The National Park Service keeps the grounds of Castillo San Felipe del Morro open 24 hours a day for a reason it puts in writing: physical barriers would be "a visual intrusion to the historic setting." For the past year, fencing has been part of that view anyway. Since September 2025 the esplanade has been coming up and going back down in sections. The work replaces a mix of grasses with a single turf and reroutes the drainage underneath it.
Kites, beach chairs and an afternoon on the grass are still allowed on whatever turf is open. The terms for all three are now written into a federal document updated in June.
A Lawn Replaced in Stages
The project runs in two stages. In a September 19, 2025 release, NPS said work on Parcel A, the esplanade's 11 acres of grass, would begin Monday, September 15, 2025. The first stage would cover about 6.87 of those acres, and NPS expected the project to be done by July 2026.
The schedule then moved. On April 6, 2026, the park announced it was resuming turf restoration on the northeastern half of the esplanade. The release said the park would close 11 acres of turf for the project and estimated the closures would last six months. Counting six months from April 6 lands in early October, so that estimate has now passed. The park's news releases page lists nothing about the lawn after the April announcement. The current alerts page lists one closure at El Morro, and it isn't the grass.
The work has four stated goals, and each one affects how the lawn will feel once it's finished:
- A single grass type in place of the current mix, for steadier growth and better erosion control
- Drainage realigned to handle stormwater and protect the historic grounds
- A uniform, well-kept turf across the esplanade
- Lower long-term costs for mowing and clipping disposal
When the first stage began, Park Superintendent Myrna Palfrey said in the NPS release that "these improvements are an important investment in both the preservation of El Morro's historic setting and in the visitor experience." The new drainage is meant to handle stormwater better than the system under the old grass. The park's Facebook and Instagram accounts are where it sends people for updates. Check them before carrying a kite up Calle Norzagaray.
The Rulebook the Kites Now Follow
Kite flying on the esplanade predates any written policy about it. A 2026 travel feature describes it as a family tradition on weekends and holidays. Today it follows specific terms. The Superintendent's Compendium, the park's own rulebook, was last updated June 24, 2026, and has a dedicated kite section. Its second rule limits which kites can fly at all.
Only single-line kites may be flown. Dual-line or "stunt" kites are prohibited due to their high speed, erratic movement, and potential danger upon descent.
The rest of the section is just as specific. Kites may only be flown from the grassy areas of the El Morro Esplanade, and launching from anywhere else in the park is prohibited. Every kite has to be reeled in after use, and releasing one into the ocean or onto the grounds isn't allowed. A kite can never fly over or inside the castillo. The compendium defines that as everything within the outer edge of the moat, seawall or historic masonry walls, and it includes any flight path where losing control could bring the kite down onto the structures. Each kite has to stay under its operator's constant control, so tying one to a tree, pole or stake is out.
The first rule is the one this year's project tightens. Kites belong on the esplanade grass, and the esplanade grass is the area being replaced. While turf is closed for the project, the legal launch area is limited to whatever grass is open that day.
Drones fall under the same section of the compendium. Launching or operating one anywhere in San Juan National Historic Site is prohibited without the superintendent's written approval.
What the Picnic Blanket Can Carry
The same June update spells out picnicking. It's the clearest written guide to an afternoon on the esplanade the park has published, and it settles questions that used to depend on whoever happened to be on duty.
| Allowed on the esplanade | Not allowed without a permit or authorization |
|---|---|
| Incidental picnicking during a park visit | Organized picnics or group events |
| Portable beach chairs | Tables and large furnishings |
| Personal shade tents up to 12 by 12 feet, weighted with sandbags | Tent stakes of any kind |
| Single-line kites, under constant control | Amplified music and loudspeakers |
| Bicycles walked across the grass | Barbecues, charcoal grills, propane stoves |
A few more rules from the compendium shape the day. Alcohol and open containers are prohibited anywhere within park boundaries, and so is glass unless the superintendent or a designee authorizes it. Organized games such as softball, football, soccer and Frisbee matches are banned park-wide. Bicycles and e-bikes are limited to paved roads and parking areas, and riding on the green areas is prohibited. Skateboards and roller blades aren't allowed anywhere in the park. Pet waste has to be picked up, and pets aren't allowed inside the forts. The compendium also bans the sale of any merchandise. Plan to bring your own kite rather than counting on buying one at the edge of the grass.
These are federal park rules. The compendium lists fines of up to $5,000 for individuals for violations, so the page is worth reading in full. This post is general information drawn from the park's published rules, not legal advice. Questions about a specific activity or permit should go to the park directly.
The Edge of the Fort Is Under Repair Too
A second project is underway on the castillo's seaward side. On October 2, 2026, NPS posted a temporary closure of the El Morro dry moat to Santa Elena Bastion, "necessary to ensure public health and safety and security during the completion of the San Fernando Bastion cliff stabilization project."
The cliff project is larger than its alert suggests. The federal solicitation covers slope clearing, drainage and erosion control, about 300 soil nails 35 feet long, roughly 35,000 square feet of shotcrete wall, and regrading. It allows 550 calendar days of work from the notice to proceed. The contract was awarded to Novel Construction LLC on May 1, 2025, for $13,104,687.78. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers described the work as ongoing during a site visit in late February 2026. NPS hasn't published a completion date for the bastion work, so the moat closure has no end date.
The two projects add up to a clear pattern. Over 2025 and 2026 the park is rebuilding both the grass that people use and the ground the fort stands on.
Dates Around the Esplanade This Season
The lawn doesn't follow the fort's hours. The fortifications are open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. every day except Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's Day. The compendium keeps the grounds of San Felipe del Morro, its sidewalks and the historic walls open daily. On Christmas Day the castillo's gates will be shut, but the open grass beyond any construction fencing will still be available.
Closer in on the calendar:
- Thursday, October 29, from 5 p.m.: "Noche de Catrinas" is listed at the Museo de las Américas in the Cuartel de Ballajá in Old San Juan.
- Wednesday, November 11: The park calendar lists Veterans Day as a fee-free day for the forts. The page was last updated in 2025, so confirm it closer to the date.
- Thanksgiving, December 25 and January 1: El Morro and San Cristóbal are closed. The grounds stay open.
Until NPS announces that the northeastern half is back in use, a kite afternoon this fall starts with checking the park's alerts page and social accounts, and it requires a single-line kite on whatever grass is open.
For anyone deciding where in Old San Juan to put down roots, views of the El Morro grounds are part of the decision. Corcoran Puerto Rico follows the projects reshaping this part of the city and can walk you through the streets closest to the esplanade. Contact Us.
