Puerto Rico has a great blend of culture and natural beauty. This United States territory feels entirely different than the continental U.S., with a laid back island lifestyle and incredible biodiversity. We recommend Puerto Rico as a relaxing destination for a getaway that doesn’t require you to use your passport.
What to Do
- Old San Juan: The city of San Juan is a National Historic Site, and it’s easy to see why. The city is surrounded by a fortress (La Fortaleza) and has a beautiful old town. A trip to Puerto Rico is not complete without taking some time to walk around the fortress, explore the old streets, and visit Castillo San Felipe del Morro. The exterior of the fortress is completely exposed, so make sure you prepare to sweat and wear sunscreen.
- Cascada Gozalandia: If you have time to visit the western side of the island, we highly recommend stopping at these waterfalls. They are beautiful to look at, but they are also great for swimming or adrenaline junkies. The upper falls are a bit smaller / more peaceful and include a rope swing to fly into the pool. The lower falls, though, are frequented by cliff jumpers launching from a much higher elevation. Even if you don’t care to take that risk, it’s fun watching everyone do tricks as they dive in. Both falls are only a short walk from the parking area too.
- El Yunque National Forest: El Yunque has a number of great hiking trails and viewpoints. Over the course of two days we did the El Yunque Trail as a loop with a detour to Mount Britton Tower (5.4 miles, 1,748 feet of elevation gain) and the Angelito Trail (0.7 miles, 127 feet of elevation gain). The El Yunque Trail has great views from the top, and the Angelito Trail goes to a really peaceful river where you can put your feet in, relax, and watch the fish swim around. We also stopped at Juan Diego falls for some very cold swimming after a climb to the upper falls. Be sure to make reservations at least a few days before your visit, as El Yunque not has assigned entry times.
- Bioluminescent Bays: Before going to Puerto Rico, we didn’t realize bioluminescent bays were a thing. In these bays, after the sun sets, you can see microorganisms light up when agitated. There are five of these bays in the world, and three of them are in Puerto Rico. We did a night kayaking tour (in the pouring rain) at Laguna Grande since that bay is most accessible from the main island. While we heard Mosquito Bay (in the island of Vieques) is better, we still enjoyed Laguna Grande. The tour guides provided tarps to cover our kayaks and block out the moon and stars so that we could better see the microorganisms light up when we waved our hands in the water.
- Beaches: Puerto Rico has a ton of great beaches, and we were lucky enough to visit a few during our vacation. Isla Verde Beach is very accessible from the city of San Juan, and it has wide stretches of soft sand for sunbathing. Crash Boat Beach on the western side of the island has a great atmosphere and is beautiful at sunset. On the northeastern side of the island you’ll find Liquillo Beach and Playa Azul. While quite close together, they have entirely different atmospheres. Liquillo is lively and more touristy, as it is close to the famous restaurant strip. Playa Azul is much calmer and has a more local vibe, but it comes with less amenities.
- Distillery Tours: Like other Caribbean islands, Puerto Rico produces a large amount of rum. Bacardi is the most famous distillery on the island, but during our most recent visit we did a tour at Ron de Barrilito. The oldest distillery in Puerto Rico, Ron de Barrilito has really nice facilities and a fascinating history. We highly recommend the tour, which includes a premium cocktail at the end.
Where to Eat (and Drink)
Puerto Rican cuisine is delicious. No matter where you are on the island, you’ll be able to find delicious seafood and a variety of fried accompaniments (LOVE mofongo). You don’t need to go out of your way to dine at any of the restaurants below, but we recommend them as a great options if you happen to be in those areas.
- La Fonda Gourmet (Luquillo): For an unassuming building and location, La Fonda may have been our favorite meal on the entire trip. The lunch was delicious – we especially enjoyed the trifongo with shrimp and the stuffed avocado with salmon. The service was also fantastic, and they prepared some really amazing cocktails.
- La Parrilla (Luquillo): If you make it to the Luquillo area, you need to spend at least one meal at the famous kiosks. This strip right along the beach has dozens of restaurants and bars that can satisfy just about any food craving you may have. La Parrilla is one of the more famous kiosks, given its prime location with beach views and its large menu. The seafood mofongo there was great, but we weren’t as big of fans as the fried cassava.
- Vianda (San Juan): This upscale restaurant near the San Mateo neighborhood of San Juan has a rotating menu with local ingredients. We ended up sharing the tasting menu and really enjoyed the overall experience. The tuna appetizer was our favorite dish, but we also really liked the pasta, dessert, service, and atmosphere in general.
- El Jibarito (San Juan): This budget restaurant is a great lunch stop in San Juan’s Old Town. You may have to wait for a table since it is very popular, but the food and prices make it worth it. We loved the skirt steak in creole sauce and the beef and plantain turnovers.
- Tamboo (Rincon): Named the best Caribbean beach bar by USA Today in 2018, Tamboo is a great escape. It sits north of the surf town of Rincon on Puerto Rico’s west coast, and it has delicious upscale cocktails. With a deck overlooking a popular surfing beach, you can spend hours relaxing, enjoying your drinks, and people watching. On your way to Tamboo, it’s worth stopping to see Dome Beach and El Faro de Rincon (a nice lighthouse).
- Ocean Lab Brewing Co. (Airport): We enjoyed this brewery way more than we expected. It is part of a larger beach club, so it has a really cool atmosphere with great music. The beer and food were also awesome. Ocean Lab is right next to the airport, so it makes for a great last stop before you need to catch your flight home.
Other Tips & Tricks
- Where to Stay: San Juan makes for a great home base during your stay, but Puerto Rico is deceptively big. We recommend first picking out the activities that most interest you, then choosing accommodations that make sense geographically. Personally, we spent four nights in the San Juan area and three nights near Luquillo in the northeast. San Juan is great for dining and an easy access point to the western side of the island, and Luquillo is great for beach life and visiting El Yunque National Forest. If you’re especially interested in the bioluminescent bays, we’d recommend spending a night in Vieques to visit Mosquito Bay after dark.
- Getting Around: Renting a car is absolutely necessary in Puerto Rico. Local drivers can be a little reckless (like anywhere in the United States), so drive with caution.
- What to Pack: Aside from regular beach attire and sunscreen, we recommend bringing water shoes if you intend to visit the waterfalls in El Yunque. Hiking clothes and shoes will also be helpful for the National Forest.
Happy traveling!
Kitrina & Jordan
