This beautiful island of Puerto Rico is one that everyone should explore in their lifetime. We loved it! With just your driver's license or government ID, you can visit Puerto Rico. During this time, you can somewhat visit with ease so long as you are fully vaccinated or take a Covid test within 72 hours of your flight. For both scenarios, you'll need to fill our the
declarations form on their official website.
If you’re visiting for the first time and want to make it an epic trip, you need to visit these 5 cities!
1. San Juan
The colorful array of buildings reflect this city very much. Every place needs it’s “downtown” area and San Juan definitely fits the description. It has the tallest buildings on the island and many tourist friendly spots. There are two sides of San Juan. There’s Condado, which is part of San Juan and truly reflects the downtown area that a lot of locals also like to frequent. It also has a few beaches you can enjoy!
Then, there’s Old San Juan where a lot of locals also live and spend time in. However, it is very tourist heavy. In Old San Juan, you can find many beautiful streets like pictured above and historic landmarks as it is the oldest city on the island. If you are visiting, I’d recommend taking the ferry from Cantaño over or taking an Uber or a taxi into the city. Parking is very limited and traffic is heavy!
2. Rincón
Every area also needs their beach town! Puerto Rico’s coast is filled with SO MANY beautiful beaches. You can literally drive down the coast and find a beach just about anywhere. That’s one of the things that makes the island so beautiful. But, Rincón is special. Not only is it a beach town, but it’s also a popular surfing area. You’ll find the cute downtown area with fun shops to explore. You’ll also find some great seafood restaurants in the area!
Although everything I just mentioned is reason a lone to visit Rincón. I loved that there were very cute landmark areas to stop by too. For example, the Faro Punta Lighthouse is a beautiful area to visit. It’s even got a beautiful view of the ocean right behind and some restaurants close by. Not too far away is Domes beach where the views are amazing and the sunsets are unforgettable. If you’re hesitant on visiting Rincón, I’d say go for it!
3. Ponce
This southern city on the island holds a special place in my heart. It was actually my favorite place to visit. It was also a very scary drive (without toll). So, I'd be very careful if you are driving from the Northern part of the island. Ponce is another part of Puerto Rico that has a lot of historical landmarks. For one, the Castillo Serralés is located there. This beautiful mansion housed the factory for the Don Q rum that is so popular amongst the locals. However, it is now used as a museum that displays furniture and pictures for visitors to use to reflect on it's historical significance.
Not only is the museum tour great, the landscaping on the outside of the mansion is breathtaking. And the VIEWS! This mansion is just one of the great parts of Ponce. When you go downtown, you'll find a beautiful pink building by the name of Casa Wiechers-Villaronga. Though we weren't able to go inside, it was worth it to walk past and observe. Not too far from it is that a small plaza that features historic landmarks such as Parque de Bombas (a museum that recognizes the heroic firefighters during El Polvorin). You can explore on your own or book a tour with
Isla Caribe!
4. Fajardo
If you love boats and kayaking or really any water sport, Fajardo is where it's at. During our more adventurous days, we braved the waves and explored the nearby islands on a
Mini Boat Tour. We loved it so much! If you want to explore other islands close to Puerto Rico, then Fajardo is a great location to dock from. From there, you can gain access to ferries that take you to Icacos Island, Culebra and Vieques. While we only visited Icacos, the other islands are definitely worth adding to your list of places to go to. For all of these, you'll probably need to dedicate an entire day so you can fully enjoy it.
If you decide to go to Icacos island on a mini boat tour, you will have a chance to snorkel the beautiful reefs close to the island. It's definitely something you won't want to skip out on. Close by to Fajardo is also La Zanga, a natural pool you can get to by hiking from the Seven Seas beach. This location is very underrated and the hike isn't easy, but the destination is worth it.
5. Dorado
Last but not least is this area located on the Northern Coast of Puerto Rico! Known for it’s easily accessible beaches and gated communities, Dorado is an absolute beauty. During our trip, we stayed here and traveled to the other cities with ease. We also explored the surrounding areas like Manatí where the cutest cove beach is (Mar Chiquita Beach).
If you're interested in staying in a location where you can access a lot of the cool parts of Puerto Rico (and don't want to stay in San Juan), Dorado is a great option. It's also one with many resorts for those who want to simply enjoy their time on the beach. Either route you take, you'll have a great time!
All in all,
You won’t want to miss out on seeing one or all of these cities. Each area has a different aspect that attracts many visitors. Please keep in mind that although they are tourist attractions, they are also people’s hometowns. So, while visiting, be sure to honor their property and privacy! And following Covid guidelines is one way of doing that as well. I hope you enjoyed reading this as much as I enjoyed writing it. Comment down below which of these cities you’d love to visit. Until next time!
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| 1. Buckle Slide Sandals- Find similar on AMAZON | 2. Ribbed Midi Dress- Purchased from FRANCESCAS | 3. Rectangle Sunglasses- Find Similar at NORDSTROM |
| 4. Mock-Neck Top- Purchased at BANANA REPUBLIC | 5. T-Strap Flip Flops- Purchased at OLD NAVY | 6. Pull-On Pants- Purchased at H&M |
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