Luquillo, Puerto Rico Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids

Luquillo

Municipio de Luquillo

High rise buildings in Luquillo.

Flag	Coat of arms

Nicknames:

"Capital del Sol", "La Riviera de Puerto Rico", "Los Come Cocos"

Anthem: "Junto a las costas del mar Atlántico"

Map of Puerto Rico highlighting Luquillo Municipality

Settled

1719

Founded

October 26, 1797

Barrios

6 barrios

Juan Martín
Luquillo barrio-pueblo
Mameyes I
Mata de Plátano
Pitahaya
Sabana

Area

• Total

34.26 sq mi (88.73 km²)

• Land

26 sq mi (68 km²)

• Water

8.00 sq mi (20.73 km²)

Population

(2020)

• Total

17,781

• Rank

64th in Puerto Rico

• Density

519.02/sq mi (200.394/km²)

Demonym(s)

Luquillenses or Luquillanos

Time zone

UTC−4 (AST)

ZIP Code

00773

Area code(s)

787/939

Major routes

Luquillo is a beautiful town and municipality in Puerto Rico. It's located on the northeast coast, near Fajardo and Rio Grande. Luquillo is famous for its stunning beaches and its closeness to the El Yunque National Forest, a lush rainforest.

The town is about 26 square miles and has 12 miles of Atlantic coastline. This mix of ocean and rainforest creates a very special environment. Luquillo is also the start of the Northeast Ecological Corridor Nature Reserve. This means you might see rare or endangered species, like the leatherback turtle, when you visit!

History of Luquillo
Geography and Natural Beauty
- Luquillo's Barrios
Fun Things to Do in Luquillo
- Landmarks and Places to Explore
Culture and Celebrations
- Festivals and Events
Luquillo's Population
Getting Around Luquillo
Symbols of Luquillo
- Luquillo's Flag
- Luquillo's Coat of Arms
Images for kids
See also

History of Luquillo

Luquillo was founded in 1797. It has some cool nicknames like "La Capital del Sol" (Capital of the Sun) and "La Riviera de Puerto Rico" (the Puerto Rican Riviera). People also call its residents "Los Come Cocos" (the coconut eaters).

One story says the town was named after an Indian chief called Loquillo. He lived around the early 1500s. However, it's more likely that the name Luquillo comes from Yukiyu. This was the Taino name for El Yunque mountain. It probably means "white mountain," referring to its foggy peaks.

In 1989, Hurricane Hugo caused some damage to the town. Years later, on September 20, 2017, Hurricane Maria hit Puerto Rico very hard. In Luquillo, rivers overflowed, and there were landslides. The power went out, and many homes were damaged or destroyed.

Geography and Natural Beauty

Luquillo is located on the northeast coast of Puerto Rico. Its unique location between the Atlantic Ocean and El Yunque rainforest makes it a place with amazing natural beauty.

Luquillo's Barrios

Like all municipalities in Puerto Rico, Luquillo is divided into smaller areas called barrios. The main downtown area, where you'll find the municipal buildings and a large Catholic church, is called "el pueblo".

Here are the barrios that make up Luquillo:

Fun Things to Do in Luquillo

A view of Luquillo Beach

Luquillo is famous for its beautiful beaches. There are 14 beaches here! One of them is La Pared, which means "The Wall." It's known for its strong waves.

If you travel east from San Juan, you'll find Luquillo Beach. This beach is officially called La Monserrate Beach (Balneario de la Monserrate). It's a huge beach with many coconut palm trees that provide shade. The sand is fine and shimmering. It's one of the most popular public beaches in the area. It has cafeterias, restrooms with showers, and parking. It's also accessible for people with disabilities.

Another cool spot is La Selva. It's a small cove on the east coast and a great place for surfing. To get there, you usually have to walk about two miles through a cow farm.

Landmarks and Places to Explore

View of Luquillo

When you visit Luquillo, here are some interesting places to see:

Chief Loquillo Monument
La Fortuna Hacienda
La Bandera Beach
La Monserrate Beach (also known as Luquillo Beach)
La Pared Beach
Las Pailas Beach
Mameyes Beach
Ocean View Boulevard
Fortuna Beach
The Recreational Park
The Kiosks at Luquillo Beach (famous for local food and crafts)
La Selva Reef Break

Culture and Celebrations

Luquillo loves to celebrate!

Festivals and Events

The town celebrates its patron saint festival in March. This event, called Fiestas Patronales de San Jose, is a religious and cultural celebration. It usually includes parades, games, local artisans, fun rides, delicious regional food, and live music.

Other exciting festivals and events in Luquillo include:

Leatherback Turtle Festival - April
Festival de Zangueros - June
Coconut Festival - September
Traditional Cooking Festival - December

Luquillo's Population

Historical population
Census	Pop.	%±
1920	6,251	—
1930	7,799	24.8%
1940	8,851	13.5%
1950	9,967	12.6%
1960	8,582	−13.9%
1970	10,390	21.1%
1980	14,895	43.4%
1990	18,100	21.5%
2000	19,817	9.5%
2010	20,068	1.3%
2020	17,781	−11.4%
U.S. Decennial Census 1920-1930 1930-1950 1960-2000 2010 2020

Luquillo is home to many people. In 2020, about 17,781 people lived there. The people of Luquillo are called Luquillenses or Luquillanos.

Here's a look at the different groups of people living in Luquillo in 2005:

Ethnicity - Luquillo, Puerto Rico - 2005
Race	Population	% of Total
White	10,112	57.4%
Black/African American	4,345	23.7%
American Indian and Alaska Native	120	0.6%
Asian	62	0.3%
Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander	3	0.0%
Some other race	2,933	14.8%
Two or more races	610	3.1%

Getting Around Luquillo

Entrance sign for Sabana barrio and PR-983

There isn't a public bus system in Luquillo. People usually get around using services like Uber or local taxis.

The main road that goes through Luquillo is PR-3. There are also other important local roads like PR-983, PR-988, PR-991, and PR-940. Luquillo also has 20 bridges.

Symbols of Luquillo

The municipality of Luquillo has its own official flag and coat of arms. These symbols represent the town's history, nature, and culture.

Luquillo's Flag

The flag of Luquillo has three horizontal stripes. The top blue stripe and the bottom green stripe are each twice as wide as the yellow stripe in the middle. The blue color stands for the sky and the sea. The yellow represents the sandy beaches. The green symbolizes the lush vegetation of the mountains. In the center of the yellow stripe, you'll see the town's coat of arms. It's surrounded by two palm tree leaves crossed at the bottom.

Luquillo's Coat of Arms

The coat of arms has a gold background. In the center, there's a mountain range with three green mountains. Below them, there's a bay with blue and silver waves. The top part of the shield is blue and has three iris branches. Above the shield, there's a gold crown with three towers. On the sides of the shield, two palm tree leaves are crossed at the bottom.