If you enjoy traveling the world and are looking for your next great adventure, you came to the right place. Puerto Rico is the perfect destination for any type of visitor, from singles to couples or families with children. With its thriving cultural scene, beautiful architecture, vibrant nightlife, and delicious cuisine, this small island is the best tourist destination in the Caribbean.
Not to mention the warm weather, various sandy beaches, and the sparkling clear waters that you can experience all year around. No trip to Puerto Rico is complete without enjoying its wonderful beaches, from Condado and El Escambrón to Luquillo and Montserrat. After a catamaran trip you can access Culebra Island, a beautiful island east of Puerto Rico. Among things to do in Puerto Rico, you can snorkel and enjoy the colors of the Caribbean Sea.
Puerto Rico has the longest Christmas season in the world. It starts the day after Thanksgiving (some might even dare to include Thanksgiving in the holiday) and ends almost at the end of January with the Fiestas de la Calle San Sebastián. This is a party that spans pretty much over 4 days in Old San Juan, with tons of music, dancing, food, drinks, and artisans.
And it is ONE HECK OF A WILD PARTY. If you're not in the mood for the craziness, you can still go there to enjoy the artisans, food and other amenities at a more leisure pace. Puerto Rico's beautiful beaches and sparkling waters make it an ideal location for people searching for a relaxing vacation on a paradise island.
And if we managed to spark your interest in this paradisian island, we also made a list of the best places to visit in Puerto Rico. Join us in a journey of discovery of the many wonders this Caribbean island has to offer.
1. Sitio Histórico de San Juan
San Juan is the island's largest city and the capital of Puerto Rico, best known for its numerous hotels, beach bars, and casinos. However, don't let the now modern energy of the city trick you. You can discover many historical surprises by just walking down the streets. After all, you have arrived in the Americas' second oldest city, with buildings dating back to the 16th and 17th centuries.
San Juan is the city in Puerto Rico where the old and the new meet on the streets. Hundreds of restored structures that have been listed on the UNESCO World Heritage Site list since 1983 showcase the beauty of Spanish colonial architecture at any corner. Furthermore, the colonial district of Old San Juan is home to some impressive monuments such as the Puerta de San Juan, La Capilla del Cristo, El Paseo la Princesa, and La Fortaleza. Visit them if you want to take a step back in time.
2. La Placita de Santurce
At the opposite cultural pole of the Old San Juan district, there is the Santurce neighborhood. This part of the city is the largest art district in the Caribbean and the modern cultural center of San Juan. Here you can have a taste of the rich culture, delicious food, and incredible art scene. The lively streets are filled with museums, theaters, restaurants, and cafes.
In addition, the murals that decorate most of the buildings along Calle Cerra make the streets vibrate with color. So if you want to meet the locals and have a great fun day, or night, visit the Santurce neighborhood. It's one of the best places to visit in Puerto Rico for those looking for a good party.
3. Bahía Bioluminiscente
Here you can find Flamenco Beach, the best beach in the world and Vieques where a phenomenon of bioluminescence occurs that makes its waters shine with fluorescent colors during the night, due to the presence of unique microorganisms that cause this effect.
Vieques is a small Caribbean island of Puerto Rico, found just eight miles from the mainland. It is home to Puerto Rico's only black sand beach, Playa Negra, and the Vieques Wildlife Natural Refuge. There, you might get the chance to see the wild horses wandering free. But the most stunning area of the island, however, is Mosquito Bay.
Here, the microscopic critters living in the shallow waters cause a unique phenomenon. They make the waters glow bright blue, lighting up the lagoons at night. And even if Puerto Rico has two more bioluminescent bays, Laguna Grande and La Parguera, Mosquito Bay is still the most impressive. As a matter of fact, it is the brightest in the world.
So, make sure not to miss out on admiring its glistening beauty from the water or the shoreline. It will make you believe that magic is real.
4. Cayo Santiago
Cayo Santiago is a small island just 2 kilometers away from the eastern coast of Puerto Rico. It is also known as Monkey Island because of the large population of Rhesus monkeys who reside there. The unusual inhabitants have been roaming free since 1938, when about 400 of them were brought to the island. Unfortunately, stepping on the island is not permitted, but you may view the monkeys from the water.
There are enough kayak and boat tours that bring you up close. So take a camera with you to take pictures of the monkeys in their natural habitat. And if you want to carry your camera safely to Puerto Rico, make sure to rent a safe and eco-friendly moving bin. The experts from capitalcitybins.us recommend them for the maximum protection and comfort of your valuables during a trip.
5. Caves of Rio Camuy
The 200 feet deep cave system covers almost 300 acres and has access to 220 caves, making it the third-largest cave network in the world. The Rio Camuy Caves are now a preserved area known as Cueva Clara Empalme and part of the Rio Camuy Cave Park. Inside the rooms of the caves, you can admire the high ceilings, stalagmites and stalactites, and lush green walls.
In addition, the rushing rivers and beautiful waterfalls make the caves a true natural wonder. Also, as an extra treat during the guided tours, you might have the chance to catch a glimpse of the famous inhabitants of the caves. Millions of bats from thirteen different species can be seen hanging from the ceilings of the caves.
6. El Yunque National Rainforest
The rainforests in Puerto Rico are a must-see. A trip to Puerto Rico isn't really complete without a visit to this natural wonder which graces Puerto Rico's natural beauty in the US territory's version of the American quarter in the US National Parks series. In Puerto Rico is the Caribbean National Forest, known as El Yunque (The Anvil) from the shape of its highest peak.
It's the only tropical rainforest in the entire US National Forest System. It is about 1 hour's drive east of the capital city of San Juan and is a prime tourist destination that is frequently visited by tourists and locals.
If you want to experience another breathtaking natural wonder of Puerto Rico, El Yunque National Rainforest is the place to visit. Spread along the Luquillo Mountains, this natural jewel spreads on 29.000 acres, with a peak of 3461 feet and a breathtaking cascade, La Coca Falls, standing 85 feet tall.
The high quantity of precipitation, 100 billion gallons, makes the rainforest a perfect place for exotic vegetation to flourish. And you can admire it all by taking a hike on one of the 13 trails that go through the park. More than 240 species of trees and plants, including 50 different species of orchids, will make you feel like you have arrived in paradise.
What you can find there is luscious tropical vegetation beyond belief in addition to hiking trails and some day camping facilities. There's a paved road that snakes its way all the way to the highest point and there's abundant water everywhere in the form of pristine streams, waterfalls and ponds because the place gets 300 days of rain a year.
The rainforest comprises 28,000 acres and is so lush that it actually creates its own micro climate and its own rain and water cycles. Actually the place is so wet that air humidity frequently reaches 100% which means that the ambient air will hold as much water vapor as it can at a given temperature.
Because it's located at a higher elevation than Puerto Rico's coastal plain (as much as 3,500 feet) it's actually about 10 to 15 degrees Fahrenheit cooler than the territory's average temperature of 90º to 100º (F) in summer and 70º to 80º (F) in winter. El Yunque is home to several endemic animal and plant species including many threatened with extinction such as the Puerto Rican parrot.
Furthermore, the wildlife is also remarkable and unique, with numerous species found exclusively in this part of the world. El Yunque National Rainforest is definitely one of the best places to visit in Puerto Rico. There are a number of very good local restaurants serving traditional Puerto Rican food on the way to El Yunque for all budgets and tastes.
7. Casa Bacardí
Immerse yourself in the monumental legacy of the Old Town of Old San Juan and visit the Bacardí Rum distillery.
When and for how long to visit Puerto Rico?
Although the temperature is pleasant all year, the dry season is the best time to visit the Island of Enchantment. This means you'll have plenty of time to explore the Caribbean island from December to May. And even if it is peak season, with more tourists and higher prices, it will be worth every penny.
Also, if you are planning to visit for a weekend or just a few days, prepare to expand your stay. You'll need at least a week to see all the key attractions on the island and in the surrounding area. So rent a storage unit where you can keep important items protected while away and travel relaxed. If you keep your valuables safe, you can expand your vacation for as long as you want.
The most natural way to get to Puerto Rico is by flight, and the good thing is that San Juan has many connections and it is likely that you can get cheaper air tickets from cities like Miami or New York. As for the airlines, the one with the highest number of destinations from Puerto Rico is American Airlines. On the other hand, it is also possible to arrive by sea to Puerto Rico, usually if you are taking a Caribbean cruise.
It is possible to travel from Santo Domingo to Puerto Rico by ferry, for relatively cheap prices compared to the airplane. It is possible to find cheap hostels in San Juan from 20 USD if you search well.
Conclusion
Puerto Rico is the ideal place for leisure and relaxation, as well as adventures and discoveries. The secluded beaches, virgin forests, warm waters, and breathtaking sunsets make this island a piece of heaven on earth. And we didn't even mention the tasty cocktails or the delicious food. So make a point of visiting Puerto Rico.
We guarantee that you will enjoy every minute of it. And if you want to really make your journey memorable, check out all the best places to visit in Puerto Rico that we mentioned in our article.