Should you add San Juan to your travel wish list?

Should you add San Juan to your travel wish list?

Located on the north-eastern coast of Puerto Rico, San Juan is the capital and largest city on this fascinating Caribbean island. Given it’s prime location in the heart of the Caribbean, it’s no surprise that Puerto Rico is one of the most popular vacation destinations in the Caribbean. 

Aside from its beautiful sandy beaches and tropical climate, San Juan is a city rich with history and culture.

San Juan a Latin American city with Spanish-based culture mixed with African traditions and Taino culture. It’s the second oldest European-established capital city in the Americas and the oldest under United States jurisdiction.

Most of our research highlighted San Juan’s former defensive forts, Fort San Felipe del Morro and Fort San Cristobal, as the prime tourist attractions in San Juan. However, the highlight from our time in Puerto Rico was wandering the cobblestone streets of Old San Juan.

We love its colourful buildings and European-influenced architecture. It’s a photographer’s dream!

Quick Guide to San Juan, Puerto Rico

In this post, we share our travel tips for San Juan Puerto Rico. Skip ahead using the Table of Contents above. And, if you have any questions, please leave us a comment below.

This post was originally published in 2016 and updated in July 2021.

Should you travel to San Juan?

If you haven’t visited San Juan, or seen photos of the city, you’ll likely be surprised by the size of it. This is not a quaint Caribbean town on a laid-back tropical island. It’s a metropolis with tall skyscrapers, highways and all of the American brands you’d expect to see in a major US city.

I mention this not to sway you from visiting, but to set proper expectations.

We were surprised when we looked out the window of the airplane and saw the size of the city as we approached the airport. We expected to see a small town with a few low rise buildings and tall palm trees, not rows of high-rise condominiums.

Related post – This is our favorite spot in Puerto Rico

The city is divided into old and new.

The new part of the city includes the business district, thriving seaport, residential neighborhoods and popular beach strips like Isla Verde and El Condado.

The old part of town, founded by Spanish colonists in 1521, is where most tourists will spend their time. The old walled city is filled with cobblestone streets, brightly painted colonial buildings and fortifications that have been designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

While Old San Juan is a monument to the past, new San Juan is a vibrant city that captivates residents and visitors alike with its beaches, nightclubs, casinos, museums and restaurants.

It’s not a cheap destination though, especially if your home currency is not $USD. You’ll need to adjust your expectations if you think Puerto Rico is a cheaper travel destination, like Mexico. It’s more comparable to Miami or Honolulu.

San Juan Cruise Port

The Caribbean is the most popular cruising destination in the world and San Juan has one of the busiest cruise ports in the Caribbean. In fact, the San Juan Cruise Port is said to host an estimated 500 cruise ships (approximately 18 different cruise lines), resulting in over 2 million cruise ship passengers per year. That’s a lot of cruisers!

Because San Juan is the anchor for many Eastern and Southern Caribbean cruises, and it’s a turnaround port for many cruise ships, most cruisers will end up in San Juan at some point in their Caribbean travels.

Don’t make the common mistake of only giving yourself one day before and after your cruise ship experience.

There are so many things to do in San Juan that you’ll want to allow yourself at least 3 or 4 days. We spent 3 days in San Juan prior to our cruise departure and 5 days afterwards, which gave us plenty of time to fully experience the city. It also allowed us to spend a few days lounging on the beach.

The most popular areas for tourists stay are Old San Juan, Ocean Park, Isla Verde and Condado. We stayed in both Old San Juan (3 days at the Sheraton Old San Juan – more about that hotel here) and Isla Verde (5 days at an apartment rental on the beach).

Read: Taking a Caribbean Cruise? Here’s what you need to know

Things to do in San Juan, Puerto Rico

Like most coastal cities, San Juan has a lot to offer beach lovers and water sport enthusiasts. The most popular beaches in San Juan are Condado, Playa Escambron, Ocean Park and Isla Verde (Carolina). 

These beaches sit on the northern coast of Puerto Rico and can get quite windy at times, which makes ideal conditions for kite-surfing, wind surfing, body boarding and surfing (you’ll need to ask the locals about where the best surf spots are – surfing just ain’t my thing).

You can rent personal watercrafts (sea doo or jet ski) at most of the city beaches. There were a few different vendors near our apartment on Playa de Isla Verde. The going rate was approx US$80 for 30 minutes. It’s not cheap, especially with the way the $CAD is valued these days, but they looked like powerful machines.

You can also book snorkeling, scuba diving, deep sea fishing, whale watching and catamaran tours from most tour operators and hotels.

Basically, whatever you want to do, San Juan has you covered.

Sightseeing in Old San Juan

If you’re on a cruise and you only have a few hours in San Juan, sightseeing in Old San Juan should be at the top of your list.

The old city is a relatively small area so it’s easy to do a self guided tour. Put away the map and let your curiousity take over. Wandering the streets and getting lost is the best way to discover its hidden alleyways and authentic restaurants and shops.

It’s quite hilly in some areas, and the roads are mostly cobblestone, so it’s not the best terrain for a baby stroller. You can take a free trolley service – see below for more details.

The main tourist attractions in Old San Juan are the fortification of La Fortaleza and San Juan National Historic Site.

This historical site includes the three forts of San Felipe del Morro, San Cristóbal and San Juan de la Cruz. It also includes and a large portion of the City Wall, which is designated as a World Heritage Site.

Other points of interest in Old San Juan:

• Plaza de Armas – one of the main squares in San Juan
• Cathedral of San Juan Bautista (pictured above)
• Parque de las Palomas
• Puerta de San Juan or San Juan Gate
• Fortaleza Street – shopping and restaurants
• Plaza de Ballaja (also referred as Ballajá Barracks)
• Plaza San Juan Bautista
• Museums – Casa de la Familia and Museo de la Farmacia

If you have time, check out Paseo de la Princesa, a 19th-century esplanade that wraps around the ancient city walls. The walkway ends at the stunning Raíces Fountain, which symbolizes the island’s cultural roots (pictured above). We began our walking tour here and it was nice that is has plenty of shade to escape the hot mid-day sun.

Free Trolley around Old San Juan

There are 4 routes to choose from with 26 marked stops throughout Old San Juan (similar to a bus stop). There are two types of trolleys – an open-aired trolley that looks like a train of over-sized golf carts and another trolley that looks like a small bus.

The longest route takes about 30 minutes to complete. The circuit passes most of the popular attractions on the way, so you can hop on and off as you please. 

It’s not a tour, so there are no tour guides giving you information. However, it’s a great way to see the sights, especially when you’re traveling with young children or family members with mobility issues.

Bio-luminescent Kayak Tour in Fajardo

There are plenty of things to do in Puerto Rico, but there is one adventure that stands out from the rest – night kayaking to Laguna Grande to witness the amazing bioluminescent phenomenon.

There are only a few places in the world that offer such an opportunity. Therefore, we made it a priority to include this unique kayak adventure during our time in San Juan, Puerto Rico.

Read about our tour – Bioluminescent Kayak Tour in Fajardo

Explore a real Pirate Ship in the Caribbean

Docked beside the cruise ship port on Calle Marina, across the street from the Sheraton Old San Juan hotel, is a beautiful wood pirate ship. Okay, so it’s not actually a real pirate ship, but it’s a pretty awesome replica, and your kids won’t know the difference! Our boys saw it and immediately wanted to check it out.

We’re not sure how often the boat is docked there. However, if you see it docked near Old San Juan, it’s worth checking out. At the time of our visit, it cost $10 per adult and $5 per child over 5 years old. You only need 15-30 minutes to see it all, so it’s a fun activity for younger children.

Bacardi Rum Distillery Tour

If you love rum, a visit to the largest premium rum distillery in the world is a must.

You can book a tour or catch the ferry from Old San Juan to the Bacardi Distillery. The ferry is only $0.50 per person. When you arrive in Catano, take a short taxi to the factory for approx $3.00 per person.

More details here – http://www.visitcasabacardi.com/

El Yunque Rain Forest 

El Yunque National Forest, formerly known as the Luquillo National Forest, is the only tropical rain forest in the United States National Forest system. It’s one of the most biologically diverse national forests in the US, hosting hundreds of animal and plant species, some of which are endemic to Puerto Rico.

Start your visit at the El Portal Rain Forest Center to get familiar with the park. You don’t need a guided tour but there are many available. Highlights of the park are its many hiking trails, the Yokahu Observation Tower, Coca Falls and La Mina Falls.

Rent a car and explore surrounding areas

Another fun thing to do is rent a car and explore San Juan and its surrounding area. There are some great lookout spots and quiet beaches just outside the city that are too far to reach by transit, so renting a car is a fairly cheap way to experience these spots. Driving is similar to what you would expect in Canada or the US.

Don’t make the mistake of thinking San Juan is a cheaper destination, like Cuba or the Domincan Republic. Prices are similar to the United States, if not a little more pricey given that it’s a touristy destination. There are large banks and ATM’s around town that dispense US dollars.

How’s the beach in San Juan?

The beaches in San Juan were nice. We found the sand to be silky, soft and (mostly) clean. The beaches play a big role in San Juan’s culture, so they can get quite busy during the day.

We spent most of our time at Playa Isla Verde, which tends to see a mixed blend of locals, expats and tourists. There are plenty of palm trees on the beach so we always had shade available, which is essential with little ones.

You can also rent beach chairs and umbrellas directly on the beach. The going rate was about $20 for a chair and umbrella for the day.

Some hotels include beach equipment for its guests. Our apartment rental came with fold up beach chairs that we brought down to the beach.

We purchased some cheap shovels and pails for the kids at the Walgreens store that is located across the street from our apartment rental, so our boys were able to play in the sand for hours.

We didn’t end up swimming in the ocean because our boys are still too small and we worried about the strong undertow. Although, we did play in the waves that crashed on the shore.

Is San Juan safe?

Yes, San Juan is safe and friendly. The tourist zones in Puerto Rico are safe and a police presence is visible, particularly in Old San Juan and in the resort areas of Isla Verde and Condado.

Of course, common sense and basic safety measures should always be practiced. Don’t get stupid drunk and flash your cash, don’t wander the dark streets or beaches alone at night, don’t get into stranger’s cars, etc. You get the idea.

It’s a big city, so it has all of the typical big city problems, like opportunistic crimes, drugs, gangs, etc.

Tourism drives the local economy, so residents are very welcoming and English is widely spoken understood.

What about the food in San Juan?

The food scene in San Juan is great, especially in the tourist areas. Like the people of Puerto Rico, the food is quite diverse and influenced by generations past. We love that many of the restaurants have an outdoor space, either along a sidewalk or on a patio.

We found a few restaurants right on the beach, so we were able put our toes in the sand while eating lunch. This is a huge win when dining out with impatient little ones. We enjoyed a couple of cold cervezas while our boys ran around in the sand – everybody wins!

Recommendations for restaurants in San Juan:

• Palio– Located in the Sheraton Old San Juan. It has the best patio for happy hour beers. The view is outstanding and the beers are served in a frosty cold cup.
• The Boutique Cafe & Lounge – Best for tapas and small plates. Located in the Condado area, it is best to go for brunch.
• Jose Enrique – Serves up Latin American and Puerto Rican cuisine. Try the traditional PR dishes, they are excellent.
• Casita Miramar – Great spot for authentic Puerto Rican food. During the week they are mainly only open for dinner, but have longer hours on the weekend.
• Punto de Vista Restaurant – Located in Old San Juan. Serving delicious Puerto Rican and Latin American food. It’s good for both lunch and dinner.
• El Jibarito – Serving up Latin American and Puerto Rican, it’s great for lunch or dinner. You must try the mofongo, it is so good!
• Molinis Cafe and Restaurant – Located in Condado, it serves Latin American food. The menu changes daily based on the availability of local ingredients. It’s great for both lunch or dinner.
• Ropa Vieja Grill – Located in the Condado area, it serves up Cuban and Latin American cuisine. The black bean risotto and the canoas is the recommended dish. It’s best to go here for dinner.
• St Germain Bistro and Cafe – Get the basil mojito. Here you’ll find salads and sandwiches. It’s best for lunch.
• Intercontinental in Isla Verde – The restaurant on the beach is a great place for beers, views and pub style food. The portions are huge. You’ve been warned

San Juan has most of the typical American food brands available, including Chillis, McDonalds, Taco Bell, Subway, Senor Frogs, etc. If you’re not feeling adventurous, you can always default to a familiar dining experience. 

Where to stay in San Juan?

Puerto Rico has plenty of accommodation options that fit every lifestyle, budget and timeline. Thanks to foreign investment, hundreds of beautiful vacation properties have been built over the past ten years. Most of these are available for rent on websites like VRBO and AirBnB.

We spent 3 days in Old San Juan and 5 days at Playa Isla Verde. 

We stayed at at the Sheraton Old San Juan Hotel (pictured above) for two nights before our Caribbean cruise. This hotel is conveniently located across the street from the San Juan cruise ship terminal and it’s within walking distance to Old San Juan’s tourist attractions.

The rooms are a good size and we had no problem getting a standard crib for our little one. The hotel has a rooftop pool that offers outstanding views of San Juan Bay. More hotel info here.

Rainbow views from our apartment balcony.

We also rented a 2 bedroom apartment located in the Isla Verde area.

The condo is located directly on the beach (pictured above) and it has a nice pool. There are several restaurants within walking distance, both on the beach and on the main road. There are also a few big casinos in the neighborhood.

It’s a nice area to spend a few days lounging on the beach, which is precisely what we were looking for.

We spent an afternoon on the beach in front of the Royal Sonesta San Juan (formely the InterContinental San Juan Hotel). We checked out the pool area and captured the above photo. It’s a really nice property.

See more photos of this San Juan resort here.

When is the best time to visit San Juan?

The most popular time to visit is during the winter and cruise ship season, from November to April. San Juan has a tropical monsoon climate and enjoys an average temperature of 81.0 °F (27.2 °C) year round.

In the winter, temperatures can drop to around 60 °F (16 °C). In the summer, temperatures can climb to 90 °F (32 °C) or higher. We visited at the beginning of January, in peak season, and it was warm. Some days got to over 30 degree Celsius. 

San Juan gets very busy during winter, so accommodation prices are higher and availability is limited. We noticed a big jump in prices starting January 1st vs earlier in December.

>But let’s get serious, there’s never a bad time to visit Puerto Rico!

How to get to San Juan?

The tourist areas are conveniently located close to San Juan Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport. Puerto Rico is an unincorporated territory of the United States, which makes it very easy for Americans to visit. Flights departing from the United States and arriving in San Juan are not treated any differently than domestic flights for US citizens. This means that Americans don’t need to have a passport in order to visit this Caribbean island.

Note: some United States airlines/airports classify San Juan, Puerto Rico as a domestic flight, while others classify it as an international flight. Make sure you confirm your departure terminal ahead of time! 

The most convenient way to get around San Juan is by taxi or rent a car.

It shouldn’t cost more than $40 USD for a taxi from the San Juan airport to Old San Juan, Condado or Isla Verde. Make sure you confirm with the taxi stand before you leave. Most taxis will charge extra fees per bag (expect this).

We took a taxi from the airport to the Sheraton Old San Juan hotel and it cost US$30 for a private 7-passenger van that was able to take all of us (4 adults, 2 kids) and our luggage. These large 7-person taxi vans are common place in San Juan.

Should you add San Juan to your travel list?

San Juan is an interesting and diverse city that has a lot to offer its visitors. It deserves to be a stand alone destination, not just a travel hub for cruise ship passengers.

Sure, it has fantastic white sandy beaches and tall palm trees, but you’d expect that from a Caribbean island. It also has lush rain forests, rugged mountain peaks and exotic coastlines. Again, that’s what we would expect from a Caribbean island.

But what really makes this city special is its fusion of past and present. 

From the European-influenced colonial buildings and cobblestone streets of Old San Juan to the lavish resorts, stylish restaurants and trendy nightclubs on Playa Isla Verde, San Juan has all the ingredients for a perfect vacation. It’s safe, friendly and accessible, and it’s oozing with culture, creativity and Caribbean sizzle.

Yes, you should definitely add San Juan to your travel wish list.

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Have you visited San Juan? What did you think? 

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