Best Things To Do in Puerto Rico 2022: Travel Tips, Exclusive Experiences, Amazing Food & More!
- Safuan Saleh
- Jun 20, 2022
- 7 min read
Updated: Oct 27, 2022
How to start planing your vacation in Puerto Rico
When traveling to the enchanted archipelago paradise that is Puerto Rico, you're going to want to know a few things before you land or even book your flight.
Taking into account the most popular, highest reviewed destinations we combine all our local knowledge and other variables like prices, low and high tourist seasons along with most ideal locations. We can explain our experiences and share tips that only a local can provide, sharing details that can make your vacation memorable and the best it can be.
Most of the locations we are about to list are accessible and near the town/pueblo of San Juan which is where most people tend to rent their Airbnb’s or book a hotel room. Depending on your particular needs and expectations during your vacation this can very well be the first mistake people can make. Why?
If you want to see the rest of the 77 towns you will probably want to choose a halfway point between all the locations you want to visit to keep drives short. Why would you want to see the other towns?
Because if we put Old San Juan aside, there's much more to see, discover and fall in love with out in the rest of the island. Playa Escondida, Playa Buye, La Parguera, Culebra and Vieques islands are just a few of the amazing destinations to consider while in Puerto Rico.
Research what beaches, caves, rivers, waterfalls you want to visit first. Plan out the must see places you will want to engage with during your stay. Read up on opening hours, some may not have that and even call ahead and ask if they are open the day you plan on visiting. Some beaches and locations require parking your car on the street and hiking through diverse areas before getting to your destination, keep that in mind. Google might not be as accurate as you might expect with business hours so make sure and call and ask if you want to be sure.
Transportation:
Use Uber once you arrive to get to your hotel, airbnb or hostel. They are cheaper as long as you are staying in the San Juan area. Overall nicer and way cheaper than Taxis. Public transportation in Puerto Rico is limited to AMA buses that run every weekday but are usually late and generally unreliable if you are trying to get somewhere on time. We also have a limited Train system called Tren Urbano, that only stretches from Bayamon to San Juan. We highly recommend renting a car, especially if you plan on traveling a lot or have destinations in any other towns outside of San Juan while you stay.
All the same road rules that apply in the U.S. translate to Puerto Rico. Parking can be tricky and we generally recommend to park in a well lit areas, parking structures or lots if available. If at the beach or river, plan ahead and don't leave any valuables or electronics in the car. Keep a couple dollars in cash for any parking lots that are clandestine lots.
When to visit:
Hotels, Airbnb’s, rental cars, tours and other vacation purchases are usually cheaper from August until November excluding holidays dates. And yes We highly recommend you rent a car but that also depends on how long you stay and if you want to see more of the island than just San Juan.
We highly recommend you leave San Juan while you are in Puerto Rico, why? Because the best beaches, views, rivers and landscapes are all present in the rest of the beautiful 77 towns of the island of Puerto Rico. Yes we have a total of 78 towns and no we wouldn’t have it any other way, as you might have noticed if you ever visited we are very proud and that extends to each of our hometowns in Puerto Rico.
These top 5 places to visit are mostly in San Juan for those of you who are already planning on staying close by. If not we will update you with another post that explains and lists out other locations you will want to see outside of San Juan.
#5 Playa Ocean Park
Straight of the bat i have to share with you all that the best beaches in Puerto Rico are all outside of San Juan and worth planning ahead to go to. But as a local there is a very relationship with this beach, we hate it at times because it doesn’t best represent the rest of the beaches on the island and can get crowded in the summer or holidays.We love it because it's the closest beach in the metropolitan area (which consists of the towns of San Juan, Carolina, Bayamon, Guaynabo and Caguas.)
Even when crowded there is always more than enough space for everyone and it’s just convenient to go to and not have a long drive back to your home, Airbnb or hotel. There's plenty of kite surfers out in the water on a windy day and people exercising and playing beach volleyball. Many people take their dogs too so its a great place to just soak it all in.
Important to Know:
There are NO LIFEGUARDS at this beach and most others in Puerto Rico. Keep that in mind and make sure you look at local weather and marine advisories before you enter any beach. Ask locals and stay in touch with the weather reports while you are going to be in Puerto Rico to make the best out of your time while staying safe.
*Avoid Condado beach entirely as it has dangerous currents and has been known for being deadly to foreigners and locals alike!
#4 Calle Loiza
Welcome to one of the most popular streets in all of San Juan, some would go as far as saying completely and utterly gentrified. Now a major Airbnb hub as well as common place for hostels and boutique hotels. There are a lot of humble, deserving, local grass-roots businesses to patronize. Here you can find many unique locally made or sourced items that are a better choices than cheap knick-knacks that you find in Old San Juan and have a all been made in China. (P.S.A. in Puerto Rico we call orange juice, "Jugo de china" not to be confused with the country)
It also helps that it’s within walking distance from Ocean Park beach and the Condado area in San Juan. Make sure you go explore it and buy fruit from a street vendor, enjoy one of the local restaurants, coffee shops and bars.
Places we love:
Molinis (Puertorrican Restaurant)
Ana’s Cafe (Dominican Restaurant)
Acapulco (Mexican Restaurant)
Yoko (Japanese Restaurant)
Double Cake (Pastry Shop)
Pinky’s (Breakfast)
Cueva Del Mar (Seafood Restaurant)
Cafe Marquesa (Coffee Shop)
Café con C (Coffee Shop)
Monti (Smoke Boutique)
#3 Piñones
A cherished must-do for a lot of puertoricans and returning visitors alike, the Afro-Caribbean culture, food and music make it easy to love in its own right. Loiza has a long beachside road covered with restaurants and bars that we refer to as Kiosko’s.
You will find the most authentic food, at reasonable prices all while you’re close to the airport and just a few minutes away from being back in San Juan.
The main issue is how to get there. If you choose not to rent your own car while you stay here this and other top things to do in Puerto Rico will be hard to get to or just unreasonably expensive depending on your budget. If you will Uber or Taxi your way there avoid going on Sunday when its packed and hard to get into.
Kioskos we love:
El Boricua Kiosko, food stand.
La Frutera, Fruit & Smoothie Stand.
Dos Pinos
#2 Old San Juan at Night
Underestimated and memorable nightlife locations galore, Old San Juan is great during the day but even better at night. Sometimes ignored and overlooked as a night life destination because of other locations like its sister county of the Condado strip or La Plazita de Santurce, Old San Juan is unique in what it offers at night.
There are some more obvious reasons to come here during the day time like checking out El Castillo San Felipe El Morro and San Cristobal forts that are part of U.S. National Parks system. Or Iglesia de San Jose built in 1532 and Cathedral Basilica Menor second oldest in all of the Americas. There are art galleries, restaurants and just walking these cobblestone streets in itself is an enriching experience and could be a day-long affair.But I can say for a fact that if you avoid Old San Juan as a night time location you're missing out.
La Factoria is a great example, one of the top 50 bars in the world, stepping inside the inconspicuous entrance with no logo or sign anywhere you find yourself deciding upon a diverse array of room ambiences, music and cocktail menu options. Once you walk into this space look for the doors next to the bar and discover all the hidden spaces with different music and moods, menus to each one. Dance to salsa music and enjoy a part of our culture and heritage, or hop on over to the next room that’s speakeasy and have a conversation. Theres 3 more rooms to choose from and i wont spoil it all for you so go check them out when in Old San Juan.
Places We Love:
La Factoria
La Taberna Lupulo
El Batey
Monostereo
#1 El Yunque Rainforest
The second most visited attraction in Puerto Rico El Yunque is tropical rainforest is 24,000 acres of protected land that crosses 9 towns across the northern east side. More than 750,000 citizens get their water directly from 10 rivers in and around El Yunque with more than 508cm of rainfall every year. Its estimated that it rains for at least one hour daily during 156 days a year. That being said, it is an incredible place to explore and just witness the biodiversity, breathtaking landscapes and natural majestic surroundings.
Lately more people have opted to book a guided tour instead, it's a cheaper option as opposed to renting a car or Ubering there.Taxis are too expensive and so is Uber and with limited or no cellphone reception how would you even get back?
Here is an example if you booked a guided tour that includes pick-up and drop-off, a certified guide and access to a short and entertaining 20 minute hike each way. Why should you pick a guide? They will help you better understand the only tropical rainforest in the U.S., its biodiversity, the geography and history all while keeping you safe in the rainforest.
We recommend you pay $89-$109 for a tour instead of paying $150 each way to go at it alone using Uber or taxi or renting a car and driving yourself to remote locations with poor cell phone service and no local guidance.
We recommend you go directly to the official website
Safu Tours has been in business for over 5 years with 99% 5 star reviews on Airbnb and Google. We specialize in a personalized experience of small groups of 4 with the best guides in Puerto Rico. Learn about local biodiversity and jump into fresh water pools or slide down a natural water slide all safely and with an expert by your side.
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