Aguadilla is a town located in Puerto Rico’s northwest corner.
Aguadilla offers something for everyone and has some of the best beaches in Puerto Rico.
I am a proud “Aguadillano.” I was born and raised here it is my honor to share my hometown with you.
In this article, I will cover the 30 best things to do in Aguadilla, Puerto Rico:
Your hotel has a restaurant, and they serve breakfast.
But locals eat breakfast at the bakery or panaderia, as we call it.
You can have freshly brewed coffee and sandwiches made with criollo bread baked in the store.
You can go to La Campana Bakery, Ramey Bakery, or Aguadilla Bakery.
To learn more about Puerto Rico’s culinary scene, check out our article 35 Best Restaurants In Puerto Rico.
If you like to exercise in the morning, go to Paseo Real Marina.
This mile-and-a-half concrete walk near the ocean is perfect for your morning workout.
As the sun rises behind the mountains, it bathes Aguadilla’s bay.
The ocean water and the morning will help you start your day with new strength.
To find places to stay around this area, check out our article Where To Stay In Aguadilla.
They built a large wooden tree house around a gigantic banyan tree in Parque Colon, Columbus Park.
The tree house is fun for the whole family and will bring out the kid in you.
Visit Parque Colon Beach; you are going to love it.
Learn more about the area’s beaches in our article 11 Best Beaches In Aguadilla.
Piragua is what Puerto Ricans call shaved ice cones.
They cover the ice shavings with homemade fruit syrup.
You will see piragua carts at Parque Colon and Town Square.
Try the coconut-flavored one.
Rafael Hernandez was Aguadilla’s most significant popular music composer.
The town square has a statue of Rafael Hernandez and a fountain inspired by one of his songs: “Campanitas de Cristal” Glass Bells.
You may have heard Hernandez’s song Cumbanchero.
Check out our article Is Aguadilla Safe For Tourists to learn more about the area.
When you step into Alba’s Music, you will think you have traveled back in time.
You will see LPs 45’s and vintage musical instruments.
They even have short-wave weather radios.
Tienda Sesto is the oldest souvenir and general store in Aguadilla.
They have a lot of memorabilia for sale.
Even if you are not buying music or souvenirs, these two stores are worth visiting.
The City Hall’s Museum allows you to learn about Aguadilla’s history and to see some of Aguadilla’s artists’ work.
You don’t have to pay to go to the museum.
Say that you come from abroad, and they will give you a complimentary souvenir.
Check out the video below for more about Aguadilla from the museum:
Italian immigrants came to Aguadilla in the 19th century.
One of the things they brought was gelato machines.
Chinese immigrants acquired these machines and established Rex Cream.
This is one of the best ice creams you can find in Puerto Rico.
One of Aguadilla’s nicknames is La Villa del Ojo de Agua, or “The City of the Spring Water.”
The water that emerges in the spring comes from an underground river. Spanish colonizers got their drinking water from El Ojo de Agua. In 1851 they built a park around the natural spring.
For over 150 years, El Parterre has been one of the places people must visit in Aguadilla.
People from Aguadilla say that the fountain of youth Ponce de Leon searched for was in El Parterre.
The community came together to make a work of art that spans the neighborhood. Right behind El Parterre, you will find a street art museum.
This place is great for photos and seeing Aguadilla’s Bay.
Below is a video of the process of painting the houses:
They painted a giant Puerto Rican flag on a former Aguadilla Public School.
Close to that building, you will find the remains of El Fuerte de la Concpeción.
From that Spanish fortress, brave Aguadillians defended the town from the attacks of the British and pirates.
There are several rock formations on the beach in front of the Aguadilla Urban Cemetery.
Jose de Diego, an Aguadilla Stateman, Lawyer, and Poet of the nineteenth century, called the sound of the wave hitting the rocks: “El Canto de Las Piedras,” the singing of the stones.
A legend explains the origins of 4 rocks on the beach.
Four fishermen got into a fight and fell off the cliff.
The three amigos remained together forever, and a little far away stayed the peeved one.
Watch a video of Las Piedras Beach below:
On the road 107, there is an abandoned plane on an empty lot.
The plane sustained damage beyond repair in an accident at Rafael Hernandez Airport.
They moved the plane to that lot, which has been there for over a decade.
Local artists covered the plane’s remains with graffiti and an inscription: ‘Vuela sin alas” or “Fly without wings.”
People stop there to take their pictures inside the plane. The owner of the lot charges a small fee to access the lot.
On February 2, 1928, as part of his Latin America Tour, the aviator Charles Lindbergh landed in San Juan. Someone offered Lindbergh a frozen juice treat.
The aviator said he liked the frozen juice and asked for its name.
One person suggested calling the treat Lindbergh in honor of the aviator. Spanish-speaking people changed the name to Limbel
The best limbels of Puerto Rico are the ones from Coqui Tipico. Before leaving Aguadilla, make sure you have a limbel.
Pollo de Chano’s and Pollo de Eliseo are two fried chicken restaurants.
Chano’s serves their chicken with french fries and Eliseo with Puerto Rican bread. If you like fried chicken, you must visit these two places.
Another classic is Empanadillas (turnovers) Felo. The pizza-flavored one is simply the best.
No visit to Aguadilla is complete without eating at El Meson Sandwiches. This sandwich restaurant franchise started in Aguadilla.
Visit Road 459 Food Truck Park for a diverse culinary experience.
Last on this list is the hot dog stand in front of the Catholic Church on Plaza Rafael Hernandez.
People line up to buy these hot dogs.
Aguadilla played a vital role in the defense of the United States during World War II and the Cold War.
If you want to know more about the history of Ramey Air Force Base, visit the BFRAFB Museum.
It only opens on Saturdays from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm.
The former Air Force Base is home to Punta Borinquen Golf Club.
If you are a golfer, you will love playing in the PBGC. Admission is free of charge, but you are welcome to make donations.
From Schoolyards Beach (Caño de la Cacula) on the south to Survival Beach (Martinica) on the North, Aguadilla has over ten surfing spots.
There are several companies and teachers who offer surf lessons.
You might become a surfer visiting Aguadilla during surf season (from November to March). Learn more by reading 10 Best Surf Spots In Puerto Rico, where Aguadilla makes the list a few times.
Aguadilla has several beaches in which you can snorkel dive.
There is an artificial reef in Crash Boat. You can swim with turtles on Peña Blanca.
Several companies can take you on a snorkeling tour. Learn more by reading 25 Best Snorkel Spots In Puerto Rico.
Playa India, close to Crash Boat, offers one of the best places for SCUBA diving in Puerto Rico.
Crash Boat is a favorite among SCUBA divers of all levels of expertise.
More advanced SCUBA divers can see a B29 Superfortress Bomber sunk off the coast.
Learn more dive sites in our article 30 Best Scuba Diving Sites In Puerto Rico.
If you know how to paddle board, you can rent one in Aguadilla.
Need to gain experience paddle boarding? You can take a class and a tour.
You will be paddle boarding like an expert in no time.
For information about tours in Aguadilla, see this article 7 Best Tours In Aguadilla.
From January to late March, humpback whales come to mate and grow their calves in Western Puerto Rico’s waters.
February is the best month to watch the whales.
I’ve seen a lot of whales from Surfer’s Beach.
The calm waters of the bay in Aguadilla are perfect for kayaking
Water sports rental companies will rent you the kayak.
And if you would like a kayak tour, these companies can make the necessary arrangements.
The Sugar Mill Pier is a staple in Aguadilla’s bay landscape.
You can walk to the pier, kayak, or go to El Muelle on a Yola Aguadillana tour.
One company rents motorized watercraft vehicles to take you to the sugar mill pier.
Check out the video below for an aerial view of this area:
Aguadilla has some of the best beaches in Puerto Rico.
Check out Crash Boat Beach, Peña Blanca, and Survival Beach articles.
You can also go to El Rompeolas Beach, Wilderness, Surfer Beach, Punta Borinquen, Mangalito, Playuelas, and Table Rock.
Aguadilla has a beach for every water sport.
The remains of Ponderosa Lighthouse are a must-go place in Aguadilla.
This place is excellent for taking great pictures and spending time with nature.
The non-profit organization Rescate Playas de Borinquen does a fantastic conservation job. When you go to Las Ruinas, see all the works of art painted on buildings.
Below is a video explaining what RPB does:
It doesn’t matter if you watch it from the Merendero, Paseo Real Marina, a boat, or one of our beaches; the Aguadilla sunset is mesmerizing.
Our sunset is a natural spectacle that will remain in your memories for a long time.
German immigrants established a coffee processor in Aguadilla. Unfortunately, they stopped producing coffee in Aguadilla.
But there are dozens of places where you can get great coffee in Aguadilla.
Las Cascadas was Puerto Rico’s first water park.
The park is open daily from May to August and on weekends from September to November. For more about water parks, read Best Water Parks In Puerto Rico.
Next to Las Cascadas is Canana Marquez Stadium. Try to see an Aguadilla Sharks versus San Sebastian’s Patrulleros baseball game. Their rivalry is like the Yankees and The Red Socks.
Aguadilla doesn’t have a bioluminescent bay, but is only an hour away from Lajas which is home to one of the three bio bays on the island.
If you stay in Aguadilla, you can easily book a bio bay tour and head down one night to experience this natural phenomenon.
Learn more by reading our article La Parguera Bioluminescent Bay.
Also, check out our other article where we cover all three bio bays in Puerto Rico: Bioluminescent Bays Puerto Rico – All You Need To Know.
Aguadillanos are hard-working, fun-loving, noble people.
We love to share the marvels of our city with tourists.
Feel free to talk to us.
Go to Paseo Real Marina. They have bars and live music on weekends.
Watch the sunset with your significant other. Have a romantic dinner in one of Aguadilla's many restaurants.
Aguadilla is a beautiful town in Puerto Rico.
You will love Aguadilla’s natural beauty, people, and rich history.
My favorite things to do in Aguadilla are surfing and visiting the bioluminescent bay that is located just an hour away.
If you are looking for other things to do, then check out our article where we cover the 45 best things to do in Puerto Rico.
Writer at PuertoRico.com. I was born in Aguadilla, Puerto Rico. I’m passionate about Puerto Rican history and culture. I live on the west coast of Puerto Rico, and host an Airbnb for tourists. I also coordinate tours and concierge services for tourists. I authored “Eat Like A Local, Puerto Rico”, and have contributed to blogs and magazines with articles about discovering and enjoying what Puerto Rico has to offer.
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