28 years… 28 years is the amount of time it took us to visit the only US territory with a rainforest! After coming home from this trip, it’s apparent that we waited 28 years too long to visit the beautiful island of Puerto Rico.
As US residents ourselves, the travel could not have been easier, no passport, no customs, just empanadilla’s, tripleta’s, mofongo, Medalla and island life. From downtown San Juan to the beachy southwest coast of Cabo Rojo, we never ran out of things to do or beauties to behold. This is our six day itinerary, and in my personal opinion, the only thing missing from it is another three weeks of exploring our Caribbean neighbor.
Note: We road tripped through Puerto Rico, so a car is an absolute necessity if you are following our suggestions.
-Day 1-
– When you land in San Juan, you have one of two options for visiting Vieques. You can either book a flight or catch the ferry from Cieba out to the island. We chose the ferry option based solely on the fact that we assumed we could take our rental car on the ferry easily, but further research exposed that it takes a little more planning and scheduling with the transport company. Not to worry, there is ferry parking available and your cars overnight stay will only cost you about $15 per day on top of the $2 per person boat ticket – a much cheaper option than a flight to the island. When you arrive on Vieques, you will need some wheels if you want to experience the whole island with ease. We were lucky enough to score a golf cart from Scooters for Rent without calling ahead, but luck is the operative word. In hindsight, I definitely recommend booking in advance. This shop is located a short walk from the port and offers scooters, golf carts, and UTV’s available for rent, all of which are street legal.
-Drive out to Mosquito Pier and bring your snorkeling gear. This abandoned pier is now just an awesome place to observe local fisherman honing their skills, tropical fish and even sea turtles.
-Head down to Esparanza where you should stay the night as you will be close to restaurants, bars, beaches and the infamous bio-luminescent bay.
-Check out Playa Negra, but be sure to go when the tide is out so you have access to most of the beach. It gets tricky to get around when the tide is high.
-Relax at Sun Bay Beach to hang with wild horses and some of Puerto Rico’s calmest, clearest water. Being a bay, this little beach has virtually no waves, perfect for a struggle free dip in the afternoon sun.
-Book a kayaking excursion to the world’s most bio-luminescent bay, Mosquito Bay. This body of water has the highest concentration of dinoflagallates in the world making it the greatest light show around.
-Unwind with drinks and a late dinner at Bananas or Lazy Jacks. These bars are both lively, but laid back and offer the perfect way to recap all of the day’s adventures as it was a full one. Make sure you have an early return ferry to the big island as tomorrow will be just as adventure-packed.
-Day 2-
-Once you make land in Cieba, head straight for El Yuenque, the United States’ only tropical rainforest. This National Forest is free to enter and boasts breathtaking views at every turn. While we were there (Summer 2019) roads were still closed and under construction due to the recent hurricane, but you’re still free to walk the roads to most of the trail heads.
-Make sure to hike to Torre Mt. Britton for the most incredible view of the forest. It’s a pretty steep hike but very well maintained and marked, complete with a paved path through the jungle.
-Check out the parks many waterfalls and take a dip in the pools at the foot of them where it is allowed. This is the perfect way to cool off after a long day of hiking.
-Load up the car and head for Cabo Rojo for some beach cliffs and pink water.
-Day 3-
-Wake up and start your day by visiting Salinas de Cabo Rojo. This awesome salt mine located on the most southwest point of the big island in Puerto Rico has beautiful shades of water ranging from milky blue to pinkish red depending on the salinity of the water. This is a working mine so be respectful and if approached, make sure your presence is welcomed. Everyone was super friendly to us and were more than happy to let us explore.
-Drive farther into the nature reserve and visit Faro Los Morrillos de Cabo Rojo. This light house is perched way above the waves and is a great spot for some pictures.
-Relax on Playa Combate and grab an early lunch at Annie’s Place before you head for San Sebatian. This beach is awesome and you could stay all week but a rolling stone gathers no moss.
-Load up and drive for San Sebastian where you can visit Goazandilla Falls. There are a pair of waterfalls in the mountains here in which you can swim, one even hosts a rope swing. Though the parking attendant collecting your 5 dollars for admittance asks you not to jump, there is little to no enforcement of this rule. This attraction get pretty full so be prepared to share these picturesque swimming holes and make some friends.
-Drive for downtown San Juan, it’s time for a little city lights mixed into your beach days.
-Day 4-
-We know you just got to the city but make the 1.75 hour drive back to Rio Caonillas. This amazing canyon is the perfect spot to wade through tall rock walls and crystal clear water. Be sure to snap a picture at ‘El Sofa”. Parking is available here.
– Head back to San Juan for a real beach day where you can truly relax; the lengthy drives are over at this point. I recommend staying in Old San Juan or Condado.
-Day 5 & 6-
I put these days together only because it’s easy to set your own pace when in San Juan, so sprinkle in as much or as little beach time as you’d like, just be sure not to miss these must-visit sites:
Beaches – Be sure to kick back on Playa El Escambrón, a popular and easily accessible beach where you can snag a fresh coconut or some yummy water ice from a street vendor. And for a more private scene, check out Playa Peña, which is accessible via a set of stairs located right by the Plaza San Juan Bautista. Here you’ll find yourself surrounded by cliffs and can lounge in one of several pools protected by rock barriers.
Sites – Walk the streets of Old San Juan for wonderful food and street art. Visit Castillo de San Cristóbal and Castillo San Felipe del Morro San Juan. Check out the colorful houses of La Perla and take them in over a drink at La Garita.
Food – Okay, so you have endless food options in San Juan, but here are the ones we hit (and loved), some more than once! Stop & Go was right by our Airbnb and while it’s more on the dive bar side of the spectrum, the food is exactly what you’d expect at a dive bar… phenomenal. The chicken tacos are not to be missed. Head out to Tripletas Mi Sueño, a food truck parked here for some real Puerto Rican comfort food. Have dinner at Ropa Vieja Grill and maybe later stop by their sister restaurant Crazy Pulpo for great cocktails and an ocean view.
