Puerto Rico

Looking out across Bajo Tablazo from Museo Casa Blanca

Puerto Rico is an island of contrasts. Incredible food, amazing weather, and breathtakingly beautiful beaches that stretch on for miles. If you’ve never been before, I can’t recommend it enough.

It’s important to note that Puerto Rico is an unincorporated territory of the United States. So what exactly does that mean? It means if you’re an American citizen, you don’t need your U.S. passport to visit since it’s a domestic flight for the U.S. mainland. They use the U.S. dollar as the local currency, and despite this being a Spanish-speaking territory, English is spoken almost everywhere on the island.

San Juan

If you’re flying into San Juan’s Marin International Airport (SJU) which most visitors do, I highly recommend spending a couple days exploring San Juan. Old San Juan in particular is a favorite with visitors because of its cobblestone streets and brightly colored, tightly-packed houses (some between 300 and 400 years old).

Some things in Old San Juan worth exploring: first thing to note is wear comfortable walking shoes. Most of the narrow streets in OSJ are cobblestone so heels wouldn’t be very practical. I highly recommend stopping at what’s become known as Umbrella Street (also known as Calle Fortaleza). While you may not find umbrellas suspended from cables anymore, you will more than likely find something hanging from those cables. Last I checked, there was a long Puerto Rican flag suspended the length of the street. It makes for a great photo, and right next door is an outdoor restaurant that makes pretty phenomenal flavored mojitos. The area is usually quite crowded with tourists and pigeons, but if you’re in the mood for a drink or a snack, it may be worth stopping here.

The two forts should be on your ‘must see’ list. The first is San Felipe del Morro Castle, a citadel that was built in the 16th century. This fort is on the western tip of Old San Juan at the end of the big open park. You can stand guard in the garitas or climb to the first floor for sweeping views across the ocean. The second is Castillo de San Cristóbal on the eastern most side of Old San Juan. Built in 1765, it’s the largest of the Spanish-built forts in the Americas.

Another spot worth visiting in Old San Juan is Puerta de San Juan (or more colloquially known as the Red Gate). This large, circa-1635 gate was the main entry into the walled city during its Spanish colonial era. It overlooks the bay, and if you turn around and face the other direction, you’ll be faced with a beautiful tree-lined street, and just to the right is the Governor’s Mansion.

La Perla is a colorful neighborhood right next to OSJ and overlooks the ocean. Years ago, La Perla had a reputation for drugs and crime, but that has mostly cleared up by now. It may be worth taking a stroll during the day through La Perla, but I’d suggest you keep your cameras hidden, the locals will politely leave if they see you walking around, camera is hand, snapping away. Respect their privacy.

Arecibo

Just over an hour west of San Juan is the coastal city of Arecibo, home to some of the best off-the-beaten-path adventures on the island. Expect to see dramatic limestone formations and extensive cave systems. You’ll get to walk in the footsteps of pirates from ages ago and look out across the landscape that seems like it’s from another planet. That said, make sure you wear strong hiking shoes/boots since these rock formations are incredibly sharp.

Getting to Arecibo isn’t too difficult. I signed up for a tour through Tourism Family, a small family-operated tour company based in Puerto Rico, so they picked me up in San Juan and we drove the 50 miles to Arecibo, taking in the changing scenery as we passed the small towns on the way. As you get closer to Arecibo, the main road becomes more of a dirt track, and you’ll notice some remnants from the devastation caused by Hurricane Maria—abandoned, dilapidated houses, the twisted trunks of palm trees, and even a still-alive tree stump. The traffic slows to a crawl on this beachside road so you’ll need some patience. Make sure to look out for the small street-side stands that sell everything from handmade trinkets to pineapple-filled piña coladas the size of your head!

Inside the caves you’ll find incredibly well-preserved petroglyphs carved into the cave walls by the Taíno, the indigenous people of Puerto Rico and other Caribbean countries. The vivid colors of the undulating ocean form bright greens and blues and aquamarine that violently crash against the craggy black volcanic rock. This was one of the best experiences I’ve had in the year I’ve lived on the island and can’t recommend it enough.

Culebra & Vieques

You’ve no doubt seen breathtaking photos of some of the most beautiful beaches in the world. Did you know that some of those can be found on the eastern Puerto Rican islands of Culebra and Vieques?

Flamenco Beach frequently makes every ‘Top 5 Beaches in The World’ lists. This breathtaking strip of blindingly-white sandy beaches separates the multi-colored ocean from the line of leaning palm trees and Mangroves that wrap around the beach. Parking is available and you’ll have to walk a short bit to actually reach the beach, but once your bare feet crunch into that sand, you’ll finally feel as though you’ve arrived.

Unless you take a beach umbrella or find a shady spot under the trees, expect some sunburn. So make sure to pack sunscreen.

Culebra has many other world-class beaches, too, but none as famous as Flamenco Beach.

If you’re headed to Vieques, Sun Bay Beach on the south of the island is where you’ll want to be. Similar to Flamenco Beach, it’s a long strip of snow-white beach, dotted with bright green palm trees—and usually a lot less crowded as well.

Both Culebra and Vieques have a very different feel and atmosphere from the main island. They’re definitely more laid back.

Wild horses roam free on Playa Negra (Black Beach) in Vieques

Out on the west coast of the main island are a few towns definitely worth exploring, including Aquadilla, Rincón, and further down south, Cabo Rojo.

Cape Town

Costa Rica