Dorado and Environs

This small and tidy town is one of the oldest vacation spots on the island, having gotten a boost in 1955, when Laurance Rockefeller bought the pineapple, coconut, and grapefruit plantation of Dr. Alfred Livingston and his daughter Clara and built a resort on the property. Sadly, the Hyatt Dorado Beach Resort & Country Club closed in 2005. Its excellent golf courses—among the best-known in Puerto Rico—are still open, however, and the property has been redeveloped as a private residential resort. Those looking for upscale accommodations evoking the erstwhile golden age still have an option here, thanks to the Dorado Beach, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve. The town of Dorado itself is fun to visit; its winding road leads across a bridge to a main square, with small bars, restaurants, and shops nearby. Most visitors, however, don't stray too far from the beach.