There’s something to be said every time you return to a place. That’s how it was for me when I visited to Puerto Rico for the second time. New discoveries, new lessons, and yet somehow the familiar feeling is there. Like you’re not totally a tourist, and every time someone asks if this is your first time, you lift your chin a little and proudly say “No, I’ve been here before.”
My second trip to Puerto Rico allowed me to enjoy and relax without the pressure of a first-time visitor. If I can sum up my recent Puerto Rican trip, it will be beaches and rum. Lots of rum. Here are some of the things to do and places to see in Puerto Rico.
Rum
You can never go wrong with tasting the best of the best when you have it at the place where it originated. And Bacardi Rum factory did not disappoint.
I highly recommend taking the Bacardi Rum tour and the mixology class. It was such a blast! I learned the histories of the drinks, and how to make them. The mixology class was also a good way to make friends. It was worth it. Read about my review of the Bacardi Rum Factory Tour & Mixology Class.
I also got drinks from the popular Raices Restaurant, and both were delicious.
Somewhere in Luquillo Beach, I found the best piña colada…
Beaches
Not all beaches are created equal. White sand, black sand, red sand, strong currents, big waves, clear water, full of seaweed, calm waters…. I could go on. I’m very particular with my beaches. Maybe because I’ve seen a lot of them around the world, or maybe because it’s in my blood. I am after all used to the unparalleled waters of the Philippines. So, pardon me if I may come of a little snooty every time I talk about beaches.
Puerto Rico has some of the beautiful beaches I’ve been to.
Condado Beach – I stayed in the touristy Condado area, and I find it the perfect place to go on a relaxing and pampering vacation. It also has more upscale resorts and stores for those who do not want to leave the area. The beach is right in the backyard of most hotels, and you will never go hungry because of the plethora of restaurants in the area.
Fair warning: Condado beach has strong currents and big waves.
Isla Verde – Another popular area with waterfront hotels is Isla Verde, which is not far from the airport and Condado area. Unfortunately, when my friend and I drove to Isla Verde, a storm was brewing. The clouds were getting dark and it did not give this beach a chance to shine. I’m sure if it was sunny the images will look better and more attractive.
Local beaches – Loiza & Piñones coastline
For a more local feel and atmosphere, the Loiza and Piñones coast offers beautiful beaches as well. The area is very family oriented, and a favorite among the locals. Notice the color of the sand?
Luquillo Beach – Of course, I had to save the best for last. This was my favorite. This playa was about 45 minutes away from the Condado area, and we had to rent a car. Luquillo is also close to Fajardo, and so we decided to go there before we head out to our bio bay excursion.
Do you see why it’s my favorite?
Luquillo beach is the perfect combination of all the beaches I mentioned. It was local enough, but it is still surrounded by small shops and restaurants called the Luquillo Kioskos (where I got the best piña colada). And most of all, no strong currents, no big waves. Just calm waters. You can actually go for a relaxing swim or just peacefully read a book under an umbrella.
Old San Juan
There’s just something romantic about the old world. Old historic towns with intricate architecture and cobblestone alleys always win in my book. But just like any other big tourist attractions like Old San Juan, it can get overrated. Tons of souvenir shops line up the streets selling the same thingamajigs, as well as shopping malls, casino and signature brand shops. Old San Juan is also a big cruise hub and that explains why.
Note: As much as possible avoid cruise days. The cruise crowd is ridiculous. I would know since I’ve been part of that cruise crowd. Guilty. If you want to roam the streets of Old San Juan and enjoy its rich history or take crowd-less photos, go on a weekday or a non-cruise day.
Food
One of my favorite parts of travel, is the food. To be able to taste the different flavors of the world is truly amazing. Puerto Rico’s infamous mufongo is a must try. The island is proud of this dish, and every restaurant will make you try it once they find out it was your first time in Puerto Rico or you’ve never had it before.
I love flan. I grew up with the Filipino version of it, and so I was more than happy to try every flan and tres leche (or in some cases, quatro leche!) on the menu. Puerto Rican flans for me are much sweeter and heavier. But as much as I loved it, I was all ‘flanned’ out by the third day, and my friend Jess, was also ‘mufongo-ed’ out as well. So needless to say we were super ecstatic to try the local roadside barbecue when we were in El Yunque.
Having fun with food will always be a highlight for my travels.
San Juan National Historic Site
If you love history, you would love this historic treasure.The San Juan National Historic Site (World Heritage Site) is comprised of Castillo San Felipe del Morro, Castillo San Cristobal, the San Juan Gate and Fort San Juan de la Cruz. They epitomize great European military architecture and embody the progression of architectural, engineering, military, and political history. Like I said, there’s just something romantic about the old world may it be about love or war.
I loved taking photos of the site’s impressive architecture. Walking through it is like time traveling ,and I can’t help but envision how it was like hundreds of years ago.
The other highlight for me was the bio bay tour in Fajardo. Unfortunately, I was not able to take photos since we kayaked all the way to the bio bay in pitch black!
I’m glad I was able to go back to Puerto Rico and experience a bigger adventure. Between the beaches, bio bay and Bacardi, we also experienced the one heavy rainfall, and flash flood that Puerto Rico needed. This trip may have been short, but it was filled with memories and stories.
¡Gracias, Puerto Rico!
Jen is a Chicago-based traveler and creative. She is a full-time development & communications executive specializing in non-profit organizations. Originally from the East Coast, she created The Jetsetter as a place to share her travel stories and photos with friends and family. Now, it is a place for adventurers and dreamers. Its purpose is to inspire and encourage busy professionals to see the world and achieve a better work-life balance.