The Ultimate Travel Guide for San Juan, Puerto Rico
If you’re wondering about what to do, where to eat/drink and key travel tips for San Juan, look no further! From beach paradises, towering rainforests, to vibrant neighborhoods alive with cultural history, San Juan has it all. These are all local-approved recommendations that I absolutely loved during my trip to Puerto Rico.
Looking for a guide specifically about the Old San Juan district? Check out my full guide here.
At the doorway of the world’s narrowest apartment in Old San Juan -@rolophotopr
Tours & Excursions
Sliding down waterfalls in the El Yunque Rainforest
Old San Juan Best Kept Secrets tour
Andy, the tour guide was born and raised in San Juan and has lived over 60 years here. This is a STEAL of a tour (only $25 dollars!) He knows all of the amazing little details that make San Juan so unique and beautiful. There are so many hidden parts of Old San Juan that I would’ve NEVER noticed if it weren’t for this tour.
El Yunque Rainforest guided hiking + swimming (transportation included!)
Totally worth the $78 dollars! Lush landscapes with gorgeous rainforest greenery & flora. Transportation to and from included. You’ll rope swing, cliff jump and slide down hidden waterfalls. Afterward, the guide takes you to a little mom & pop restaurant with authentic Puerto Rican food— one of the best meals I had in Puerto Rico.
*Fair warning— this hike is pretty intense. It involves navigating steep inclines (both up & down), rivers with current, slippery rocks & tons of mud. Wear water shoes made for hiking with good traction or hiking boots that you don’t mind getting drenched/dirty. Come prepared and ready for adventure!
Old San Juan photo session
The beautiful, colorful buildings in San Juan are a perfect backdrop to take portraits. Raul (aka Rolo) is an experienced professional photographer who knows all of the cool spots to take photos! There's a reason why Raul’s experience is rated 5 stars at 407 reviews.
Restaurants & Bars
The best view and the biggest piña colada I’ve ever had at La Garita Yaz
Scryer Rum
Instead of going to the Bacardi Rum distillery (which is farther away and a tourist trap), you can stay in Old San Juan & support this local small-batch, pot-distilled premium rum distillery. Some of the smoothest rum I’ve ever had! I can’t remember the last time I’ve taken a shot of rum and actually enjoyed it. I was here during a blackout and their bartender was skillfully slinging perfect cocktails in complete darkness. This was by far my favorite bar during my stay!
Kasalta Cafe
This cafe and bakery is Obama-approved. He made a stop here back in 2011 and had a medianoche sandwich. I ordered the same thing when I went and it was delicious. The man has great taste! You can also sit at the table Obama sat at, which was such a cool experience for me. If you’re not feeling the sandwich, I hear from locals that this is a great place for breakfast in particular.
Antojitos Del Callejon
Dirt cheap, delicious, generously sized Puerto Rican street food in Old San Juan. Their alcapurrias (Puerto Rican fritters made with mashed & fried green plantains and seasoned meat) are to die for! I also had their pastelillos (fried turnovers) which were amazing as well. Every alcapurria I had afterwards paled in comparison. Literally right next to this place is a bar called La Verguenza, that has a gorgeous patio facing the ocean and the best and most strong mojitos.
El Jibarito
Out of all of the Puerto Rican restaurants in Old San Juan, I got the most recommendations from locals for this place out of any others. As one local said, “If you’re looking for PURE Puerto Rican food, this place is it.” This place embodies authentic Puerto Rican flavors and has several of your must-try traditional dishes
La Garita Yaz
This place offers a stunning view of the La Perla neighborhood and the ocean. I sat here for the longest time in just staring out at this view. Honestly, the drinks and the food were not anything to write home about and are a little bit on the pricier end. But GOSH, that view was priceless. Kick back and have a beer or the biggest pina colada you’ll ever have in your entire life.
Beaches
Blue waters at Ocean Park beach
Ocean Park beach - a beach that’s popular with locals ! One of my faves because it’s very close by to San Juan and more secluded than Condado Beach. It’s smaller than others however at one point, I had this entire beach to myself. Convenient location close to many great local restaurants, including one of my faves, Kasalta.
Flamenco Playa - on Culebra island, this beach was named one of the top beaches in the world. Accessible by ferry or catamaran. It’s secluded and jaw-droppingly beautiful. A few locals suggested taking a day trip there via a catamaran tour, which has a buffet lunch and free drinks included! (You can find that tour here: https://www.viator.com/tours/San-Juan/Culebra-Day-Trip-by-Catamaran-from-Fajardo)
Sun Bay Beach - Spend a day & night on Isla Vieques, where you can spend time at Sun Bay Beach during the day and then take an afterdark tour at the Bioluminescent Bay. The entire bay glows up from the glowing algae there. You can see the BioBay and stargaze on this tour that has clear bottom kayaks! https://www.viator.com/tours/Puerto-Rico/Bioluminescent-Bay-Kayak-Trip
Condado Beach- the closest beach in proximity to Old San Juan. Lots of hotels on this strip and is a very convenient location. Paid water sports are offered here. Has some Miami vibes going on!
General Tips
A lot of things are closed on Mondays and Tuesdays. In the words of one of my local friends, “We party Wednesday to Sunday, and do our chores on Mondays and Tuesdays.”
Blackouts and power outages are typical in Puerto Rico. One happened during my stay there… I was lucky and it only lasted a few hours. According to locals, they can last for days at a time. Not to worry! Hotels & airports have back-up generators. Though, if you’re in an Airbnb, you might be out of luck during a blackout. Just something to consider when booking accommodations!
La Perla travel advisory— La Perla is a historic barrio that’s not as safe as the rest of San Juan. At least 4 locals warned me about this area due to a recent unfortunate event involving tourists. A lot more tourists have been going here because this is where Justin Bieber filmed his music video for Despacito. If you do choose to go, 1) Follow the rules of the neighborhood and do not take pictures of anything 2) Don’t go at night. 3) Don’t go by yourself.
Local food checklist— mofongo, alcapurria, tostones, carne frita, ceviche, jibarito
