Puerto Rico Travel Guides

Every city around Puerto Rico is a destination with a lot to offer for every visitor. Here are some of the places you should visit: 

• San Juan – A historical city with 500 years of history, sports colonial houses, fortresses, and cobblestone streets.
• El Yunque – The only tropical rainforest in the US National Forest System, home to beautiful waterfalls and exciting hiking trails.
• Rincon – Located in the west of Puerto Rico, this city is the ultimate destination for surfers and beach lovers.
• Cabo Rojo – A city with great sunsets, beautiful beaches, and unique attractions like the Pink Salt Lakes.
• Arecibo – An hour away from San Juan you can discover Arecibo´s caves, rivers, and waterfalls.
• Aguadilla – City with top beaches like Crash Boat, Survival Beach, and Borinquen Beach for surfing and swimming.
• Vieques – An island for a perfect getaway, with pristine beaches, lovely landscapes, and wild horses.
• Culebra – Small island on the east, perfect for a relaxing vacation on the paradisiacal Flamenco Beach.
• Ponce – This city is home to a colonial town center like San Juan, where you can find the oldest firehouse on the island.
• Fajardo -The beaches in Fajardo are among the best in the northeast, Fajardo is also a great destination for sailing lovers.
• Utuado – In the mountainous center, this city is home to beautiful rivers, amazing caves, and a vineyard.

👉 Explore all places to visit in Puerto Rico. 

When you visit Puerto Rico, choosing the right location to stay in can make your vacation even better. Some of the best places to stay are: 

• San Juan – With a central location and lots to do, this is the best location to reach all important landmarks within walking distance.
• Isla Verde – Best area if you’re looking to stay at a resort close to the airport, but also close to the beach.
• Condado – Top area for travelers looking for family fun, beaches, luxury hotels, and watersports.
• Rincon – A great place to stay on the island for beach lovers.
• Fajardo – Best area if you want to stay close to El Yunque, and to the ferry terminal to Vieques and Culebra.
• Ponce – Another historical city with museums, castles, and colonial buildings next to the coast.
• Vieques – A beautiful small island off Puerto Rico’s east coast.
• Aguadilla – A great place to stay for a beach vacation.

👉 Read full guide to where to stay in Puerto Rico.

While Old San Juan is wonderful, you shouldn’t miss a visit to any of the following locations in Puerto Rico: 

• El Yunque – Puerto Rico’s Rainforest is famous for hosting a biodiverse ecosystem, plus some beautiful waterfalls.
• Vieques – Vieques has lots of fun things to do, from wild horses to hidden beaches. The perfect place to enjoy a nature getaway on this island.
• Culebra – If you can’t get enough of the beach, you will enjoy the breathtaking beaches of Culebra.
• Ponce – History buffs can’t miss a visit to South Pearl, with picturesque colonial buildings, and plazas.
• Bacardi Rum Factory – With almost 200 years, this rum factory is a great stop to take a tour and a mixology class.

⛱️ Best Beaches

There’s a wide range of beaches in Puerto Rico, from natural ponds to scenic hidden beaches. Here are the top 5 around the island:

• Flamenco Beach – This travel magazine cover type of beach sports white fine sand and crystal clear waters.
• Combate Beach – colorful and lively beach with clear waters and golden sand to enjoy a day among locals.
• Mar Chiquita – Hidden in Manatí, Mar Chiquita is a natural pool formed by giant rock formations.
• Icacos – This uninhabited cay sports some of the clearest waters and it’s a great spot to visit in a catamaran.
• Sun Bay Beach – Great beach with facilities like bathrooms, showers, and tables, perfect to soak in the sun all day.

👉 Read all top beaches in Puerto Rico.

⛰️ Best Waterfalls

The waterfalls in Puerto Rico are gems you can visit mostly for free to refresh yourself. Some of the best waterfalls are :

• La Mina Falls – Right in the heart of El Yunque, this waterfall is the best to refresh yourself after a long hike.
• Las Pailas – Fun waterfall with a natural slide formed by rocks you can use to slide in a pond in Luquillo.
• Gozalandia – This popular waterfall in San Sebastian is one of the local’s favorite to cool down.
• La Planta – This beautiful waterfall was a hydroelectric plant, and now is just a spot to enjoy the cold water. 
• Chorro de Doña Juana – Right on the main road, this waterfall in Orocovis is both great to look at and swim in. 

👉 Read full list of best Puerto Rico waterfalls.

🦇 Best Caves

If you’re into exploring, hiking, and climbing, don’t miss the chance to explore one of Puerto Rico’s hundreds of caves:

• Camuy Caves – A subterranean cave system formed by the Camuy River, with easy access and daily tours.
• Cueva Ventana – Impressive cave at the top of a hill with a window-like opening that gives a view of the countryside.
• Cueva del Indio – Right on the coast, this amazing cave is a natural museum with drawings left by the Taino.
• Cueva del Viento – Inside the Guajataca Forest, you will find this huge subterranean cave worth a visit.
• Cueva del Arco – This impressive cave rises above a river, and to visit it you have to get your feet wet.

👉 Read the full list of the best caves in Puerto Rico.

♨️ Best Springs

In Puerto Rico, you can find both cold and hot springs, and you access most of them for free. Here are some of them:

• Coamo Hot Springs – The hot springs in Coamo sports facilities like bathrooms, changing rooms, and pools for a small fee. 
• Manantial de Guayaney – Hidden inside an urban area, this small cold water spring is ideal to relax and enjoy nature.
• Manantial Vega Baja – One of the most popular in Puerto Rico, this spring is accessible and easy to find.
• Zanja Fria – Right in Arecibo, this spring is big enough to swim in, and you can even snorkel to see the fishes.
• El Pozo Brujo – If you happen to be in Isabela, don’t miss a stop in El Pozo Brujo spring close to the beach.

🎊 Best Festivals

Puerto Ricans are popular for their liveliness and partying spirit, which is probably why they sport the longest Christmas in the world and the year is full of festivities. These are some festivals you can’t miss:

• Fiestas de la Calle San Sebastián  – Celebrated in January, this four-day festival takes over the streets of Old San Juan.
• Ponce Carnival – One of the oldest carnivals in the occident, this one-week festival takes place one week before Ash Wednesday
• Festival de las Máscaras de Hatillo – A Christmas parade with colorful costumes and vejigantes representing a Bible story.
• Rincon Surf Fest – Every year Rincón receives dozens of surfers from around the world to surf in Playa Domes.
• Festival de la Novilla – One-week parade that celebrates Puerto Rican agricultural history and traditions.

👉 Read the full guide to the best festivals in Puerto Rico.

🖼️ Best Museums

If you’re a history and art enthusiast, you’ll find plenty of museums and historic sites in Puerto Rico to complement your trip. Here are the ones you can’t miss:

• Ponce Art Museum – Home to the famous painting Flaming June, this museum is the most famous in Puerto Rico.
• Puerto Rico Art Museum – Discover a collection of over 250 pieces of Puerto Rican art from the 18th century to the present.
• Museum of Contemporary Art – Best place to find Puerto Rican, Caribbean, and Latin art since the mid-20th century.
• Las Americas Museum – Besides its amazing architecture, this museum sports collections about the cultural heritage in America.
• Caguana Ceremonial Park – An archeological site with monoliths carved by the Taino, the original inhabitants of the island.

👉 Read the full guide to the best museums in Puerto Rico.

🗓️ Best Time to Visit

Overall, Puerto Rico sports good weather through the four seasons. Aside from a rainy season, a hurricane season, and slightly lower temperatures in winter, the island is warm always, so the best time to visit will depend on you:

• ❄️ Winter – Fresh temperatures and dry weather, winter is great to avoid hurricanes but it’s also the high season.
• 🌼 Spring – Top season with fresh temperatures, but warmer and safer beaches, with lower tides.
• 🌞 Summer – The season with the best tides on the beaches and the warmest temperatures on the island.
• 🍂 Fall – The fall brings a higher risk of hurricane impacts, but it’s the best season to travel on a budget.

👉 Read full guide to when to visit Puerto Rico.

🚌 Getting In & Around

Puerto Rico’s public transportation runs mostly in the metropolitan area which is why the most common way to move around is by car. Here are some things you should know about transportation:

• ✈️ Airports – The San Juan, Aguadilla, Vieques, and Culebra are the most popular airports.
• 🚗 Driving – Driving your own car is the easiest way to move around the island. Read our full guide to driving in Puerto Rico.
• 🚇 Public Transit – Public transit is mostly in the metro area, but smaller buses reach other cities.
• 📲 Ride Share – You can use Uber to move around the metro area, Rincon and Ponce.
• 🚴‍♀️ Biking – Biking is a great option to move around the cities’ centers, but never intercity.
• 🛴 Scooters – You can use the app Skootel to rent scooters in San Juan, Ponce, and Aguadilla.
• 🚶‍♀️ Walking – Walking is a good way to explore Old San Juan and other town centers.
• ⛴️ Ferries – There is a ferry between San Juan and Cataño, and one to Vieques and Culebra.

👉 Read full guide to getting around Puerto Rico.

👉 Tips & Things to Know

• 🗺️ Puerto Rico is a few islands – Puerto Rico consists of multiple islands and cays. The most famous besides the main island are Vieques and Culebra.
• 🌧️ There is a hurricane season – From late June to November, Puerto Rico faces a hurricane season, with higher risks of getting impacted by one.
• 💰 Tip frequently – Tipping is optional on the island, but locals tip all the time in restaurants, hotels, and even during tours.
• 👨 Not everyone understands English – Bilingual locals are mostly within the tourist area. If you leave San Juan, some basic Spanish phrases might come in handy.
• 🥤 The drinking age is 18 – If you’re under 18, you can’t buy alcohol in Puerto Rico nor enter some types of pubs.

👉 Read more Puerto Rico travel tips.

🧳 What to Pack

• ☀️ Sunscreen– Visitors should always protect their skin while staying on the island, especially for a beach day or hiking excursion.
• 🥾 Sneakers or Hiking Boots – Sandals are great for the beach, but you’ll need sneakers or boots for hiking in El Yunque and other nature reserves.
• 💊 Medications – You’ll need medications for your allergies, as the air quality changes due to fine dust and spores in the air.
• 🦟 Mosquito Repellent – The island is home to a huge population of Mosquitoes that can transmit Dengue and other diseases, so always protect yourself.
• 💧 Reusable Bottle of Water – The warm weather calls for constant hydration, and as Puerto Rico’s tap water is safe, you can save money by bringing your thermos.

👉 Read full Puerto Rico packing list.

🤓 Facts About Puerto Rico

• Population – 3,285,874 
• Capital – San Juan
• Largest Metro Areas – San Juan, Bayamón, Trujillo Alto, Guaynabo, Carolina, Vega Baja
• Time Zone – AST (UTC/GMT -4 hours all year) No daylight saving time.
• Airports – Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport (SJU), Aeropuerto Internacional Rafael Hernández (BQN), Fernando Luis Ribas Dominicci Airport (SIG), Aeropuerto Internacional Mercedita (PSE)
• Colleges & Universities – University of Puerto Rico, Ana G. Mendez University, Universidad Interamericana
• Nickname – Borinquen
• Demonynm – Puertorriqueños
• USPS Abbreviation – PR
• Governor – Pedro Pierluisi (Partido Nuevo Progresista, Right)
• Country – United States of America

👉 Read our complete list of interesting facts about Puerto Rico.

💵 Costs & Budgeting

• 3 Star Hotel Room – $130-350/night
• 1 Bedroom Apartment Rental – $50-$300/night
• Rental Car – $40-$150/day
• Public Transit Ticket – ~$1.50 ($1.50 to airport from San Juan)
• Take Out Meal for Two – $10-40
• Sit Down Dinner for Two – $25-$200
• Draft Beer – $3-10

👉 Read the complete guide to Puerto Rico on a Budget.