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Puerto Rico with Kids: A Stop in El Morro

One of Puerto Rico’s most visited and recommended attractions is the Spanish-era fort of Castillo San Felipe del Morro also known as El Morro.  Named after the Spanish word for the headland or promontory where it’s situated and in honor of Spain’s King Philip II, it was definitely worth a visit. We were at the fort a couple of years ago on a brief stop after a tour of Old San Juan and before starting a cruise.

El Morro fort

This fortress was built to protect the city of San Juan and its harbor from sea attacks. Constructed in 1539, it ended up being six stories tall with 140 ft (42 meters) of high walls. 

El Morro is both a a World Heritage Site and a San Juan National Historic Site.  During our visit, the gray lighthouse on top of the fort was under construction. This was used as a guide to the entrance of San Juan’s port.

El morro fort

We couldn’t believe the size of the large green field on both sides of the fort. On a beautiful Saturday afternoon, it was very popular for picnicking, sunbathing and flying kites. Considering the number of people there, it never felt crowded and was surprisingly very clean.

el Morro San Juan

Kite flying was a favorite pastime among kids and was a wonderful family bonding activity. We found a few abandoned ones which kept my kids pretty busy. Many vendors were outside selling kites too.

Flying a kite in El Morro

We didn’t get to explore the fort because it was late in the day and our kids didn’t want to leave the “big playground”. Apparently,  cannons, dungeons and tunnels were not as exciting as rolling and tumbling in the grass again and again. 

Rolling in the grass at El Morro

We saw quite a few kids and adults doing this too.  Where else can you find this much well maintained grass with small dips and hills perfect for this activity? 

The fort walls and structures provided plenty of spaces for exploring and playing hide and seek as well. Around the fort’s outer walls were circular, domed structures that jutted out into the ocean. These were known as sentry boxes or garitas and have become this island nation’s cultural symbol.

El Morro puerto rico

One of the best things about this place was enjoying the scenic views of the nearby San Cristobal Fort, San Juan Cemetery and San Juan Bay. This was one of my favorite Puerto Rico sceneries.

el Morro panorama

There was definitely no lack of space to sit and admire this fantastic view. Despite all the activity around, there was such a peacefulness to sitting here with the sounds of the waves crashing in the background. All I needed was a hammock and it would have been perfect.

El Morro view of San Juan Bay

One sight you can’t miss outside the walls was a picturesque cemetary. San Juan Cemetary is known for its elaborate tombstones and as a final resting place for Puerto Rico’s most distinguished citizens.  It was originally planned only for war veterans of the colonial era

San Juan cemetary from El Morro

The reddish dome of the circular chapel in the cemetary, dedicated to St. Mary Magdalene, prominently stands out among the landscape. While I would have loved to visit the fort inside and explored the exhibits, it wasn’t meant to be on this trip. 

It’s been mentally added to places we need to revisit.  It’s quite clear why this was a favorite place for both residents and tourists.  There was so much to see and do that it needs and deserves to be more than a pit stop.

Have you visited and explored El Morro’s grounds and fort? 

El Morro sign

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El Morro Puerto Rico

37 thoughts on “Puerto Rico with Kids: A Stop in El Morro”

  1. Got stuck for hours at the airport 25 years ago, but since airline flying us to
    the British Virgin Islands couldn’t or wouldn’t tell us when we’d get out,
    we couldn’t leave the airport and tour San Juan. Too bad, as I would have
    liked to have seen this place.

  2. Looks beautiful! I love to walk around old castles, forts, etc. And the fact that this one has a beautiful beach right by it makes it almost perfect :)

    1. Thanks Jessica. There sure was plenty of room to run around here and according to my kids one of the “best playgrounds ever” and to think there wasn’t even a swing or a slide.

    1. Thanks Anwar! We got lucky and it wasn’t too windy. My kids have never been into kite flying but they couldn’t get enough of this place. I guess because there were so many of them.

    1. Thanks for stopping by Kristin. Puerto Rico has some beautiful beaches but also very green. There’s even a rainforest that’s a part of the National Park System called El Yunque.

  3. It’s a beautiful place, but am I really the only guy who’s first thought was “Man, who has to mow that thing?” Glad it’s not me, cause I’d rather be flying a kite with the kids too.

    1. Haha Steve! I believe the mowers have to be the same people who do the golf courses. I know what you mean – it was very well-maintained. We didn’t see any sprinklers either so I don’t know how they keep it so green.

  4. It’s been a long time since I was there . . . in fact I don’t even remember the large expanse of grass. We did go inside the fort though, and it was very interesting.

  5. The water is so blue and vibrant. I could see why the ocean side was a good location for the fort to help ward off enemies. I am surprised though with all the open green area as it would really be used towards the fort’s disadvantage. I have to think there used to be whole villages constructed in the green fields during the construction of the structures. Anyone want to go there with shovels and metal detectors and see what we can find?

    1. Interesting Justin! Maybe there was some more information inside the fort that we didn’t get to visit. We didn’t see any people with metal detectors but shovels may be a little hard to get awa with =) Thanks for stopping by.

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