Top Things to Do in San Juan, Puerto Rico

Top Things to Do in San Juan, Puerto Rico

One of the best winter getaways has to be to San Juan, Puerto Rico.

Where is San Juan?

San Juan is the capital of Puerto Rico, and the largest city on the island. It's on the northern edge of the country, so its beaches are part of the Atlantic ocean.

Puerto Rico is a U.S. colony, and all of it's people are considered U.S. citizens. Because of this, U.S. citizens do not need a passport to visit the island. 

Here are the top things to do in San Juan, Puerto Rico

Walk around Old San Juan

The city streets of Old San Juan are SO bright and colorful. Majority of the streets you walk down, you will see buildings painted in various colors.

Make sure you head to Calle de la Fortaleza, which is where you will see the umbrella lined street.

Plus, make sure you also go and walk around in Old San Juan at night! Everything is lit up. The nightlife is so fun, and it feels like a totally different place!

Go to El Yunque National Rainforest

Spend a few days in El Yunque National Forest. It is the only rainforest in the United States, and it's a large area of land. My friend Erica and I only planned to spend one day there, and we wish we had more time.

Check out Torre Mount Britton. 
There is plenty of hiking. We went to the top of Los Picachos to see the views. Be prepared for a decent amount of stairs at the top!

Visit Castillo San Felipe del Morro

Take a trip back in time as you walk through the halls of the two forts in Old San Juan. Learn about how these two forts served as protection for the island throughout history. 

As you walk around the upper levels, you'll see all sorts of ways people used the fort to stay on watch for invasions, including outlets like this.

Enjoy a Rum Tasting at Casa Bacardi

Such a fun experience! I highly recommend! We had a tasting for later in the afternoon, so we went a little early to be able to enjoy time there before our tasting.

During the tour, they take you all around the distillery. Then you finally make it to Casa Bacardi to begin tasting the rums.
I have much more of an appreciation for Bacardi and for rum after this tasting. I've only ever drank cheap rum. Now I also know how to smell rum without burning your nose hairs!

Enjoy a beach day in San Juan

The beaches in San Juan are beautiful. Many of the beaches are not connected, so if you're looking to take a long walk along the water, you will likely have to get off the beach a few times.

On occasion, I went over to the Hobie Beach and Isla Verde Beach West areas. Around the Hobie Beach area, I was able to find a few spots where I had the beach to myself, but many areas are only able to be accessed by hotel guests.
I spent majority of my time at Ocean Park Beach since it was the closest to my Airbnb.

Visit neighboring beaches to the east and west of San Juan

If you're willing to get outside of San Juan, many of the beaches to its east and west are worth the drive.

I had lunch at Mar Chiquita Beach and two adorable stray pups begged for my empandas. I seriously wanted to take them home with me. They were probably about 9 months old.
My favorite beach from my time on the island was Playa Puerto Nuevo. Here there is a swimming hole that's barricaded by cliffs, and every now and then the waves crash into the cliffs, then water streams down over the rocks. I was mesmerized, and I didn't want to leave, but my plan for the day was to beach hop my way west since I had rented a car.

Watch the Sunset from Mirador Gavillán

If you have a car and you're looking for a unique place to watch the sunset, I suggest heading to Mirado Gavillán. It overlooks the city of San Juan, and you can see all the way to the coastline. While I was there, I was fortunate to see a scattered shower pass over the coast, watching it from this viewpoint, and not getting rained on myself.

At Mirador Gavillán, you'll find multiple large chairs with flags painted on them. I was able to relax in the chair with the Puerto Rican flag.

 

San Juan is filled with so many great things to do. There really is something for everyone. Hiking, relaxing on the beach, shopping, delicious food, amazing people. I would love to go back!

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