San Juan metro · Puerto Rico
Guaynabo
Affluent metro living~7 mi from San JuanInland
Guaynabo is a city on the northeastern coastal plain of Puerto Rico, located inland just west of the capital San Juan and about 7 miles from it, making it part of the San Juan metropolitan area. It spans 9 barrios plus the downtown administrative center of Guaynabo Pueblo, covering roughly 28 square miles with 89,378 people (Census estimate, 2020–2024).
Founded in 1769, Guaynabo is home to the studios of WAPA-TV, the most watched television station in Puerto Rico. It is also home to the Caparra Ruins & Museum, where Juan Ponce de León first settled in 1508, and Parque Forestal La Marquesa, a mountaintop forest park, and a dining and nightlife scene that runs from Wilo Eatery & Bar to Shannan’s Pub.
- Home to WAPA-TV studios
- Caparra Ruins & Museum
- Parque Forestal La Marquesa
For visitors
Visitors come for a concentrated dining and nightlife scene, from sushi and Italian fare to beer gardens and pubs, plus the Caparra Ruins & Museum and outdoor time at Parque Forestal La Marquesa.
- Hiking
- Outdoors
- Eat and drink
- Culture
- Fiestas patronales
For living hereResidents live in a town tightly linked to the San Juan metro area, with an inland setting a short distance from the capital and a mix of local dining and entertainment options.Living in Guaynabo: rent, commute, schools & safety
At a glance
- Region
- San Juan metro
- Setting
- Inland
- Distance
- ~7 mi from San Juan
- Population
- 89,378 (Census estimate, 2020–2024)
- Founded
- 1769
- Median rent
- $901/mo
- Median income
- $46,731/yr
- Area
- 27.6 sq mi (71.4 km²)
- Fiestas patronales
- Saint Peter Martyr · April 29
- Guide spots
- 16
- Stories, last 30 days
- 23
- Water & power
- Water by sector · Power outages
- Living here
- Rent, commute, schools & safety
Right now in Guaynabo
Live · Our camera
Guaynabo: rooftops to the ridgeline
Across the rooftops of Guaynabo to the green ridgeline on the horizon. Cloud stacking up over the ridgeline through the afternoon, which is usually the rain arriving before the forecast admits it.
Guaynabo at 7:00 PM AST:81°FMainly clear
- SSE 6 mph
- 82% humidity
- 54% chance of rain
Daylight in Guaynabo 6:29 AM – 5:48 PM ASTNight view until 6:29 AM AST: the ridgelines go to silhouette
Our own camera in Guaynabo. It drops out now and then.
Road closures in Guaynabo
No closures reported in Guaynabo as of 7:08 PM AST on Thu, Nov 12.
Water rationing in Guaynabo
No rationing plan names Guaynabo. 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 Guaynabo
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. Guaynabo was on that list on 3 of the last 7 mornings. Outages right now, town by town
News from Guaynabo
Latest stories
Reverend Jorge Raschke Stable After His Van Falls from Third Floor in Guaynabo
Forensic Institute Identifies Body Found in Guaynabo Home as 24-Year-Old Woman
Guaynabo Closes Amelia CDT Temporarily for $723,893 Renovation
AARP Puerto Rico Guides 100 Caregivers in Guaynabo on Wills and Advance Directives
Alfred D. Herger Celebrates His 84th Birthday Surrounded by the Stars He Launched
Our analysis
- Weekend Watch · Last weekPuerto Rico This Weekend: Twenty Events, One Patron-Saint Fiesta and Surf at Aguadilla / Crash Boat
- Weekend Watch · EarlierPuerto Rico This Weekend: Ten Events, One Patron-Saint Fiesta and Surf at Aguadilla / Crash Boat
- Town of the Week · EarlierAguas Buenas, Where Rent Runs 12% Below the Island Median
Things to do in Guaynabo
Coming soon to Guaynabo
- Coming soonLunaPeking duck carved at the table. Opening Winter 2026.
Nature spots
Parque Forestal La Marquesa
A mountaintop cable car, aviary, and butterfly house
Parque Forestal La Marquesa is a forest park set on a mountaintop above Guaynabo, part of the San Juan metro area. Its main draws are an aviary and a butterfly house alongside a cable car ride, plus play areas and gazebos scattered through the grounds. The elevated setting offers views out over the surrounding metro area.
Eat & Drink
Restaurante Ariel
Elegant French-leaning fine dining in Guaynabo
Restaurante Ariel is a fine-dining restaurant located in San Patricio, Guaynabo, Puerto Rico. It is known for its elegant French-leaning fine dining, blending international flavors with a strong French emphasis, and offers an old-world charm.
Ikebana Sushi Bar
Creative sushi at San Patricio Plaza
Ikebana Sushi Bar is a sushi and Japanese restaurant located at San Patricio Plaza in Guaynabo. It serves creative rolls along with craft beer, cocktails, and wine. The restaurant is known for its creative sushi and is one of the island's best-known sushi spots, offering a range of Japanese dishes in a convenient location.
Wilo Eatery & Bar
Chef Wilo Benet's relaxed all-day international menu
Wilo Eatery & Bar is a casual eatery and bar in Guaynabo, Puerto Rico. It serves a diverse international menu from late morning to late night, and is known for chef Wilo Benet's relaxed all-day international menu, offering a range of international dishes in a casual setting.
Tavola & Vendetta
The Vendetta speakeasy hidden inside the trattoria
Tavola, Trattoria Local is an Italian restaurant in Guaynabo (with a sister location in Condado), serving a trattoria menu in a warm dining room. Hidden within the Guaynabo restaurant is Vendetta, a speakeasy bar with expertly crafted cocktails and music, an intimate nightlife room behind the dinner service.
JC's Bar & Grill
Steak house
JC's Bar & Grill is a restaurant located in Guaynabo, Puerto Rico. It serves steak house cuisine, offering a dining experience focused on steak.
OPA! Greek Kouzina
One of the island's best Greek kitchens
OPA! Greek Kouzina is a Greek restaurant in Guaynabo, serving mezze, grilled seafood, and classic Hellenic dishes. It's widely regarded as one of Puerto Rico's best Greek kitchens, drawing diners looking for Mediterranean cooking outside the usual island fare. The menu centers on shared plates and grilled seafood alongside traditional Greek preparations.
Con Recao
Homestyle Puerto Rican criollo cooking
Con Recao is a Puerto Rican criollo restaurant in Guaynabo, known for homestyle island classics done well. It serves as a go-to spot in the area for traditional cooking rather than fine-dining reinvention, focused on getting familiar dishes right. The restaurant leans into a family-oriented, criollo identity.
Pinky's
All-day breakfast, house-made bread, and smoothies
Pinky's is a local-favorite breakfast and brunch spot that has been feeding Puerto Ricans and visitors since 2000, serving its full breakfast menu all day. The menu runs to omelets, breakfast sandwiches on house-made bread, wraps, and fresh smoothies, with house sauces that regulars come back for. The Guaynabo location sits at Plaza Alta with a pet-friendly terrace; the original is on Calle Loíza in Santurce, with a third in Condado.
Nightlife & Music
La Revuelta Beer Garden Guaynabo
The Caguas beer garden's 150+ craft list, metro-side
La Revuelta Beer Garden & Cocktail Bar operates its second location in Guaynabo, bringing the concept of its 2021 Caguas original to the metro area. The formula is the same: an open-air, pet-friendly beer garden and cocktail bar built around a craft list of more than 150 local Puerto Rican and imported beers.
Paseo Tablado
A lively kiosk-and-bar strip
Paseo Tablado is a nightlife spot in Guaynabo, Puerto Rico, featuring a strip of kiosks, casual eateries, and bars. It is known for its lively party atmosphere, where visitors can find local street food and drinks.
Culture & Events
Caparra Ruins & Museum
The first Spanish settlement in Puerto Rico (1508)
Caparra Ruins & Museum sits in Guaynabo on the site where Juan Ponce de León established Puerto Rico's first Spanish settlement in 1508. The location is recognized as a National Historic Landmark, and the stone foundation of De León's house still stands as the central feature of the site. A small on-site museum displays artifacts related to the settlement, giving context to the ruins outside. Together the foundation and museum offer a look at the earliest period of Spanish colonization on the island.
Events coming up in Guaynabo
Music
Puerto Rico Worship Awards, November 19
Outdoors and sports
On the water near Guaynabo
Marinas, surf breaks, dive sites, wind spots and paddling in Guaynabo or within 12 mi of the town center, as the crow flies.
- Sailing5 near
- San Juan Bay125 slips · 7 mi away
- San Juan: northwest of La Puntilla, or Anchorage DAnchorage · 7 mi away
- Safe Harbor San JuanMarina · 7 mi away
- Surf
- La OchoReef break · 8 mi away
- Pine GroveBeach break · 9 mi away
- AvionesReef break · 12 mi away
- Diving4 near
- Condado LagoonSnorkel spot · 7 mi away
- EscambrónSnorkel spot · 8 mi away
- Escambrón Marine ParkDive site, to 40 ft · 8 mi away
- Kite and wind
- Ocean ParkWorks in ENE, E winds · 7 mi away
- Punta Las MaríasWorks in ENE, E winds · 8 mi away
- Punta SalinasWorks in E winds · 9 mi away
- Paddle
- Laguna del CondadoLagoon · 7 mi away
- Laguna Torrecilla and the Piñones mangrovesMangroves · 10 mi away
Trails in and near Guaynabo
No trail we list starts in Guaynabo. The nearest four are within 8 mi of the town center, as the crow flies.
- In Bayamón, 3 mi awayPaseo Lineal Río BayamónModerate 5.2 mi each way, 4 h 10 min to 6 h 15 minBayamón River linear parkWalk in, no bookingCommunity-mapped
- In Cataño, 6 mi awayMalecón de CatañoEasy 1.9 mi each way, 1 h 30 min to 2 h 15 minCataño waterfrontWalk in, no bookingCommunity-mapped
- In San Juan, 7 mi awayRecorrido Autoguiado Reserva Natural Estuarina de la Laguna del CondadoEasy 1.4 mi loop, 30 to 50 minSelf-guided walk, Condado Lagoon estuary reserveWalk in, no bookingCommunity-mapped
- In Caguas, 8 mi awayAltos de San LuisModerate 0.3 mi each way, 20 to 30 minSan Luis heightsNot confirmed: ask firstCommunity-mapped
Sports in Guaynabo
Local results
Bills and recovery money
Bills about Guaynabo
- RCC 275Order Department of Agriculture and Puerto Rico Planning Board to Release Property RestrictionsPassed a chamber, Nov 11
- RS 287Order the Senate Committee on Housing and Social Welfare to Conduct a Comprehensive InvestigationPassed a chamber, Nov 11
Recovery money in Guaynabo
$150 million committed by FEMA to 193 projects filed under Guaynabo since 2001: $1,673 per resident, 45th of 78 towns.
Every project located in Guaynabo, the island-wide agencies’ included
25% paid out: Puerto Rico's Central Office for Recovery, Reconstruction and Resiliency (COR3), which pays out the federal disaster recovery money, has paid $45.1 million of the $180 million committed.
25%20.4% paid out on the town government’s own rebuilding: $14.9 million of $73.1 million, the projects it runs itself, as of Oct 14, 2026. Our FEMA story charts this figure for every town.
20.4%- American Military Academy Permanent WorkPublic buildings$23 million
- Luis A Ferre BuildingPublic buildings$16.9 million
- Building and EquipmentPublic buildings$15.7 million
The town government’s largest projects in implementation, and what has been paid
- Luis A Ferre Building$1K of $16.9M<1%
- Project PW-00156$6.8M of $6.8M100%
- Debris Removal, Public Assistance Alternative Procedures$4.6M of $4.6M100%+*
- Community Parks$1.3M of $2.7M49%
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 Guaynabo
Crime in Guaynabo
53 violent crimes and 7 homicides reported to the Puerto Rico Police Bureau (PRPD) in Guaynabo, January 1 – September 30, 2026; in 2025, 7 violent crimes per 10,000 people, in the lowest fifth of towns.
- Homicides
- 7 YTD
- Violent crimes
- 53 YTD
- All serious crimes
- 229 YTD
- Violent crimes per 10,000 people (2025)
- 7
Flood zones in Guaynabo
FEMA’s flood map sets who must carry flood insurance, street by street. Check an address in Guaynabo
Phone alerts for Guaynabo
Our weekly reads: Daily Water Watch · Grid Watch · Safety Watch
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