Destination Overview
San Juan, Puerto Rico is an accessible tropical destination for those living in the US – whether it’s a family trip, a couples getaway or a weekend escape, there is so much this vibrant city can offer! We fell in love with the colorful buildings, friendly locals and beautiful coastline. In this destination guide, we’ve shared the most popular things to do in Puerto Rico.
Getting Around
Rental Car
If you’re planning to explore beyond San Juan—think El Yunque Rainforest or Luquillo Beach—a rental car is the most flexible and convenient option. We picked up our rental car through National directly at the airport and strategically booked an Airbnb that included parking. If you’re staying in Old San Juan, or even visiting for the day with the car, we recommend that you park at Dona Fela Parking Garage (315 C. Recinto Sur). The prices are reasonable and it’s on the outside of the old town so you don’t have to deal with navigating tiny streets!
Tip: Bring cash to pay at the parking garage kiosks since there is a minimum to use a card.
Taxis & Ride Shares
Taxis are widely available in San Juan, especially around the airport and major hotels. They typically operate on fixed fare zones rather than metered rides. Uber is also available in the San Juan metro area but service is limited outside the city (which is why we would recommend a rental car if possible).
Public Transportation
While we are usually in favor of using public transportation when traveling, it’s not the most practical choice in San Juan. There is a bus system (AMA) & a single metro line (Tren Urbano) that connects some ares with the city – however routes can be infrequent and not entirely reliable. We didn’t personally use public transporation, but the option is there if you’re feeling adventurous!
Where to Stay
Old San Juan
Old San Juan is a great place to stay for history & charm. Picture cobblestone streets, colorful colonial buildings, forts overlooking the sea and endless dining and nightlife! It’s incredibly walkable and best for first-time travelers to Puerto Rico.
Condado Beach
We stayed at an Airbnb in Condado. This area has more luxury hotels, trendy restaurants and beachfront lounging. You are still only ~5-10 minute drive into Old San Juan, which makes sightseeing accessible. This is great for travelers who want a balance of city access but time at the beach (or exploring outside of San Juan).
Most Popular Things to do in Puerto Rico
Whether you’re interested in history, hiking, the beach or even golf – we’ve got you covered with some can’t miss activities while visiting San Juan!
Castillo San Cristobal
Named after the patron Saint of travelers, Castillo San Cristobal is considered the largest fortress built in the Americas. It was built by the Spanish to protect San Juan from attack and it took over 150 years to complete. You can even see modern day additions made by the US Military during WWII. Your ticket also includes entrance to Castillo San Felipe del Morro, another historic fort in San Juan. We didn’t have time to visit either fortress but was able to admire it from the outside. This is definitely on our list for next time!
- Cost: $10
- More Information: Castillo San Cristobal
- Time Needed: 2 hours
San Juan Bautista Cathedral
San Juan Bautista is the oldest Cathedral in the United State’s, dating back to 1540. It’s free to enter (donations encouraged) and nice to walk around for a bit to admire the architecture or light a candle for a loved one.
- Cost: Free
- More Information: San Juan Bautista
- Time Needed: 15-30 minutes
Paseo de la Princesa & Fuente Raices
While in Old San Juan, we recommend a stroll down Paseo de la Princesa. At the end of the pedestrian street, there is a beautiful fountain next to the water. Fuente Raices was built to commemorate the 500th anniversary of Spain’s “discovery” of the New World. The fountain depicts bronze gods and goddesses of Taíno, European and African descent to represent the ethnic roots of the Puerto Rican people. While we didn’t catch the sunset here, we read that it’s a popular spot to watch the sun dip over the bay!
- Cost: Free
- Time Needed: 15 minutes
El Yunque Rainforest Tour
Arguably one of the most popular things to do in Puerto Rico is visiting El Yunque Rainforest and sliding down the natural waterslides – this was a highlight for us! We would recommend that everyone books a trip with a guide – as they will know how to get you to the swim spot & help keep you safe throughout the hike. We booked our El Yunque Rainforest tour* through Get Your Guide and had a fantastic experience. To read our full review, check out our previous blog post here: El Yunque Rainforest Tour.
- Cost: $58 per person
- More Information: ElYunque Rainforest Tour*
- Time Needed: 7 hours
Mi Gente Basketball Court
Located in La Perla neighborhood of San Juan, basketball fans can find Carmelo Anthony’s Basketball court called Mi Gente (“My People”). Carmelo Anthony is an NBA player who spent most of his career with the New York Knicks. His father was from Puerto Rico which was one of the reasons he built this court, as part of philanthropic efforts to give back to the community. We didn’t walk down to the court, but you can get a view of it from above from Old San Juan.
- Cost: Free (BYOB – Bring your own ball if you want to shoot some hoops)
- Time Needed: 15 minutes
Luquillo Beach
We spent our last full day in Puerto Rico at Luquillo Beach. It’s about ~1 hour drive from Old San Juan (~50 minutes from Condado) so you’ll need a rental car to visit. While you can rent lounge chairs & umbrellas here, since our Airbnb came with beach chairs, we decided to buy a $20 beach umbrella in Condado before we left to save some money.
Travel Tip: Many travelers get confused and stop at the Luquillo Kiosks to go to the beach there. This is a massive line of food & shop kiosks with the beach behind them but this is not the beach you want to spend the day at (more suitable for a quick meal). Many people reference a lot of trash & bad smells from the dumpsters behind the kiosks. Our recommendation is to continue up the road until you find the true entrance to Luquillo Beach. There is a small parking fee to visit for the day and the beach is only a short walk to get to.
- Cost: $2-$5 (Parking Fee – Depends on vehicle type)
- More Information: Luquillo Beach
- Time Needed: Half Day – Full Day
Bahia Beach Golf Club
Mark has been golfing for a few years now, but I recently got into it! After one of our friends recommended this golf course, I knew I had to surprise Mark with a round. In full transparency, this is an expensive course – but it’s worth it. To save some money, we recommend booking a “sunset” tee time. They start around ~2pm and it’s easy enough to get 18-holes in before the sun sets. This course is ~40 minute drive from Old San Juan (~30 minutes from Condado) so you’ll need to have a rental car to get there.
After the front nine, there is a bar where you can stop for a drink. It was extremely hot the day we golfed so we both got frozen piña coladas to cool off.
The course feels as though you’re in the rainforest (because you practically are – El Yunque is right there)! We even saw some iguanas strolling the fairways. Holes 15 & 18 are literally on the beach and it was so magical to golf with the waves crashing right next to you. We can truly say this was the most beautiful golf course we’ve played and would totally return!
- Cost: $165 – $250 per person (depending on season or time)
- More Information: Bahia Beach Golf Club
- Time Needed: 5+ hours
Where to Eat & Drink
Puerto Rican food is delicious! Below are a few things we recommend you try on your trip, as well as some of our favorite restaurants we dined at.
- Mofongo: Deep fried plantain pieces mashed with garlic and salt-cured pork (or other meat & seafoods).
- Tostones (savory) & Amarillos (sweet): Traditional ways to prepare plantains.
- Lechon Asado: Marinated pork in adobo that is slowly roasted over coals for several hours until meat is juicy and skin crispy.
- Frituras: Commonly found in open-air beachside restaurants, deep fried filled with meat or seafood.
- Arroz & Habichuelas: Rice & Beans are a traditional side dish. Beans are usually stewed and seasoned.
- Chuleta Kan-Kan: Large, bone-in pork chop that includes the loin, belly, and crispy skin.
- Tembleque: Silky coconut custard.
- Arroz con Dulce: Rice budding with cinnamon & raisins.
- Coquito: Puerto Rican egg nog made with condensed milk, coconut milk & rum.
Princesa
Princesa was recommended to us by a friend who is from Puerto Rico and is known for it’s traditional dishes. It’s located on Paseo de la Princesa – so very centrally located in Old San Juan. Inside, there are trees growing up through the ceiling, the lights are dimmed and they often have live music – so the ambiance is great! Mark tried the chuleta kan kan here, and it was delicious.
St. Germain Bistro
This restaurant was also a recommendation from our friend so we went for lunch one day. St. Germain Bistro is located in Old San Juan inside a cute pink building. There is seating inside but you can also order takeaway. We were recommended to try the Mallorca, but unfortunately didn’t get to try it since it’s only offered on their brunch menus on weekends. We still had a great meal and found the prices to be reasonable! They have some great options for vegans as well.
Luquillo Kiosks
We stopped at the Luquillo Kiosks as part of our El Yunque Rainforest tour. It’s located about ~1 hour from Old San Juan and a great place to have lunch if you’re visiting Luquillo Beach. There are countless stands serving a variety of food options. We had lunch at Rellena’o (Kisok #33), after our guide recommended it. The food was quick, affordable and delicious. This is a great place to grab a bite when on the go!
Factoria
Another popular thing to do in Puerto Rico is to experience the night life! Another recommendation from our friend was to visit Factoria – a bar in Old San Juan with music & dancing. We were both feeling a bit under the weather during our Puerto Rico trip, so we didn’t make it out past dinner sadly. This is definitely on our list to check out next time we are there!
Marmalade
Arguably the best meal of the trip (and easily in our top 3 best meals of all time) was at Marmalade, a fine-dining restaurant located in Old San Juan. This is an excellent place if you’re celebrating something special or want to treat yourself to a delicious meal – but you’ll want to ensure you have a reservation! We were celebrating our (dating) anniversary on this trip and had noted it in our reservation. They decorated the table with rose pedals, each server wished us a happy anniversary & they even put candles in your dessert with a special message – so the attention to detail was there!
There is a set cost of $145 per person for a 5-course meal. You get to choose from a a list of options for each course, except one – where they serve their traditional white bean soup. (We still dream about this soup it was so good!) If you want to upgrade your experience, you can do a wine pairing with each course for an added cost. We left this restaurant feeling celebrated, happy & full – could not recommend more!
Travel Tips
Puerto Rico is a US Territory
This may seem obvious but some people forget: Puerto Rico is a US territory, so you don’t need a passport to fly there (only a driver’s license with Real ID). This also means that the currency is US Dollars.
Expect rain showers
Even in the dry season, a tropical rain shower can move in quickly – especially in the late afternoons. They’re usually quick but we recommend packing an umbrella or light rain jacket to be prepared.
Use cash for small purchases
While credit cards are widely accepted in San Juan, when you venture outside the city to food kiosks or beach towns – cash is still king (specifically small bills). The parking garage in Old San Juan (mentioned in Getting Around section) also had a minimum to use a credit card, so it was helpful to use cash here as well.
Flags indicate beach conditions
Many beaches in Puerto Rico don’t have lifeguards so we recommend always checking for a flag to indicate weather conditions. For example, Condado beach isn’t always a great swim spot due to strong rip currents!
What to Pack
Light, Breathable Clothing
Puerto Rico’s tropical climate means warm weather with a lot of humidity year-round. Linen, cotton, and moisture-wicking fabrics will keep you comfortable while exploring.
Sunscreen
Since Puerto Rico is closer to the equator than mainland US, the UV Index is much higher. Bringing sunscreen to protect from sunburn is crucial to ensure an enjoyable trip (no one wants a sunburn on the first day of vacation)!
Waterproof Phone Case
If you plan to go on El Yunque Rainforst tour* (one of the most popular things to do in Puerto Rico) or even to the beach, we recommend bringing a waterproof phone case to ensure you can capture memories while keeping your mobile device safe. We’ve traveled on a few trips (including Puerto Rico) with these cases* and have never had a problem!
Hiking Boots or Water Shoes
Similar to above, if you plan to go to El Yunque, you will want to pack sturdy water shoes or waterproof hiking boots. You’ll be trekking through uneven terrain, mud & water. We wore our waterproof hiking boots* for the entire excursion (including swimming & waterslides) but our water shoes* probably would have worked as well.
Who is San Juan for?
San Juan, Puerto Rico is for a variety of travelers:
- Culture Seekers who want centuries-old forts & a vibrant mix of Spanish, African & Taíno heritage.
- Beach Lovers chasing turquoise waters, palm-fringed shores, and everything from lively resort beaches to completely secluded coves.
- Foodies who want to eat their way through fresh seafood, mofongo and endless roadside kiosks serving local specialties.
- Adventurers who are ready to hike through a rainforest & slide down a naturally made water slide.
- Weekend Wanderers (US) who want an easy, no-passport getaway with nonstop flights from major cities.
Puerto Rico blends the convenience of a U.S. territory with the beauty, flavor, and rhythm of the Caribbean—so you can make your trip as laid-back or action-packed as you want. This was one of those destinations that surpassed our expectations and we are already talking about going back again!
All of the recommendations in our destination guides are places we have personally stayed, dined or explored so you can get an authentic perspective. We will always be transparent if we haven’t personally done something or experienced it firsthand!
