Heads up: among the hyperlinks on this web site are affiliate hyperlinks. Should you click on and make a reserving or buy, I’ll make a fee (at no further price to you). I companion with corporations I personally use and the $$ goes in the direction of creating extra superior, free journey content material.
3 days in Puerto Rico is probably not a whole lot of time, however in the event you don’t get a lot time without work work and also you’re solely capable of journey on weekends, then generally you simply need to work with it!
Since my pal was ready on her visa and couldn’t go away the U.S., we wished to go someplace a bit completely 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 need to 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 automotive for twenty-four hours so we may discover a bit extra of the island.
For the reason that island is pretty large it’s not possible to cowl the whole lot 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 components of the island.
Should you plan to spend 3 days in Puerto Rico, right here’s my recommended itinerary.
The place to Keep On Your 3 Days in Puerto Rico
First slightly notice on the place to remain. We stayed in an Airbnb, particularly this one. It has a pool and an unimaginable ocean view. It’s additionally centrally situated in Condado so that you’re only a few steps from all of the eating places and bars, in addition to the seashore.
Should you don’t keep at an Airbnb, there are a number of inns in San Juan space I’d advocate.
Condado:
O:LV Resort – That is for sure one of many nicest boutique Design Accommodations I’ve ever seen. Located in Condado, the OL:V has a classy rooftop with unimaginable 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 resort – the interiors are to die for, with brass, marble and velvet accents a-plenty.
La Concha Renaissance – Should you’re in search of 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.
Outdated City:
Villa Herencia Resort – I you’d desire to remain in San Juan Outdated City, this boutique resort has outdated world attraction, funky interiors, native artwork work and a calming roof terrace. It’s additionally situated only a quick stroll from Museum of the Americas and Santa Catalina Palace.
How one can Get Round on Your 3 Days in Puerto Rico
On your 3 days in Puerto Rico I’d recommend getting a automotive so you may discover the island. You could find rental automotive offers utilizing Kayak or Rentalcars.com. Don’t overlook to deliver your U.S driver’s license with you with a view to hire the automotive. Should 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 could 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 choose up your rental automotive and make your option to your lodging.
San Juan is principally cut up into two components. There’s the outdated 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’ll be able to then Uber to Outdated San Juan within the evenings.
Chill out on Condado Seaside
When you’ve checked in an unpacked your stuff, head on over to San Juan’s principal seashore space, Condado, which is lined with inns such because the Marriott and La Concha Renaissance.
Condado Seaside is a windswept metropolis seashore lined with palm bushes, inns and high-rises. The water can get fairly wavy and the present is powerful so it’s not likely advisable to swim there. The seashore will get vigorous within the afternoons, significantly on weekends, so it’s nice for folks watching. Spend the afternoon absorbing the solar and sip on a piña colada or two.
Lunch at Jose Enrique
Should you’re feeling a bit peckish you may stroll alongside Ashford Ave, which has loads of eating places providing the whole lot from Puerto Rican meals to sushi.
One nice restaurant I’d advocate is Jose Enrique, which serves actually good Puerto Rican meals with a contemporary twist. The restaurant’s inside is vibrant 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 modifications each day however you may count on the whole lot 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 resort, which palms down is among the most fashionable inns I’ve ever seen. Artsy, daring and splendid, the resort is so lovely that it was awarded Greatest Design Resort of the World and Greatest New Boutique Resort by London’s Boutique Resort Awards. In case you have the money to remain there, then do it!
The rooftop has an attractive pool/fountain and views of the Condado lagoon, so head on over at sundown to snap some pictures and luxuriate 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
Should you nonetheless have some power 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 folks may purchase contemporary produces similar to fruit, greens and meat. Right this moment it nonetheless features as a market throughout the day nevertheless it transforms right into a vibrant native hangout at night time. It’s significantly vigorous Thursday by means of Sunday, so ensure you go to on considered one of lately.
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 automotive 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 situated one block from the seashore. This neighborhood cafe serves high quality espresso and wholesome menu gadgets made with elements from native producers. You should, 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.
Deal with: 58 Calle Taft, San Juan, PR 00911.
El Yunque Nationwide Forest
Should you haven’t already, choose up a rental automotive and drive to El Yunque rainforest, which is a tropical rainforest within the northeastern a part of Puerto Rico. This numerous rainforest covers an space of almost 29,000 acres and boasts breathtaking views, lovely waterfalls, and loads of climbing trails.
Entry to the rainforest is managed and to enter you’ll must e book on-line from a alternative of morning or afternoon slots. We selected the morning slot so we may beat the crowds and luxuriate in the remainder of our day doing different issues.
For the reason that entrance is timed, I’d advise reserving prematurely at a few days beforehand so that you simply aren’t dissatisfied. Tickets to El Yunque could 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.
Should you get automotive sick in any respect (I positively do) don’t go on an empty abdomen and ensure you get out of the automotive for contemporary air. The parking areas are tremendous small so I can’t think about how busy it will get if we had gone later within the day.
Should you’re up for some train you would hike one of many trails, or in the event you’d reasonably do one thing extra leisurely, you may take some pictures and cease at one of many waterfalls for a swim.
Luquillo Seaside
After visiting El Yunque it’s time to loosen up, 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 bushes that present some shade. There are restrooms, showers and picnic spots, so you could have the whole lot you want proper there. Should 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 have been significantly better than those I attempted in Outdated San Juan.
Luquillo Seaside has its personal car parking zone and parking is fairly priced at $4 for your complete day.
Fajardo and Bio Bay
End your day by driving to Fajardo, which is on the east coast of the island. It’s a couple of 15 minute drive from Luquillo Seaside. Fajardo is a well-liked place to do a bioluminescent bay tour. We have 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 count on 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. Make certain to deliver money!
Our Bio Bay kayaking tour with Kayaking Puerto Rico was significantly one of many highlights of our journey. We kayaked in virtually full darkness and it was so stress-free below the celebs that I wanted I may keep longer.
If you wish to see bioluminescence then it’s greatest to go near a brand new moon when the sky is as darkish as doable. Nonetheless, in the event you go to when the moon is out don’t fret! They offer 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 Outdated 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 couple of 15-20 minute drive from San Juan, relying on the place you’re staying.
You’ll be able to both take an Uber there or drive when you have a rental automotive. Two in style 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! Common 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 really like a great IPA within the solar and their yellowfin tuna poke bowl is admittedly 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 completely happy 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!
Outdated San Juan
Within the night, head again to San Juan to discover the town’s Outdated City, which is thought for its cobbled streets, and colourful buildings and historic points of interest that date again to the sixteenth and seventeenth century. Outdated San Juan is residence to the San Juan Nationwide Historic Web site, which incorporates the outdated metropolis partitions, San Cristóbal fortress and a citadel known 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, folks can’t resolve on the place it was invented. Some folks say it was invented in 1954 by a bartender on the Caribe Hilton Resort. Some say it was invented by a bartender at Barrachina – a cocktail bar situated within the middle of the Outdated 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 dissatisfied. I’m guessing that since they get so many vacationers coming by means of they maybe rush and even have them pre-prepared.
To me a piña colada ought to be creamy and made with love (me and my pal love making them at residence!), and this was simply not like that, however yow will discover loads of nice pina coladas on the island! I haven’t tried the piña colada on the Caribe Hilton however you could wish to give that one a strive as an alternative.
San Juan has a lot of cocktail bars and eating places – our favourite bar being La Factoria, which was tremendous busy. It seems fairly small if you first stroll in however there’s truly a a lot bigger space for dancing by means of the again.
A Closing Phrase…
3 days in Puerto Rico will can help you have slightly style of the island and see in style sights similar to Outdated San Juan, El Yunque Nationwide Forest and a few of Puerto Rico’s unimaginable seashores.
I actually loved my time on the island and it’s positively value renting a automotive so you will get out of San Juan and see the much less touristy areas. There are all kinds of locations to go to in Puerto Rico, similar to 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:
