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Arecibo, Puerto Rico

North region · Puerto Rico

Arecibo

~40 mi from San JuanCoastal

  • 89° · Clear

Happening in Arecibo

All events

Arecibo is a coastal town on the northern coast of Puerto Rico, on the shores of the Atlantic Ocean. It lies north of Utuado and Ciales, east of Hatillo, and west of Barceloneta and Florida, and west of San Juan. It has 86,467 residents (Census estimate, 2020–2024), and the town is the core city of the Arecibo Metropolitan Statistical Area.

Arecibo was founded in 1616 and is the largest of the 78 towns by area, at 126 square miles. It is spread over 18 barrios plus Arecibo Pueblo, and it is part of the greater San Juan–Bayamón Combined Statistical Area. Places to go include Cueva Ventana for the outdoors, Poza del Obispo for the beach, and Ocean Restaurant and Lenel Restaurant for eating out.

Arecibo
All 78 towns
For visitors

Visitors can combine the coast at Poza del Obispo with outdoor exploring at Cueva Ventana and a meal at places like Ocean Restaurant.

Hiking
Outdoors
Beaches and water
Eat and drink
Fiestas patronales
For living hereLiving in Arecibo means being in a large town of 86,467 people that anchors its own metropolitan area while remaining part of the wider San Juan–Bayamón region on the north coast.Living in Arecibo: rent, commute, schools & safety

At a glance

Region
North
Setting
Coastal
Distance
~40 mi from San Juan
Population
86,467 (Census estimate, 2020–2024)
Founded
1616
Median rent
$531/mo
Median income
$23,635/yr
Area
125.9 sq mi (326.2 km²)
Fiestas patronales
Saint Philip the Apostle · May 1
Guide spots
5
Stories, last 30 days
28
Water & power
Water by sector · Power outages
Living here
Rent, commute, schools & safety

Nearby towns

Browse the full guide →See on the news map →All 78 towns →

Right now in Arecibo

Road closures in Arecibo

No closures reported in Arecibo as of 1:08 PM AST on Thu, Nov 12.

All road closures on the island

Water rationing in Arecibo

No rationing plan names Arecibo. None of the plans the Puerto Rico Aqueduct and Sewer Authority (AAA) has published includes the town, as of Nov 12. Repairs and breaks cut service sector by sector: search your sector

Power outages in Arecibo

Not among the 7 towns with the most interruptions on LUMA’s morning reading of Nov 12, when 0.5% of customers island-wide were without power. Arecibo was on that list on 2 of the last 7 mornings. Outages right now, town by town

Beach water

Within limits: Poza del Obispo. Last tested Nov 3.

Beach water quality

News from Arecibo

Town of the Week

Every Town of the Week

Latest stories

Every story that names Arecibo Follow Arecibo by RSS

Our analysis

Every Town of the Week Every Weekend Watch Every Where to Swim

Things to do in Arecibo

Beaches & Chill
Poza del Obispo

Poza del Obispo

Beach resort

Poza del Obispo, also called Obispo Beach, is a public balneario in Arecibo run by the Municipio de Arecibo. It is a managed bathing beach, though it has no lifeguards on duty, so swimmers are on their own in the water. A single parking area sits close by, and no other facilities are mapped nearby, which makes this a simple, lightly equipped municipal beach.

Google Maps
On the Water

Arecibo

  • Surf

Arecibo is a surf area on Puerto Rico's north coast, where the open Atlantic sends swell from the north-northeast, typically 3–7 feet, onto breaks over sand and limestone reef. The season runs November to March, when winter swell is steadiest. Trade winds of 15–22 knots (17–25 mph) are typical, so conditions here are shaped as much by wind as by wave size. Tides are also a factor in how the breaks work.

Google Maps
Nature spots

Cueva Ventana

A cave that opens onto a panoramic valley window

  • Hike
  • Daytime

Cueva Ventana ('Window Cave') sits on a hilltop above the Río Grande de Arecibo valley in northern Puerto Rico. A short guided hike leads through a limestone cave, past bats and Taíno petroglyphs, to a large natural opening that frames a sweeping view over the river valley and karst hills below. The walk is moderate and the payoff is the dramatic 'window' overlook, a favorite photo stop. Tours are guided and ticketed; closed-toe shoes are recommended, and it pairs well with a visit to the nearby caves and the Arecibo area.

Google Maps
Eat & Drink
Seafood restaurant

Ocean Restaurant

Regional cuisine

Ocean Restaurant is a seafood restaurant on Carr. 681, Km 9.8 (Calle José De Diego) in Arecibo, in Puerto Rico's North region. The menu centers on regional cuisine, drawing on the area's coastal setting for its seafood-focused offerings.

Reviews on Google Maps

More Eat & Drink across the North

Events coming up in Arecibo

All events across Puerto Rico

Outdoors and sports

On the water in Arecibo

All conditions

On the water near Arecibo

Marinas, surf breaks, dive sites, wind spots and paddling in Arecibo or within 12 mi of the town center, as the crow flies.

All of On the Water

Trails in and near Arecibo

1 trail starts in Arecibo; the nearest three in other towns are within 14 mi of the town center, as the crow flies.

  • In AreciboRecorrido Costa AreciboEasy 1.5 mi each way, 1 h 15 min to 1 h 50 minArecibo coast walkNot confirmed: ask firstCommunity-mapped
  • Reserva Natural Hacienda La Esperanza, Manatí, 13 mi awayVereda del Río Grande de ManatíModerate 3.4 mi each way, 2 h 45 min to 4 h 10 minRío Grande de Manatí river trailWalk in, no bookingCommunity-mapped
  • Reserva Natural Hacienda La Esperanza, Manatí, 13 mi awayLa EsperanzaModerate 7.9 mi loop, 3 h 15 min to 4 h 50 minWalk in, no bookingCommunity-mapped
  • In San Sebastián, 14 mi awayCaminata La SollerModerate 3.3 mi loop, 1 h 25 min to 2 h 10 minLa Soller walkNot confirmed: ask firstCommunity-mapped

See all 7 trails on the north coast

Bills and recovery money

Bills about Arecibo

Every bill we follow

Recovery money in Arecibo

$146 million committed by FEMA to 277 projects filed under Arecibo since 2001: $1,689 per resident, 44th of 78 towns.

Every project located in Arecibo, the island-wide agencies’ included

22% paid out: Puerto Rico's Central Office for Recovery, Reconstruction and Resiliency (COR3), which pays out the federal disaster recovery money, has paid $131 million of the $584 million committed.

22%

18.7% paid out on the town government’s own rebuilding: $13.7 million of $73.3 million, the projects it runs itself, as of Oct 14, 2026. Our FEMA story charts this figure for every town.

18.7%
  • Road with Sea Wall - Ave. Victor RojasRoads and bridges$20.5 million
  • PANCHO PADILLA BASKETBALL COURTParks and other$16.5 million
  • Colegio Nuestra Senora del Rosario (AR-322)Public buildings$14.3 million
The town government’s largest projects in implementation, and what has been paid
  • Debris Alternative Procedures, Public Assistance Alternative Procedures$1.9M of $1.9M100%Debris removal · last paid Dec 1, 2025
  • Playground Arvaja, Cancha Arvaja and Parque de Pelota Mediano Arvaja$905K of $1M88%Parks and other · last paid Jul 7, 2025
  • Polideportivo Hermanos Barriel Olmo$594K of $821K72%Parks and other · last paid Dec 7, 2023
  • Emergency Protective Measures$770K of $770K100%Emergency measures · last paid Oct 28, 2025

Every town and the island-wide agencies

FEMA Public Assistance data, as of Nov 11, 2026. Obligated by FEMA: committed to the project and drawn as the work is done. Paid out: COR3’s transparency portal, as of Nov 4, 2026.

Living in Arecibo

Crime in Arecibo

127 violent crimes and 12 homicides reported to the Puerto Rico Police Bureau (PRPD) in Arecibo, January 1 – September 30, 2026; in 2025, 17.1 violent crimes per 10,000 people, in the middle fifth of towns.

Homicides
12 YTD
Violent crimes
127 YTD
All serious crimes
248 YTD
Violent crimes per 10,000 people (2025)
17.1

Every town on the map

Flood zones in Arecibo

FEMA’s flood map sets who must carry flood insurance, street by street. Check an address in Arecibo

Phone alerts for Arecibo

Our weekly reads: Daily Water Watch · Grid Watch · Safety Watch

Photo credits