One of the many beaches in Old San Juan, Puerto Rico which one can find lots of sea glass.
Old San Juan, Puerto Rico
Old San Juan is definitely a sea glass vacation destination.
Fortress City offers chunks of charm and Sea Glass!
For most visitors to Puerto Rico, Old San Juan is a city of colonial delights, with narrow alleyways, Carribean-colored buildings, pulsating Latin rhythms, and the mysteries of magnificent El Morro Fort.
City walls built nearly 400 years ago to protect locals from marauding pirates and empire-building Englishmen offer a glimpse into history, where you can imagine aristocrats singing songs of love and drinking bottles of rioja.
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Looking west as you're collecting sea glass you will notice San Cristobal Fort in the distance.
Nice chunks of cobalt blue sea glass are not a rare find on this beach.
But for the glasser, the beaches of San Juan Bay and the shorelines of the Atlantic Ocean encircling the island offer their own exquisite rewards — lovely smooth shards of glass in aqua blues, deep turquoise, and pastel greens.
From the surf town of Rincon to the west, to the neighboring island of Vieques to the east, Puerto Rico offers lots of areas for sea glassers to explore.
One beach in particular stands out, though, and it is surprisingly easy to reach, located just before you enter the main tourist district of Old San Juan. Driving along the one-way stretch of Hwy. 25, look for the Puerto Rican capitol and government buildings on your left. If you've reached San Cristobal Fort, you've come too far and will need to circle around again. There is a parking lot on your right that runs parallel to the road where you can park for free.
Making your way down a small hilly stretch of sand, you will find a small, urban Puerto Rico beach, littered with beer cans, fast food containers and other trash. But before you give up, take a closer look. As you face the water, walk along the shoreline heading to your right. Continue a short distance until you reach the ruins of a long-abandoned concrete building. Here you will find your hidden treasure — dozens of beautifully worn shards of glass in the loveliest of colors.
"Old San Juan, PR is rich with hostory and sea glass!"
Unless there are storms, the surf in the area is usually gentle. A quick check of the tide chart will tell you your best times to visit.
One note of caution: like many urban beaches, this one has its share of vagrants and petty theft. Once you're on the beach, you are no longer visible from the road since the beach is downhill.
Our advice: don't go alone, keep close to the shoreline, explore only during daylight, and obviously, leave immediately if you feel unsafe.
On any given day one can find various sea glass shards that collect at the base of these ruins.
