Carolina Beach again named island’s best in USA Today poll.

Balneario de Carolina (discoverpuertorico.com)

By THE STAR STAFF

Carolina Mayor José Carlos Aponte Dalmau celebrated on Monday what he called a “double victory” for the municipality after Carolina Beach (Balneario de Carolina) was recognized as the best beach in Puerto Rico in USA Today’s 10Best Readers’ Choice Awards.

Carolina Beach earned the top spot in the 2026 edition of the competition, which is determined through public voting by readers and travelers worldwide. Isla Verde’s beaches also secured second place, reinforcing Carolina’s standing as one of the Caribbean’s premier recreational and tourism destinations for the second consecutive year.

Aponte Dalmau said the recognition reflects Carolina residents’ commitment to protecting natural resources and maintaining the municipality’s coastline. He noted that the award validates years of investment in safety, cleanliness, accessibility, and visitor services, including concessions and the Aquasol water park.

“For the second year in a row, Carolina Beach has been recognized as the best beach in Puerto Rico in the USA Today 10Best Readers’ Choice Awards. This is fantastic news and an important achievement for our tourism sector,” the mayor said. “The value of this award is even greater because it comes directly from the experiences of the people who visit our beach.”

Voters highlighted key attributes such as safety, cleanliness, accessibility, high‑quality facilities, a family‑friendly atmosphere, and the variety of recreational activities available. USA Today’s expert panel also evaluates tourism quality, visitor experience and available services.

Aponte Dalmau emphasized that Carolina Beach has long been designed to offer a first‑class recreational experience. The beach features certified lifeguards, a permanent ambulance service with paramedics, preventive patrols by the Municipal Police and Maritime Unit, continuous water‑quality monitoring, and ongoing maintenance of all facilities.

“These services give families peace of mind and create an ideal environment for tourists,” he said. “Our island has beautiful coastlines, but it’s these added services that elevate the visitor experience.”

The mayor also pointed to amenities such as showers, sports concessions, food options, and the popular water park as part of what makes the beach stand out.

He noted that after the hurricanes of 2017 and the global COVID pandemic, the beach was one of the public spaces most successfully rebuilt and adapted to safely welcome visitors.

“Right after Hurricane Maria in 2017, the Municipality of Carolina invested over $1.5 million in the complete reconstruction of the beach resort to reopen it,” Aponte Dalmau said. “Since then, we have continued investing in maintenance and ensuring that the quality of services remains top‑notch.”