Puerto Rico – A Vacation Must!

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Exactly one year ago today, I flew back home after an amazing week in Puerto Rico. I obviously did not know the future of 2020 at that point, but looking back, I’m so grateful that I was able to have an adventure filled trip before the days of quarantine showed up at our door. If you’re champing at the bit to travel, I hope this post provides a glint of joy or even maybe some inspiration for coordinating your next great escape once the hospitality & travel industries are up and running at full speed again.

I’ve always wanted to vacation in Puerto Rico, but after the winds of Hurricane Irma caused major damage on September 5, 2017 and complete devastation struck just weeks later on September 20^th when Hurricane Maria made landfall – my conviction to visit only strengthened.

After quitting my full time job in August 2019, I was due for a far-away adventure before the year was up. I immediately thought Puerto Rico and started doing my research. Enough time had passed since the hurricanes had hit, the local government was doubling down on marketing the beauty of the island, and tourism in PR was at an all time high. I was getting really excited to squeeze in a trip before the holidays but suddenly came across a piece of information that halted my plans. I learned that hurricane season in Puerto Rico was from June 1st to November 30th. My intention was to go right before Thanksgiving, but I started having second thoughts. Although I never feared that an actual hurricane would make landfall while I was on vacation, I became concerned with the idea of constant rain and potential flooding overwhelming our trip. Long story short – I decided not to go and just hung out in California for the remainder of the year.

After a few glasses of champagne, 2020 was suddenly upon us. I was excited to accomplish my long list of goals planned for the New Year, but a sudden urge to travel hit me like a freight train just a few days into January.

I randomly blurted out to my boyfriend, “I’m going to Puerto Rico. Do you want to come?” He replied with a simple, “Sure,” and I was off to the races. I immediately fell down the research rabbit hole and decided that we were definitely going to leave before the middle of February. And then just two days into planning on January 7th, a 6.4 magnitude earthquake struck the south portion of Puerto Rico.

I had yet to buy our tickets and needed to make a decision based on my assessment of the reported damage and potential travel risk. My dad knew I was organizing a trip and asked if we were still planning to go. After a short moment, I answered with something along the lines of, “We’re from LA. Earthquakes don’t scare me. Discover Puerto Rico is posting daily updates on conditions in San Juan. I think everything will be fine. We’re still gonna go.” My dad nodded understandingly to my optimistic reply, and I happily purchased a pair of tickets three days later.

After a ton of back and forth (in my own head) regarding the weather and where to visit, I finally ended up selecting a flight that left in the middle of the week on January 22^nd which in turn, left me less than 2 weeks to organize my spur of the moment trip. My original plan was to fly into San Juan, explore the capital for a few days, and then rent a car and drive to the west coast of the island to spend some time in Rincon. After a few days of additional research, I decided that I didn’t want to spend our first time in Puerto Rico navigating, unfamiliar country roads while driving long distances across the island especially with the likelihood of rain. So I sadly scratched Rincon off my list, but happily replaced it with Vieques.

At the end of the day, I was thoroughly pleased with the itinerary I created and found my first trip to be a wonderful introduction to the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. I cannot wait to return so I can explore the rest of the island. Until then, I urge you to plan a trip of your own if you have yet to visit PR. I promise; you won’t be disappointed.

REASONS TO VISIT

• THE PEOPLE! Puerto Ricans are the most genuinely kind humans I’ve ever met while traveling! Unlike other places, the locals truly value tourism and are so proud and excited to share the wonders of their homeland with visitors. My boyfriend and I had so many meaningful conversations with our Uber drivers, servers, bartenders, hoteliers, restaurant managers, tour guides, and other locals. We discussed our careers, interests, families, politics, food, world travel, and so much more. I have never experienced a population of people who are not only incredibly friendly but also so open and generous with sharing their life story. If you are a social person who enjoys getting to know others, Puerto Ricans are the people to get to know! You will literally feel like you have an instant friend with anyone you take the time to strike up a conversation with.
• Puerto Rico is an unincorporated U.S. Territory. This means there is NO NEED for Americans to worry about securing foreign currency or an international cell phone plan since a trip to Puerto Rico qualifies as domestic travel 🙂
• If you don’t know a lick of Spanish, don’t fret. Most of the residents speak English just as well as they speak Spanish. However, if you do speak a bit of Spanish (like me and my boyfriend) it will obviously come in handy at times if you venture out of the major cities.
• Tourism dollars help aid in natural disaster recovery especially for all the small businesses around the island.
• There is a great selection of beautiful beaches to relax on and warm Caribbean waters to swim in.
• There are a plethora of tourist attractions that don’t involve laying on the beach.
• There is no shortage of tasty food, cheap local beer, and liquored up libations.
• Puerto Rico is home to the only US National Forest!
• The island has a rich cultural history.

PERSONAL EXPERIENCE & OBSERVATIONS

• COST OF FOOD: The cost of food in San Juan was much pricier than I expected, but it is a tourist destination after all. Canned and bottled beers both local and imports are quite cheap! Cocktails range in price from low to high based on the time of day (Happy Hour) and type of establishment. And don’t worry – I will be writing a post all about MY DINING EXPERIENCE IN PUERTO RICO sometime in the future!!! Feel free to subscribe so you don’t miss it!
• WEATHER: We arrived the third week of January to sunny blue skies. The average daytime high was in the low 80s, and the evenings were always pleasant and in the low to mid 70s. We were there for a full seven days and other than a light sprinkle here and there, we only experienced two evenings of steady, heavy rain that started around 6pm and lasted for about 3-5 hours.
• SAFETY: I pay quite a bit of attention to my surroundings while walking, especially at night, but I never felt unsafe or on edge while strolling the streets of San Juan or Vieques in the evening. If you are not taking an Uber to and from your hotel door, it’s wise to always have a small flashlight when walking down darker roads to avoid cracks in the pavement, broken glass, and puddles.
• ROAD CONDITIONS: The highway to and from Luquillo Beach was in great condition, but many of the neighborhood roads in San Juan do have a few potholes. Being from LA – I didn’t think the traffic was bad at all during rush hour. If you are a confident and competent driver, you will be totally fine navigating the roads of San Juan with a rental car.
• TRANSPORTATION: If you plan on staying in the San Juan area, Uber is much more affordable than a taxi service and much more practical than renting a car. If you enjoy walking – the city is fairly easy to navigate on foot. On rainy days and nights though, the five to ten minute Uber ride to your desired destination is completely worth it and incredibly convenient. My boyfriend and I are big time walkers but definitely took our fair share of Ubers in the evening when the rain was coming down. However, if you want to rent a car there are plenty of rental companies around town and plenty of far away sites to visit.

MY JANUARY 2020 HOTEL STAYS

I knew that my first trip to Puerto Rico was going to be all about exploration and less about relaxation. With a historic downtown, outdoor adventures galore, exciting neighborhoods, excellent nightlife, and gorgeous beaches all around – the thought of staying at a fancy hotel never crossed my mind. And since we would be spending majority of our trip touring around – a fancy pool, fun communal areas, on-site eateries, and a modern room were low on my list of needs. My goal for this particular trip was to seek out mom-&-pop establishments with stellar reviews, good amenities, reasonable prices, and prime locations. I think I succeeded. Take a look below.

Casa Wilson Inn 1310 Wilson Street – San Juan, Condado, Puerto Rico 00911

• Duration: 4 Night Stay
• Location: AMAZING! Casa Wilson is located on a neighborhood street away from the hustle and bustle of a main drag, but still conveniently situated in the middle of various hotspots. It’s a 5-minute walk to La Placita, a 5-minute walk to the east portion of Ashford Avenue in Condado, a 15-minute walk or a 5-minute drive to the hip bars and restaurants on Calle Loíza, and a 10-minute drive to Old San Juan.
• My Review: This is a 13 room, family-run hotel that opened less than two years ago. During our stay, the staff was always friendly, helpful, and accommodating. Our room was comfortable, the bathroom was spacious, and the common areas were cozy. My favorite touches were the made-to-order coffee, the simple yet satisfying breakfast spread with local fresh fruit, and the array of sun block and beach towels for guest use.

Tropical Guest House E41 Calle Apolonia Gittings – Vieques, Puerto Rico 00765

• Duration: 2 Night Stay
• Location: QUAINT & LOVELY ! Tropical Guest House is just a 10-minute taxi ride from the airport, a 12-minute walk to the Ferry Terminal, a 5-minute walk to the heart of Isabel Segunda (Isabel II), and a 10 to 20-minute drive to Esperanza based on your vehicle (jeep vs golf cart).
• My Review: Spouses, Maria & Joe, work very hard to make their hotel a comfortable and laid back place to stay while visiting Vieques. Although this place isn’t the fanciest, my boyfriend and I were incredibly satisfied with our room since it was cozy and sparkling clean. Upon arrival, I had two major tasks to accomplish before finding a waterfront bar to relax in. The first – rent a vehicle to explore the island. The second – arrange for a taxi to pick us up from the ferry port in Ceiba when we returned to the mainland. I mentioned this to Maria upon checking in, and she went out of her way to help us secure vital transportation both on & off Vieques. That’s what I call superb customer service. And let’s not forget her husband, Joe, who makes a fantastic café con leche in the mornings and brings a fun energy to their establishment.

Dream Inn 2009 McLeary Street – San Jaun, Puerto Rico 00911

• Duration: 1 Night Stay
• Location: GREAT! It’s just a block or so away from a few cute cafes, a great pizza restaurant, and Kasalta Bakery. Obama famously dined at this bakery when he visited Puerto Rico in 2011 – I had no idea until we checked in and received two breakfast vouchers. The hotel is also just a 5-minute walk to both Ocean Park Beach and all the action on Calle Loíza. Old San Juan is a 12 to 15-minute drive away.
• My Review: This family-run hotel is aptly named because it truly was a dream. Our room was pristine, and all of the amenities such as the tea & coffee bar, water filling station, and eco-friendly toiletries were wonderfully thought out. We only stayed for a night but immediately wished we were there longer just an hour after checking in. Since it was our last day in Puerto Rico, we, unfortunately, didn’t get to take advantage of the darling pool & quick walk to the beach. We’ll definitely be staying a few more nights at the Dream Inn the next time we decide to visit San Juan.

MY 2020 PR TRAVEL LOG

If you hate planning vacations or just need a jumping off point, check out my detailed day-to-day descriptions below for some fun ideas of where to go and what to do during a 7 Night Trip to Puerto Rico.

DAY 1 → WEDNESDAY, January 22, 2020

MY PLAN FOR THE DAY: Arrive — Uber to our Hotel — Check In — Have Breakfast — Book a Car at Enterprise — Visit Castillo San Cristóbal — Explore Old San Juan

• WHAT WE ACTUALLY DID: We arrived at the San Juan International Airport before 10:30am. We used the restroom, headed to the tourist office to snag some free maps, and got a few insider tips from one of the sweet ladies at the desk. We called an Uber, quickly acclimated to the humidity in the pick up area, and were soon whisked away down the freeway by our friendly driver to our quaint hotel, the Casa Wilson Inn. Since we landed so early in the morning our room was not yet ready when we arrived at the hotel. The owners of Casa Wilson were kind enough to hold our luggage after we changed out of our airplane clothes. We slathered on some sunblock and walked to La Placita for a late breakfast. Upon our return to Casa Wilson an hour or so later, our room was ready! We officially checked in, unpacked, and took a nap to ensure we had enough energy for later. Around 3pm, I called Enterprise to secure a rental car for our day trip to the eastern part of the island planned for Friday. Once our car was good to go, we got dressed and took an Uber to Castillo San Cristóbal at the edge of Old San Juan. We arrived at this massive fort at 4pm and explored the grand castle for over 90 minutes. After touring San Cristóbal, we walked down the road into Plaza Colón and quickly found a small dive bar in the plaza below for happy hour! After some cheap local beers & aimless strolling down the cobblestone streets of Old San Juan – we ended up at an ocean view patio restaurant around 6:45pm. By 8:30pm were were enjoying a nightcap at a quiet, oceanside bar near the cruise port. We called an Uber around 9:15pm and headed back to the hotel for the evening. Settled into the comfy blankets of our bed, my boyfriend and I quickly agreed that we had an excellent first day in Puerto Rico.

• TIPS & TRICKS: One ticket – two forts! Whether you decide to visit Castillo San Cristóbal first like us or Castillo San Felipe del Morro first, one ticket gets you into both forts as long as you visit both National Park sites within 24 hours of each other. I was quite content with my decision to see San Cristobal on our first day and San Felipe del Morro on our second day in town since a lot of walking is involved.

DAY 2 → THURSDAY

My Plan For The Day: Breakfast at our Hotel — Visit Umbrella Street — Bacardi Tour — Lunch in Toa Baja — Visit Castillo San Felipe del Morro — Drinks at La Factoria — Explore Old San Juan — Go to bed early because of our morning trek to the rainforest.

• What We Actually Did: After a great night’s rest, we headed downstairs to the dining patio and enjoyed a few delicious café con leches, fresh local fruit, and toasted bagels with cream cheese. Our Bacardi Tour wasn’t until 11:30am so we were able to explore more of Old San Juan for about an hour after breakfast. We had our Uber drop us off at the outskirts of downtown and headed straight to Fortelaza Street to see the famous hanging umbrellas. To my surprise, the umbrellas were sadly no longer there and had apparently been replaced by a large Puerto Rican flag about 6 months prior. It was still beautiful just a bit disappointing. We also couldn’t stroll down the actual street itself because of police closures due to protests scheduled for later in the afternoon. With that said, we continued to explore the west portion of Old San Juan before heading over to the Pier. We purchased tickets for the 11am ferry ride over to the massive Bacardi complex across the bay. Once there, we enjoyed a wonderful Historical Tour and a few rum cocktails, of course, while visiting this famous Puerto Rican landmark. After an early day of fun, we arrived back in Old San Juan shortly after 2:30pm. After a tasty lunch at the birthplace of The Piña Colada, we headed to Castillo San Felipe del Morro to take advantage of the 24 hour – 2 for 1 ticket deal. After touring the fort, we explored the north portion of Old San Juan before walking over to the famed La Factoria bar for some afternoon cocktails. As mentioned earlier – downtown was expecting protestors and businesses had been boarding up their storefronts all day out of precaution. When we approached the doors of La Factoria – it looked dark inside, the doors seemed locked, and a few other tourists were saying it must be closed – which made sense to us since a lot of places were closing up shop. So we headed back east in the direction of Plaza Colón. We stopped for a quick beer at a local pizza place & then found a more picturesque happy hour spot in Plaza Arturo Somohano a few blocks away. As we were finishing up our first round and discussing heading back to the hotel – a light rain started to fall. It was nice, but the sprinkle quickly turned into a downpour. As it poured rain around us, we decided to stay under the protection of our umbrella covered patio and made the easy choice of ordering a few more rounds of beer and a plate of appetizers. Before we knew it, we were having an excellent conversation with our server and eventually watching the protesters respectfully chant, sing, dance, and play music as they emphatically made their way through the cobblestone streets of their beloved city. This was truly the most peaceful, gleeful, and civil display of government dissent that I’ve witnessed other than silent sit-ins. After 2 hours of lounging in the patio – we braved the rain and ran a few blocks north to a restaurant that looked good. After enjoying a delicious meal, we called an Uber and headed back to our hotel for the night.

• Tips & Tricks: I highly suggest taking the ferry to Bacardi if you are staying in or around the capital since it’s much quicker than driving. The ferry leaves from Pier 2 in Old San Juan and takes less than 10 minutes to travel across the bay to the dock in Cataño. Once you disembark, grab an Uber or a taxi to the Bacardi Compound located just 2 miles up the road. You may think that the best thing about this humble ferry is its convenient location, its ability to dodge traffic, or the beautiful views of the Puerto Rican coastline as you journey across the warm Atlantic waters. But no, the best thing about the Cataño Ferry is that it costs just 50¢ each way – that’s just $1.00 for a roundtrip ride!!

DAY 3 → FRIDAY

My Plan For The Day: Breakfast at our hotel — Pick up our rental car — Drive to El Yunque — Explore the tropical rainforest — Visit Luquillo Beach & dine at the famous kiosks — Drive to Piñones to feast on pinchos — Drop off our rental car back in San Juan — Decompress from our day trip, shower, & relax before dinner — Party at La Placita in the evening!

• What We Actually Did: We woke up early, enjoyed breakfast at our hotel, took a 5-minute Uber to Enterprise in Condado, and had our rental on the road before 8:30am. We arrived at El Yunque’s temporary visitor center around 9am where we went to the bathroom, briefly chatted with some employees, and picked up a free map. After a short drive up into the rainforest, we officially entered the national park at 9:27am according to the photo I snapped on my iPhone. For the next 4 hours we gazed at waterfalls, hiked along some beautiful trails, climbed two towers, admired the lush green flora surrounding us, splashed around in a swimming hole, and soaked up the beauty of this magical rainforest. After we dried off as best we could, we left El Yunque and headed back to the visitor’s center where we parked our car, threw on some dry flip flops, and enjoyed a coffee at a cute cafe across the street. After a good 30-minute break and a wonderful conversation with our baristas, we drove to Luquillo Beach to dine at the famous kiosks. I made sure to bring cash because I imagined there would be 20-40 street vendors selling yummy eats. However, when we arrived I was astonished to see that the kiosks were actually full blown restaurants and bars with walls and roofs. After a quick stroll on the warm beach, a few beers, and plenty of food from three different eateries, we decided to head back home before it got too dark. We were back at Enterprise at 6:30pm, dropped off our vehicle without a hitch, and enjoyed a 20-minute twilight walk to our hotel. As we took our time washing up and getting dressed for dinner, a huge rainstorm rolled in. The rain came in torrents and flooded the street in front of our hotel. After a few hours when the downpour became a tolerable rain, we decided to brave the flooding road and called an Uber around 10pm. And here’s an amazing story – our driver was kind enough to drive up onto the sidewalk so we could avoid stepping into a foot of water. After a fun dinner of tasty appetizers and a few cold pints at a great local brewery on Calle Loiza, we headed home around midnight and turned in for the night.

• Tips & Tricks: El Yunque is a rainforest so it’s wise to pack a towel and a change of clothes because you will more than likely get wet whether it’s intentional or not. I hiked in a bikini, quick dry shorts, a tank, & water shoes. Having a pair of dry shorts and flip flops in the trunk came in handy for the the second half of our day exploring Luquillo Beach.

DAY 4 → SATURDAY

My Plan For The Day: Breakfast at our Hotel — Beach Day — Afternoon visit to an art museum or a few galleries in Santurce — Dinner somewhere along Calle Loíza

• What We Actually Did: Despite the torrential rain from the night before, we woke up to a gorgeous, warm day. After an easy going morning we got into our swimsuits, slathered on some sunblock, packed up some towels, and took an Uber to Isla Verde for a beach day! I mentioned to our driver that I was planning on renting an umbrella and some chairs on the ride over and he was nice enough to drop us off within one hundred feet of his favorite vendor. We quickly rented our three very necessary items for $18.00 (Five bucks for each chair and eight dollars for the umbrella. It’s not the cheapest, but it’s also not a rip off by any means) The cost includes set up in the location of your choice. All you have to do is point! We spent the next few hours sipping on local beer, swimming in the ocean, scarfing down beachside pinchos, enjoying a few to-go cocktails from Alambique Beach Lounge a few steps away, and soaking up a lot of Puerto Rican sun. Since it was the weekend, locals were hanging out with big groups amongst the tourists and relaxing with bbq , music, and drinks galore. Overall, it was a great time. Since we were still in the mood to drink and a bit hungry, I decided that we would head to Ocean Lab Brewing via Uber since it was on my list of cool places to check out and less than 2 miles away in the neighborhood of Carolina. The next hour or so was filled with delicious pints of locally crafted beer, some stand-out delicious fare, and beautiful sunset views of the ocean. Before it was fully dark, we headed back to our hotel to shower and get ready for a fun night in La Placita since we didn’t go the evening prior due to the storm. Funny enough, it started to rain as we got dressed for dinner. Thankfully – it was just a light but steady sprinkle. To avoid getting wet on the walk over, we called an Uber. And after our two-minute drive into the heart of La Placita, we made Jungle Bird our hub for the next 2.5 hours. Our meal was phenomenal, the cocktail list was so much fun, and the service was even better. We didn’t want to leave but eventually headed into the main courtyard which was now packed with people drinking and dancing throughout the streets. The rain had mostly stopped so we walked around a touch before grabbing a drink at a bar. We then found a fun, multilevel dance club and enjoyed two rounds there while busting a few awesome moves of our own. We capped off the night with one last beer at an old but popular, single story establishment teeming with dancing couples. Since it was no longer raining by the time we decided to leave (around 1am), we happily did the 5-minute walk back to Casa Wilson. It was a night to remember!

• Tips & Tricks: Renting beach chairs and an umbrella at Isla Verde is so worth the cost. Bring some cash for the rentals and for the food vendors as well. And guess what? You can drink on the beach! We realized this five minutes after arriving so my boyfriend headed on a short walk and returned 10 minutes later with a 6-pack of ice cold Medallas that he purchased at a convenient store down the road. Lastly, it’s wise to hunker down close to Alambique or any other nearby beachside restaurant so you can easily grab cocktails but more importantly, use their restrooms while you wait for your drinks 🙂

DAY 5 → SUNDAY

My Plan For The Day: Breakfast at our Hotel — Pack — Check Out — Fly to Vieques — Check into our New Hotel — Rent a Jeep — Explore Isabel Segunda

• What We Actually Did: We woke up to beautiful weather, hopped downstairs for breakfast, returned to our room to pack our things, and checked out at 11am. The owner of Casa Wilson was so kind in allowing us to leave our luggage in his office until until we were ready to leave San Juan for our next destination. With over an hour to kill before our flight, we walked to a coffee shop that I wanted to check out since it was located less than a mile away. On our stroll we did one last pass through La Placita and enjoyed the local architecture of the office buildings, mom & pop businesses, art museums, and schools that we passed along the way. After an amazing cup of coffee, some tasty snacks, and wonderful conversation with a few baristas, we walked back to our hotel, retrieved our luggage, and jumped into an Uber right before 1pm. Our flight was at 1:30pm and the tiny airport in Isla Grande was just a 10-minute drive away. As soon as we arrived – the Vieques Air Link desk was in sight. Our check-in was seamless, and they quickly weighed our luggage and us as well since the weight on small airplanes needs to be evenly distributed. To be frank, I was a few pounds heavier that expected 😉 Despite that, I was still very excited to board the plane along with the 7 other passengers who were also checking in. Unfortunately, my excitement was put on pause when we were informed that there would be a 20 to 30 minute delay – no biggie! My patience was put to the test when our short delay was much longer than we all fancied. Long story short, our group didn’t board until 2:30pm. I had never been on a small plane before and was a touch nervous once buckled into my seat. My boyfriend has been a passenger on a few small planes and has even flown one during a private lesson I got him for his 30th birthday years prior. Needless to say, he was thrilled to fly and even more excited that we were both seated right behind the cockpit inches away from the pilot. After a perfect takeoff, a smooth flight over beautiful views, and a great landing amid a steady drizzle – we arrived safe and sound on the small island of Vieques. We waited a touch for a local cab driver to pick us up and arrived at Tropical Guest House around 3:45pm. We checked in, chatted with the owners for a bit, arranged transportation, unpacked, and then unfortunately – heard about the passing of Kobe Bryant as soon as we connected to our room’s WiFi. As an Angeleno, I was shocked and saddened by the news and called my dad and texted a few friends in LA to confirm if what my boyfriend saw online was indeed true. Sadly, it was. We were in desperate need of food so walked into downtown Isabel Segunda around 5pm which was a quick 5-minute jaunt away. We ended up at St. Voodoo’s Mar Azul because the vibe was casual and the ocean views were spectacular. The intention was to grab an early dinner and a few rounds before heading to a different bar. However – the stunning sunset, great conversation with another tourist, and the evening’s live music kept us there all night. We finally left St. Voodoo’s around 9:20pm and stopped for a late night snack and a few Medallas at a cute Mexican restaurant that we saw on our walk back home. We were in bed by 10:30pm and excited for our plans the next day.

• Tips & Tricks: As mentioned above, Vieques Air Link may be delayed so keep that in mind and bring a good book and some snacks to the airport just in case. Since the book I packed was in my luggage that they took (just my luck), I killed time by walking around the airport, posting a few pictures of our trip on Facebook, deleting unnecessary photos from my phone, and sharing the Kind Bar in my purse with my boyfriend.

DAY 6 → MONDAY

My Plan For The Day: Pick up our Jeep — Drive around Vieques — Relax at a few different beaches — Explore Esperanza — Go on our Bio Bay Tour at 7pm

• What We Actually Did: We woke up, threw on our swimsuits, and packed up two towels plus a few other essentials before heading downstairs. We couldn’t find any available Jeeps for rent, but were able to secure a golf cart rental with Maria’s help the day before. As we enjoyed our morning coffees in the lobby, the owners of the rental company arrived to drive us to their lot. A short drive and a few signatures later, my boyfriend was behind the wheel of our golf cart after my quick attempt at driving it which was, to me, surprisingly easier said than done. By 10:20am we were headed south to the town of Esperanza – taking our time to check out the landscape of the island as we drove. Thirty minutes later we were ordering breakfast on the patio of a cute place called Cafe Del Mar. We devised a game plan for the day as we enjoyed our tasty meal along the southern coast of Vieques. The plan was to head to three beaches – Caracas first – Sun Bay second – and Playa Negra third before heading back to our hotel to relax before driving back to Esperanza for our 7:00pm Bio Bay tour. We pretty much stuck to our plan but squeezed in lunch at a fun place called Bananas after visiting Sun Bay and then enjoyed a sunset happy hour back at Cafe Del Mar after leaving Playa Negra in lieu of going back to our hotel. We met our guides along the malecón a block away from our chosen happy hour spot at 7:00pm on the dot, jumped into their beloved van once our entire tour group had gathered, and headed to Mosquito Bay for a night time kayaking excursion like no other. We spent the next 2+ hours learning about the local history of Vieques, off-roading, laughing, paddling, star gazing, soaking up lots of science, and falling in love with the billions (probably trillions) of glow in the dark microorganisms living in the Bay before we were back on Esperanza’s main drag. Bananas was still hopping with a fun but calm late night crowd, so we found a table, and were enjoying a warm dinner by 9:45pm. After a satisfying meal, my boyfriend fired up the golf cart and had us back at Tropical Guest House in twenty minutes. We showered and jumped into bed exhausted from the day’s adventures.

• Tips & Tricks: If you are visiting Puerto Rico – a stop in Vieques to experience the gorgeous secret beaches and magnificent bioluminescent beauty of Mosquito Bay is an absolute must which, by the way, I planned around the new moon for maximum darkness. Also, there aren’t any photos because the guides told us to leave our phones in the van since it’s difficult to capture pictures of the actual bioluminescence without a proper camera. Sorry in advance that you won’t be seeing any illuminating photos in the gallery below.

• Coming Soon: I will be writing a post all about the island of Vieques at some point in the future.

DAY 7 → TUESDAY

My Plan For The Day: Take the ferry back to the mainland — Catch an Uber back to San Juan — Check into our new hotel — Checkout the nearby beach — Dinner & drinks somewhere along Calle Loíza

• What We Actually Did: We woke up bright and early, showered, packed, and thanked our gracious hosts, Maria & Joe, before jumping into our golf cart with our luggage in tow. After a quick top-off of gas, we made our way to the rental lot to return our vehicle. The employee who was set to take us to the ferry port wasn’t there yet, so the owner told us to take the golf cart & check out Vieques’ famous Ceiba tree when we mentioned that it was the one place on our list that we hadn’t visited yesterday while catching up about our stay on the island. After a quick visit to the 300-year-old beauty, we were back at the lot and in a shuttle with other tourists. After a few other stops, we were dropped off at the port in downtown Isabel Segunda. To my surprise, the ticket line was super short and we snagged our one-way passes back to the mainland in under a minute. The ferry arrived 20 minutes later, and we boarded the large boat with about 200 other passengers – mostly locals. Thirty minutes later, we docked at the mainland port in the town of Ceiba, found our taxi driver which Maria had helped us secure, and were whisked away to our last place of lodging in San Juan. The drive took about 45 minutes, and we were checking into The Dream Inn around 1pm. Unfortunately, our room was not ready since we had arrived a bit early, but the owners assured us that it would be less than an hour before the maid finished up. They held our luggage while we walked down the street to a cute coffee shop just two blocks away. We relaxed in the quaint space and enjoyed two coffees and a breakfast sandwich. When we got back to our hotel, our room was ready. We unpacked and decompressed for a bit. I told my boyfriend that we needed to go to an outdoor food court named Lote 23 that was on my must visit food destinations, so we hopped into an Uber around 3:40pm and arrived less than ten minutes later. After a phenomenal late lunch of pernil, mofongo, and ice cream – my boyfriend and I walked a few blocks back to Hacienda San Pedro (the coffee shop we had visited the morning before flying to Vieques) to buy some coffee beans for friends and family. The barista we had chatted with on Sunday was working again and so excited to see us and hear about our trip to Vieques. After a fun conversation and a haul of freshly roasted perfection, we opted for the short Uber ride back to our hotel out of sheer exhaustion. My boyfriend had been feeling a touch under the weather since our first night in Vieques and needed to take a nap. As he snoozed, I headed up to the rooftop lounge to enjoy a cup of tea and the overcast views. I wanted to visit Ocean Park Beach since it was just a few blocks away but decided to hang back and read a book instead. After a restful few hours, we were back in Old San Juan at 7:30pm. My mission for the evening was to 1. Buy some souvenirs for loved ones and 2. Grab drinks at La Factoria since it was closed the first time we visited a few days prior. We headed into a crowded tourist shop that was closing at 8:00pm and got a few items. Unfortunately, I needed more gifts and was a bit upset that we were still on the hunt so late at night. My boyfriend eased my anxiety by reminding me that I could always pick up a few things at the airport the next morning. So with that, we enjoyed an evening stroll to the opposite side of Old San Juan and entered La Factoria a touch before 8:15pm. When we inquired if they were closed on Thursday because of the protests, the bartender said they were indeed open! So don’t be like us and let other tourists tell you something is closed unless you’ve tried all the doors yourself. Long story short, we enjoy a few tasty cocktails in the various different rooms of this highly popular bar. After leaving, we stopped by an art gallery/gift shop/cafe that we had visited a few days earlier when roaming the streets of Old San Juan and ended up purchasing a few more souvenirs while listening to locals recite personal poetry as it was open mic night that evening. We finally headed back toward Plaza Colón and called an Uber. After being dropped off at our hotel, we decided to grab one last round and a late night snack at the chic pizza place across the street since we never had an official dinner. It was relaxing, tasty, and perfect in every way. We headed back to our room at 11:30pm and packed a bit before climbing into bed.

• Tips & Tricks: The souvenir stores in Old San Juan close pretty early, so don’t be like me and wait until your last evening to shop for gifts.

DAY 8 → WEDNESDAY, January 29, 2020

My Plan For The Day: Check Out — Head to the Airport — Fly Home

• What We Actually Did: We woke up, got ready, and left The Dream Inn bright & early. We headed across the street to Kasalta, ordered a coffee, pastry, and some food to go. We called an Uber once our items arrived and had a lovely conversation with our driver on the short 8-minute drive to the airport. He was a young father of a young daughter and training to be a competitive boxer. Once we got the airport, a horde of school children were leaving for a trip so the security line was much longer than expected. After a race to purchase some duty free aged Bacardi, we made it to our terminal just as they began to board. I was unable to pick up a few more souvenirs due to the long line at security – but was content with what I bought the night before. Our flight took off at 8:25am. After a short layover in Miami, we landed safely at LAX shortly before 3:00pm. My dad picked us from the airport, my boyfriend headed to bed as soon as we arrived back home, and I unpacked before picking up Taiwanese for dinner from a favorite neighborhood restaurant. And although I was thrilled to be home relaxing on the couch, I was immediately reminiscing about our fabulous week in Puerto Rico.

• Tips & Tricks: If you have coffee beans in your carry-on expect a possible wait at TSA. Security held a lot of carry-on luggage for extra inspection – mine included. Despite it being allowed on flights, I still had to wait a full 10 minutes to have my 3 bags of fresh coffee inspected.

ON MY NEXT VISIT

Regions I Want To Explore

• Rincon since we skipped the west coast on our first trip
• Culebra for the award winning beaches
• Ponce in the south
• Central farmlands

Things I Want To Do

• Volunteer with World Central Kitchen and/or a home building organization since I wasn’t able to drive to the south part of the island in 2020.
• Enjoy the natural water slides & swimming holes at Las Paylas
• Go on a fishing charter & take surfing lessons in Rincon
• Tour a coffee farm in the central part of the island
• Hike up to Cueva Ventana in Arecibo

Restaurants I Want To Dine At

• Jungle Bird (again) because it was that good! My favorite dish was the Crack Eggplant. My favorite cocktail was the Adiós Pantalones.
• All of the pinchos, fried goodies, and fresh seafood from the food stalls in Piñones since we were unable to go in 2020.
• 1919 and/or José Enrique if I feel like having a fancy, way too expensive dinner on my next visit
• Jauja for their raved about arepas and ceviche

A FINAL WORD

As an American citizen, I would love to not only visit every U.S. state but also every U.S. territory at some point. I feel incredibly blessed to have experienced the beauty of Puerto Rico and its lovely people. It was an honor to learn of the island’s history, listen to what residents desire from their own government in addition to the federal government, & support my fellow Americans via tourism.

A 5.4 magnitude earthquake struck on May 2, 2020 – an aftershock of the January 2020 quake. Once COVID-19 is under control and we are able to travel freely once again, please consider Puerto Rico as the island can still use our support.