Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
El Garabato
BAR
(102CallePost; 1pm-2am)
In the same banner- covered building as Red Baron but on
the 1st floor, El Garabato is more of a typical pub than a dance hall. Here students swing
by for a quick one between classes or stop to play dominoes with the regulars. Happy-hour
prices are laughably low - $2 for a mixed drink and $1 for a beer.
RARE BOOKS
Puerto Rico's lack of bookstores can leave a bookworm starving. Few hotels have
book exchanges and there are almost no major booksellers outside of San Juan. The
lone exception is a godsend:
Borders Mayagüez( 787-833-4333; 975 Hostos;
10am-10pm Mon-Sat, 11am-7pm Sun)
. This large, bilingual bookstore is situ-
ated in the Mayagüez Mall off Hwy 2, just west of town. It carries a complete selec-
tion of travel guides, historical nonfiction about the island, and maps. If you're em-
barking on the long, winding, often beguiling Ruta Panorámica through central
Puerto Rico, this is an excellent place to pick up a detailed road map and reading ma-
terial for the quiet nights in the mountains.
Entertainment
The tight knot of here-today-gone-tomorrow student bars at the end of Calle Post has a
gregarious nighttime buzz, especially on weekends. It might be a little hard to get a read
on, since places fall in and out of favor so quickly, but just follow the crowds. In summer,
when the students are out of session, it can be dead as a doornail and you'll have to find
one of the many dive bars, where workers from the local Medalla factory seem to volunteer
for endless quality- control testing. For entertainment and upscale atmosphere, head to the
Mayagüez Resort & Casino.
Red Baron Pub
NIGHTCLUB
(102CallePost;coverwithliveband$6; 9pm-2am)
This place has been a juggernaut
on the Mayagüez party scene since the mid-'80s, and has adapted well with its reliable
