During our time in Rincon, we spent a day exploring some of the sights on the Western side of the island. From Rincon to Aguadilla, and south to Guanica, there is a lot more to see in Puerto Rico than just the east side and San Juan area! The west side of the island is dotted with beaches, many of which are known the world over to surfers. They may not be safe for light swimming. Many visitors have drowned in Puerto Rico the last few years so be sure to follow the flags and posted warnings about beach conditions.
Our first stop was the Faro de Punta Higüera lighthouse. A lighthouse has been on this spot since 1892, illuminating the westernmost tip of the Isla de Encanta. The park at the lighthouse now is a beautiful spot with picnic tables along the Atlantic Ocean. Domes Beach, a popular surfing beach is located near the lighthouse. It was fun watching the surfers in the water waiting for the perfect wave. The beach gets its name from the decommissioned BONUS Nuclear Reactor on the shore. It definitely gives Domes Beach a different look from any other beach I’ve ever seen!
Crashboat Beach
From the lighthouse, we headed North to Aguadilla. Aguadilla is home to one of the most well-known beaches on the island, Crashboat Beach. It had started to rain by the time we reached the beach, so there were only a few hearty souls around. After getting some sunshine, we headed inland to a local lechonera (pig roast) for lunch.
R
From Aguadilla, we headed south to Guanica and its dry forest. Unlike the rainforest in the north of the island, the forest in Guanica gets much less rain so it looks totally different. Honestly, it reminded me of places we drove around in the Texas Hill Country. Picture cacti and low scrub bushes. Be aware, the main entrance to the forest is closed on Mondays. I did not see that anywhere online before we made the trek down there so we were unable to get into the park after the long drive.
Overall, it was a fun day driving around the island and exploring some of the highlights. We discovered traffic on the west side of the island moved pretty slow at times, so give yourself extra time if you have any set plans.
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In the morning, we continued heading east to one of the places I desperately wanted to visit as a child, The Mall of America. The Mall of America is the largest mall in the United States at 5.6 million square feet. The mall is home to 550 stores including 2 mini-golf courses, SeaLife Aquarium, and a 7-acre amusement park. It really was a sight to behold. It was a great stopping point for us to get out and stretch our legs during a long driving day and a place to find unique lunch options. If you are in visiting twin cities, The Mall of America is a good place to explore on a rainy day, but be aware that a lot of the attractions do require reservations in advance. I’m not as into malls as I was in my teenage years, so this isn’t really a place I wanted to spend that much time.
After stretching our legs at the Mall, we continued on to the Wisconsin Dells where we were meeting some friends. Since we were just driving through, we didn’t have a ton of time to explore the Dells, we mainly just stuck to walking down the main drag. We did stop in a cheese shop and got some cheese curds because I think it’s a requirement in Wisconsin. I do wish we had time to explore the water and actually see the Wisconsin Dells. After meeting our friends, we continued on to Madison for the night.
The Elkhorn Ranch Unit was home to Theodore Roosevelt’s “home ranch” in North Dakota and was where he came to heal after the death of his wife and mother. Roosevelt chose this location because of its remoteness. Roosevelt himself described the ranch in his book, Hunting Trips of a Ranchman: “My home ranch-house stands on the river brink. From the low, long veranda, shaded by leafy cotton-woods, one looks across sand bars and shallows to a strip of meadowland, behind which rises a line of sheer cliffs and grassy plateaus. This veranda is a pleasant place in the summer evenings when a cool breeze stirs along the river and blows in the faces of the tired men, who loll back in their rocking-chairs (what true American does not enjoy a rocking-chair?), book in hand–though they do not often read the books, but rock gently to and for, gazing sleepily out at the weird-looking buttes opposite, until their sharp outlines grow indistinct and purple in the after-glow of the sunset.”
