Guide to Rincón, Puerto Rico: Where to Surf, Eat, Workout, and Stay in Rincón
Rincón, Puerto Rico is a little surf town on the western side of Puerto Rico surrounded by amazing nature and beaches. For a small town there is still a lot to do and see! My guide to Rincón lists the best surfing beaches, restaurants, fitness studios, and accommodations in Rincón.
I visited Rincón for two days during my recent weeklong trip to Puerto Rico and fell in love with this city’s relaxed and chill vibe. it was by far my favorite city of my trip. Rincón has lots of cute restaurants and even a small nightlife scene. On a Monday night there was live music until 1 a.m. at a beach bar which I was not expecting, so if you want to let loose and have a few drinks you will find some cool spots in this town.
Rincón is also famous for having some of the best surfing beaches in Puerto Rico. I surfed during my trip here and had a great experience! The waves can get very big in this part of Puerto Rico during winter (I visited mid February) so its best to check with a local surf school before heading out. In this article I include my best tips for surfing in this part of Puerto Rico and the surf school I reccomend using in the area.
For more information on other parts of Puerto Rico, check out my 7 Day Guide to Puerto Rico and my Guide to San Juan!
Accommodations in Rincón
Casa Verde Hotel- I stayed here for one night and liked this hotel. It was clean and in a good location close to the beach. It also has two restaurants on site. One restaurant is also a bar with live music. With that in mind, If you want a quiet hotel this may not be your place. For the price I thought it was a little basic (it didn’t include breakfast and the room was decorated ok, not great), but that seems to be the case in general with most hotels in Puerto Rico.
Villa Cofresí Hotel- My friend recommended this hotel as a good alternative to Casa Verde. It’s a bit bigger than Casa Verde with a nice pool and restaurant at the hotel as well.
Rincon Vacations- This website lists out top hotels and activities to do in the area. In case you want to find other options this website is a good resource.
Airbnb- Airbnb has a lot of cute housing options in Rincón that are relavtily affordable. If you’re staying for a few days and want to cook your own food (eating out can get expensive) Airbnb is a great option! If you’re new to Airbnb click here to get $55 off your first trip!
Where to Eat in Rincón
There are a ton of cute restaurants with good food in Rincón! I was only there one night so I wasn't able to try them all, but my friend who visits Rincón frequently gave me a list of other great restaurants to try in the area. Check them out with descriptions below!
La Copa Llena- Awesome food, creative drinks and great sunset views
The Beach House- Sunset up high with great views
Estela- A bit on the expensive side but delicious
Pool Bar Sushi- Cool atmosphere with nice outdoor seating. I ate here and really liked the vibe. I ordered a variety of different sushi rolls and loved them all. Plus they also have great margaritas!
dinner from pool bar sushi
Ode to Elephants- Thai food and martinis ($4 martinis on Mondays!)
Jack's Shack- Yummy affordable food thats fresh, local, and organic
Cafe2Go- Awesome coffee and acai bowls. Is owned by a guy from Ocean City, MD
The Juice Box- Tasty smoothies and smoothie bowls in the city center. I ate lunch here and ordered an açaí bowl and a smoothie. The smoothie was a little overkill because the bowl was filling so if you’re not super hungry one of their bowls would be perfect.
Playa Bowls- Smoothie and Acai bowls
Calypso- Good fish tacos
Surfing and Board Rentals in Rincón
Surfing in Puerto Rico is a bit more difficult and dangerous than other parts of the world due to its high inhabitants of coral reef and sea urchins. I’m able to grab a board and surf confidently on my own, however I’m very happy that I hired a guide while surfing in Puerto Rico. Besides the reef and urchins, the swell is very strong during the winter with lots of rip currents, so if you have never surfed in Puerto Rico before I highly advise hiring a guide to show you the best spots and how to surf at them safely.
I surfed with Rincon Surf School. They take you to the best surf spots in the area based on the conditions and your skill level. You can rent boards from them as well. My lesson lasted a total of 2.5 hours and cost $90 including board rental.
Depending on the day, surfing conditions can greatly vary in Puerto Rico. I only had two days to surf during my trip and I was advised not to surf one of the days because it was too dangerous and it was recommended only for advanced surfers. So I was only able to surf one day, and luckily this day had perfect conditions! If you’re not an advanced surfer, I highly encourage you to contact a local surf school to at least ask about the current wave conditions. Based on my experience, hiring a guide was well worth the money and I am not a newb.
Where to Surf In Rincón
Sandy Beach, rincon
Sandy Beach- Beach where my hotel was located (Casa Verde). When I was there this beach had huge waves and only advanced surfers were in the water. I heard that it does have calmer days where most levels can get out into the water.
Dogmans- This is where I surfed and it’s located next to Maria’s beach. The entrance to the surf spot is covered with sea urchins and coral so you have to know how to get in and out of the water safely. I do not recommend showing up to this beach without doing research and simply hopping in the water. There were inexperienced surfers there that got hurt badly when getting out of the water because they didn't know the exact spot that was safe. My guide explained the exact way to get in and out of the water and I was very grateful to have him there.
surfing tres palmas
Tres Palmas- This beach is only for advanced surfers. If you’re not an advanced surfer this is an awesome beach to lounge on the beach and watch the pros do their thang.
Maria’s- All levels surfing beach when the swell isn’t too strong. However in the winter months it can get big so make sure to check the surf report before heading out.
Where to Workout in Rincón
If surfing isn’t your thing, check out these other places to get your workout in while staying in Rincón.
Rincón Ride- Outdoor spin studio with awesome views.
Barefoot Yoga- I took the 9 a.m. class before surfing and it was amazing practicing in front of the beach with the sounds of the ocean! Classes cost $15 for hour and 15 to an hour and a half and they include mats, blocks, and straps.