Condado Beach and Ventana al Mar

This is the one you will use most, because it is a few minutes on foot from the front door. Condado Beach runs the length of the district, and it changes character as you walk it. The western end, near the Condado Lagoon and the small cove by La Concha, is sheltered and calm, which makes it the right choice for swimming, for children and for a first paddleboard session. Head east and the reef opens up, the surf picks up, and you get the long empty stretch that photographs so well at the end of the day. Ventana al Mar sits in the middle, a grassy oceanfront park with palms and open lawn, and it is where the neighborhood gathers at sunset. Mornings before nine are the best of it, with the sand raked, the water glassy and the light soft. Afternoons bring more people and more breeze, which is welcome. Take water, take shade, and note that some stretches have no lifeguard, so read the flags and keep an eye on the current near the rocks. Loungers and boards can be rented along Ashford Avenue. It is the reason the villa is where it is.