Caguas

Caguas, located in the valley of the same name, is the largest city in the mountainous region of Puerto Rico with a population of 127,000 in 2020. Founded as an agricultural town, Caguas has since transformed into a commercial and industrial hub, now serving as a popular suburban area for San Juan. Caguas, known as La Ciudad Criolla ("The Creole City") and El Valle del Turabo ("The Turabo Valley"), is celebrated for its history, culture, cuisine, sports and scenic mountain views, making it an inviting destination for visitors eager to experience the island’s authentic heritage without stepping too far from San Juan.

Understand

Tourist information

• Visit Caguas website

Get in

• San Juan: Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport
• Aguadilla: Rafael Hernández Airport
• Ponce: Mercedita Airport

By car

Caguas can be easily reached by car from San Juan through highway PR-52 and the old central road PR-1, as it is on the same route that connects San Juan to Ponce.

By bus

ALSA – National Express operates a modern coach service between Caguas and San Juan, with service seven days a week in modern coaches which have air conditioning and a bathroom. ALSA has two routes to San Juan, both starting at the Caguas bus terminal, with stops at Catalinas Mall in Caguas, the Río Piedras Medical Center and Plaza las Américas mall in Hato Rey. At this point, the buses will follow two routes, depending on one’s destination: one route ends at Covadonga in Old San Juan, with stops at Minillas and Paseo del Caribe and the other route ends at Isla Verde Avenue, with stops at the Urban Train stations in Hato Rey and the Sacred Heart area. The routes operate daily from 5:30AM to 9PM. The buses from Caguas leave every half hour to 1 hour, depending on the route. Tickets vary in price from $2.50 to $4.00 each, depending on the destination (Jul 2019).

Other public carriers (known locally as “carros públicos” or “guagas”) take longer and are not always reliable.

Get around

Within Caguas, there are several buses and taxis serving the municipality and surrounding towns. Make sure to ask the driver before you go in for your destination.

As with most of Puerto Rico, driving is the easiest way to get around in Caguas as it is a very car-centric city.

See

Plaza de Recreo Santiago R. Palmer

• 1 Caguas Pueblo (downtown Caguas). See the historic Roman Catholic church, Spanish-style recreational plaza, diverse architecture, and the municipal buildings surrounded by streets and shops. You can drive around the pueblo or park your car and walk around the square and into the plaza. The Spanish law, which regulated life in Puerto Rico in the early 19th century, stated the plaza's purpose was for celebrations and festivities. (updated Oct 2024)
  • Plaza Palmer in the center of the old town, is the main point from where to explore Caguas by foot. One of the largest plazas (town square) of Puerto Rico, it is famous for its gardens, fountains, food stands and public events. At the center there is a statue of José Gautier Benitez, a Romantic Era poet who made Caguas famous in the 19th century. There is also a clock that highlights some of the most prominent cagueños.
  • Caguas Museum of Art, Calle Luis Padial, esquina Segundo Ruíz Belvis, ☏ +1 787-258-3505. A local museum housed in a historic block house known as Casa Amarilla that showcases folk arts and crafts and cultural events.
  • Caguas Museum of Folk Arts, 48 C. Betances, ☏ +1 787-258-3505. A small museum dedicated to the work of various Criollo artists from around Puerto Rico.
  • Old City Hall or Casa Alcaldía has been very well preserved and now functions as the Caguas Museum of History, 26 PR-1, ☏ +1 787-744-8833. Built in the Isabelino Neoclassical style it was added to the National Register of Historic Places for its unique Victorian Creole architecture.
  • Catedral El Dulce Nombre de Jesús, built in the 18th century and renovated after an earthquake destroyed most of it. It has the remains of the first Puerto Rican saint, Carlos Manuel Rodríguez (Blessed Charlie), born in Caguas in 1918.
  • Herminio Torres Grillo Tobacco Museum, Calle Betances, esquina Calle Padial, ☏ +1 787-258-3505. A small museum located in a former tobacco factory dedicated to the history of the tobacco industry in Puerto Rico.
• William Miranda Marín Botanical and Cultural Garden, PR-156, ☏ +1 787-653-0470. A large botanical and cultural garden developed at the site of a former sugarcane plantation (Hacienda San José) with its chimney, slave quarters and trapiche ruins still preserved within the grounds. The garden also contains archaeological sites containing a ceremonial ball court (batey) and Taino remains. The garden also contains an arboretum and hiking trails, and hosts cultural and educational events.

Do

Landmarks and places of interest

• Cable Car
• Caguas Historical Museum
• Coquí Villa
• Hacienda Catalina Ruins
• Hacienda Cofresí
• Hacienda Country Club
• Turabo Park

Festivals and events

• Rosario Cantado a los Reyes - 4 January
• Three Kings Festival - 5 January
• Criolla Beatriz - February Criolla Borinquen Fair -
• March Criolla Cañabón Fair - April
• Felipe "La Voz Rodríguez' Birthday - 8 May
• Cross Festival - 23–31 May
• Typical Criole Festival - 1–2 June

Buy

• 1 Walmart Supercenter, 301 Av. Rafael Cordero, ☏ +1 787-653-1376. 6AM-11PM. Department store, grocery store and pharmacy. (updated Apr 2022)

You can go to Las Catalinas Mall, Plaza del Carmen Mall or Plaza Centro Mall.

Eat

There are many restaurants with all of Puerto Rico's authentic foods in Caguas.

The mofongo is excellent at Raíces restaurant near south-central Caguas (H31 Calle Pino, ☏ +1 787 258-1570. The waiters wear authentic-looking uniforms, and the atmosphere is upbeat. Entrees average $10-18.

One famous restaurant that sells international food is El Cantinflas, which serves Mexican food and is a popular place among locals.

Sleep

The Four Points Sheraton hotel, off the highway south of Caguas, has a nice pool area with slide and fountains for the kids, a hot tub, a nice restaurant that looks out onto the pool, a workout room, very comfortable accommodations, and excellent service. However, it is co-located with a small casino run by the same company and sharing the same parking lot. Parking is $9/night (as of January 2010), even for hotel guests. Much of the property is well-built; the parking garage has a glass elevator, there are colored accent lights, a glassed-in walkway that goes by a large outdoor fountain, etc. However, as is common in Caribbean countries, all of it has a soon-to-be-run-down feeling about it. (Most online mapping tools will place the Four Points' address, "500 Alhambra En Granada Boulevard," a few miles north of where it actually is. Follow the directions on their website instead.)