Visitors from all over the globe have a soft spot in their hearts for Puerto Rico, and with good reason.
Every region of Puerto Rico has something unique to offer tourists, whether it be bioluminescent bays, untouched Caribbean beaches, or lush forests; historic streetscapes; a thriving local food scene; or interesting cultural attractions; there is something for everyone in Puerto Rico.
In addition, there is never a poor moment to pay a visit. Better yet, you can frequently find low-cost flights that do not halt en route to either Luis Muoz Marn International Airport (SJU) in San Juan or Rafael Hernández Airport (BQN) in Aguadilla, both of which are located on Puerto Rico's breathtaking northwest coast. If you are departing from the United States, you are not required to have a passport nor are you required to convert your money.
You can catch an early morning flight from the Eastern Seaboard, arrive in paradise in time for lunch, and relax with a pina colada while your toes are on the beach. It's the ideal way to spend a tropical weekend getaway.
In a nutshell, paradise is waiting for you.
What restaurants and bars to visit in Puerto Rico
For those who enjoy trying new cuisines, Puerto Rico is a fantastic vacation spot. Along the cobblestone streets of Old San Juan, you'll find atmospheric hole-in-the-wall restaurants that serve traditional food right next to gourmet restaurants that are served in elegant, historic townhomes.
As a direct result of Hurricane Maria, a greater number of establishments have made it a priority to promote and highlight food that is completely produced within the island's borders. The end product is a Creole, Taino, and Spanish-influenced cuisine that emphasises farm-fresh ingredients and hyper-seasonal preparations.
Mofongo, which consists of mashed plantains that have been deep-fried and served with a side of seafood or meat and poultry broth soup, is the much-loved national cuisine of Puerto Rico. Santaella in San Juan and Mi Casita in Pinones are two of the most recommended restaurants in the area to sample it.
Another hearty mainstay of traditional Puerto Rican cooking is lechon, which consists of a whole pig that has been roasted over an open fire for at least four hours. The renowned Ruta de Lechon, also known as the "Pork Highway," is located approximately an hour's journey south of San Juan. Along this highway are dozens of lechoneras, where trays of succulent and tender pork are served at communal tables, typically accompanied by copious amounts of cold beer and live music.
In Luquillo, which is located close to El Yunque National Forest, you'll find more than 60 kiosks that serve traditional Creole cooking as well as Latin American signature cuisine. These kiosks range from rustic beach bars to full-service restaurants, so no matter what kind of dining experience you're looking for, you'll be able to find it here.
Alcapurria Quema is a no-frills Santurce locale that is one of the best places to try Puerto Rico's ubiquitous local snack, alcapurrias: deep-fried fritters made from plantains (or grated yucca) stuffed with flavorful beef, and pork, or fish. The restaurant is a colourful pit stop while exploring San Juan's trendy Santurce district.
Fine cuisine in Puerto Rico
There are a lot of high-end restaurants in San Juan, so if you feel like splurging, you can.
1919, which can be found within the luxurious Condado Vanderbilt Hotel, is universally acknowledged to be the finest eating establishment in all of Puerto Rico. Highlights of the menu are scallops served with organic mushrooms, kale, and sunchoke, as well as robalo (snook), served with pistachio, local white beans, and cilantro. The restaurant is run by Juan José Cuevas, who previously worked at Blue Hill in New York, and was awarded a Michelin star. Choose the chef's selection (which costs $199) and have the sommelier recommend wine pairings to accompany each course for a once-in-a-lifetime dining experience. Make an appointment, get dressed up, and take pleasure in every minute of it. It is one of the most expensive establishments on the island, but it is worth the money.
Vianda's stylish midcentury modern-style bar and sleek, moody dining area attract well-dressed locals with its innovative mixology and farm-to-table cuisine. Both spaces are designed in the midcentury modern style. Vianda is a Spanish word that means "root vegetable," and the restaurant's menu riffs on Puerto Rico's rich culinary tradition while showcasing the incredible bounty of tropical fruits, vegetables, and herbs that are grown on the island. Begin the evening with a glass of the Corazon de Melon cocktail, which costs $15 and is made with tequila, watermelon, cucumber, mint, and rosemary. Next, order one of the restaurant's trademark entrees, such as the Mar y Tierra, which is a rich medley consisting of cod loin, crispy pork belly, mussels, sofrito butter, and white beans.
Most gourmets are likely familiar with Marmalade, the world-famous restaurant that is credited with placing Puerto Rico on the map in terms of its culinary scene. It is still considered to be among the island's most exceptional gourmet eating experiences. The genuinely unforgettable five-course prix fixe menu that is prepared by Peter Schintler, who was born and raised in Iowa, is made with a deft combination of local and international ingredients and costs $135 per person. The menu is constantly evolving, but some of the restaurant's signature dishes include grilled ahi tuna served in a peanut-miso sauce and local organic rabbit served with black olive garganelli.
The restaurant bearing José Santaella's name is a hip and happening spot where you can enjoy a meal of contemporary Puerto Rican cooking with your loved ones and good friends. The "tropical creole" cuisine on the menu provides a striking juxtaposition to the edgy and industrial atmosphere of the restaurant, which was formerly a hardware store. Arrive early for cocktail hour and order a Lady Bullet ($16), which is made with Woodford Reserve bourbon, fig marmalade, lavender syrup, orange bitters, and lime juice. Stay for the entirety of the event and graze on a variety of delicious small plates, such as wagyu sliders ($26), grilled Spanish octopus ($32), and escargot ($18).
Where to go and what to do while in Puerto Rico
A visit to Puerto Rico should also include some of the many opportunities for sightseeing that the island offers.
El Yunque National Forest is the only temperate rainforest located entirely within the United States, and it is only about 45 minutes away from San Juan. It is well-known for its breathtaking waterfalls, unique animal life, and extensive network of trekking trails.
Bahia Mosquito, Laguna Grande, and La Parguera are the three bioluminescent bays that can be found on the island of Puerto Rico. There are only five bioluminescent bays in the entire globe. If you want to paddle through some dark mangrove channels to get to Puerto Rico's bio bays on a kayak or paddleboard, you'll need to sign up with a tour company first. This is the best method to access the bio bays. The majority of tour operators run two excursions each evening, one at sunset and another at nine o'clock.
The protected Bahia wildlife sanctuary is open to the public The town of Mosquito is found on the island jurisdiction of Vieques, which is a quick flight away from San Juan. Vieques is widely regarded as the Caribbean's most picture-perfect idyll destination due to its picture-perfect crescents of beach, its boutique hotels, and its crystal clear waters. Mosquito Bay is the brightest of the world's five bio-bays because it contains the greatest concentration of phosphorescent dinoflagellates. These dinoflagellates are a type of plankton that can make the water sparkle with the simple touch of a hand.
It takes less than an hour to drive to Laguna Grande from San Juan, which is located on the island's northeast shore. This makes it the most convenient bio bay for visitors with constrained schedules. The fact that Laguna Grande is a lagoon that is tucked away within an area that is home to breathtaking natural beauty is what sets this harbour apart from others.
Beautiful beaches with white sand can be found all over Puerto Rico. La Pared is a stretch of almost-golden sand that is located close to Luquillo and is almost always desolate. The beach village of Naguabo, which is located in the southeast corner of the island, is also very quiet. Palm trees line the beach, which features soft, white sand, and water that is turquoise in colour.
The metropolis of Ponce is Puerto Rico's second-biggest after San Juan. It has a rich heritage and is situated on the coast of the island's southernmost point. Be careful to pay a visit to Plaza Las Delicias, which is home to both a cathedral and an old firehouse that has been converted into a museum (known as Parque de Bombas).
The Puerto Rico Music Museum has a long and illustrious heritage that dates back to the nineteenth century. There are remnants of Taino, Spanish, and African culture to be found in this area. You will also gain knowledge regarding the history of music in Puerto Rico, which is now prevalent throughout the rest of the Caribbean, the continental United States, and the rest of the globe.
Where to remain in Puerto Rico and its Surroundings
Grand Reserve at the Hyatt Regency in Puerto Rico
This 579-room oceanfront resort, which closed in 2018 for renovations totalling multiple millions of dollars, reopened in 2019 as the Hyatt Regency Grand Reserve.
The rooms, suites, and villas are all modern and welcoming, with simple wooden furnishings, marble floors, a white-on-white colour palette, and furnished terraces and patios. Room sizes start at 520 square feet. The bathrooms have rainfall showers as well as separate baths, and they are stocked with Pharmacopia products.
Beyond the hotel's natural assets — a beautiful white-sand beach and 72 acres of flamboyant tropical vegetation — amenities include a lagoon-style pool, a state-of-the-art fitness centre, a luxurious spa, two Tom Kite-designed 18-hole championship golf courses and several upscale restaurants serving everything from Pacific Rim cuisine and sushi at Nori Asian to prime cuts of beef and seafood at Prime 787, a contemporary American steakhouse.
The hotel can make arrangements for a variety of outdoor pursuits in the surrounding area, such as equestrian riding, an all-terrain vehicle tour at the close-by Carabali Rainforest Adventure Park, and hikes through El Yunque National Forest.
At the Hyatt Regency Grand Reserve, a night's stay can be had for a starting rate of $300 or 12,000 World of Hyatt points.
Resort with Casino at the Hilton Ponce de Leon
The only Hilton hotel located outside of the San Juan region is the sprawling Hilton Ponce Golf & Casino Resort, which has 255 guest rooms.
Although the rooms are rather basic and unremarkable, they exude a welcoming beachy atmosphere thanks to a colour palette of green and white, light wood furnishings, tiled floors, and balconies with views of the ocean. (in most rooms). Coffee makers, minifridges, and flat-screen televisions are examples of contemporary details that contribute to an increased sense of comfort.
At this resort that caters to families and is loaded with amenities, there is plenty to keep both adults and children entertained. These include two enormous pools, a miniature golf course, tennis facilities, a playground, and a splash park. In addition, there is a 27-hole championship golf course. El Bohio, La Cava, La Terraza, and Sancho's Sushi Bar are the four restaurants that can be found here, in addition to a casino that is considered to be one of the biggest in Puerto Rico.
Even though it is not the most luxurious Hilton property in Puerto Rico, it is an excellent home base for travelling the southwest coast of the island.
The Hilton Ponce Golf & Casino Resort offers rooms for a starting price of $230 per night or 50,000 Hilton Honors points.
The St. Regis Bahia Beach Resort
The St. Regis Bahia Beach Resort is situated between El Yunque National Forest and Espiritu Santo River State Preserve, putting visitors within easy driving distance of not one but two of Puerto Rico's most popular tourist destinations.
The Puerto Rican fashion designer Nono Maldonado was responsible for the design of the hotel's capacious accommodations, which have recently undergone a full renovation. The rooms feature a soothing colour palette of white and cream, abstract artworks, and sleek, contemporary furniture.
Nevertheless, what truly separates this property from others in its category is the excellent service and opulent details. There is the comfortable pillow-top bed that is adorned with a cashmere throw, the marble spa-style bathroom that features a centrepiece deep soaking tub and is supplied with luxurious Frette bathrobes, and, of course, the private butler service that is offered by St. Regis.
A plethora of amenities is offered, such as a swimming pool with exquisite landscaping, a luxurious spa, a golf course developed by Robert Trent Jones Jr., and three highly regarded dining establishments.
At The St. Regis Bahia Beach Resort, a night's stay can be had for a starting rate of $695 or 70,000 Marriott Bonvoy points.
A Ritz-Carlton Reserve located on Dorado Beach
Dorado Beach, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve, is the most exclusive resort in Puerto Rico. It combines unbridled opulence and impeccable attention to detail with an ethical commitment to protecting the environment. It was constructed in the 1950s by the Rockefeller family, and it continues to be a magnet for business magnates, entertainers, and, more recently, cryptocurrency investors.
Each of the luxuriously appointed rooms and suites at this resort, which is situated on a shoreline that is two miles long and is surrounded by a riot of mature tropical vegetation, comes complete with every conceivable amenity and is attended to by a personal butler. The standard rooms are quite spacious, starting at 1,000 square feet, while the deluxe apartments include private plunge pools in addition to their other amenities.
The resort's facilities live up to the high standard that was set for them. There are three golf courses designed by Robert Trent Jones Sr., one of the finest restaurants in Puerto Rico called Coa, which pays gastronomic homage to the Taino roots of the region, and two beautiful pools that are surrounded by palm trees that sway in the breeze. The trademark Jean-Michel Cousteau's Ambassadors of the Environment programme is one of the activities on the list of things to do that are suitable for families.
The Dorado Beach, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve has nightly rates that start at $1,995 or 170,000 Marriott Bonvoy points.
Related: Puerto Rico's renaissance as seen through the lens of an evaluation of the Ritz-Carlton Reserve at Dorado Beach
The particulars
Achieving our goal
There is an abundance of travel options available to Puerto Rico, so feel free to look into it. According to Discover Puerto Rico, there are more than 120 flights that do not make a stop between the island and important cities on the United States mainland. This means that nonstop flights are available between the island and major places such as New York, Miami, Fort Lauderdale, and Chicago. The city of San Juan is served by the majority of the nonstop services.
Even though the most affordable flights to Puerto Rico typically cost between $300 and $600, you may be able to find better offers with low-cost carriers such as Spirit Airlines and Frontier Airlines or with legacy airlines such as American Airlines or United Airlines.
Getting to the island for a low price is certainly not the only option available.
Travelling to Puerto Rico from important cities in the United States is simple when you use points and miles as currency. Off-peak MileSAAver rewards on American Airlines start at 17,000 miles one way for economy class and 59,000 miles for business class.
When flying with United Airlines, you can expect to pay anywhere from 20,000 to 65,000 miles for a one-way ticket from major locations such as Newark and Chicago.
However, using JetBlue credits to book a trip to Puerto Rico is likely to be the most beneficial option.
When flying with JetBlue, you have the option of going to several different places in addition to San Juan. For instance, during August this year, you could book a round-trip flight from New York to Aguadilla for only $274 or 23,000 TrueBlue points, or you could book a round-trip flight to Ponce for $386 or 31,000 TrueBlue points.
There is a one-to-one point conversion available between Chase Ultimate Rewards and JetBlue, but this may not be the most beneficial use of your Chase points.
Even though JetBlue is a transfer partner of American Express Membership Rewards as well, The Points Guy does not advise customers to transfer their Amex points to JetBlue due to the restricted value that will be received in return. In addition, the number of points transferred from one character to another is a disappointing 250:200.
You are also able to transfer Citi ThankYou Rewards to JetBlue; however, the transfer ratio is not very favourable; it is either 1:0.8 or 1:0.5 depending on the Citi credit that you have.
Do you need a passport to go to Puerto Rico?
Nope! If you are a resident of the United States, you do not require a passport or a visa to enter Puerto Rico because it is an unincorporated territory of the United States. You only need to carry your state ID with you, and everything will be fine.
Transportation and motion
Ride-hailing
Uber is the only ride-hailing service that has arrived in Puerto Rico and managed to avoid being wiped out by the pandemic. The mobile app is just as effective here as it is on the mainland, and it is extremely well-liked by the community because its prices are more affordable than those of the local taxis and it is dependable, efficient, and quick.
Taxis
Taxis are readily available, dependable, and comfortable within San Juan; to hail a tourist taxi, seek a white cab with the label "Taxi Turistico." The most popular tourist destinations in San Juan each have their own designated taxi stand. (including cruise ship piers, major hotels, Plaza de Armas and Plaza Colon). Taxis use a fare structure that is predetermined and zone-based, but their rates can be prohibitively expensive. When you depart the metropolitan area, the cost of travelling from one town to the next begins to skyrocket.
Because of the area's high level of walkability, it is unlikely that you will require the services of a car, Uber, or taxi if you plan to remain in areas such as Old San Juan.
Be sure to keep the Tren Urbano in mind if you, like me, are obsessed with various modes of public transportation. It is a rapid transportation system that spans 11 miles and provides service to San Juan, Guaynabo, and Bayamon. The train ride from Bayamon to San Juan takes only half an hour and consists of a single line with 16 stops along the way. Along the way, the train travels by both the University of Puerto Rico and the Santa Rosa shopping centre. A standard fare is only $1.50, and if you are between the ages of 60 and 74, you pay only 75 cents. The price is very reasonable overall. Even better, if you are 75 years old or older, or if you are under the age of 6, admission is completely free.
It is not difficult to rent a vehicle in Puerto Rico because the airport is home to all of the major car rentals agencies, such as Avis, Enterprise, and Hertz. The process is made even simpler by the fact that each of these agencies has a presence there.
When to travel to Puerto Rico for the finest weather
Hurricane season in the United States officially begins on June 1 and ends on November 30, but the majority of hurricanes that struck Puerto Rico tend to occur between August and October. Meteorological Service of the United States. The 20th of September in 2017 was the date that Hurricane Maria made landfall.
Because the temperature in Puerto Rico consistently stays in the 80s, many of the island's residents told me that "Summertime is all the time" there. Between January and March, precipitation levels are at their lowest in the Caribbean, making this the ideal time to travel there if you want to escape the region's well-known daily downpours.
If you want to avoid the throngs of people travelling during spring break but still want to visit before hurricane season begins, the spring is the best time to catch deals on flights and hotels because it is before hurricane season begins. As an additional bonus, you’ll have the beach all to yourself.
Bottom line
Since Hurricane Maria in 2017 and Hurricane Fiona in 2022, Puerto Rico has made significant strides towards recovery. It should be made clear that the island is ready to welcome visitors and is interested in gaining their commerce. From beach resorts to landmarks, excellent cuisine and great hospitality, there’s something for everyone who makes the short flight down to visit.
Related reading:
- The finest hotels in Puerto Rico
- 8 reasons to explore Puerto Rico in 2023
- Hotels in the Caribbean that offer the best value for points
- You should get started on planning your summer vacations as soon as possible, and here's why: The 26 best Marriott hotels in the globe