11 Best Beaches in Rincón, Puerto Rico (2024)
Are you going to Rincón to relax on the beach with a book? Maybe you’re wanting to come to surf or enjoy your share of Medallas on one of the best beaches in Rincón? You’re in luck! Rincon has some of the most beautiful and diverse beaches in the Caribbean.
My husband and I have both been coming to Rincón for over 25 years! We spend a lot of time in this quaint Caribbean surf town each winter and a lot of time on the beaches and in the water surfing.
The beaches in Rincón are lined with lush palm trees (which offer much needed shade!) and beautiful blue and turquoise ocean waters. Each beach in Rincón is unique and offers something different so keep reading to find out which of the ten Rincón beaches will fit your beach style!
Top 3 Beaches:
Sandy Beach
Steps’s Beach
Marina Beach
FAQ
Which Beaches in Rincón are best for Surfing?
The best beaches for surfing in Rincón are Sandy Beach, Pools Beach, Domes Beach or Maria’s Beach.
What is the best beach for snorkeling in Rincón?
Steps Beach or Maria’s Beach when the water is calm are the best for snorkeling. Both beaches are part of the Tres Palmas Marine Reserve and have beautiful coral and plenty of sea life.
Planning a vacation to Rincón Puerto Rico?
Read my full weekend Rincón Itinerary to help plan your time in my favorite Caribbean surf town or check out some of the Best Day Trips to take from Rincón to discover more beautiful beaches in Puerto Rico!
Top 10 Best Beaches in Rincón, Puerto Rico
1. The Marina
I personally frequent this beach a lot since it’s a quick walk from Brent’s family’s house but it’s also one of the best beaches in Rincón! There is usually little wind and Caribbean calm waters.
The Marina is a great beach for swimming in Rincón and a great beach for little kids to play! The beach has a good amount of palm tree shade up top making it easy to spend the whole day here.
Pro Tip: come on the earlier side to claim your shady spot!
There are also a few restaurants close by to grab lunch, water or a cocktail. El Ankla is great for Puerto Rican food, fish tacos and drinks. The restaurant is located right on the beach and has that no frill charm about it.
Click here for location.
2. Sandy Beach
Ah Sandy Beach! Maybe my favorite beach in all of Puerto Rico. The palms are plenty and right on the beach and the water is a beautiful blue hue.
Sandy Beach can be very windy and the ocean can be rough but when the wind is coming from the south – be sure to come here for an epic beach day! Some of my favorite beach days are spent here when the water is turquoise blue and the waves are gentle.
There are surf lessons and board rentals from R2H at Antonios Beach which is a continuation of Sandy Beach just to the north on the same stretch of beach.
You can get refreshments and lunch at Tamboo which is right on the beach or walk up the street to Kahuna Burger for a burger and beer… or rum punch!
Pro Tip: Be sure to take a sunrise walk on this beach, it is beautiful! And keep an eye out for pretty beach glass and crowry shells.
Click here for location.
3. Pools Beach
Just on the other side of the rocky point from Sandy Beach, Pools is a lovely beach to sun bathe on and dip into the “pools” created by the coral at low tide to cool off. The reef is really shallow here so swimming is not recommended. When the wind is south and there is swell in the water there are fun waves here for experienced surfers.
Click here for location.
4. Domes Beach
Domes Beach (or just Domes) is one of the most popular surfing beaches in Rincon but it is also a great beach to sun bathe at and watch the surfers too! Domes gets its name from the large nuclear dome (no longer in use) that you can see from the beach. (see photo below!)
During the winter months Domes Beach has a wave 90% of the time and is a super fun right handed reef break. There are also surf lessons available when the conditions are more beginner friendly.
You can find a spot to swim down the end of the beach closer to the Rincon lighthouse just to the south but be extra careful of rip currents!!
When you are done with the beach, walk the path up to Ola Sunset Cafe to grab a bite to eat, order a drink (hello 32oz Mojitos) and watch the sunset from up on the cliff!
Read about my favorite places to catch the sunset in Rincon, Puerto Rico here!
Click here for location.
5. Maria’s Beach
Another popular surfing beach! If you want to learn to surf, Maria’s is a great spot to learn. The waves are usually bit smaller than Domes and can be a great beginner wave on smaller days. Take a lesson with RD2Happiness – they set up in the parking lot and on the beach everyday.
The beach is fairly small here and there is a coral reef that comes right to shore. If there is any kind of wave in the ocean it is not an ideal place to swim and I would recommend one of the beaches on the south side of Rincón.
If you get hungry you can grab food and drinks up at Calypso restaurant!
Click here for location.
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6. Steps Beach
One of the best beaches in Rincón and definitely one of my favorites! Step’s coral reef is located within the Tres Palmas Marine Reserve which makes it an amazing beach to snorkel at! You can see turtles, brilliant coral, and tons colorful fish.
Be careful where you get in and out of the water at Step’s Beach. I recommend watching others entering and leaving the water first. The coral can be extremely slippery and there are urchins in some spots. On really flat days you can swim and float for hours here – it is paradise!
If you walk to the right or left of the steps a little ways there are great little tide pools for little kids to play in. I spent many hours here when I was a kid!
Steps Beach is also one of my favorite places in Rincón to take a beach walk and watch the sunset!
Click here for location.
Read about the 17 Fun Things to do in Rincón, Puerto Rico while you’re on vacation here.
7. Lala’s Beach
Doña Lala’s Beach is one of the bigger beaches in Rincón and is located in walking distance to the downtown area. The beach has lots of sandy areas to set up for a great beach day and there is a big parking lot.
Lala’s beach has no coral, a nice sandy bottom and super calm water most of the time. It’s a great beach for families and there is food and refreshments close by on the other side of the parking lot.
Click here for location.
8. Balneario or Rincón Public Beach
The Balneario or Rincón Public Beach is a continuation of Lala’s and is between Lala’s and the Marina beach. It is a nice sandy bottom for swimming. There is a large public parking lot with pavilions for picnicking.
On one end of the Balneario parking lot there is a building that hosts an ice cream shop, Rincon Ride (a spin studio) and Harbor Restaurant which serves Puerto Rican dishes and drinks.
Click here for location.
9. Spanish Wall Beach
Spanish Wall Beach is just past Domes Beach but you will have to get there by walking a trail. Park your car at Domes and find the trail in the north corner of the lower parking area. It is a 3 minute walk to Spanish Wall Beach from here.
There is usually barely anyone at Spanish Wall Beach! It is a beautiful beach and if you want you can walk along the Domes Trail to take a look at the old Spanish Wall that was built along the coast to support a train track.
Click here for location.
10. Córcega Beach
Córcega Beach is one of the most southern beach in Rincón Puerto Rico and the most calm. The farther south you go the closer to the Caribbean Sea you get and the farther away from the wild Atlantic Ocean swell!
Córcega is a neighborhood in Rincón as well as a named beach. If you are staying in the area its a great beach to enjoy but if you are staying closer to Rincón town or even in the Puntas neighborhood on the north side of Rincón I don’t think its really worth the drive south. (this is just my opinion!)
The bottom is nice and sandy but just 50 meters off the beach there is a coral reef you can go snorkeling at.
Click here for location.
11. Almendros Beach
Just a little farther south from Corcega beach you will find Almendros beach, named for the almond trees that line the beach.
It is very similar to Corcega with a nice white sandy bottom and reef just off shore. Walk a bit to the south and find the Bote de Millán, a boat-like structure that was constructed to honor fisherman more than 50 years ago.
Click here for location.
Tips for Visiting the Beaches in Rincón:
- Lock your car and don’t leave anything valuable visible. Rincón is very safe but be smart!
- Be aware of the ocean conditions. You can not swim at every beach on every day, especially in the winter.
- Don’t step on the coral. Coral is a living organism and get damaged or dies when you touch it.
- Also don’t step on the coral because there could be urchins hiding. It is pretty painful when one gets stuck in your foot.
- The sun is strong in the Caribbean! Please wear sunscreen and make sure it is reef safe!
Planning a trip to the East Coast of Puerto Rico?
Read my other guides about bar hopping in Old San Juan, visiting the famous Flamenco Beach on Culebra or seeing the best beaches on Vieques.
Leave a Comment OR Question Below!
I’d love to respond to your questions or know if you used this blog post to help plan your trip!
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This was very helpful. Any accommodation suggestions?
Hey Shelley – thank you! There are tons of great airbnbs in Rincon but if you’d like to stay in a hotel – Casa Islena is great and right on the water with a restaurant. You might also want to look at Rincon of the Seas if you’d prefer a bigger hotel. You can always contact me via email too if you have further questions! Ariana
Hi Ariana, love this. It was super helpful. Do you still recommend visiting Rincon in early-mid Novemeber given the weather? Thank you!
Actually visiting in November is one of my favorite times! It is before the season so it will be far less crowded and most things will be open and preparing for the holiday vacations.
Hello! Which beach would be best for kids, ages 3 and 5? Smaller, calmer waves and a lot of sand (not a lot of rocks). We are ok with driving.
Hi any beach south of the Marina is great for kids and calm water. The Marina is great because there is a restaurant right on the beach. However the town beach and lalas have no coral at all. I also love going to playa Crashboat which is 45 minutes north. You won’t regret making a day trip there!!
thank you!
what’s the weather and beaches like in Rincon for the last two weeks of august?
Hi Annette – I’ve never been in August but I’ve heard it is very hot and can be rainy. I would avoid most of the Caribbean this time of year anyway because of hurricane season.