On your second day, venture outside El Yunque and enjoy the contrast from the moist shade of the rainforest to the sweltering, sunbathing heat of the beach. Wake up early and return to Route 3. Take a right, heading east, until you see signs for Luquillo Beach. (If breakfast isn't included in your hotel, try quesitos and other pastries at Panadería Don Nico.) A local favorite, Luquillo Beach is a pristine swathe of sand and sea framed by orderly rows of palm trees (a plantation once prospered here) and featuring calm, temperate waters. It's also has a full-service beach with lifeguard stations, restrooms, and other facilities.
Spend the morning here and then drive east in the early afternoon to Fajardo, and Las Cabezas de San Juan, a wonderful nature preserve built on the headlands of the eastern shore and home to an old, picturesque lighthouse. The last English guided tour of the park is at 2 pm.
For lunch, find your way to Pasión por el Fogón for excellent local seafood.
In the afternoon, you can return to the beach or to the rainforest. A third option is to drive to the Wyndham Rio Mar Beach Resort & Spa (you'll find directions here). By far the most luxurious hotel around the rainforest, the Wyndham offers several top-shelf amenities, including a spa and casino to help keep you entertained until dinner. Fortunately, there are also several fine dining restaurants at the hotel, the best of which is Palio.
