Ponce is among the most visited cities in Puerto Rico, each by locals and worldwide vacationers, so when you weren’t already planning to take action, you need to undoubtedly be including Ponce to your checklist of locations to go to on the island.
La Perla del Sur gives the historic appeal of a colonial metropolis, mixed with museums, road artwork, good meals, and nice seashores.
If you happen to’re planning a visit to Ponce, listed below are a few of my favourite enjoyable concepts for what to do in Ponce.
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19 Finest Issues to Do in Ponce
Go to Parque de Bombas
📍 Map It: Plaza las Delicias, Ponce, 00731 | Telephone: (787) 840-1045 | Hours: 8 am – 5 pm Tues-Fri, 9 am – 5:00 pm Sat-Solar, 8:00 am – 4:30 pm Mon| Entrance: free | 👉 Browse Excursions to Parque de Bombas
Parque de Bombas is a historic landmark of Puerto Rico and one in every of Ponce’s major points of interest. This gorgeous constructing was the primary fireplace station on the island, based in 1883, the station is now an emblem of Ponce’s metropolis and is a part of Puerto Rico’s Nationwide Register of Historic Locations.
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See the View from Cruceta del Vigia
📍 Map It: Sec El Vigia, Ponce, 00730 | Telephone: (787) 259-1774 | Website | Hours: 9:30 am – 5:30 pm Thurs- Sat, 9:30 – 12:00 pm Solar, Closed Mon-Wed | Entrance: $15, free below 3
If you happen to love taking a look at issues from a special perspective, then you definately see the view from La Cruceta del Vigia. Positioned on a hill overlooking the Caribbean Sea, this cross was a watch-out level to take a look at the boats that entered the bay. Guests can attain the bridge on high by way of the elevator or stairs.
👉 Do you know? Ponce can also be known as The Pearl of the South and La Ciudad Señorial, however the metropolis’s title truly got here from Juan Ponce de León y Loayza, grandson of the Spanish explorer Juan Ponce de León.
Stroll by way of a Japanese Backyard
📍 Map It: Ponce, 00730 | Telephone: (787) 259-1774 | Website | Hours: 9:30 am – 5:30 pm Thurs- Sat, 9:30 – 12:00 pm Solar, Closed Mon-Wed | Entrance: $15, free below 3
One of many distinctive issues to do in Ponce is strolling by way of a Japanese Backyard. The backyard varieties a part of Castillo Serrallés and it’s excellent to unwind and calm down. This Japanese Backyard is crammed with pagodas, koi ponds, bonsais, and lotus flowers.
Enter a Actual Citadel
📍 Map It: Sector El Vigia, P.º De La Cruceta, Ponce, 00730 | Telephone: (787) 259-1775 | Website | Hours: 10:00 am – 4:30 pm Thurs- Mon | Entrance: $15, free below 3
One among its form within the nation, Castillo Serralles was as soon as the house of the Serrallés household, creators of the well-known Don Q. Guests now can take a tour by way of this stunning Thirties Spanish Revival-style construction to be taught extra concerning the historical past of Juan Eugenio Serrallés, the founding father of Serrallés Distillery, and concerning the sugar cane and the rum business of Puerto Rico.
Search for Avenue Artwork
In addition to its historic landmarks, Ponce sports activities an incredible show of city road artwork you shouldn’t miss throughout your go to. The numerous murals across the metropolis come from the pageant Ponce Es Ley, which began in 2017, following the identical idea as San Juan is Ley. Throughout this pageant, muralists from all over the world use buildings across the metropolis heart as their canvas.
Be taught Concerning the Taino
📍 Map It: PR-503, Ponce, 00730 | Telephone: (787) 840-5685 | Hours: 9:00 am – 3 pm Wed – Sat, Closed Solar-Tues | Entrance: $3, $2 below 12, $1.50 seniors
Few folks know that Tainos lived in Puerto Rico earlier than the Spaniards arrived on the island. One of many locations the place you possibly can study them and see the artifacts they left behind is on the Tibes Indigenous Ceremonial Middle, the place you get to see burial websites and ruins from the Taino. The place additionally sports activities a museum and a store.
Stroll Plaza de Las Delicias
📍 Map It: Ponce, 00717 | 👉 Browse Excursions to Plaza Las Delicias
Throughout your go to to Ponce, make a cease within the historic Plaza de Las Delicias, within the historic city heart. This plaza performs an essential function in Ponce historical past and it’s nationally identified for the enduring fountain with lions. Additionally, you will discover Parque de Bombas and Ponce’s Cathedral on it.
Eat Native Meals in La Guancha
📍 Map It: Calle B, Ponce, 00716
La Guancha is one in every of Puerto Rico’s hottest spots. Though the beachfront boardwalk was partially destroyed after Hurricane Maria in 2017, the meals kiosks in La Guancha nonetheless function as we speak and it’s an excellent place to get pleasure from native meals whereas feeling the ocean breeze.
📚 Learn Subsequent: The way to Do Puerto Rico on a Price range
The Ponce Artwork Museum
📍 Map It: 2325 Av. Las Américas, Ponce, 00717 | Telephone: (787) 840-1510 | Website | Entrance: $6.69, adults, $3 below 12 | 👉 Guide a Tour to Ponce Museum of Artwork
Visiting the Ponce Artwork Museum is among the high issues to do in Ponce because it’s probably the greatest artwork museums on the island. This museum is best identified for displaying the portray Flaming June, an essential traditional of Victorian artwork. It additionally hosts 4,500 artworks of each European Artwork and Puerto Rican artwork.
👉 Native Tip: As of October 2021 Ponce Artwork Museum is quickly closed for renovations, so earlier than including this cease to your Puerto Rico journey itinerary, verify their social media to know in the event that they’re open once more but. If not, you possibly can nonetheless go to Ponce’s Historical past Museum as a substitute.
Take a Strolling Tour
👉 Browse Viator´s Prime Strolling Excursions on Ponce
In addition to the well-known Plaza Las Delicias and the hearth station, Ponce is residence to stunning historic buildings with beautiful structure and historical past. If you happen to’re visiting Ponce for a day, be sure to take a strolling tour across the Historic Zone of Ponce, to find the best-hidden gems of this historic web site.
👉 Native Tip: Ponce is a good vacation spot to remain in Puerto Rico when you’re a historical past and artwork lover. It additionally sports activities a main location to go to different surrounding points of interest like La Parguera and Guanica’s Dry Forest. Learn my full information concerning the high locations to remain in Puerto Rico, so you discover the one that matches you finest.
Discover Caja de Muertos
📍 Map It: Calle C Paseo Tablado La Guancha, Street #12 Paseo de los Caballeros Final | off, Ponce, 00716 | Telephone: (787) 842-8546 | Website | Hours: 9 am – 6 pm day by day
Isla Caja de Muertos is a small island to the south of Ponce well-known for its vivid turquoise waters and its virgin nature. Playa Pelicano in Caja de Muertos sports activities a Blue Flag and it’s one of many high seashores in Puerto Rico.
Unwind at A Native Park
📍 Map It: PR-139, Ponce, 00730 | Telephone: (787) 812-0076 | Hours: 9:00 am – 5 pm Wed-Solar, Closed Mon-Tues | Entrance: $1 parking
If you happen to’re seeking to calm down together with your youngsters in a protected surroundings, Luis A. “Wito” Morales Park within the north of Ponce is a good choice. This park sports activities a playground, mountain climbing trails, and areas for operating bicycles and skateboards. Shut by you’ll additionally discover Cerrillos Lake.
Go to a Espresso Plantation
📍 Map It: Km 17.3, PR-123, Ponce, 00728 | Telephone: (787) 722-58882 | Website | Hours: 8 am – 4 pm Wed-Solar, Closed Mon-Tues | Entrance: $12, adults, $9 minors
If you happen to’re a historical past lover, you possibly can’t miss a go to to Hacienda Buena Vista. This web site was a espresso plantation on the island that functioned by way of a slavery system. These days the restored web site is the very best place to study how the espresso beans bought processed in Puerto Rico. You could make a reservation to go to by way of the website.
Get pleasure from a Seaside Day
Even when you go to Ponce for its historical past, you’ll be joyful to find you can too get pleasure from a seaside day within the metropolis. Ponce sports activities a major public seaside often known as Balneario El Tuque. La Guancha can also be a spot the place you possibly can benefit from the solar and dip your toes within the water, and Playa Pelicano in Caja de Muertos is the highest seaside in Ponce.
👉 Native Tip: Earlier than visiting any seaside in Ponce, Puerto Rico, verify the native climate to be taught concerning the ocean circumstances. Not all seashores in Puerto Rico are for swimming and even these which might be might sport rip tide currents. Take a look at my full information to the finest season to go to Puerto Rico for good seashores and climate.
Admire the Ponce Cathedral
📍 Map It: Ponce, 00733 | Telephone: (787) 507-0134 | Website | Hours: 9 am – 4 pm day by day | 👉 Browse Viator´s Ponce Excursions
The Catedral Nuestra Señora de Guadalupe, or the Ponce Cathedral, dates again to 1670 and is among the finest stops to do within the metropolis heart. The cathedral combines each French neoclassical structure in its exterior and colonial and Gothic on the inside. It additionally sports activities a powerful pipe organ on its second flooring.
Style Native Ice Cream
📍 Map It: 9223 Marina, Ponce, 00730 | Telephone: (787) 842-3821 | Hours: 9 am – 12 am day by day
Quiet down from the south coast’s warmth with ice cream from King’s Cream proper subsequent to Plaza Las Delicias. This ice cream store is legendary among the many locals for providing refreshing native flavors like pineapple, ardour fruit, and soursop. Many locals get pleasure from ice cream whereas visiting the plaza and Parque de Bombas.
Go on a Day Journey to Guanica
Ponce’s location is good to go to lots of the points of interest on the south coast on a day journey. If you happen to’re staying within the south metropolis, hop in your rental automobile and drive to Guanica, the place you’ll discover a dry forest, a sunflower discipline, breathtaking seashores, and even a boathouse on a hill.
👉 Do you know? Puerto Rico sports activities three totally different bioluminescent bays and yow will discover one in every of them near Ponce. La Parguera is a fishing city in Lajas that sports activities a bioluminescent bay, solely 45 minutes away from Ponce. Take a look at the high excursions on Viator so that you don’t miss the expertise.
Climb Over the Letters of Ponce
📍 Map It: Expreso Luis A. Ferré, Ponce, 00716
If you happen to take Expreso Luis A Ferre to get to Ponce, you’ll discover large letters with the title of Ponce on the doorway of town. Make a cease and stroll to these letters to take an image in them. That is one thing even locals do on a regular basis after they go to town.
🚗 The way to Get There: In Puerto Rico, public transportation doesn’t run across the island. If you wish to go to Ponce, Puerto Rico, it’s finest to hire a automobile and self drive. You will discover low-cost and reasonably priced costs on rental automobiles utilizing Uncover Automobiles Puerto Rico.
Get together on the Carnival
Ponce is residence to Puerto Rico’s oldest carnival, often known as Ponce Carnival. The Carnival that dates again to the 1700s, takes place per week earlier than Ash Wednesday. The one-week-long festivity is stuffed with Puerto Rico music, native artists, meals, parades and vejigantes, costumes with colourful masks representing the evil that struggle King Momo, representing the great.
FAQ’s About Ponce
Is Ponce or San Juan higher?
Ponce and San Juan are each Spanish colonial cities with a historic city heart, museums, and seashores. Whereas each cities have similarities, San Juan gives a greater location, public transportation, and nightlife, however Ponce is residence to an important museum of Puerto Rico, and it’s additionally cheaper to remain in than San Juan.
Does Ponce have good seashores?
Ponce has one of many high seashores in Puerto Rico, Playa Pelicano, however guests must journey on a ship to achieve it. Seashores within the mainland are common, however they’re adequate for a seaside day.
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You’ve reached the tip of the highest issues to do in Ponce!
As you see, Ponce has lots to supply and it’s an excellent vacation spot for a memorable trip.
If you happen to’re in search of extra adventures in Puerto Rico, take a look at my full information to the high actions on this Caribbean paradise.
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