Once you decide to take a vacation to Puerto Rico, you might find yourself wondering what area is best for your travel style.
The truth is there are many popular vacation spots in Puerto Rico and they are all fabulous for different reasons. Hopefully, you have time to see several places and no doubt fall in love with them all.
Here are the five most popular vacation spots in Puerto Rico.
Old San Juan
Devote a day or two to exploring Old San Juan, a walkable area lined with brightly colored old buildings and historical landmarks.
The oldest settlement in Puerto Rico is full of interesting sights and friendly locals. It is a romantic town while at the same time family-friendly and a popular cruise port stop. All this makes for a vibrant place full of color and energy.
Start at the citadel of El Morro, otherwise known as El Castillo San Felipe del Morro. The UNESCO World Heritage Site dates back to the 1500s when it was built as a military post for Spain and later America.
San Cristóbal fortress is also a noteworthy site you can discover as you stroll around the old city walls with their quaint cobbled streets.
Stop for a bite to eat at a local restaurant serving up flavorsome Caribbean dishes and sit at a little plaza and chat with the locals.
The Bautista Cathedral, which holds the tomb of the famous Spanish explorer Juan Ponce de León, is worth a look.
History lovers will also be interested in the Santa María Magdalena de Pazzis Cemetery where many historic figures are laid to rest, including Jose Ferre, the first actor from Puerto Rico to win an Academy Award and the nationalist leader Pedro Albizu Campos.
For accommodation in Old San Juan, we recommend staying in the heart of the old town. Fortaleza Guest House, The Gallery Inn and Navona Studios Guesthouse are affordable options with clean, comfortable rooms and friendly service.
There are often events happening in this oldest area of San Juan, so you might catch some live music, dancing, or other cultural entertainment.
Travel tip: If you are short on time, hire a tour guide to take you around all the best places in Old San Juan.
Vieques Island
The Puerto Rican island of Vieques is second on our list of most popular vacation spots in Puerto Rico.
Travelers love the quiet beaches, excellent swimming and snorkeling conditions and natural surroundings, much of which are within the Vieques National Wildlife Refuge.
Locals like to call their island paradise the Spanish Virgin Islands and it certainly has comparisons to the British and U.S. Virgin Islands, including sunny beach days and tropical surroundings.
Take a scenic boat tour of Bioluminescent Bay (sometimes called Mosquito Bay) and admire the bright turquoise water caused by microorganisms that live in the water.
It’s so vibrant that the Guinness World Records declared it the brightest bioluminescent bay in the world in 2006.
This glow-in-the-dark natural wonder is a unique feature on Vieques Island, which is also blessed with some of the best beaches in the Caribbean.
There are white sand and black sand beaches on the island and plenty of outdoor activities like kayaking, yoga, hiking, bird watching, snorkeling, paddle boarding and horseback riding.
The Fuerte de Vieques is a mid-19th-century Spanish fort and museum that shouldn’t be missed, especially for those fascinated by architecture and history.
Fortin Conde de Mirasol is a hilltop fort that has wonderful views. It also has an art and history museum and a radio station. The Punta Mulas Lighthouse is another iconic sight on Vieques Island and it also has a museum.
Accommodation options range from luxury villas to quaint guesthouses and affordable inns.
Whatever your budget, you can find great digs on Vieques Island. The tropical climate is consistent all year round, with cooling trade winds often blowing in to give a lovely breeze, so fly or ferry into this paradise any time.
Ponce
Ponce is a city with charm and character. The well-preserved old town has eye-catching architecture and grand historical sites, including the Museo de Arte de Ponce, with an impressive collection of European and Puerto Rican art.
It is the second biggest city in the country, so there is also plenty of tourist attractions, shopping and entertainment to discover.
A popular place to wander around and enjoy the sun is the Plaza de las Delicias with fountains, a lovely cathedral and space to relax.
Parque de Bombas is a hard-to-miss red old wooden firehouse still in use today as a museum and concert hall.
Up the road, you can take a guided tour of Casa Armstrong-Poventud, a well-preserved building with neoclassical-style architecture.
A sunset walk along the boardwalk of Paseo Tablado La Guancha before dinner at a trendy restaurant is a lovely way to spend an evening.
Ricon
Ricon is a tropical haven that makes the perfect spot for a vacation. There are many little beaches with great conditions for swimming, snorkeling and other water sports.
Surfing is also big in Rican, with international surf events often held at Maria’s Beach and other beaches. When you have enough of the beach life, you can go horseback riding, hiking and cycling.
For outdoorsy people, Rican is wonderful. It is also a wonderful place to relax and unwind.
The vibe of Rican is laid back and the pace of life is perhaps slower than you would find in the more touristy areas like Ponce and Old San Juan.
There is plenty to see, so make sure you have good walking shoes and your camera ready. One of the first places that will appear on your social media will be The Punta Higuero Lighthouse which dates back to 1892.
The charming white building that is over 100 feet tall is still in operation, helping sea vessels navigate their way through the waters. There is a park to walk around and telescopes so you can look for humpback whales in the distance.
There is a thriving art scene in Ricon. In town, you will discover an art walk every Thursday night. There is shopping, music, arts and crafts and food in the main town square with a fun and festive vibe going on.
Isabela
When it comes to the most popular vacation spots in Puerto Rico, Isabela makes the list. This charming beach town has lovely beaches for blissful sunny days spent swimming, sunbathing, snorkeling, and walking.
Some beaches are known to surfers as having good waves. If you want to explore the forest areas you can go camping, hiking and swimming in pristine lakes.
Or you might like to rent a bike and journey around Paseo Lineal de Isabela, that is a 4.5-mile route that passes by a scenic boardwalk, several picturesque beaches and natural areas that are totally photogenic.
A unique feature of Isabela is the Monument to Cacique Mabodamaca, a massive sculpture of a face carved into the mountain rock.
Created in honor of an Indian chief, it is a stunning artistic masterpiece worth seeing.
The luxury resorts in Isabela are great and have everything you would expect from a beach town getaway in the Caribbean. To spurge, book a room at Royal Isabela that is perched on a cliff with stunning ocean views and excellent service.
There are plenty of fancy resorts, nice guesthouses, hotels and beachfront villas to close from.
You can have some time in the spa, enjoy high-quality food with an emphasis on fresh seafood and indulge in sundowners as you enjoy the great sunsets.
More Popular Vacation Spots In Puerto Rico
Since it is so hard to choose the five most popular vacation spots in Puerto Rico, we had to give special mention also to the following areas.
By now, you are probably wondering if you should extend your vacation to Puerto Rico, so you have time to take in a few more places.
It is a reason so many people return for their annual vacations and even after many visits, you still would have more to explore and experience.
- Culebra Island
- Cabo Rojo
- Santurce
- Isla Verde
- Isabela
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You can book now and pay later and go to Puerto Rico with Trip Support. Get your pay later flight to Puerto Rico by Trip Support today!
The face of travel is changing rapidly. We are proudly leading the industry with an innovative and flexibleBook Now, Pay Later Flightsoption.
You can buy the air ticket and vacation packages by putting down a small deposit to secure the services and pay the balance in installments.
Flexibility and savings are just some of the benefits of flying with Trip Support.
We don't check credit scores so this payment Book Now, Pay Later method is available to everyone. You can book now and pay later in installments. There is no credit check with this fantastic pay later option.
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