Puerto Rico has a special place in my heart, I traveled here as a child because my family loved it. My Dad played professional baseball and had fond memories of having spring training here. My Grandmother and her friends also vacationed here. They would spend months out of the year here in a time share. We grew to love Puerto Rico as a family. I was just recently able to revisit and fell back in love!
This 4 day itinerary for Puerto Rico can easily be tweaked to slow down or speed up the pace of your trip. If you only have 2-3 days you can cherry pick your favorite bits. If you have more time I will add some additional suggestions.
This is a pretty action packed itinerary and uses Old San Juan as a base. I chose Old San Juan as a base because I like to have a lot of action. I want to walk out the door in the morning and be nearby to shops and restaurants etc. There is always something going on here. It is so colorful and lively, and I would personally get a little bored being by the beach and having to travel into Old San Juan for the action. However, if you’re more of a beach person I will add a couple of beach hotel recommendations at the end of this post.
There are so many beautiful parts of Puerto Rico that you can’t go wrong!
- Know before you go
- Day 1: Arrive, check in, beach, & dinner in Old San Juan
- Day 2: El Yunque Rainforest Visit, exploring, dinner & drinks
- Day 3: Walking tour, exploring the town, beaches, salsa class, dinner & drinks
- Day 4: Cocktail making class, beach, and a nice dinner
- Day 4: get away day, visit the Castillos
- Alternative options/Things to do if you have more time
Know before you go
Getting Around Puerto Rico
If you are going to base in Old San Juan and follow this itinerary pretty closely, you really don’t need a car. Uber is extremely reasonable and easy to use here. If you’re more adventurous you can also rent scooters and walk to most places you’d want to go. An uber to and from the airport is not that costly either.
Money
Most places take card in Puerto Rico and everything is in US dollars. The US dollar here holds the same value that it does in the United States. It is always helpful to have a little cash for shops and snacks.
Language Spoken
Spanish is very prevalent in Puerto Rico, but many people speak English as well. It would be helpful to know a few basic words in Spanish. Most menus will have both.
The people
The people of Puerto Rico are some of the most kind and welcoming in all of my travels. Everyone was so friendly, open, and loved sharing about their island!
Day 1: Arrive, check in, beach, & dinner in Old San Juan
Check into El Colonial Adults Only Hotel
I have to rave about this hotel for a moment. It is an adults only hotel, so if you’re traveling with the kids, I’ll also add some alternatives at the end of this post.
One of the highlights of the hotel is the all inclusive drinks! This not only means alcohol but includes water, sparkling water, coffee, juice, etc. You have no idea how all of this really adds up when you’re out and about. It was amazing to be able to pop in here at any time and grab a water, or a sparkling wine!
The hotel has the absolute kindest and most attentive staff of almost any hotel I’ve ever stayed at! Truly everyone was so genuine and helpful, we loved coming back every day to chat with all of the staff!
The rooftop is also a huge highlight here and is lovely for sunrise, sunset, and relaxing in between! It has beautiful views and a few bathtubs you can fill up and enjoy! I know that might sound odd, but filling it up and just relaxing and reading in the afternoon was so nice.
The rooms were comfortable and clean, we were very happy with our bed/shower. If you book early enough you can also get a room with a balcony or small terrace.
You can book the hotel here —-> Hotel El Colonial
Hit the beach
Depending on what time you get in and how much time you have today, you have a few options for the beach. Actually, technically you have almost endless options in Puerto Rico, but I’m going to give you 3 good ones that work for a first day just arrived kind of vibe.
Playa del Capitolio: This beach is about a 5-8 minute walk from Old San Juan. It was very quiet when we went as it is not one of the most popular. We actually loved that about it, it was just us and a few locals and their dogs enjoying the area. It was very peaceful and beautiful. There are no facilities here so you need to bring with you whatever you need.
Escambrón: This beach would be about a 30-40 minute walk from Old San Juan. It is actually a beautiful walk and I used it as my morning run. You could also uber very quickly and affordably. San Juan is also full of those motorized scooters that you can grab really easily and even rent through uber. This beach is a bit larger, a bit more beautiful, and more popular.
Condado Beach: One of my favorite beaches in Puerto Rico and the water here is just a dream! The good thing about this beach is that there are many services here. You can rent chairs, there are bars and restaurants, and more to do than some of the more rustic beaches. This area is a quick uber ride from Old San Juan or you could even rent an electric scooter and pop on over!
Dinner at Pio Pio (make reservation)
We loved this spot for dinner, the food was so good and inventive. I also love that they allowed me to do the tasting menu and my cousin to order a la carte. We loved everything we tried and they had excellent drinks as well. We loved sitting at the bar and watching as they made everything! You could easily walk right by this spot if you’re not looking for it, even though it is on a nice lively main square. Keep your eye out for it and make reservations if you can, it is small!
After Dinner
I will admit that the after dinner hours are not really my time to shine. I am not a big night life girl and I much prefer to get up early and explore. Old San Juan itself isn’t huge on partying, though there are a few spots. But I will list a few after dinner spots, and a few party spots if that is your scene. Puerto Rico definitely knows how to have a good time.
Day 2: El Yunque Rainforest Visit, exploring, dinner & drinks
El Yunque Easy Day Tour
Today you’re going to do a full tour of the El Yunque Rainforest! There are multiple ways that you can do this. If you are adventurous and flexible you could rent a car and go on your own. If you want to take the stress out of planning this day, you could go with a tour. This is what we did. If you want to go on your own, I believe you still need to register that you are going to the park so make sure to look this up before you venture in.
Honestly, I am so happy that we chose a tour because we had the MOST wonderful guide I could imagine having.
Here is a direct link to my blog post about why the tour of the rainforest we did that was my favorite. —–> The Best Way to See the El Yunque Rainforest
To summarize: it included pick up and drop off, a quick stop to pick up some delicious fruit and smoothies, a short hike with waterfalls, rope swinging, water sliding, and more, a visit to the Luquillo Kiosks with lunch, and a delicious rum drink stop! I encourage you to read my post for all the details.
If you want to bypass the blog post and just view & book the tour you can click here —> EL Yunque Tour
Mid Day Break
After the rainforest you have a number of options for how to spend the evening in Puerto Rico. You could come back and relax and chill on the rooftop at the hotel for a bit.
Another great perk of staying at El Colonial is that you can grab a drink and take it to walk around the streets with you. We loved grabbing a glass of sparkling wine before heading out exploring. You are allowed to walk the streets in Puerto Rico with your drinks, which is very nice. Or stop by Barrachina for the original piña colada. You can get it virgin or with alcohol, and you can get it to go!
You could go shopping on the streets of Old San Juan or just wander the beautiful streets. We did this pretty much every single day. The Poets Passage was such a beautiful art shop, I bought a “door” to hang on my gallery wall at home. They even personalized it with our last name. It’s such a nice souvenir.
Dinner options
Cayo Caribe: We wanted to have a more local experience for dinner and a lot of people recommended this spot to us. It was simple but delicious. I do recommend making a reservation or going early to put your name in. The great thing is, they will take your name and then you can go exploring and they’ll call you when your table is ready. We had a nice ceviche here, some empanadas, and some nice shrimp!
Marmalade: If you’re looking for something a bit more fancy, we didn’t go, but the most highly regarded restaurant in this area and the one I read about the most has to be Marmalade. I was traveling with a very picky eater and I was worried that the cost would not be worth it for her here. When I return to Puerto Rico I will absolutely try this spot out. You should 100% make reservations and plan in advance to eat here.
After dinner drinks
Scryer Rum Barrelhouse & Rooftop: This was an excellent spot for a nice after dinner drink. Puerto Rico is known for rum so you’ve gotta try some here. The place is so lovely inside and has speakeasy vibes. They had a beautiful cocktail menu and we found them to be delicious! We tried the Old Fashioned and one that was called something like paper plane! They have a really cute little rooftop terrace you can sit on.
Day 3: Walking tour, exploring the town, beaches, salsa class, dinner & drinks
Find a walking tour
A fun way to get to know Old San Juan and more of Puerto Rico is always a free walking tour. It can easily be done earlier in the day leaving time for other activities. You could also find a paid tour that gives you a little more value.
You can look here for some options —–> Old San Juan Walking Tours
Head to the beach or explore the town
Depending on what kind of vibe you’re going for, you can beach it up after the tour or spend the day in town. We went for a town vibe today. So after our tour we had brunch.
Mercado La Carreta: I so sincerely wish we ate here more than once. We adored our brunch here and they had so many amazing options on the menu. Absolutely have something for everyone, as well as excellent espresso martinis! Would go back here in a heartbeat! If you’re staying at El Colonial, I recommend putting your name in and then sitting in the hotel lobby with a nice free drink while you wait to be called for your reso! I loved how so many places in Puerto Rico had a system like this so you didn’t have to sit around waiting.
Salsa Class
We did a Salsa dancing class and it was SO MUCH fun! Surely a bit out of my comfort zone, but that’s part of what made it so enjoyable. We laughed a lot, learned a lot, and it was affordable and only an hour so I would say it was a worthy experience.
After salsa class we had dinner at the beach.
Wicked Lily: We had a really nice dinner on the beach here, it was such a nice setting and the food was great too. I had red snapper here that was fantastic. It was a very low key spot, which we enjoyed.
Day 4: Cocktail making class, beach, and a nice dinner
Get a mallorca sandwich at Mallorca: DO NOT SKIP THIS!
Cafetería Mallorca: It saddens me how many times we walked past this spot in our first 3 days in Puerto Rico and didn’t go inside. It is AMAZING! It is so local and so delicious! You MUST get the classic Mallorca sandwich. We tried a number of ways, but the original is the BEST! You would never think that powdered sugar should be on a breakfast sandwich but it is EPIC!
Head to Ron Del Barrilito for Mixology Class
This experience was even better than I thought it would be. We got to tour the stunning property and learn more about the history. We did a cocktail making class where we got to make 3 full cocktails. Another drink, made by their amazing bartenders was also included. I couldn’t recommend this experience more highly it was so worth it and so fun! We took an uber here and it was very easy! You shouldn’t miss this when you come to Puerto Rico!
Beach/Shopping/or drinks before dinner
After class we got an uber back to relax on Condado Beach. You could go to another beach, or go explore town for a while, this just depends on your vibe.
Al Fresco Rooftop Wine Bar: This was a really cute place to grab a drink, you’d easily overlook it if you were just walking down the street. It was called a “wine bar” so to be honest I expected a more impressive wine list. However, wine isn’t really what Puerto Rico is all about. It was mostly popular wines that you’d find in the cheap section in America. But we liked having a drink and enjoying the views and I would recommend.
Dinner time
El Viejo Almacén: We stumbled upon this place and what a gem! We loved it! I got a seafood risotto with some fantastic octopus. We got some empañadas and my cousin had a pasta. It was a little pricer than many of our other meals, but the wine was delicious, it was a beautiful place, and we found it worth it.
Day 4: get away day, visit the Castillos
Depending on when your flight home from Puerto Rico is, you may have time to do a few things on this day as well. If you’re into these things you could also mix and match and put them in on any of the other days!
We had a few hours so we woke up early and went straight back to Mallorca. We had breakfast and got a few more to fly home with so our husbands could try a taste of Puerto Rico!
Then we visited…
Castillo San Cristobal & Castillo San Felipe del Morro & The Cemetary
Two very impressive sites to tour in Old San Juan. The great thing is, you can tour them both with a combination ticket. Both of these spots have incredible history, amazing views, and are very beautiful to tour and learn about. They are a bit of a walk from one another (about 15-20 minutes) so you could do them right in a row or have lunch or a drink in between.
San Cristobol is a bit easier to access as it is right when you enter Old San Juan. The complex surrounding Castillo San Felipe Del Morro is large and has a huge lawn. These sites are so impressive and I’d recommend taking the time to check them out. They are also now part of the National Park system of Puerto Rico so they are very well maintained.
The cemetery is absolutely stunning, you can look at it from above from some of the walls of the Castillo Morro, but it is also really beautiful to go down and take a little walk around. I explored it on a morning run.
Get another mallorca 😉
Alternative options/Things to do if you have more time in Puerto Rico
Whenever I travel anywhere I have a long list of ideas and things I want to do. Of course it can be difficult to get to all of them, so I wanted to list some here in case they sound appealing to you!
Chocobar Cortés: Delightful spot for a treat! We wanted to pop in but we never hit it at the right time. They have a lot of fun chocolate based drinks and snacks.
Bar Catedral Rooftop: We didn’t get here simply due to timing, but I would have loved to stop here for a drink with a rooftop view.
Bioluminescent Bay Kayak Adventure by Night: a very popular tour to do in Puerto Rico, and for good reason. It is a very unique and special sight to see!
Verde Mesa: Another spot we really wanted to try but didn’t have luck as we didn’t plan in advance. I’d make a reservation for here if you get the change it looked ADORABLE and I was bummed we didn’t get in here.
Casa Bacardi: If you’re into Bacardi this can be a neat tour too. We’ve done it in the past and enjoyed seeing the grounds and having a taste. Personally though, I recommend Ron de Barrilito more highly. (and I have done both)
Night life
I also must admit that I am not a night life girly. You’re not going to catch me out in the evenings very often, but there were 2 night life spots that I felt like EVERYONE in Puerto Rico was talking about. No matter who we spoke to, these two same spots continued to be recommend. So I will put them here in case that is your vibe.
La Placita de Santurce: This is the spot where many locals and tourists told us they were coming to dance salsa and enjoy the lively atmosphere. It honestly sounded like it would be so much fun, so if this is your scene, I would absolutely check it out.
La Factoria: We didn’t get here on our trip and I actually did want to see it. Located in Old San Juan it is supposed to be an incredible cocktail bar with many different spaces to hang out. It is described as multiple bars in one and you can walk through and spend time in different rooms for different vibes. It is a very popular spot with many locals we talked to and tourists as well.
Alternative Hotels & Beach Hotel Recommendations in Puerto Rico
The Caribe Hilton is a hotel myself and my family have stayed in over the years. This really is a resort is very nice without breaking the bank. It has lovely pools, a small little bay beach area, comfortable rooms and spaces, and you can reach Old San Juan very easily from here. You could ride a scooter, a bike, walk, or uber very easily to get into Old San Juan.
You can check out and book the hotel here —-> Caribe Hilton
Hotel El Convento is a place I haven’t stayed yet, but I REALLY want to. This is the next place i’m staying when we go back. It looks absolutely lovely! From the pool, to the well styled rooms, to the great location, it really seems like this hotel has it all.
You can check out and book the hotel here —-> Hotel El Convento
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