Top Puerto Rico hotels
El Yunque Rainforest San Juan
5 Reviews One of the main things I wanted to do when we were in San Juan was to visit this rainforest. It is unique in the Caribbean and in the National Park/Forest system of the US. You should stop at the...
See All 73 Favorites in San Juan
Walking San Juan
11 Reviews Unfortunately, Old San Juan isn't pedestrian only. Many of the small cobbled stoned streets see heavy traffic and much of the old world charm that is Old San Juan is lost. Nonetheless, wander along...
See All 73 Favorites in San Juan
Plazas San Juan
5 Reviews Located in Old San Juan's main square on San Jose' Street is PLAZA DE ARMAS or ARMS SQUARE. It features four statues representing the four seasons and has served as a social meeting place for...
See All 73 Favorites in San Juan
Forts San Juan
12 Reviews El Moro is the predominant fort that most people notice as it is a big landmark in the harbor, especially if you approach or leave by cruise ship. It also has it's own site on Virtual Tourist. But...
See All 73 Favorites in San Juan
"Adoquines" San Juan
1 Review Since I was a child I had always wondered about these "blue brick streets" and while on my last visit to Old San Juan I asked my mom. Mom told me that the cobble stoned streets in Old San Juan are...
See All 73 Favorites in San Juan
This is crazy I know, but the view from the porch in the women's bathroom in El Morro is amazing! It is high enough and there is nothing in front to block a complete view. I'd say it is the best view at El Morro!
There is still an existing class system in Puerto Rico- meaning that the rich have their own maids/helpers. This is a remnant from the Spanish regime. The landowners (hacienderos) have their own helpers/workers (not considered employees) in their plantations.The rich people (the older ones) do not eat in the same place as their workers.The rich people also go to private schools and it is a status symbol to them while the poor people go to the public schools.
Travelling with a big group is really difficult and a real challenge because each one has their own agendum. If you are travelling with a group and you know that each one is very responsible, it is better to have a meeting place that is at the center of San Juan and that it is easy to find and divide the group into two or three's or four's (depending how large your group) and let their group decide where to go. Decide on what time you are to meet at the designated meeting place.In old San Juan, our meeting place was at the front of the Department of Tourism - which is close to the parking lot where we parked our van and it is easier to find. We decided to split our group and have one leader and they decided where to go - visit the El Morro castle or go shopping.When you decide to visit the El Morro castle, understand that there's a lot of walking involved and it is very far to walk (for...
The flora and fauna in Puerto Rico is gorgeous. They have beautiful mountains crowded with lush trees! And, those trees and flowers are beautiful... I just loved taking pictures of the wild flowers
The food in Puerto Rico is so great. I had the best Spanish rice! Their tamales are also great! And, those fried planteens are delicious! The best thing about the Spanish food is that they mix their rice with black beans or pigeon peas. This is very healthy. I also like the idea of having planteens as the side dish! The food is wonderful! I love our cook in Maricao. She is the best! She can feed a batallion! I had the best stove-baked turkey!
The first night in Indiera, Maricao, I slept fine because I was extremely tired from travelling. That night, the Cocqui noise didn't bother me at all. Cocqui is a small frog and they make this noise that sounds like Ko-ki. There are so many of them and they make this very loud noise. The second night, the Cocqui noise was louder and it gets magnified all over the forest where we were staying. But, since it also rained at night, the noise of the Cocqui and the rain were great sounds for me and it made me fall asleep and slept better!I love the noise of the Cocqui to be honest. I kind of miss it. The flora and fauna in Puerto Rico is a bliss. It is so green and beautiful. It's a paradise...
Get used to the weather of Puerto Rico. It sometimes rain early in the morning and then the whole afternoon it becomes sunny. Before our group left for Puerto Rico, we invited a Puerto Rican guy to give us information about the weather of Puerto Rico. He told us that growing up in Puerto Rico, they used to play with the rain since it rains almost everyday. But, he said that it only rains in the morning and then all of a sudden, it will stop. He also said that the raindrops are huge!My first day in Puerto Rico, I found out that the raindrops are huge. These would fall like a bomb on our windshield driving from the airport to our destination. It rained for about two hours and then it stopped. This was the weather for the whole week we were up in the jungles of Indiera Alta- a four-hour drive from the Old San Juan.I got used to the weather on the third day and I just loved listening to the...
Driving in Puerto Rico is a lot of fun. A lot of people warned me that Puerto Ricans drive badly but the reality is that they drive in the subjective. That is to say, they drive as if the rules of the road are a bit fuzzy or open to interpretation or common sense. Instead of saying something like "You must stop for a red light" you should think of it as "You should stop for a red light" as in it is highly recommended and you usually will, but there may be certain times when you don't should common sense or circumstance dictate. This attitude is remarkably easy to adopt and in some ways makes more sense than mindlessly adhering to abstract rules. Puerto Ricans merge when they think they have enough room. You "should" have at least two car lengths to merge, but if it is a clear day and traffic is moving at a consistent speed, your car is small... hey, why not?
One thing that slowly dawned on me over the course of our visit, was that Puerto Rico is not very touristy. Old San Juan is, but the city and island as a whole are not. Puerto Rico is a wowrking and comparatively thriving island economy, with the business of finance and education, government and commerce taking place in San Juan and most manufacturing located in Ponce. The smaller cities tend to struggle, but are easygoing towns that focus on the sea and fishing, or the nuts and bolts of rural life as everywhere else. Rural Puerto Rico does a lot of things like road maintenance, staff hospitals, retail work, fix cars etc. The best thing about Puerto Rico's non-touristy aspect is that you go local with surprising ease. You don't get out of the tourist areas, there are none. You don't seek out local restaurants, they're all around you. You shop in the same stores locals do, you eat the...
Correct! So, just be prepared for the worst (e.g., torrential rains, heavy downpours, gloomy skies, etc.) around then, but also that the weather may be on your side this August as the climate is changing with "global warming." We may never know. Let's hope for the best. Good Luck & Enjoy Beautiful Puerto Rico!
Hotel Baños de Coamo Puerto Rico
1 Review and 27 Opinions This has been a spa resort where guests can enjoy the therapeutic effects of the therman waters...
Hotel El Convento San Juan
5 Reviews and 809 Opinions The staff was great...the rooms were great...the only place you would want to stay in Old San Juan!
Bravo Beach Hotel Vieques
8 Opinions
Reviews and photos of Puerto Rico attractions posted by real travelers and locals. The best tips for Puerto Rico sightseeing.
Q: Looking for info on the various Carnavals and if its ok for kids? If so, which city? My wife and 2 sons (6 and 8) are traveling...
A: The Carnaval is in Ponce, a city in Puerto Rico. The Carnaval is like the Rio de Janeiro carnaval. I have not attended one in Puerto Rico because I was there last June....
Read 2 Replies
