So I may be a little biased when it comes to Puerto Rico considering my brother lives there, but it is a truly amazing place. & before you read any further I’ll answer the questions popping in your head right now: Yes, there was a devastating hurricane. Yes, there is power. Yes, it is back to normal now. Yes, it is completely, 100% BEAUTIFUL. & YES, YOU SHOULD GO! It’s totally possible to spend a weekend in Puerto Rico!
Where to stay
There are so many great areas of Puerto Rico that you can check out, but I will focus on two: San Juan & Luquillo.
San Juan is the main city in Puerto Rico, & one you will at least want to spend a day in. This is also where you will most likely fly into. This is a great place to stay if you want to be in the center of it all. You will be able to see all of the sights & if you do a tour, you will probably leave from here. As for what hotel to stay in, I recommend staying at La Concha. They have a beautiful, modern hotel with multiple pools & a gorgeous beach with the softest sand!
If you are looking for a more relaxing getaway, I would recommend staying in Luquillo. It is a smaller beach town in Puerto Rico that isn’t too far from the city. There are a lot of Americans here, along with locals, making it a wonderful mix for a vacation. The beaches here are BEAUTIFUL & have so many areas to explore.
Where to eat
Since we spent time in BOTH Luquillo & San Juan, I will share some of my favorites in both. Also, I want to share a really cool bar:
- I can honestly say that I had one of the best breakfasts I have EVER had at a little restaurant in Luquillo: Leñas. Definitely order the French toast sandwich & your life will be changed.
- After walking the streets of Old San Juan all day, I wanted to have some good ol’ comfort food in the form of Mexican. We had some great tacos that we ate at cute tables on the street at El Parnaso.
- If you’re looking for a cool bar with awesome cocktails, check out La Factoría. There are multiple rooms for you to wander through & each room offers different cocktail options.
What to do
When you go to Puerto Rico, you’re on an island. So take full advantage of that. Beyond the obvious, here are some awesome things to do when visiting Puerto Rico in a weekend:
- Go on a booze cruise! There are a few different options, but for those looking for a good mix of fun & relaxing, the cruises to Icacos are a great pick. You’ll be in for some fun snorkeling at the reef, relaxing time on the private island, & a fun trip on the catamaran.
- Walk around Old San Juan. There are a ton of great buildings & streets to explore, including the new(ish) umbrella art installation that makes for some great pictures.
- Check out the Forts of Old San Juan. There are two here, & both offer some pretty cool history & amazing views of the city & ocean.
- If you are feeling really adventurous & are a relatively active person, I highly recommend Aventuras Tierra Adentro. They will take you on an adventure like no other including zip-lining, repelling, hiking through caves, swimming in underground rivers & some awesome rock climbing. This isn’t a tour since you will be in charge of hooking/unhooking yourself, but is more of an “in your own hands” adventure where they guide & help you along the way. This was one of our best experiences on all of our trips.
Random tips
- When walking around San Juan, wear comfortable shoes. I wore sandals & that was a big mistake… my lower back was killing me!
- Have an umbrella handy. Puerto Rico tends to have random showers throughout the day, so it’s good to have on hand so you don’t have to stop the adventures!
I have never been to Puerto Rico but it really looks lovely.
The water the looks absolutely glorious.
Looks BEAUTIFUL!! We’ve been talking about going to Puerto Rico 💗
Ahh you should!! It’s amazingggg.
Looks amazing and relaxing!
It is! But also tons of adventurous opportunities.
Puerto rico sounds like a great place to visit.
It absolutely is!
I’ve always wanted to visit Puerto Rico, but have never had the chance.Looks beautiful
You should!! It’s awesome.
I’d like to go there sometime. Fun travel and no passport needed.
Yes! So convenient.
These pictures are gorgeous! I especially love the umbrella one 🙂 I’m new to your blog, but I’ll definitely be back!
Aw thank you! I hope so!!
Sounds like so much fun! This place is in my bucket list for sure 🙂
I’m so glad!
My fiance’ was born there and his dad and many other family members live there. We are planning a trip there soon.
That’s awesome! It’s a beautiful place.
I’d love to see Old San Juan.
It’s truly beautiful!
I have never been to Puerto Rico but it looks like a beautiful place! Looks like it is relaxing even for a weekend.
Yes, it really is!
Puerto Rico sounds great!
It’s magical!
I’ve not been to Puerto Rico, and wow, San Juan and Luquillo are places I’d love to see! Nice pictures!
They are gems!