Introduction
The Carribean island of Puerto Rico offers paradise without a passport–at least if you are American. Home to pristine beaches, top-notch surfing, and a tropical rain forest, you might mistake “PR” for the West Coast of Mexico or Central America. The capital city of San Juan boasts colorful, immaculately-preserved Spanish colonial buildings and a rich history dating from the 1500s, and walk-able and charming cobblestone streets that lead you past excellent shopping and dining establishments, markets and fairs. Since most people speak English and the dollar is the accepted currency, this US territory is perfect for a quick getaway to a place that feels like a world away. Sober travelers will want to be aware that San Juan is a party town and rum is the liquor of choice–but there is plenty else to do on the island to occupy your time, including a variety of non-alcohol dependent outdoor activities as well as plentiful 12-step meetings.
Getting Around
The San Juan airport is located 20 minutes from downtown San Juan, and from the resorts and beaches just outside the city center. If you are staying in Old Town, most sights and restaurants are accessible on foot, and the nearest beach is about a 30-minute walk. When you don’t feel like trudging up and down hills anymore, Uber is available as well. If you are looking to stay in Isabella or Rincon on the other side of the island, you will need to rent a car.
Like with most tropical locales, it rains a lot–but in brief spurts. So if you are planning to spend the day outside and/or walk around from place to place on foot, make sure you pack an umbrella or poncho for those brief drenching interludes.
Where to Stay
AirBnBs are plentiful in the main tourist areas across the island. In the capital city of San Juan, most of the hotels and resorts are located on the outskirts of downtown. If you are not planning to rent a car, I suggest staying in Old San Juan, since you can walk everywhere and not have to worry able navigating your Nissan Kicks down tiny, winding streets that were established when animals were the primary mode of transportation. If you are planning some driving excursions, I would recommend staying in a hotel outside of Old San Juan with reserved parking.
If you are booking an Airbnb, make sure it is not located on a party street. When we pulled up to our place on Calle de San Sebastian at 11pm on a Friday, we were met with blaring music, high-heeled girls hobbling over the cobblestones, and rowdy throngs of friends drunk-screaming at each other in front of our door. It was not conducive to a good night’s sleep. For a guaranteed quieter evening, I’d recommend one of the Hiltons (Caribe or Condado). Avoid staying across the bridge in Isla Grande or Miramar, as it gets a bit sketchy. Either Old Town or Condado are the ideal places to stay if San Juan is your home base.
Fun Activities
El Yunque
El Yunque National Forest is the only tropical rain forest in the US National Park system. The 29,000 acre park is home to 240 native plant species and a variety of creatures unique to the island, like the coqui frog and Puerto Rican parrot. There are a multitude of trails of varying difficulty, and many lead to crystal-clear swimming pools and waterfalls. While you can hit the park on your own (you must first reserve a ticket at https://www.discoverpuertorico.com/article/visit-el-yunque-national-forest) I recommend a guided tour. This way you can be sure you won’t miss the coolest sights!
The El Yunque Day Tour with Lunch that we booked on Viator was the highlight of our entire trip. The day-long excursion took us through El Yunque’s misty trails to several waterfalls, natural water slides, and refreshing swimming spots, with and without rope swings. Be forewarned though: wear old clothes and bring a waterproof case for your phone. When our tour guide explained the trip in detail on the bus ride to El Yunque, describing the muddy hills we would scramble over and deep river crossings we’d trek through, everyone on the tour looked at each other in disbelief: What did we get ourselves into?! Once we all embraced the muck, it was exhilarating. After a half-day of hiking and swimming, the guides brought us to a lunch spot with multiple food trucks and shady seating areas. I ordered a pork bowl with rice, veggies, avocado, tostones and a delicious sriracha mayo, which I devoured.
El Morro
There are many remnants of Puerto Rico’s Spanish colonial heritage across Old San Juan, including the UNESCO-designated Castillo San Filipe del Morro, or “El Morro”: https://www.nps.gov/saju/index.htm
Presiding over a stretch of grass where locals and tourists fly kites and play games, El Morro is a fortress built between the 16th and 18th centuries to protect the island from pirates and enemy soldiers. With a purchase of a ticket you can explore the fort’s six levels, learn about Puerto Rico’s significance in world and military history and score some great photo ops.
Beaches
No listing of fun activities in Puerto Rico is complete without mentioning the beaches. In San Juan proper, Escambron is a beautiful public park with a clean, sandy beach and extensive shade due to the palm trees dotting the shore line. Condado is the area where most tourists stay. About 45 minutes east is Liquillo, which is an uncrowded gem. The surf towns of Isabella and Rincon have their own stunning beaches on the Western side of the island.
Running
If you need to get your hills in, San Juan is the place for you. The city is basically one big hill. There are exceptions, however. The photo above shows the relatively flat walking trail that winds for a mile or two around the city. There is also a path that connects Old San Juan with Condado, where many people walk, bike and run. This takes you past a beach where you can jump in for a quick swim after a sweaty jog–and due to the humidity, you will be sweaty. Also, anywhere you run, you’ll get spectacular views!
Surfing
Puerto Rico has a lot to offer an experienced surfer, especially if you are from the East Coast. A variety of fun reef breaks, warm water, and tropical weather. The flights are quick and cheap. Its very nice to be able to travel somewhere with an exotic vibe without needing a passport. That said, PR is not a perfect surf destination. The crowds can get truly insane. If you find an empty peak, it’s mostly likely empty for a reason–probably a sketchy reef packed with urchins. The locals are friendly but will ruthlessly burn you. Finally, if you are a beginner, PR is not the greatest place to learn.
The best time to travel to Puerto Rico for surfing is November through February. Like the East coast, PR will most likely be flat in the summer. The swells mid-winter can get quite intense, so know your limits. There are breaks all around the island, but the majority of the surf scene is concentrated on the Northwest corner of the island: Isabela, Aguadilla, and Rincon. The breaks in these areas are well documented and easy to find with ample parking. I only brought one board with me to Puerto Rico, my standard good wave shortboard, and that was enough for me. And make sure you pack a large quiver of sunscreen!–Tim
Food
Puerto Rico is the perfect place to dine alfresco in the evenings. It almost never gets chilly, so girls like myself can enjoy a nice meal outdoors without needing three sweatshirts. We ate outside every night we were on our trip. There are also quite a few festivals and street fairs that go into the night, where you can pick up a cheap bite to eat or find fresh produce. Foods that are common in PR that are also delicious include tostones, rice and beans, frituras (fritters), and coffee. Depending on where you are on the island, prices are either comparable to the mainland US or slightly less expensive.
On recommendation from a friend, we tried to go to Raices restaurant for mofongo, the famous Puerto Rican dish of smashed plantains filled with meat and vegetables. Raices was mobbed so we went down the street to Puerto Criollo, which is apparently where everyone goes when Raices is booked up: https://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g147320-d19376330-Reviews-Puerto_Criollo-San_Juan_Puerto_Rico.html
We found out later that Puerto Criollo actually has the best mofongo in San Juan, according to many locals and tourists!
On our first night in the city, we were hangry and frantically scrolling TripAdvisor reviews to find a decent meal. We stumbled upon Bacaro, a wonderful Italian spot close to where we stayed on Calle Cruz: https://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g147320-d1450947-Reviews-Bacaro-San_Juan_Puerto_Rico.html
Recovery Meetings
Here is a list of local English-speaking AA meetings. There are plenty of them since PR is a US territory and most folks speak English: https://www.aacaribbean.org/puertorico.html
We attended the noon Serenity group a few times–lively crowd, with quite a few members from the States!
The Temperate Traveler 