Puerto Rico Travel Highlights
On a crisp October evening, I spontaneously decided to book a flight to Puerto Rico. At the time, Southwest had a 50% discount on most of its fares, and I wanted to seize the opportunity. So, I snagged a round trip ticket from Raleigh to San Juan for $150. Although I am pretty meticulous planner for most aspects of my life, I always make room for spontaneity when it comes to adventure. If I was going to get four days off from school, wouldn’t it be the best use of my time if I travelled to Puerto Rico? I certainly think so.
It turns out, February is one of the best months to travel in Puerto Rico. The humidity hasn’t kicked in just yet, so you get to enjoy the warm weather with a nice breeze. It is also the cheapest time to fly to Puerto Rico as well. February is the month before spring break, and most people are still “recovering” from all of the travel they did a few months before. As a tourist, this is ideal because it is far less crowded at all of the popular attractions. You get to experience it all without the long wait times.
Overall, I enjoyed my time in Puerto Rico. This was truly a unique bonding experience for me and my friends. I got to check off a lot of things from my bucket list. If you ever find yourself with the urge to visit this tropical location, here are a couple of places that I recommend for you to check out!
1. El Yunque National Forest
El Yunque National Forest is the only tropical rainforest in the U.S. national forest system. It is a 45-minute drive from San Juan, and the perfect place for an adventurous hike. Last year, the U.S. Forest Service opened up the park to everyone for free. However, there’s a catch. Admission to the park is on a first-come first-serve basis. For that reason, we got there as soon as the park opened to ensure that we wouldn’t be turned away. If you ever decide to go, I highly recommend this strategy because you will have to wait for the admitted parties to leave in order to be let into the park. As we left the park, we saw a rather long line of cars waiting to be admitted. Because we came early, admission to the park was a breeze.
The two trails that are worth visiting are El Yunque Peak and Juan Diego Creek. When we visited, the peak was marked “closed,” but there is actually a roundabout way you can get to the peak from the Mount Britton trail. If the map still says “closed” when you visit, don’t be fooled. You can access El Yunque Peak through the paved road at the end of the Mount Britton trail. I believe the main trail to El Yunque is a moderate hike. But if you are trying to get to the peak through Mount Britton, it is pretty hard. The paved road is a steep incline to the top, and we were all on the struggle bus for the last half of the hike. However, the 360-degree view of the island was totally worth it.
Juan Diego Creek is a much shorter hike than El Yunque, but I would say it is significantly more difficult. You actually have to scale a mountain to get to the waterfall. As I was holding onto this tree for dear life, I kept thinking to myself, “What did TLC say? Oh yea, don’t go chasing waterfalls.” But just like El Yunque Peak, the waterfall was worth it. My whole group and I wore our swimsuits so that we could take a dip in the waterfall. The water was very cold, but we had so much fun taking pictures and admiring the natural beauty of this place. I would exercise a lot of caution hiking up Juan Diego Creek. If you are not very comfortable hiking and climbing, this might not be the best excursion for you.
El Yunque Forest has plenty of trails to explore. You could honestly spend multiple days at the forest since there is so much to see. If you’re going with a more adventurous group, I would definitely go see El Yunque Peak and Juan Diego Creek. It is the perfect rainforest adventure.
2. Arecibo Adventure Tour
The Arecibo Adventure Tour was by far the best thing we did on this trip. No kidding. Initially, my friends and I wanted to do the El Toro zipline adventure park which is supposed to be the longest zipline in the world. But as we were discussing how we wanted to spend our last full day in Puerto Rico, I came across the Arecibo Adventure Tour in the Airbnb experiences section. Piquing our interest with the promises of ziplining and more, we decided to take a leap of faith and opted for this unconventional adventure. Little did we know that this $85 investment would turn out to be the best decision of the entire journey. The tour seamlessly blended the thrills of ziplining, cliff jumping, and tubing down a river, crafting a six-hour odyssey that left us awe-inspired. My friends and I had a blast.
The tour is in a secluded part of the island and a truly unique place to visit. It is about a 1-hour drive from San Juan. Our tour guides, Joe and Henry, were so much fun and really knowledgeable about the area. Throughout the hike, they explained the different plants and cracked all sorts of jokes. We were very much entertained. The description on the Airbnb listing is fairly accurate. You need to be fit if you want to complete this excursion. But I promise you, you will be in for an adventure of a lifetime. I never thought I would be tubing through a cave, drinking water from a waterfall, and jumping off a cliff in my life. Yet, somehow, I did it all on this tour. I’m usually not the biggest fan of tours, but this one was worth the investment. You won’t want to miss out on this incredible opportunity.
3. Piña Coladas
Did you know that Puerto Rico is the birthplace of the Piña Colada? Yup. This fabulous rum cocktail stands as a symbol of pride and joy for Puerto Rico. Throughout our entire trip, my friends and I indulged in this tropical concoction, making it a mission to explore various bars claiming to serve the “best” Piña Coladas. After visiting a multitude of places, there was one place that reigned supreme — Marilyn’s in Old San Juan. Surprisingly, this unassuming, hole-in-the-wall bar outshone the place where the drink was originally crafted (Barrachina). Named after the iconic Marilyn Monroe, the bar captured our hearts with its charm. We stumbled upon this hidden treasure after a conversation with a friendly Puerto Rican police officer who recommended Marilyn’s as the ultimate Piña Colada spot. He claimed it was the best, and we agree. It really was. So, if you’re in Old San Juan, visit Marilyn’s for the best Piña Colada of your life.
4. Crash Boat Beach
Living in North Carolina, I miss the beautiful beach sunsets on the west coast. It was something I took for granted when I lived in San Diego, but now have grown to appreciate. Crash Boat Beach was on the west side of the island, so we got to see a pretty dreamy sunset on our last evening in Puerto Rico. Unlike most of the beaches in San Juan, the parking at Crash Boat was free. It was also significantly less packed with tourists than the other beaches we visited. We were immersed in a tropical paradise, complemented by a DJ’s reggaeton beats resonating across the beach. The pier housed a variety of food stands, offering a convenient option for a quick bite to eat. I got a refreshing young coconut to drink on the beach for $5. While the two-hour drive from San Juan might seem extensive, the experience at Crash Boat Beach was the ideal conclusion to our trip. This gem exceeded my expectations, serving as the tropical escape of my east coast winter dreams.
5. Anita Gelato
There’s nothing I love more than a cup of gelato on a warm day. After an exhaustive day of hiking, we visited Anita Gelato for a sweet treat. Anita Gelato has two locations in San Juan, strategically positioned to cater to both the vibrant charm of Old San Juan and the chic ambiance near luxury hotels. As a San Juan hotspot, be prepared for a long line of tourists eager to buy a scoop. The flavors I got there were Belgian dark chocolate, pistachio and rose, berry pavlova, and tiramisu. The wide range of unique flavors made this place a memorable spot for me. With its sophisticated ambiance, this elevated experience definitely cost me a pretty penny, but it was worth every cent. The gelato lived up to the hype, and it was definitely worth the wait.
Final Words of Advice
- Rent a car. The best parts of Puerto Rico (El Yunque and Arecibo) were far away from San Juan. You’ll have better ease getting around the island with your own rental car rather than relying on an Uber.
- Puerto Rican food is very dense and lacks fiber. Before leaving the states, my coworker told me to bring stool softener on the trip because I was going to need it. I thought it was a funny tip, but I am glad that I packed it. The meals we had in Puerto Rico were not nutrient rich or healthy at all. You will definitely need the medication if you are used to eating balanced meals.
- If you get car sick fairly easily, bring Dramamine. The roads in Puerto Rico have a lot of twists and turns and are poorly maintained. You’ll be in for a rather bumpy ride if you plan on driving to the rainforest. I recommend driving slowly and packing a plastic bag in the car (for the folks with a weaker stomach).
- I highly recommend bringing good hiking boots. Hiking in a rainforest is no joke. The terrain is very muddy. For this trip, I stupidly brought my running shoes instead of hiking boots. Big mistake. My running shoes had barely any tread or traction. On the way down from El Yunque Peak, I slipped and fell on a rock. It could have been a lot worse. I got a giant bruise on my butt that was the size of my palm as a souvenir from this hike (lol). It was a pretty memorable fall.
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Emily
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