Playa Los Tubos, Manatí /Frazier Nivens
North June-2005, By:Travel and Sports Staff
Experience the North Shore
Toa Baja, Manatí, Barceloneta
In the North, just outside of San Juan, are the towns of Dorado (a golfer¹s dream), Toa Alta (home of the musician Tomás "Masso" Rivera), Toa Baja (Balneario Punta Salinas), Vega Alta (Vega Alta Forest), Vega Baja (Reserva Natural Laguna Tortuguero), Manatí (the Athens of Puerto Rico) and Barceloneta (with the Cambalache Forest mountain bike trails). Farther away, the northwestern towns of Camuy, Hatillo and Arecibo offer prime tourist attractions, such as the Parque de las Cavernas del Río Camuy, the largest radio telescope in the world in Arecibo.
Toa Baja
 As you stand at El Morro and look due west to the small island (Isla de Cabras) and fort (Fortín El Cañuelo) on the other side of San Juan Bay, you are looking at Toa Baja. Fortín El Cañuelo offers a great vantage point from which to watch the arrival and departure of the cruise ships. One of Puerto Rico¹s better-known beaches, the Balneario Punta Salinas, is located across the bay to the west of Isla de Cabras. Cultural attractions include the historic Plaza de Recreo Virgilio Dávila, the Iglesia San Pedro Apóstol and the Anfiteatro Julita Ross. On the grounds of the Anfiteatro you will find La Locomotora Central Constancia, an old steam engine preserved from the days of the great sugarcane plantations. (Photo: Isla de Cabras /Frazier Nivens.)
Manatí
 The town was named after the local marine life: the manatees found along the north shore. Manatí has a rich artistic and literary heritage, and its name, the "Athens of Puerto Rico," traces back to the early 1900¹s when Manatí was the literary capital of the Island. Important historical sites include the Iglesia Nuestra Señora de la Candelaria, a National Historic Monument from 1729. At El Paseo de la Atenas, on McKinley St., you will find the Biblioteca Municipal Francisco Alvarez (City Hall library) and the Salón de los Poetas (Poet¹s Hall). These are two beautiful Greco-style buildings that showcase magnificent stained-glass windows. The library also exhibits crafts, paintings and petroglyphs. The Salón de los Poetas honors the poets of Manatí. (Photo: Iglesia de Nuestra Señora de la candelaria y San Matías Apóstol/Dean.)
Barceloneta
 Established in 1881, Barceloneta (named after the famous city in Spain of the same name) was one of the last towns founded by the Spanish. The town is also known as the "Ciudad de las Piñas" after the surrounding pineapple plantations. Sixto Escobar Vargas, the first Puerto Rican to win the world bantamweight championship, was born here. In Barceloneta you will also find a major outlet mall (Prime Outlet) and what is believed to be the largest pharmaceutical complex in the world. An important natural asset in Barceloneta is the Bosque Estatal de Cambalache. This 375-hectare forest receives 59" (100 cm) of rain annually and is home to some unique Puerto Rican plants and animals. The forest offers camping, mountain bike trails, and 4 miles (6 km) of walking trails (there is a map available at the information center). (Photo: Cambalache Forest/Frazier Nivens.)
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