Spend Some Time On the Paseo Lineal Costero de Isabela
A few towns in PR have “Paseo Lineals”, which are walking and biking paths that are separate from road traffic. Using these paths are free and a great way to safely enjoy being out in the fresh air. The Paseo Lineal Costero in Isabela is probably one of the nicest ones. It is a little over 4 miles one way, with ocean breezes and and really beautiful coastal views.
Isabela is a town on the northwestern coast of Puerto Rico, about 90 monutes from the San Juan area. The Isabela Linear Coastal walkway runs parallel to highway 466, which is very busy on weekends because it reaches famous beaches such as Jobos, Pozo Teodoro, and Montones. Having this walkway makes it safe and easy way to get some exercise and fresh air! The Paseo Lineal is open for walking, jogging, biking, and scooters.
It runs from Posita de la Princesa (past the Villa Pesquera area) on the eastern end, to Pozo de Jacinto and Playa Jobos on the western end. Along the path there are some “you are here” maps, some educational/informational signs, and some shaded rest areas. There are also paths that lead to the beaches, so you can really make a day of it!
On the western end, it starts at Pozo Jacinto and the Jobos Beach area and becomes a raised boardwalk (tablado) that has a nice observation tower. As the path goes eastward, it changes to asphalt (sometimes with wooden bridges). The path cuts through a mangrove area and beach access point. Some of the beaches are only for surfing, others are more protected for swimmers. And all the beaches are suitable for sunbathers (of course!).
The path itself does cross the road in a few spots, but there are crosswalks, so cars are supposed to stop and let you cross safely. There is also a short street where people park in the bike path area (the part near Playa Montones), so just be careful at these points. There will be sand on some of the walkway and some of the boards on the wooden boardwalk can be loose or damaged, so watch your step. And it you want fewer people and fewer scooters, go before 10am or 11am, because that seems to be when the rental places open.
Besides the beach and nature view photo ops, there are other pretty picture stops such as some murals, a painted bench, a flag, and of course the Coco Truck! There are also a few stops that you can get food and drinks too (mostly on the ends at Villa Pesquera and Jobos Beach). And if you don’t have your own, on weekends there are scooters and bikes for rent at various places along the way.
We have done this walkway walking, and more recently on an electric scooter. We enjoyed both, but each has its own advantages and disadvantages. Walking allows you to easily stop and enjoy some time on the beaches or bars without worrying about what to do with your bike or scooter to keep it safe. Walking lets you go at your own pace, start where you want, and go as long as you want. You can bird-watch, whale-watch, or people-watch, and easily take photos. But it can be hot and long walk.
By scooter or bicycle, you get to see so much more of the area easily. On scooters, we were able to do the entire 8-mile loop in less than 2 hours. It was fun, easy, and you always had a cool breeze as you zipped along. But we found it impossible to take photos without pulling over and stopping, we tried to go to a beach for photos, but one of us had to remain with the rental scooters, the sand on the path made it a little slippery for the tires, and the wooden boardwalk area was very bumpy.
But no matter how you choose to use this Paseo, it really is an enjoyable day the whole family can enjoy. Bring water, sunscreen, and hat, as much of the path is exposed to the full sun. Parking can be tough, look for a spot mostly along the road. Finding a restroom is hard too, try the Villa Pesquera area or the restaurants by Jobos Beach.
Our Scooter Adventure
We rented electric scooters from RidePR. They have a web site where you can reserve online ahead of time. Then when you get there, they give you a quick instruction about how to operate the scooter, and a helmet. Then you give a little push and away you go! There is a hand brake on both sides of the handle, a foot brake on the back wheel, and the throttle on the right. We had never been on scooters before, but it was easy and fun! Of course, you have to be able to balance on the scooter (maybe it was 6-7 inches wide).
We rented scooters for 2 hours and we were able to go the complete end to end in about 90 minutes while making a few stops. There were some food/drink trucks and some parking right where they are set up on Road 466, right across from Middles Beach.
General Bike/Scooter Rental Info
Expect to pay about $10-$15 per hour. Contact each place for specifics. They are usually open weekends — Friday to Sunday, sometimes Thursday — from about 11am or 12n until 5pm. It is best to reserve ahead of time, because they may get busy and not have any available when you want to go. There may be other places, these are some I found in area.
RidePR
- Open Thursday to Sunday
- Located on Road 466 across from Villa Montones
- They have electric scooters and electric bicycles. Some of the bikes had trailers for the small kids or pets
- You can book online or call them at 939-397-8035
- You can visit their Facebook page for more information
VillaaSqter PR
- Open Saturday to Sunday
- Located on Francisco Camacho Street, in the Villa Pesquera area
- They have electric scooters, with or without seats
- You can email them at villaasqterpr@gmail.com or call or text them at 939-289-0654
- You can visit their Facebook page for more information
Pedalea Isabela
- Open Thursday to Monday
- Located in the Villa Pesquera Kiosks, #A5
- They have beach cruiser bikes or mountain bikes
- You can book online or call them at 787-956-0345, 787-908-1807, or 787-367-9288
- You can visit their Facebook page for more information
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PuertoRicoDayTrips.com assumes no responsibility regarding your safety when participating in the activities described in this article. Please use common sense! If your mother or that little voice in your head tells you that you are about to do something stupid … then don't do it!
