Puerto Rico

La Fortaleza

Classical Revival Structure

La Fortaleza is the current official residence of the Governor of Puerto Rico. It was built between 1533 and 1540 to defend the harbor of San Juan. The structure is also known as Palacio de Santa Catalina. It is the oldest executive mansion in continuous use in the New World. It was listed by UNESCO in 1983 as part of the World Heritage Site "La Fortaleza and San Juan National Historic Site". During the 1640 reconstruction, the chapel of Santa Catalina, which originally existed outside of the walls, was demolished and was integrated to the walls of the structure, resulting in the alternate name Santa Catalina's Palace.

Hacienda Buena Vista

Tourist attraction

Hacienda Buena Vista, also known as Hacienda Vives, is a coffee plantation and estate in Ponce, Puerto Rico, established in the 19th century. The plantation was started by Don Salvador de Vives in 1833. It is now owned by the Puerto Rico Conservation Trust, who operates it as a museum. It is located on 81.79 acres of fertile land that includes a humid subtropical forest some 7 miles north of Ponce on Route PR-123, in Corral Viejo, a sub-barrio of Barrio Magueyes. The plantation house was built in the Spanish Colonial style, with the surrounding buildings being builtin the local Criollo style. It receives some 40,000 visitors every year. It covers an area of 482 cuerdas.

Camuy River Cave Park

Tourist attraction

The Camuy River Cave Park is a cave system in Puerto Rico. It is located between the municipalities of Camuy, Hatillo and Lares in northwestern Puerto Rico, but the main entrance to the park is located in Quebrada, Camuy. The caverns are part of a large network of natural limestone caves and underground waterways carved out by the third-largest underground river in the world, the Río Camuy. The cave system was discovered in 1958 and was first documented in the 1973 book Discovery At The Río Camuy by Russell and Jeanne Gurnee, but there is archaeological evidence that these caves were explored hundreds of years ago by the Taíno Indians, Puerto Rico's first inhabitants. Over 10 miles of caverns, 220 caves and 17 entrances to the Camuy cave system have been mapped so far. This, however, is only a fraction of the entire system which many experts believe still holds another 800 caves. Only a small part of the complex is open to the public. The 268-acre park built around the cave system features tours of some of the caves and sinkholes, and is one of the most popular natural attractions in Puerto Rico.

Dr. Juan A. Rivero Zoo

Zoo

Dr. Juan A. Rivero Zoo is a 45-acre zoo located in Mayagüez, Puerto Rico. It is the only zoo on the island. It is named in honor of Juan A. Rivero, its first director. It has an extensive collection of animals from all continents, as well as new facilities.

Castillo Serrallés

Tourist attraction

Castillo Serrallés is a mansion located in the city of Ponce, Puerto Rico, overlooking the downtown area. It was built during the 1930s for Juan Eugenio Serrallés, son of businessman Juan Serrallés, founder of Destilería Serrallés. Nowadays, the castle is a museum, Museo Castillo Serrallés, with information about the sugar cane and rum industries and its impact in the economy of Puerto Rico. The structure sits on a 2.5-acre exceedingly manicured property. The property was listed in the National Register of Historic Places in 1980.

Museum of Art of Puerto Rico

Museum

The Museum of Art of Puerto Rico is an art museum in San Juan, Puerto Rico.

Parque de Bombas

Neo-gothic Structure

Parque de Bombas is a historic firehouse building in Ponce, Puerto Rico. It is one of Puerto Rico's most notable buildings, with some considering it "by far the most easily recognized landmark in the Island". It is located at the Plaza Las Delicias town square, directly behind the Ponce Cathedral. The building housed the city's main fire station for many years, and it is now a museum. Its name comes from the mobile hand-pumped fire fighting units the building once housed. It has been heralded both for its historical and architectural roles in Puerto Rican society. It was Puerto Rico's first ever fire station. It was listed in the National Register of Historic Places on July 12, 1984.

Las Cascadas Water Park

Amusement Park

Las Cascadas Water Park is a water park, in Aguadilla, Puerto Rico. The park is the largest water park in the Caribbean region. The park is owned and administered by Aguadilla's municipal government. Las Cascadas opened its doors in 1985 as the only facility of its kind in the Caribbean. The park was built under the municipal administration of Alfredo Gonzalez. The park is now part of the Authority of Municipal Enterprises of Aguaddilla. AME also administers the Aguadilla Ice Skating Arena.

Puerto Rico Museum of Contemporary Art

Museum

The Puerto Rico Museum of Contemporary Art, often abbreviated to MAC, is a contemporary art museum in Santurce, Puerto Rico.

Fortín de San Gerónimo

Building

Fortín de San Gerónimo del Boquerón is a small fort located in the entrance to what is known today as the Condado Lagoon which faces the historic town of Miramar in San Juan, Puerto Rico. It was built during the 17th century to replace a smaller battery that stood at the easternmost end of the San Juan islet. The original Boquerón battery defended San Juan from attacks by Sir Francis Drake in 1595 and George Clifford, the third Earl of Cumberland, in 1598 who destroyed it after his attack. The San Gerónimo became part of San Juan's First Line of Defense, along with the San Antonio Fort/Bridge and Escambrón Fort, being the Fourth and final Line of Defense the majestic San Cristóbal Castle, guardian to the city entrance. The fort is still in remarkably good shape, is open for visitors and has access to the Caribe Hilton Hotel and Plaza Caribe complex.

Aguadilla Ice Skating Arena

Amusement Park

Aguadilla Ice Skating Arena, A.I.S.A., is a multi-use facility in Aguadilla, Puerto Rico. The arena is the only ice skating facility in the Caribbean region. The facility is owned and administered by the city.

Cementerio de San Juan

Cemetery