again is an internationally recognized program awarded to beaches and marinas that meet high standards of safety, services, environmental management and water quality. The waves were mellow making it another great beach for children, Ava was even going in and out of the water on her own with her life jacket on. There were beautiful tall palm trees that provided lots of shade from the sun, plus there was a lifeguard and free bathrooms and showers. This was a very family oriented beach and there were lots of other children - Ava quickly made a friend and Autumn and Jon took a nap together. The beach is also protected by a coral reef and a lot of people were snorkeling. 








3/13/2019

Puerto Rico - Playa Isla Verde

 

We loved the Isla Verde beach and ended up going back twice. We went during the week and both times the beach was not crowded which was nice. It was a quick 10 minute drive from where we were staying and it's only 15 minutes from San Juan. We went to the Balneario de Carolina (Public Beach) section of Isla Verde which means it is managed by Compania de Parques Nacionales, and they offer picnic and bathroom facilities, parking, and showers - plus the sand is cleaned and the water quality is monitored. We paid $4 for the day and parked right along the beach, but if you prefer there is also free parking you just have to walk a bit. With children it was nice to park close, not have to walk far with all of our stuff and be able to go back to the car easily. There is a wide sandy area and the water was bright blue with mellow waves which were great for the girls. We packed food and drinks and spent the day swimming, building sand castles, walking along the beach and relaxing.