Condado is the high-rise beach strip east of Old San Juan, on a narrow barrier of land between the lagoon and the Atlantic. It was developed in the 1920s as Puerto Rico's answer to Miami Beach and still plays that part: Avenida Ashford lined with hotels and designer shops, rooftop bars, and a beach that runs from morning joggers to late-night cocktails.
The sand is good and the waves are reliable, but the currents can be strong and lifeguard coverage is patchy — the western end near the Condado Lagoon is the stretch to avoid. The lagoon side is calm enough for paddleboards and kayaks, and the Paseo del Condado boardwalk joins the two.
This is the most walkable part of San Juan outside the old city, and the eating is the strongest thing about it: Ashford Avenue and the streets behind it run from serious kitchens doing modern Puerto Rican cooking to counters serving mofongo and fried fish. It is also the centre of San Juan's gay scene.
Old San Juan is a fifteen-minute taxi ride away, or a long waterfront walk through Puerta de Tierra. Expect the city's highest prices, and a polish that some find missing the character of the old town or the local life of Santurce next door.