Puerto La Cruz is home to Puerto La Cruz refinery, one of the largest oil refineries in the country, which, with its 200,000 barrels (32,000 m3) per day processing capacity, supplies the domestic market and exports to other Caribbean countries such as Cuba and the Antilles.

Also, at 50 kilometres (31 mi), the José Plant Complex is one of the primary processing facilities of the largest Venezuelan oil company, PDVSA and is a major refining hub for the crude extracted in the states of Monagas and Anzoátegui.

To the west of the city is the terminal of one of the main ferry lines linking Isla Margarita with the mainland, while to the east is a private marina that caters for tourists and visitors.

Day trips are available to visit national park islands such as Playa El Faro, Los Chimanas, Cachicamo and Isla Borracha.

Margarita Island can be reached by the transport service operated by Conferry and Gran Cacique Express (which resumed its activities in December 2006).

In Guaraguao, Puerto La Cruz, there is also a terminal for the export/import of the crude oil processed at the city's refinery.

According to various sources,[specify] local authorities awaited the signature of President Hugo Chávez after negotiating an agreement between the mayors of Puerto La Cruz (Sotillo Municipality) and Barcelona (Bolivar Municipality) and the Chinese company Transtech Engineering Corporation for the construction of a network of modern mass transportation.

The target date for the launch of this initiative was August 2007, but since the announcement in March of that year has not been re-appointed over the project.

The Jose Antonio Anzoátegui stadium, with a capacity of 40,000 spectators, hosted some of the Copa América 2007 matches among teams from Brazil, Mexico, Chile and Ecuador.