Puerto Rico

I recently spent twelve days visiting the island of Puerto Rico, and surprisingly, there is still a lot I didn’t have time to do.  I really enjoyed my time there and think it is likely I will be back – especially during the long cold winter in Washington DC.  Overall impressions were:  colorful, friendly, proud, beautiful, outside, water and jungle.   Based on my months of research and time there, here are some thoughts. 

San Juan:

I think two days in San Juan is about right.  I would highly recommend deconflicting your visit with the cruise ship schedule.  It makes a huge difference to see the Old Town without the extra tourists. 

Outside of Old Town, we ate at El Nuevo Acuario and loved it. This is a small, non-descript local place with a large seafood menu.  Everything was fantastic and the firecracker grouper was a group favorite.  The beef steak was also delicious.  Although note this is not a vegetarian friendly restaurant.  Inside the old city, our favorite meal was San German. 

Our entire group really enjoyed Ponce de Leon’s house, Casa Blanca.  This is a 30-minute stop of a beautiful house and garden that is a little farther than cruise ship passengers are willing to trek.  Museo de Las Americas was not a great stop but it has wonderful a/c so it was a much-needed respite.

Other favorite stops included El Maro, Cristoble fort, Poet’s Passage, and a walk along the Malecon.  While El Maro is the more popular of the two, we enjoyed Cristoble fort more.  There was more signage, it was less busy and there was more to explore.  We went to the very touristy Barrachina for the “original” pina colada.

When planning the trip, I wanted to stay at Convento hotel.  I didn’t due to the price, but I did walk through it when I was there and wish I had splurged.   

Vieques: 

My friends and I loved Vieques.  We stayed two nights and I think I could easily add a third.  You can fly from San Juan or take the ferry from Ceiba.  For the ferry, there is a large parking lot ($15 a day) with a small inefficient shuttle van.  Our ferry there did not have any outside seating options and the return ferry had a very small outside seating area.  Seating inside was cramped and heavily airconditioned.  There is no food or drink allowed on the ferry.  Only a small portion of tickets are sold in advance and I think it is well worth it to buy them online prior to alleviate having to change your plans or get to the ferry too early. 

In Vieques we used Maritza’s car rental. This is a small family business, and I am glad we used them.  They will pick you up at the ferry but frankly I think it is easier just to walk.  Golf carts are also an option for traveling around the island.

For a quick breakfast or lunch on arrival, we stopped at Cundeamors.  It recently opened and had a good selection of sandwiches and simple meals.  The entire establishment is outside inside a lovely courtyard area. 

While still in Isabel II (where the ferry arrives) we walked around Mirasol fortress and Sea Glass Beach.  The fortress was not open when we were there, and nobody was quite sure if it is ever open.  But it was nice to see if only from the outside.  Sea Glass Beach was a fun stop for an hour or so.  The beach is not very deep and there is not any good parking but it was fun to search for sea glass and have the place to ourselves. 

We stayed in Esperanza and I would make that choice again.  There is a lovely small strip of hotels and places to eat right on the Malecon.  We had a light dinner at Trade Winds, a drink on the rooftop of El Blok to see the sunset, and el Quenepo for an amazing dinner.

A  bioluminescence tour is a must do while in Vieques.  This is one of the few places on the planet to experience this phenomenon and is one of the best places to experience it.  I spent a lot of time picking the company I wanted to tour with and in the end I don’t think it matters.  It appears all the tours are the same.  I was disappointed when I got off the bus at the number of people waiting on tours but once we were out on the water, our small group was by ourselves.  For those that are nervous, the kayaking is not far or fast and you have about one hour in the water.   

Horse back riding on the beach was also a favorite activity.  It has been decades since I’ve been on a horse and I loved this!  I went with Colon Riding and I would choose them again. 

We also spent a day circumnavigating the island and visited the 400-year-old tree of life, Mosquito Pier, Crab Island Rum, the Puerto Ferro lighthouse and Caracas Beach.  Caracas Beach was beautiful and we wished we’d had more time there. 

Central / South Puerto Rico:

We drove East to West through the mountains, Ponce and San German.

Our first stop was Los Amigos on the Le Chonera (Hwy 184).  This area is known for its pork and it was definitely packed with locals.  I wanted to stop at some waterfalls but the weather was not cooperative and it was just too cold and rainy. 

Ponce isn’t a destination but was worth a stop to see architecture and the fire station.  If there, make sure to have ice-cream at Kings.  We would put it at the top of a short list for best ever!

We also stopped in the small town of San German which is the hometown of a friend of mine.  There are two beautiful small churches in town.  And while there is not a lot to do there, we actually returned the next day in order to attend the 3 Kings celebration which was an unexpected highlight of our trip.  I am not necessarily recommending everyone stop in San German.  However, I am strongly recommending that you keep your eyes & ears open, have a little flexibility and talk to locals. 

Western Puerto Rico:

We spent two nights in Western Puerto Rico which I would do again.  Casa Islena hits my short list for favorite hotels of all time.  It is a well-priced, small beautiful hotel with large rooms, right on the beach, a pool, with a delicious restaurant and bar.  One of my favorite activities was to get up and watch the surfers the morning. 

We also loved lunch at the Harbor Restaurant in town which is one the ocean and has a great vibe.  They also had my favorite sangria on island.   

Northern Puerto Rico:

We didn’t spend much time in the North but two stops worth mentioning is Cascada Gozalandia and Mar Chiquita beach.

Cascada Gozalandia is a busy spot with two waterfalls.  Parking is available for $10 and it is an easy paved path to the falls. The falls are fun for just hanging out and watching others use the rope swing or jump from the falls – or you can do it yourself.   There is also a restaurant and bar on site. 

Mar Chiquita Beach was beautiful and we had a lively split debate if it is better than Caracas Beach on Vieques. 

El Yunque: 

I love National Parks, rain forests and hiking.  I am glad we spent some time here, but the crowds were too much for me.  The park opens at 0800 and I recommend you arrive early (before 8) so you can have at least one hike without the crowds and traffic.  None of the hikes were difficult or technical.  Just ensure you have shoes with good tread.  There is only one road in and out and parking can be challenging.  After 9 or 10 AM the trails were packed and lost their appeal.  The park is free but there is a fee to visit the Visitors Center.

If staying near the park, we had dinner at Terruno Restaurant in Luquillo, and really enjoyed both the food and the live music.  One of my friends thought the coconut rice was the best she’d ever had.   

I heard horror stories about the airport.  I didn’t check a bag and found TSA took about 40 minutes.  I would plan on 2 – 2 ½ hours.