I am going to Puerto Rico this weekend with the wife to visit a friend of hers. We will however, have plenty of time just the two of us. What are things we HAVE to do (other than visiting Javi Gonzalaz) and things we should definitely avoid? We will be staying just outside of San Juan but have a car at our disposal.

I know there were previous topics but they were at least a couple years old and possibly outdated.

1/10/2012 7:12:58 PM

I hear the bioluminescence bay is cool, according to my sister that went there a few months ago

1/10/2012 7:29:13 PM

el yuqué

[Edited on January 10, 2012 at 7:53 PM. Reason : the bio bays are probably too far away ]

1/10/2012 7:53:12 PM

^Seconded. Stayed in the rain forest for a couple of nights. Pretty cool.

1/10/2012 9:58:59 PM

el yunque

vieques island

Camauy (caverns)

Luquillo Beach

Bacardi and Captain Morgan distillery

And in the southern part of the island...
Ponce
Guanica
San German
Biolumescent Bay
Cabo Rojo lighthouse

[Edited on January 10, 2012 at 10:31 PM. Reason : I'm a rican yo]

1/10/2012 10:24:46 PM

San Juan is a really cool city just to hang around in, shop, and whatnot.

When I was there, they had some sort of 'flea market' type thing going on in the streets downtown. Not sure if this is a daily thing or what. Either way, downtown was cool.

El Yunque is cool. Words of advice, at least in my noob experience. The trails we took dont loop back to where you started them. We got about 3 miles in before realizing we had to turn around and walk back or else the trail was going to spit us out about 6-7 miles down the mountain.

The bioluminescence bay was pretty cool, too.

1/10/2012 11:49:21 PM

This place is great... http://www.toroverdepr.com/ The ziplines through the rain forest are ridiculous! Check out this vid: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lxiWwAsOFrc&feature=related

They also have mountain biking, climbing, ropes courses, hiking, etc.

[Edited on January 11, 2012 at 12:08 AM. Reason : s]

1/10/2012 11:51:57 PM

http://www.paradisescubasnorkelingpr.com/services.htm

These guys do a great snorkeling trip that includes a night dive in the bioluminescent bay. For $60 they take you to an awesome reef for about an hour. Then you get in the boat and go to another awesome reef for about an hour. Then you go back to the store and they give you all the beer you can drink and these little fried pie things that are really good while you wait for it to get dark. Once it's fully dark they take your drunk ass to the bioluminscent bay. When I was there a bunch of dolphins swam up to us and played around the boat for a while. It was crazy seeing these huge glowing trails zip through the water.

1/11/2012 12:07:30 AM

bump

I'm going with a group of four people in January and we're thinking about booking a condo or house through VRBO or something, but none of us has any clue where anything is or what neighborhoods to consider.

Being right next the the beach and semi-close to San Juan would be great, but other than that I have no idea where to look.

Any recommendations?

7/23/2013 8:37:23 PM

The Condado district is a nice part of San Juan to stay in.

7/23/2013 8:58:22 PM

cool. i'll start looking there

we'll have a car all week, so i'm not too worried about getting around

7/23/2013 9:26:54 PM

I for one hope there's still a pervasive yearning for statehood.

7/23/2013 9:49:22 PM

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Statehood_movement_in_Puerto_Rico#2012_statehood_vote

7/23/2013 10:19:21 PM

http://www.puertoricodaytrips.com/cueva-ventana/

Cueva Ventana. When we went last year for our honeymoon it wasn't so popular and was free. Now it costs a few bucks to get into and is a little more crowded. I'd still go check it out.

Since we were already down near Arecibo we went to the observatory as well. The two made a good day trip out of San Juan.

We rented an apartment in old san juan for the week through homeaway. I'd try that or AirBnB for apts and condos to stay in.

[Edited on July 23, 2013 at 11:18 PM. Reason : N]

7/23/2013 11:16:18 PM

anyone have experience getting to Vieques Island?

I found a place that looks pretty great, but I'm worried about the ferry system

7/26/2013 11:45:25 AM

^^I second cueva Ventana. It was a pretty awesome view.

Also, def go and hike in El Yunque. I had one of my favorite memories ever there. We walked to the top of a trail that ended at the peak of a mountain that had on old spanish observation tower on it. While at the top no one else was around and a cloud completely enveloped the tower. I was pretty sure, at that point, that my wife and I were the only people in the universe. It was amazing.

7/26/2013 2:55:22 PM

^^ Stayed at the W there 2 years ago. Short flight on a small plane fom San Juan airport.

7/26/2013 4:15:25 PM

just go to Old San Juan

7/26/2013 4:35:54 PM

Hotel El Convento in Old San Juan is amazing. My wife and I stayed there in May, then rented a car when we left Old San Juan and stayed at Rio Mar Wyndham Beach Resort near Rio Grande and Luquillo (to get some beach time). Rio Mar was convenient to anything on the Northeast part of the island (El Yunque, Fajardo Bio Bay), and a 5mminute drive to the Luquillo kioskos (good local restaurants for much better than resort prices).

[Edited on July 26, 2013 at 7:47 PM. Reason : .]

7/26/2013 7:47:21 PM

Quote :

"I'm going with a group of four people in January and we're thinking about booking a condo or house through VRBO or something, but none of us has any clue where anything is or what neighborhoods to consider."

I have to chime in again since PR is my motherland

Stay in Condado. Clean, fun and close to everything. I planned a batchelor party for my buddy and 4 other people last October. We stayed in a 3200 ft2 penthouse a couple blocks from Condado Beach that I found on VRBO. Rooftop decks on the mountain and sea side. $285 total per night (split between 5 people). It was the best trip of our lives.

If y'all do one thing in Puerto Rico you must drive to Fajardo and take the ferry to Culebra and go to Flamenco Beach. The ferry leaves Farjardo at 9 am (get there before 8:30 am) and Culebra at 4 pm (or 5 pm?). It's ~$5 each person. There's plenty of taxis when you get there that will take you to the beach and back for like $5. Grab dinner near Luquillo beach on your way back to the mainland and hit up the Luguna Grande bioluminescent bay after dark. You won't regret it.

PM if you need some more tips. I know the island well since I visit there yearly (Grandma and Dad live there).

[Edited on July 26, 2013 at 9:59 PM. Reason : and of course visit El Yunque...it's amazing too!]

7/26/2013 9:58:26 PM

Parking in Old San Juan can be a bitch. Even driving in/out without stopping can take forever when it's busy. Narrow streets, lots of cars, and lots of people in the road. It has a great atmosphere in the restaurant/bar/shopping district and I highly recommend you visit, but it can get a little sketchy as you get away from the retail spaces. There's no shortage of junkies milling about late at night and it can get pretty sketchy if you park outside of the commercial areas (in the housing areas that surround the commercial district) and have to walk back after being at the bars. The first time I went I parked at the top of the hill near the ocean after looking for a closer park for over 30 minutes, but I probably wouldn't do that again.

I'm not trying to scare you into not going there. It's just an FYI. I'd just take a cab if you were staying somewhere close such as the Condado strip. It's worth it not to have to worry with getting a car through the crowds and dealing with parking.

[Edited on July 28, 2013 at 5:30 PM. Reason : l]

7/28/2013 5:27:28 PM

^he's right about the condado thing but parking isn't that bad if you know where to go. Street parking blows but there is two main parking decks that are easily accessible and rarely full. The one off of Calle Recinto Sur is the one Ive parked at everytime and have had no problems. Avoid the tourist eateries on that street and head a little further into Old San juan for some good spots. I''ll PM you some suggestions.

[Edited on July 28, 2013 at 8:25 PM. Reason : yo]

7/28/2013 8:24:37 PM

the bus is perfectly easy to take to old san juan and back from condado and the other strip hotels for day trips.


If you're looking for cheap eats around Condado, this mexican place Hacienda Don Jose has fabulous food, and is right on the water. skip the places inside the large hotels and venture inside this place. it's worth the walk through a slightly dumpy neighborhood and the cheesy looking exterior to sit just a few feet from the crashing surf and chow down on the biggest chimichanga you've ever seen. they have breakfast too, so i had chimis and my dining companion had eggs.


http://www.yelp.ca/biz/hacienda-don-jose-san-juan-3

http://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g147320-d1084455-Reviews-Hacienda_Don_Jose-San_Juan_Puerto_Rico.html




ooh, one more thing, if you like flying kites and have a decent one, bring it to old san juan!! Everyone is always flying kites on the fort, and some guys there will sell you some shitty kites for 3 dollars that are ultimately frustrating because they are so fragile.

[Edited on July 29, 2013 at 8:47 AM. Reason : ]

7/29/2013 8:46:01 AM

^ & ^^ Yeah, I didn't know about the parking decks and we never really messed with the bus system. I had a rental car and a condo with parking in Condado, so we just counted on that for everything because it was (seemingly) convenient. Good to know in case I visit again, but I think my next trip will be focused on the Caribbean side of the island or surfing the beaches between Rincon and Isabela.

[Edited on July 29, 2013 at 10:04 AM. Reason : l]

7/29/2013 10:01:51 AM

hilton in poncé is also beautiful. probably the only good hotel around as well.

7/30/2013 5:49:38 PM

Found a condo in Old San Juan. Now if only January could hurry up...

8/7/2013 11:19:16 AM

Vieques is awesome and I can't recommend it enough. Stayed there for a week about 3 years ago. The beaches are like nothing I'd ever seen. A lot of the island was only recently opened up to the public because the Navy used to use the island for bomb testing. Basically all that means is that the beaches are pristine, nearly untouched. There are beaches you can walk onto and literally not see another person at all. You might see some wild horses running around but that's it.

There are some great restaurants on the island too. Bars can be fun there as well.

We stayed at Hacienda Tamarindo and it was incredible. Great place, great value, close to everything. The Bio bay is cool, but it's not like you should bust your ass trying to get there. It's pretty touristy.

The ferry was a little rough, but not hard to get to or deal with. Definitely don't let that discourage you.

8/7/2013 2:15:18 PM

definitely doing day trips to Vieques and El Yunque and thinking about Culebra as well.

Glad to be in the heart of Old San Juan so we can walk everywhere, but honestly out of everyone in my group, I'm the most excited about laying out on a nice sandy beach and getting in the water. PR beaches look like they rival Maui's...

8/7/2013 2:28:55 PM

Just booked a last minute trip to Puerto Rico...flying into San Juan on Dec 20th, flying out of Vieques on the 25th

Planning on spending 2 days on the main island and three in Vieques. For those of you that have been to Vieques, can you recommend a few "not to miss" items? We'll definitely do the bio bay, but it looks like we probably won't be able to get to EVERY beach, so if there are a couple that I should make sure I get to that would be good to know. Also, anywhere I should definitely eat?

I will have a Jeep, so no beach is off limits

[Edited on December 2, 2013 at 5:21 PM. Reason : as]

12/2/2013 5:20:21 PM

If you drive and have time, definitely hit El Yunque for a hike, and eat at the kiosks in Luquillo. I stayed in San Juan and Rio Grande so can't offer much at Vieques.

[Edited on December 2, 2013 at 10:03 PM. Reason : .]

12/2/2013 10:00:44 PM

îs that like a lechonera? we had to pull (way,way)off the road for gas on the way back from Poncé, and the route the GPS gave took us by a dozen of those things. we picked the one that looked most like it had proper sanitation, and everything we tried was just amazing.

[Edited on December 2, 2013 at 10:45 PM. Reason : (light years better than the 'fancied up' versions in san juan restos)]

12/2/2013 10:44:30 PM

Vieques is tiny, so you'll have plenty of time to see pretty much anything you'd want, which should mostly consist of beaches. There's not really a whole lot else to do there (other than maybe eating/drinking at some of the restaurants along the Malecon in Esperanza), which is probably for the best because it's a great spot to slow down and take it easy.

- Those in the National Wildlife Refuge on the east side of the island were by far my favorite, although it depends on what you're looking for as they typically have little to no facilities. We started at the east end and hopped between a bunch of them (Red, Blue, Secret, Plata, etc.), spending a half hour to a couple hours or more at each, depending on how suitable they were at the moment for swimming, snorkeling, seclusion, etc. They are all super close together and down the same stretch of 4WD-only "road", so it's not like you really have to pick a certain one and go with it for the day.

- The beaches on the northwest end (like Green) were far less impressive, in my opinion, but it was also not nearly as nice of a day and was still worth the short drive over to check out that side of the island. Passed some cool scenery and stopped at a couple nice little patches of sand going to/from.

- If you haven't booked your Bio Bay tour already, I'd also recommend the clear canoe tour through Vieques Adventure Company. It's about as cool as you'd expect to be able to see the glowing streaks underneath you as you paddle by. Try to book as close to the new moon as possible, of course, and don't be discouraged if there's rain in the forecast... it poured about 15 minutes after we put into the water and the whole bay lit up in response to the raindrops, which was amazing.

[Edited on December 3, 2013 at 1:37 AM. Reason : a]

12/3/2013 1:32:20 AM

Thanks guys...we don't have a car in San Juan, so I'm somewhat limited to where we can go there...pick up the car in Vieques

The clear canoe company you mentioned is booked already...so now I'm torn as to whether I should secure spots in another bio tour or keep bothering them and hope for cancellations

12/3/2013 9:20:31 AM

For those that have done the Bio Bay tour: There's a decent chance I'll end up renting a kayak for the majority of the time I'm there. Is there any major advantage to doing a tour as opposed to just going there on my own? (Besides the possibility of having a clear bottom)

12/4/2013 4:37:27 PM

Just make sure you carry a snorkel and mask. Be still with your face underwater long enough and you'll see some fish and other small marine life swim underneath you.

12/4/2013 6:42:03 PM

Uhh, not sure if I'm missing something about ^'s recommendation, but I would not recommend doing that as there are plenty of places to snorkel and it'd be pretty pointless to go to the bio bay during the day.

As far as renting your own kayak, it seemed like the road we took to access the bay was pretty rough, but I'm not sure if there are other access points or if the road would even be that bad if you weren't in a 15 passenger van. I don't know if there'd be a huge disadvantage otherwise, besides missing the info from the tour guide and just general awarness of the area (it was really dark when I was there and we were pretty far from the shore, so I'm not real sure I would have been able to find my way back to where we put in that easily). I definitely don't think you HAVE to have the clear bottom, but it was cool and worth trying to see if it was at least an option if you were otherwise booking at random.

12/4/2013 11:09:34 PM

I'm guessing he's saying just to stick your head in the water at night and you can see fish swimming around and creating the glowing under the water?

Essentially my situation right now is that the glass bottom place is all booked. We will probably rent a kayak for 2 days. We will also have a Wrangler rented for transportation. If spots open up on the glass bottom place we'll book that one regardless of whether we have our own kayak or not. But if they don't open up, how important is it to book a bio tour with another company that's got the same kayak I'll already have

12/5/2013 9:14:42 AM

^ This. Just pointing out that you'll enjoy it more if you can spend as much time with your face underwater as possible. Seeing it from the surface is only part of the fun. If you have to buy a snorkel and mask it might negate any savings you get by not going with a charter.

12/5/2013 10:43:18 AM

We actually already have our own snorkel stuff already, so all good there

That said...the rules these days seem to be that you aren't allowed to go in the water, so if I go with a tour will they even let me put my face in the water?

[Edited on December 5, 2013 at 10:51 AM. Reason : asdf]

12/5/2013 10:50:24 AM

Wife and I are planning a week vacation around April/May. We are trying to decide between Puerto Rico and Costa Rica. I know this thread will probably lean more PR but wanted to get some thoughts from those who may have been to both.

12/8/2013 3:03:37 PM

nvm

[Edited on December 8, 2013 at 10:33 PM. Reason : yo]

12/8/2013 10:31:33 PM

Bump. Bought ticket for July. About 5 of us are going and staying in San Juan. I've been reading on places to go on here so if there are any updates please share. Our plans are weekend explore the city bars, clubs w/e and then week days the beach and local attractions. Still researching.

Deliberately staying for World Cup Championship game

[Edited on May 19, 2014 at 3:42 PM. Reason : .]

5/19/2014 3:32:52 PM

I greatly preferred the Condado area to Old San Juan. The food in Old San Juan was mostly crap and it's really, really touristy. Honestly a day or two in Old San Juan to see the fort and sightsee was plenty. I couldn't wait to get out of there by the time our week was up.

5/19/2014 4:47:50 PM

Hotel El Convento in Old San Juan is amazing. Nice hotel in an old Spanish convent.

We opted to stay at a beach resort on the Northeast part of the island (Wyndham Rio Mar) after spending one night and about a day and a half in Old San Juan, which we used for beach time and as a base for outings to hike El Yunque, kayak the bio bay, and eat at the kiosks. If I had it to do over again I might do one more night in Old San Juan, but it is not the place to stay the whole trip if you are looking for beach time or excursions to other parts of the island.

Don't bother renting a car wile in Old San Juan though. A number of the car rental places will pick you up when you are ready for it.

5/19/2014 10:26:40 PM

How is driving over there? Did you guys drive or taxi?

5/20/2014 11:12:29 AM

It's pretty good for the most part. Pretty much all the roads were well-kept in my experience. They drive aggressively and traffic can be bad, but I did have any more trouble than I might have in Raleigh. GPS signal was pretty dependable throughout too, assuming you have a standalone GPS and not your phone

We rented a mid-sized sedan for the duration of our trip

Definitely explore El Yunque and nearby Luquillo beach. Eat the kiosks over that way, especially all the pionos and alcapurrias you can handle. There's so much fresh catch that you can find them stuffed with just about every seafood you can think of. The same goes for the ensaladas de whatever. They're somewhere between a ceviche and escabeche. One of the best I had was in Luquillo and it had conch that had been caught that morning.

[Edited on May 20, 2014 at 12:16 PM. Reason : .]

5/20/2014 12:04:36 PM

I found PR drivers to be absolutely insane. No concept of merging, signaling, or using the fast lane. I drove around the entire island, so I'd recommend a toll pass.

5/20/2014 12:23:52 PM

So is this song popular there, or only in The Bronx?

5/21/2014 2:13:07 AM