Croabas fajardo: Parque Pasivo Las Croabas | Discover Puerto Rico

A Day In Our Life: Las Croabas Fajardo, Puerto Rico

After arriving in Puerto Rico only just a few days prior, we began to settle into our daily routine in Fajardo. Fajardo was a great home base so we could explore the east side of the island. It turns out this was a really good idea, our condo was only about a 5-7 minute drive from fantastic beaches and a park in Las Croabas Fajardo with really great restaurants with views of the ocean. 

Parque Pasivo in Las Croabas Fajardo

Boats moored off coast of Las Croabas Fajardo © Joel Hartz

Parque Pasivo Las Croabas Carr 987 Las Croabas Fajardo, PR, 00738

In the small village area of Las Croabas on the outskirts of Fajardo, you can find the Parque Pasivo. The park is just a few minutes drive North of Fajardo and our condo. This is a small parque recreativo or recreational park with a children’s playground, multiple shelters, shade trees, and even restrooms.

On the weekends you can find vendors selling Piraguas, Puerto Rico’s version of a snow cone© Joel Hartz

Plenty of parking is available and if seafood is your passion then you have a choice of six different restaurants offering brunch, lunch and dinner options. If you’re into some nice cold beverages, well that is covered in spades!

Watchtower with the Puerto Rican Flag © Joel Hartz

A large concrete tower sits in the middle of the park vibrantly painted with the Puerto Rican flag. Make sure you get your selfie or picture taken!

The views are lovely © Joel Hartz

Parque Passivo is a sweet little spot that we visited often during our time in Fajardo. It is a lovely park to walk around with chickens and roosters running about. Say hi to Claudio the rooster if you’re in the area! 

Say Hi to Claudio the rooster!

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Bioluminescent Bay Tours

For you adventurous types out there you might have booked a bioluminescence kayak tour. Parque Passivo in Las Croabas Fajardo is the meeting and take off point for tours exploring Laguna Grande, Fajardo’s bio-bay. Laguna grande is surrounded by Las Cabezas de San Juan Preserve and is accessed by a small tributary that leads into the bay. Lauguan Grande is one of only five bioluminescent bays in the whole world!!!

Other excursions also use the park as a jumping off point. Los Croabas is traditionally known as a fishing village and you can also book fishing excursions that leave from there. You can even grab a water taxi to take you across the Pasaje de San Juan to Cayo Icacos or explore the Cordillera Keys Nature Reserve.

Informative sign showing the Cordillera Natural Reserve off of the coast of Los Croabas Fajardo © Joel Hartz

More to Do in Fajardo

El Conquistador Resort & Spa

You can see the El Conquistador Hotel on the hill above Parque Passivo in Las Croabas Fajardo © Joel Hartz

Perched high above the park on a hill sits the famous and colorful El Conquistador Resort & Spa. The resort is known for its luxurious offerings, the Coqui Water Park, and the rumored setting for a James Bond film “Goldfinger”. Supposedly the circular casino was used in the bond movie, although I have not been able to confirm this.

Cafe Playero

Cafe Playero ended up being our favorite restaurant at Parque Recreativo. The staff was super nice and even gave us a Puerto Rico guide book when they found out we would be staying on the island for two months!

Bacalaitos at Cafe Playero Las Croabas Fajardo

The food was wonderful and it was at this restaurant we had our introduction to Puerto Rican food. Joel ordered the Bacalaitos (Codfish Fritters) which quickly became a favorite of ours all over the island. Bacalaitos are flat crispy codfish made from a flour based batter with herbs and spices. It’s the perfect savory appetizer.

Tostones De Pollo form Cafe Playero were so tasty!

We also ordered chicken tostones which were served in a plantain style cup. The chicken was full of flavor with red and green bell peppers and onions. It was so delicious! 

From dishes like Mofongo to Amarillos, plantains are a staple on the island. Think of them as the local potato, or at least that’s how we interpreted the use of them. They’re part of the banana family but larger and tougher.

One of the delicious Mojitos at Cafe Playero

Our drinks didn’t disappoint either. We both ordered Mojitos that were fresh and tasty. They even have a Bio Bay Mojito which is huge! Perfect to share before an evening kayaking trip in the famous bioluminescent bay.

This was the perfect little outing for us. A fun day to get acclimated into island life and it gave us a taste of what would become an unforgettable two months in paradise, I mean, Puerto Rico.

Tours & Experiences in Las Croabas Fajardo Puerto Rico

Bio Bay Kayak Tour in Fajardo 2022 by Pure Adventure

Bio Bay Kayak Tour in Fajardo – Kayak Puerto Rico

Natural One- Laguna Grande Bio Bay Kayaking By Caribbean Breeze Adventures

Bio Bay Kayak Tour in Puerto Rico By Yokahu Kayak Trips, Inc.

Bioluminescent Bay Glass Bottom Kayak Tour By Bespoke Includes pick up & drop-off within selected San Juan areas and touristic zones

Rainforest, Bio Bay, Luquillo Beach Trio Tour By Pandora Tour Puerto Rico Leaves from multiple points in San Juan Area

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Happy Wandering!

Joel and Michelle

La Estacion

+ Why Come All The Way To Puerto Rico For Bbq?

We are not just BBQ. In fact we are not even a specific style of BBQ. We termed it Nuyorican BBQ because it is a cuisine of its own. We use only the freshest local ingredients; sofrito, local citrus and Puerto Rican spices/herbs like ginger, coriander, cilantro and oregano brujo. We then apply classic BBQ techniques to prepare your dishes. The result is a product that is uniquely ours and you will not taste anywhere else.

+ I Like To Eat Seafood While In Puerto Rioc, Is this Place For Me?

Hell Yes!!! La Estacion is known for having some of the freshest local seafood on the island: that’s what makes it so good. You cannot go wrong when you start with a good product and that we do. You will not find Salmon and Mussels on our menu…you will only find seafood from local waters, caught fresh day-of. The menu changes daily with the catch…it is a top seller and a favorite and we often sell out. Our commitment to the quality of the product is what makes it great.

+ I’m A Vegetarian. What Are My Options?

You would be very surprised at how vegetarian friendly we are…especially for a BBQ Joint. Fresh, local greens, veggies and fruits are essential to us. Perhaps because I once was a vegetarian, or because of our pedigree in pioneering farm-to-table restaurants. We always have several salad options, all of our sides are vegetarian-Caribbean Cole Slaw, Mom’s Potato Salad, Arepas, Hand-Cut French Fries, Mac-n-Cheese, Cornbread even our Rice and Beans (unheard of here in PR where the beans are usually made with ham). Options vary, depending on the freshest, local produce that comes in.

+ What About Gluten Free Options?

If you are gluten-free you can eat most items on the menu. Our style is rustic and ingredient driven. Our products, whether it is vegetable, fish or meat is the focus of the dish and not masked up with sauces that have loads of ingredients. Just avoid the obvious, like the fried breads (arepas) and the breaded poppers. We are aware that this is a serious issue and we are very familiar with it, but please let your server know about your allergies and we promise there will be no bad surprises.

While we don’t have a kid’s menu just yet, our menu can be very kid friendly. We can do the wings without sauce, a shrimp kebob, a simple pulled pork sandwich, a small order of brisket or ½ portion of ribs. Pair this with our hand-cut French fries or rice and beans and you’ll have a meal that will satisfy the pickiest of kids.

+ Can I Make A Reservation?

Please go to https://resy.com/cities/fjrd/la-estacion-pr to make reservations. We seperate 50% of our dining room for reservations and the remaining space is left for walkins. Walkins are first come, first serve. Our kitchen and newest menu are designed to ensure that diners get their meals quickly. This means that even though we fill up fast, tables turn quickly and the wait time is usually not extreme. That being said, if you are not the type of person to enjoy a cocktail at the bar before your meal, the earlier you come the better. Peak hour- our busiest time is always between 7 and 8.

+ How Far Is It From. ..?

The Ferry to Vieques/Culebra… the ferries are now in the next town over…less than 15 minutes

The Bio-Luminescent Bay…literally less than a mile

Puerto Del Rey…about 10-15 minutes

Puerto Chico, Villa Marina…less than five minutes

San Juan… about 45 minutes

Humacao…about 30 minutes

Rio Grande, El Yunque…. Approximately 20 minutes

Luquillo- about 10 minutes

Hotel El Conquistador….just around the corner

+ Does La Estacion have the same owners? I Came Years Ago And It Seems A Little Different?

Same owners, we have evolved. When we opened in 2006, we had less than nine items on the menu, among them our Spare Ribs in Guava BBQ Sauce, Our Passion Fruit-Coconut Glazed Smoked Wings and our Grilled Steak…which we still have. Throughout the years we added more items to the menu but after Hurricane Maria we refocused and decided to keep what makes us different from the rest. We are committed to offering our customers the same quality in ingredients as always and can do this only by making the options more concise.