Visit Hato Rey’s Top Attractions
Featuring the Golden Mile (Milla de Oro), Puerto Rico’s largest shopping center, Plaza Las Americas, and the José Miguel Agrelot Coliseum, Hato Rey was at one time covered in sugar cane fields where cattle used to roam. The name of Hato Rey is a reference to the past, as it means “king’s herd of cattle”, but today there is no sign of cattle or sugar cane in this busy area which covers three wards of San Juan – Hato Rey Central, Hato Rey Norte (North) and Hato Rey Sur (South).
Hato Rey Central is one of San Juan’s most densely populated neighborhoods and is divided into four sectors, being Floral Park, Las Monjas, Quintana and Ciudad Nueva. Hato Rey Norte is separated from neighboring Santurce by the Martín Peña Canal, and is also divided into four sectors, being Eleanor Roosevelt, El Vedado, Martín Peña and Puerto Nuevo. Hato Rey Sur lies to the south of Hato Rey Norte.
As the name would suggest, the Golden Mile covers a stretch of one mile and is home to local and international financial institutions that are the driving force behind Puerto Rico’s economy. There are also modern condominiums catering for the middle and upper classes of San Juan. The José Miguel Agrelot Coliseum, known locally as the Choliseo, is the venue for concerts by international artists and many high-profile events. In May 2011, the Choliseo was ranked by Pollstar magazine as 8th on the world’s “Top 50 Arena Venues”, and Venues Today rated the Choliseo as one of the 25 Best Arenas of the Decade. In May 2013 it was revealed that since opening in September 2004, the venue has received more than five million spectators to its more than 600 events. Other important buildings in Hato Rey are the FBI headquarters and the Roberto Clemente Coliseum, named in honor of the Puerto Rican Major League baseball player.
