Just a short direct flight away from NYC, Puerto Rico is the perfect place for a week long getaway. For US citizens, no passport is needed and all you need to show is proof of vaccination, so it’s super accessible. While there is so much to explore, for first time visitors to Puerto Rico, five days is plenty of time to get a feel of the island. Read on to see some of my favorite things to do!
A note of caution: I am fully vaccinated and visited Puerto Rico before the delta variant spiked. That being said, with the variant spreading as its current rate, I don’t advise traveling unless it’s absolutely essential. If you haven’t gotten vaccinated already, please do so to stop the spread and keep yourself and your communities safe. Save this post for another time when it’s safe again to travel, and I hope you find it helpful!
We flew to San Juan on a Monday afternoon and flew back to New York on Friday, so we could settle in and relax on our travel days. This left us with three full days to explore the island, but if you can squeeze in another day or two, I highly recommend it.
Some general guidance: If you don’t have a rental car, I suggest making San Juan your home base, as everything is accessible by Uber. If you want to go further out, Uber isn’t as readily available so it’s recommended to schedule excursions that include transportation. We stayed in an Airbnb in the Ocean Park neighborhood (linked here) which was only a 3 minute walk to the beach (best thing ever!), 10 minute drive to Old San Juan, and ~15 minute drive to the airport! Ocean Park gave me California vibes, and it had a very neighborhood feel to it.
Here are the top things you must do on a short visit to Puerto Rico:
Explore Old San Juan
Spend your morning wandering the streets of Old San Juan! Old San Juan is very walkable (make sure to wear comfortable shoes), and there are so many cute pastel buildings around every corner. Paseo de la Princesa is a paved walkway along the water with street vendors selling local delicacies and crafts. If you’re able, stop by La Fortaleza and take some photos on the infamous Umbrella Street.
Check out Old San Juan’s many cafes and restaurants — here are some that were recommended to me by my local Puerto Rico friends:
- Caficultura
- Finca Cialitos
- Cafe Manolin
- El Jibarito
- Barrachina
- De Averdura
- Chocobar Cortes
- Cinema Bar
In the afternoon, be sure to walk around Castillo San Felipe del Morro, a historic landmark by the coast. It costs $10 to enter, but the grounds is huge and the history is so fascinating. You might even spot some friendly iguanas along the way!
Go on an Adventure Led by a Local
If you don’t have a car, Airbnb Experiences is a great way to go on a day trip led by a local Puerto Rican. Most of them have transportation included. For nature lovers, check out El Yunque National Forest, where you can hike, swim in waterfalls, and even zipline. When traveling, I always love seeing things through the eyes of a local and learning about all the hidden gems that I normally wouldn’t discover on my own. We went on an adventure along the North Coast, and it was seriously some of the most beautiful views I’ve ever seen. Shoutout to Marlene for being the best tour guide!
Our first stop was Cueva del Indio in Arecibo, a cave surrounded by dramatic cliffs facing the Atlantic Ocean. Here you’ll find pre-Columbian indigenous petroglyphs on the walls of the cave that tell a story of birthing rituals. I honestly felt like I was reading a history book live and in action. Be careful when cliff climbing, as the paths are steep and rocky. But the views are well worth it. The turquoise water was absolutely breathtaking, and I felt like I was transported to the Mediterranean. I couldn’t believe I was still in Puerto Rico!
Next up along our tour was Playa La Boca in Barceloneta, where you’ll find one of Puerto Rico’s only black sand beaches. This was my first time at a black sand beach, and trust me when I say, it’s so cool. The sand leaves your skin feeling super soft, it’s like getting a facial — fun fact, a lot of facial products actually have black sand as an ingredient. This beach is also a turtle nesting spot, so if you’re lucky, you might even catch some baby turtles hatching!
Puerto Rico is very hot and humid, so make sure you wear light and breathable clothing and tons of sunscreen. Here I’m wearing a light blue crop top and floral shorts from H&M, which were both very breezy.
Our third destination of the day was Playa Esperanza in Manatí, where we got to snorkel with some fish! The water was some of the clearest in my life. One of my friends from Puerto Rico said this is one of her favorite beaches, and I have to agree. If I could relax here all day, I would!
For our final stop, we went to Manatí Spring, where we ate some local fruit that we picked up at a street vendor earlier and cooled off after a long day. Puerto Rico was a trip of firsts for me, as this was my first time swimming in a natural spring! Seriously, how peaceful is this? There was one point when I was floating in the water, and all I could hear were birds chirping and leaves rustling, and it was so magical.
There’s something about tropical fruits… they just taste some much better when you’re in a tropical country, ha! This mango was the best and juiciest mango I’ve ever had in my life, and I also got to try a local fruit, quenepa. If you’ve ever had lychee or longan before, quenepa is similar except the flesh is pink and it tastes more tangy.
Go Horseback Riding Along the Beach
Horseback riding along the beach is one of my bucket list items, and I’m so happy that I got to do so in Puerto Rico! Carabalí Rainforest Adventure Park in Luquillo offers horseback rides both through a forest and to the beach. Definitely do the beach one if you can, since you’ll get more bang for your buck. They also offer go-karting and ATVing as well as transportation to and from the San Juan metro area. It was incredibly reliable and smooth. Just call the number on their website!
Meet Pikachu, the best boy. I miss this cutie! My swim top is BCBGeneration — this print also comes as a high waisted bikini bottom, one-piece swimsuit, or cover-up shorts. My cropped straight leg jeans are Madewell, and are probably the comfiest jeans I own. They were too long on me (like all jeans are) so I just cut them myself and left it with a distressed raw hem. I’d suggest sizing down, as I’m normally a size 25 and got size 24 in these, but they were still a bit loose. Sunglasses are Burberry from Nordstrom Rack!
Relax on the Beach
If you have time, take the ferry from Fajardo to Culebra or Vieques, home to some of the most beautiful beaches in the world. It may be hard to get to Fajardo without a car, so if money isn’t an issue, you can take a short ~30 minute flight from San Juan instead. If time is short, there are plenty of beaches to explore in San Juan! Condado is where most of the hotels are, but I prefer Ocean Park Beach, where the locals like to go — and you’ll find fewer, if any, tourists. 🙂
As I mentioned earlier, our Airbnb was just a 3 minute walk away from the beach, so most nights we’d grab dinner in the neighborhood. Ocean Park has so many different restaurants along Calle McCleary and Calle Loiza, so you’ll find all types of cuisines. Here are a few that were recommended by friends and our Airbnb host!
- Kasalta — President Obama went here during his visit to Puerto Rico!
- La Casita Blanca — where you’ll find “grandma style” traditional Puerto Rican dishes
- Pirilo — oven baked pizzas (try the “La Pampa”)
- Dulcesalado — great for breakfast and brunch!
- Bocca — Roman-style Italian pasta
- Shibo — Latin Asian fusion
- Acapulco Tacqueria — tacos
- La Cueva Del Mar — fresh seafood
- La Coffeetera — quick and easy coffee and breakfast
- Sabrina — international cuisine
Puerto Rico was such a nice escape, and five days clearly wasn’t enough to see all the island has to offer. I can’t wait to come back again someday! Have you ever been to Puerto? Drop some of your favorite spots in the comments below!
