3 days in Puerto Rico might not be quite a lot of time, however for those who don’t get a lot time without work work and also you’re solely in a position to journey on weekends, then generally you simply should work with it!
Since my buddy was ready on her visa and couldn’t depart the U.S., we wished to go someplace a bit totally different for our lengthy weekend with out leaving the nation. An apparent alternative was Puerto Rico – a Caribbean island that additionally occurs to be an unincorporated U.S territory.
At 3.5 hours flight time, the journey from New York to San Juan is pretty quick and also you don’t should take your passport because it’s a home flight. A U.S driver’s license will do. We stayed 3 nights in San Juan and rented a automobile for twenty-four hours so we might discover a bit extra of the island.
Because the island is pretty huge it’s unimaginable to cowl every little thing there’s to do in Puerto Rico in 3 days, so we caught to the north and east coast. I actually loved my time in PR and totally intend to return one other time to discover different elements of the island.
When you plan to spend 3 days in Puerto Rico, right here’s my instructed itinerary.
The place to Keep On Your 3 Days in Puerto Rico
First slightly observe on the place to remain. We stayed in an Airbnb, particularly this one. It has a pool and an unbelievable ocean view. It’s additionally centrally positioned in Condado so that you’re only a few steps from all of the eating places and bars, in addition to the seashore.
When you don’t keep at an Airbnb, there are just a few accommodations in San Juan space I’d suggest.
Condado:
O:LV Lodge – That is definitely one of many nicest boutique Design Lodges I’ve ever seen. Located in Condado, the OL:V has a stylish rooftop with unbelievable views of the lagoon, which you’ll be able to go to whether or not you’re staying at there or not. This isn’t simply your typical lodge – the interiors are to die for, with brass, marble and velvet accents a-plenty.
La Concha Renaissance – When you’re on the lookout for a bigger resort, La Concha Renaissance boats an infinity pool overlooking Condado Seaside, a number of eating places, a health middle and a 24 hour on line casino. Rooms even have floor-to-ceiling home windows and balconies with ocean views.
Previous City:
Villa Herencia Lodge – I you’d favor to remain in San Juan Previous City, this boutique lodge has previous world allure, funky interiors, native artwork work and a calming roof terrace. It’s additionally positioned only a quick stroll from Museum of the Americas and Santa Catalina Palace.
Find out how to Get Round on Your 3 Days in Puerto Rico
To your 3 days in Puerto Rico I’d recommend getting a automobile so you may discover the island. You could find rental automobile offers utilizing Kayak or Rentalcars.com. Don’t neglect to carry your U.S driver’s license with you with a view to hire the automobile. When you plan to stay round San Juan and Condado, then you may simply get round by Uber, which is pretty cheap.
Day 1 – Chill out in Condado
Flying might be exhausting so plan to have a calming day the primary day of your Puerto Rico itinerary. When you land at San Juan Airport (SJU), both order an Uber or decide up your rental automobile and make your technique to your lodging.
San Juan is mainly break up into two elements. There’s the previous city, which is stuffed with colourful buildings and bars, then there’s the newer half, Condado, which is by the seashore. I’d recommend staying in Condado so you may simply stroll to the seashore. You may then Uber to Previous San Juan within the evenings.
Chill out on Condado Seaside
When you’ve checked in an unpacked your stuff, head on over to considered one of San Juan’s principal seashores, Condado, which is lined with accommodations such because the Marriott and La Concha Renaissance.
Condado Seaside is a windswept metropolis seashore lined with palm timber, accommodations and high-rises. The water can get fairly wavy and the present is robust so it’s probably not advisable to swim there. The seashore will get energetic within the afternoons, significantly on weekends, so it’s nice for individuals watching. Spend the afternoon absorbing the solar and sip on a piña colada or two.
Lunch at Jose Enrique
When you’re feeling a bit peckish you may stroll alongside Ashford Ave, which has loads of eating places providing every little thing from Puerto Rican meals to sushi.
One nice restaurant I’d suggest is Jose Enrique, which serves actually good Puerto Rican meals with a contemporary twist. The restaurant’s inside is shiny and ethereal, with easy picket tables and mirrors adorning the partitions.
Dishes are designed for sharing and are made with elements from native producers. The menu adjustments each day however you may anticipate every little thing to be tremendous contemporary and scrumptious. I significantly loved the tuna crudo and pork stomach with shishito peppers.
Sundown Drinks at ARYA Rooftop
For sundown you may head on over to ARYA rooftop on the O:LV lodge, which fingers down is without doubt one of the most trendy accommodations I’ve ever seen. Artsy, daring and opulent, the lodge is so lovely that it was awarded Greatest Design Lodge of the World and Greatest New Boutique Lodge by London’s Boutique Lodge Awards. When you have the money to remain there, then do it!
The rooftop has a stupendous pool/fountain and views of the Condado lagoon, so head on over at sundown to snap some images and revel in a cocktail or two. A spotlight of the rooftop is the ’77 Rolls Royce that’s been transformed right into a DJ Sales space.
La Placita de Santurce
When you nonetheless have some vitality left in you, head over to La Placita de Santurce which is a bustling market space that comes alive after 6pm. Locals flock there to have meals, cocktails and dance salsa – it’s tremendous enjoyable!
La Placita has been round for 100 years and began as a two-tiered market the place individuals might purchase contemporary produces resembling fruit, greens and meat. Immediately it nonetheless capabilities as a market throughout the day nevertheless it transforms right into a vibrant native hangout at evening. It’s significantly energetic Thursday via Sunday, so ensure you go to on considered one of today.
Day 2 – El Yunque Rainforest and Bio Bay
For the second day of your Puerto Rico itinerary you’re going to drive out to El Yunque Rainforest and go to the city of Fajardo, which is on the east coast of the island. You’ll want a automobile for this half, because it’s too far to Uber from San Juan.
Breakfast at Cafe Regina
For an Instagram-worthy (and wholesome) breakfast, go to Cafe Regina in Condado/Ocean Park, which is positioned one block from the seashore. This neighborhood cafe serves high quality espresso and wholesome menu gadgets made with elements from native producers. You could, should, should get their avocado toast with black garlic, it’s so good!
One other must-try from the menu is the Cashew Milk Iced Latte, which is made with cashew milk, two photographs of espresso, natural maple syrup, and cinnamon.
Cafe Regina is open each day from 8am to 4pm.
Tackle: 58 Calle Taft, San Juan, PR 00911.
El Yunque Nationwide Forest
When you haven’t already, decide up a rental automobile and drive to El Yunque rainforest, which is a tropical rainforest within the northeastern a part of Puerto Rico. This various rainforest covers an space of almost 29,000 acres and boasts breathtaking views, lovely waterfalls, and loads of mountaineering trails.
Entry to the rainforest is managed and to enter you’ll must guide on-line from a alternative of morning or afternoon slots. We selected the morning slot so we might beat the crowds and revel in the remainder of our day doing different issues.
Because the entrance is timed, I’d advise reserving prematurely at a few days beforehand so that you simply aren’t disenchanted. Tickets to El Yunque might be bought on the Recreation.gov web site.
You’ll enter El Yunque Rainforest on the customer’s middle after which drive up steep, windy roads stopping at numerous lookout factors alongside the way in which.
When you get automobile sick in any respect (I positively do) don’t go on an empty abdomen and ensure you get out of the automobile for contemporary air. The parking areas are tremendous small so I can’t think about how busy it could get if we had gone later within the day.
When you’re up for some train you would hike one of many trails, or for those who’d reasonably do one thing extra leisurely, you may take some images and cease at one of many waterfalls for a swim.
Luquillo Seaside
After visiting El Yunque it’s time to chill out, so drive over to Luquillo Seaside, which is roughly 20 minutes away, simply off Route 3.
This tranquil bay is nice for swimming and snorkeling and is lined with palm timber that present some shade. There are restrooms, showers and picnic spots, so you’ve got every little thing you want proper there. When you get hungry or thirsty, there are a selection of kiosks subsequent to the seashore serving issues like empanadas, ice cream and piña coladas. I cherished the piña coladas right here and thought they had been significantly better than those I attempted in Previous San Juan.
Luquillo Seaside has its personal car parking zone and parking in all fairness priced at $4 for the whole day.
Fajardo and Bio Bay
End your day by driving to Fajardo, which is on the east coast of the island. It’s a few 15 minute drive from Luquillo Seaside. Fajardo is a well-liked place to do a bioluminescent bay tour. We had been feeling peckish earlier than the tour, so we stopped for some fried snapper and arepas at Pescaderia Don Candi, which is a tiny native spot on the water with a bar subsequent door. Don’t anticipate something fancy; this can be a no-frills restaurant serving contemporary seafood straight from the ocean. You order on the counter after which sit on bar stools overlooking the water. Ensure to carry money!
Our Bio Bay kayaking tour with Kayaking Puerto Rico was severely one of many highlights of our journey. We kayaked in nearly full darkness and it was so stress-free below the celebrities that I needed I might keep longer.
If you wish to see bioluminescence then it’s finest to go near a brand new moon when the sky is as darkish as attainable. Nevertheless, for those who go to when the moon is out don’t fret! They provide you a tarp to place over your head so you may create shade and see the flicker. It truly is magical, and appears such as you’re holding glitter in your hand.
Day 3 – Pinones and San Juan’s Previous City
On the ultimate day of your Puerto Rico itinerary, head to Piñones, which is an space near San Juan airport that has lovely, palm tree-lined seashores. It’s a few 15-20 minute drive from San Juan, relying on the place you’re staying.
You may both take an Uber there or drive in case you have a rental automobile. Two common seashores are La Pocita and Vacía Talega, each of that are nice for snorkeling.
Ocean Lab Brewing Firm
Begin by visiting Ocean Lab Brewing Firm, an award-winning brewery that serves craft beers brewed on the seashore in Puerto Rico! In style beers brewed by Ocean Lab embrace Mambo – a hazy wheat beer with a scrumptious passionfruit aroma, and Blood Orange Blonde – a lightweight, crisp beer infused with blood orange from California.
Personally I like a great IPA within the solar and their yellowfin tuna poke bowl is actually contemporary.
Drift Seaside Bar
After Ocean Lab, seize some cocktails on the seashore at Drift Seaside Bar, which is barely additional alongside the coast. Their restaurant/bar Hook’d is correct on the seashore with oceanfront seating and a calming chill space.
Drift has some nice comfortable hours and drinks specials, plus there are particular occasions all through the week. There’s salsa on Wednesdays, reggae on Fridays and a ‘Sundaze brunch’ on Sundays…you get the concept!
Previous San Juan
Within the night, head again to San Juan to discover the town’s Previous City, which is thought for its cobbled streets, and colourful buildings and historic sights that date again to the sixteenth and seventeenth century. Previous San Juan is residence to the San Juan Nationwide Historic Web site, which incorporates the previous metropolis partitions, San Cristóbal fortress and a citadel referred to as Castillo San Felipe del Morro.
Sip Piña Coladas
Puerto Rico is thought for being the birthplace of the piña colada though from what I learn on-line, individuals can’t determine on the place it was invented. Some individuals say it was invented in 1954 by a bartender on the Caribe Hilton Lodge. Some say it was invented by a bartender at Barrachina – a cocktail bar positioned within the middle of the Previous City.
We visited Barrachina to strive their piña colada and I’m unhappy to say, it was not good. It tasted to me prefer it had come out of a machine and I used to be a tad disenchanted. I’m guessing that since they get so many vacationers coming via they maybe rush and even have them pre-prepared.
To me a piña colada needs to be creamy and made with love (me and my buddy love making them at residence!), and this was simply not like that, however you could find loads of nice pina coladas on the island! I haven’t tried the piña colada on the Caribe Hilton however chances are you’ll need to give that one a strive as a substitute.
San Juan has plenty of cocktail bars and eating places – our favourite bar being La Factoria, which was tremendous busy. It appears to be like fairly small once you first stroll in however there’s truly a a lot bigger space for dancing via the again.
A Remaining Phrase…
3 days in Puerto Rico will mean you can have slightly style of the island and see common sights resembling Previous San Juan, El Yunque Nationwide Forest and a few of Puerto Rico’s unbelievable seashores.
I actually loved my time on the island and it’s positively price renting a automobile so you will get out of San Juan and see the much less touristy areas. There are all types of locations to go to in Puerto Rico, resembling Rincon, Vieques and the island of Culebra, so I’ll positively be making a visit again in some unspecified time in the future to see extra. A protracted weekend in Puerto Rico is simply sufficient to get slightly taster however there are such a lot of issues to do.
Extra Itineraries:
