La Placita
If you are looking for a fun night out I would head to La Placita. La Placita offers lots of places to dance, eat, and drink. You can find various street vendors that make amazingly fresh Mojitos and Pina Coladas. While walking around and checking out the scene, you can pick up some tasty cigars while sipping on your delicious Mojito. La Placita has plenty of music and is a very lively local hangout. The drinks from the vendors are decently priced. The one disadvantage of the area that we experienced is that most shops close around 11pm. I was told they closed at this time because the government owns them, however this doesn’t make a whole lot of sense to me.
Bastille’s
There are a couple of Bastille’s you can tour in Old San Juan. You can do a self-guided tour or pay for a tour. It’s definitely interesting to see. Plus you will probably catch a few iguanas’ hanging out along the grounds. The Bastille’s also have beautiful views of the ocean.
Beaches
There are beaches all around Puerto Rico, obviously since it’s an island. If you are staying near San Juan, we suggest going to Isla Verde or Condado for a beach day. They usually have some beach bars near by or you can bring a cooler. The beaches in or near San Juan are full of waves and the water is not very clear, making for poor snorkeling conditions.
El Yunque Rainforest
El Yunque Rainforest is the only rainforest that is part of or associated with the United States. Since Puerto Rico is a territory, claiming the park as a US rainforest seems more like a technicality than an interesting fact, but the park’s authorities insist it is significant. Regardless of its association with the United States, it’s beautiful with lush plants and scenic waterfalls. It’s definitely a great place to hike with many trails and great views. El Yunque is about an hour from San Juan and toll roads are required to get there. There are shops and food vendors along the windy road up the mountain and into the park, that are a funplace to stop. I would recommend going there for hiking and swimming as well. The El Yunque trail leads you to one of the rain forests peaks that has a great 200 degree view of the ocean. The major thing this rain forest is lacking is monkeys and or sloth.
Bioluminescent Bays
Puerto Rico also has several bioluminescent bays that you can kayak. We have never done this, but we want to the next time we are in Puerto Rico. Click here for more info.
Islands off the coast of Puerto Rico
There are two islands off the coast of Puerto Rico that can easily be made into day trips. If you have a rental car and are willing to drive out of San Juan I highly suggest getting yourself to either the island of Culebra or VIeques. Culebra has Flamenco beach which was voted one of the best beaches in the world by various websites and publications. It has white sands and clear blue waters. It’s great for snorkeling and kayaking. The island of Vieques is much bigger than Culebra and is much more accessible. It happens to be a very good alternative if you cannot make the ferry to Culebra.
In order to get to Culebra and Vieques, you will need to drive to the town of Fajardo. Fajardo is about a 45 minute drive from San Juan so plan accordingly and get there early since there are only a limited about of tickets. Toll roads are required to get to Fajardo. Fajardo is where the ferry launches to Culebra and Vieques. You should arrive about an hour or more prior to departure for Culebra because the ferry times are not always certain or accurate and there are often lines. If you plan to go to Vieques you dont have to be as early. The website for more information on the ferry schedule for Culebra can be found here. The ferry schedule for Vieques can be found here.
Again, it is important to know that these schedules are not always accurate even if you call ahead of time. It’s best to show up early and try and see if you can get on a ferry. Puerto Ricans are on island time after all so the times are not guaranteed. Make sure to bring cash!
On the ferry you will probably run into people selling tours. I remember them being pretty pricey. We bring our own snorkeling gear when we travel so for us the tour seemed like a waste of money. We found a great snorkeling set on Amazon for $35 that has lasted multiple trips. This set has been great and is highly recommended. You can get your set here. If you do not have your own snorkeling gear then the tours may be for you. We initially went snorkeling at Flamenco Beach, a world famous beach on Culebra that is famous for its clear water and beautiful view. However, Flamenco Beach is not the best snorkeling spot on Culebra. Tamarindo Beach, not as scenic as Flamenco, offers a much better snorkeling experience. You will find stingrays, sea turtles, and a varaity of fish among sea grass. You can walk about 1 mile to Tamarindo Beach from Flamenco or you can have a cab take you there directly from the ferry. If you are plan to go to Tamarindo, make sure to grab a cabs number to insure you can get picked back up at the end of your day. If you are hungry, then I suggest eating near the dock. You can also go to Flamenco Beach to eat at the beach vendors. There is no food available at Tamarindo Beach.
Vieques is a much larger island than Culebra, with a larger population. As a result, it is actually a little easier to catch a ferry to this island. The island is too big to walk from the ferry dock to most of the places you would be interested in going to explore. There are multiple beaches on Vieques with some beaches geared more towards snorkeling and others more towards laying out. To find the right beach for you, get in a cab and describe to the cab driver what you are looking to do, and the cab will drop you off at the right place. Make sure to get the cab drivers phone number so you can call to get picked back up. Depending on what beach you go to, there may be a lot of sea urchins, so be very careful. If you get hungry, Vieques had multiple street vendors on the beach so food is accessible.
On either island you can rent a jeep or grab a cab. They are both fairly small islands so you probably won’t need a car. When arriving at Culebra or Vieques, there will be multiple cabs waiting to take you anywhere you’d like to venture. Again, make sure to get the cab driver’s business card so that you can call him to pick you back up at the end of the day. If you plan to experience either island as a day trip, make sure to get to the dock in time to catch your ferry back to the main island. The last ferry out is usually packed.
If you are someone that gets sea sick, no worries! There are flights from San Juan to Culebra. It is a 35minute flight that costs $60/person. This might be a good idea if you don’t want to rely on the ridiculous ferry system. Click here for airfare information.
We have only made day trips to these islands. If we return to Culebra again we will find a place to spend the night. Airbnb and Homeaway have some really great places to stay on Culebra and Vieques. You can also camp on the beach at both islands for around $30 per person but a hostel or Airbnb may be the cheaper option.