5 Days in Puerto Rico

5 Days in Puerto Rico

Puerto Rico

5 days in Puerto Rico itinerary

A complete itinerary guide of things you can do, places you can visit and more in 5 days in Puerto Rico.

Helpful Hints: To move in the island is better to rent a car, take an uber or taxi.

Day One: Old San Juan

streets of san juan puerto rico
San Juan

Stay a full day in the Old San Juan to get the complete experience in it. Walking in the islet through the historic site, visiting the Fort San Felipe del Morro, Fort San Cristobal, and the cathedral Menor de San Juan. Other zone to enjoy is the pier where the cruise ships arrived and the Princess ride that you can see many great artisans and taste delicious food trucks dishes. The Old San Juan has many great restaurants, from typical, seafood, asian, mexican, american, and italian food.

See my blog post A day in Old San Juan to have the details of what to do, where to go, recommended places, bars and restaurants.

Day Two: Road Trip in Arecibo, Isabela and/or Aguadilla

Arecibo cave tour
Aguadilla Beach

Arecibo:

A road trip in the northwest coast of Puerto Rico is an enjoyable thing to do in the island.

Arecibo has a great tour in Cueva Ventana, open Wednesday to Sunday, from 10am to 4pm. This is an eco-system tour with caves, nature, Taino cultures petroglyphs and an extraordinary view of a river. The tour duration is an hour and a half. Link here about Cueva Ventana Tour. Our recommendation is going in the morning because that give you the opportunity to go to another great places that you can’t lose like “La Cueva del Indio” (Indian Cave), and La Poza del Obispo (The Bishop Pose) beach.

If you like what we called in Puerto Rico, “chinchorreo”, a roadtrip to eat and drink in some kiosk, bars and restaurants. A stop you must do is in Arrecife 681, located in Road PR-681, open from Wednesday to Monday. This place has great Mojito’s with different fruit flavors like pineapple, coconut, strawberry and more.

Isabela:

This town is very popular in the island because of there surf beach named Middles Beach, Playa Jobos, the restaurants and “chinchorros” to spend a great day.

Aguadilla:

One of the most beautiful beaches in the island with a crystal clear water is  Crash Boat Beach. It’s located in the road PR-485, Aguadilla, Puerto Rico. This beach is perfect for snorkeling and bath.

Day Three: El Yunque Rain Forest

la coca falls in el yunque
kioskos de luquillo

Spend the day at El Yunque Rain Forest, visiting waterfalls like La Mina, Juan Diego Falls, and the option to hike in many hills of the forest. After visited el Yunque, you have to stop in the Luquillo Kiosk. This area has many restaurants and bars at the side of Luquillo Beach. This place is great to taste puerto rican and seafood dishes. 

Day Four: Toro Verde Adventure Park

zipline toro verde in Orocovis Puerto Rico
zipline adventure park in orocovis

The largest zip line park in the Caribbean and the Americas, where you can enjoy the beautiful landscapes during the adventure. It located in Bo. Gato, Road 155, Km. 33 Orocovis, Puerto Rico. Is good to go with a partner or group. The tour costs start from $50 USD per person for one zip or the best option that we recommend is to takes the combos from $62.00 and up per person. Link here to learn more.

Day Five: Beach Day at Piñones

pinones beach in loiza puerto rico

Start the day going to the first kiosk or restaurants at the beginning of Piñones road, to taste some delicious typical food like “Alcapurria”, “Bacalaitos”, “Piononos”, and stuffed potatoes. This sector located in Loiza, Puerto Rico. It’s a good place to spend the day in the beach and eat great typical and sea food. This sector has two beaches to spend the day with friends and family named La Posita and Vacia Talega, and Aviones Beach to the ones who like to surf.

Resources

5 Days in Puerto Rico

5 Days in Puerto Rico

Puerto Rico5 days in Puerto Rico itineraryA complete itinerary guide of things you can do, places you can visit and more in 5 days in Puerto Rico. Helpful Hints: To move in the island is better to rent a car, take an uber or taxi.Day One: Old San JuanStay a full day...

Popular cocktails in Puerto Rico

Popular cocktails in Puerto Rico

Popular Cocktails in Puerto Rico Do you know which are the most delicious and popular cocktails in Puerto Rico?  Puerto Rico has many delicious options of cocktails which you have to taste if visit or live in the island. My number #1 and the most popular of all...

Best nightlife experience in San Juan

Best nightlife experience in San Juan

Top places to have the best nightlife experience in San Juan Do you know where to spend a great night drinking, dancing and enjoy with friends and locals?  24 Marketplace (Chardon Avenue) One of the most popular places to hangout in San Juan. This place is open...

Things to do in Old San Juan

Things to do in Old San Juan

Puerto Rico

Things to do in Old San Juan

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Table of Contents

5

Old San Juan

5

Best and historic places to Visit in Old San Juan

5

The best restaurants in Old San Juan

5

The best Coffee Shop in Old San Juan

5

Best Ice Cream restaurants in Old San Juan

5

Hints for visit the Old San Juan

Rafael, Flavored Journeys Creator, Puerto Rico

The Old San Juan, is a historic site in the capital of Puerto Rico with an old infrastructure, and the most popular zone in the island. There are many things to do in Old San Juan like visit historic places, starting with the most famous fort San Felipe del Morro, that was build around the 16th to 18th centuries by the Spaniards, barrack, recreational parks, the fort San Cristobal, the palace of the laws named the Capitol, and the house of the governor, named La Fortaleza. Having all of this, spend a day in the islet, is an unmissable experience. This area is secure, with many police presence and great area to walk in the streets, eat, and have fun in the days and nights. 

El Morro

Old San Juan

Places to Visit in the Old San Juan:

Fort San Felipe del Morro

Fort San Cristóbal

“Paseo la Princesa” (The Princess Ride)

Cathedral of San Juan Bautista

The Main Square

Parque Las Palomas (Dove Park)

The Old Cementery

El Capitolio (The Capitol)- Palace of the Laws

La Fortaleza- Governor House

Cuartel Ballajá (Ballajá Barrack)

san juan
fountain in old San Juan

The best restaurants in Old San Juan:

My top 5 favorite restaurants, including typical, Mexican, Italian and turkish foods are: 

Raices Restaurant- Typical Food

Restaurant El Jibarito-Typical Food

Princesa, Cocina Cultura

Pirilo Pizza Restaurant

Istanbul Turkish Restaurant- Turkish Food

The best Coffee Shops in Old San Juan:

Cuatro Sombra Coffee Shop

Caficultura

San Felipe del Morro

Fort San Felipe del Morro

Photograph by Rafael

Helpful Hints when visit the Old San Juan:

It’s very easy to arrive to the Old San Juan with Uber, Taxi, in excursions or renting a car. I recommend putting the GPS car or any app like waze, google maps, or apple maps.

The islet is a great area, very secure to walk in the streets, eat, drinks, shop and have fun during the day and nights with many locals and tourist. Walking in the streets, you can enjoy the amazing view in la “Zona Urbana”, and the Pier where the cruise ships arrive.  Continuing walking, the next stop is the Princess Ride (Paseo de la Princesa), a long road with many artisans, restaurant, food trucks, food kiosk and ice cream kiosk (most of them are on weekends). At the end of the part where all these attractions are, you going to see a big water fountains and a beautiful ocean view. During the ride, you can appreciate parts of the most famous fort named El Morro and see the House of the Governor “La Fortaleza”.

The Fort San Felipe del Morro have a very long landscape and amazing view. If you travel with kids, is a tradition in the island to fly a kite in the landscape of this fort.

It has many places to stay like largest chain Hotel Sheraton, some boutique hotels, hostels and Airbnb’s.

For the ones that are interest in enjoying some drinks, the best restaurants and bars are in San Sebastian Street. 

My top recommendations for parking in Old San Juan are:

  1. La Puntilla parking lot: located at the Pier of the islet, cost only $3 USD for the day.
  2. Ballaja parking lot: located at the Totem Square, near “El Morro”, but the cost is by hour.
    Capital City
    San Juan Puerto Rico

    Blog Post

    5 Days in Puerto Rico

    5 Days in Puerto Rico

    Puerto Rico5 days in Puerto Rico itineraryA complete itinerary guide of things you can do, places you can visit and more in 5 days in Puerto Rico. Helpful Hints: To move in the island is better to rent a car, take an uber or taxi.Day One: Old San JuanStay a full day...

    Best nightlife experience in San Juan

    Best nightlife experience in San Juan

    Top places to have the best nightlife experience in San Juan Do you know where to spend a great night drinking, dancing and enjoy with friends and locals?  24 Marketplace (Chardon Avenue) One of the most popular places to hangout in San Juan. This place is open...

    What should I take when traveling to Puerto Rico?

    What should I take when traveling to Puerto Rico?

    Puerto Rico is a tropical Island in the Caribbean where the weather almost all the year is hot. Is a perfect climate to spend a day on a beach at any season of the year, doesn’t matter if is spring, fall, summer or winter.

     

    What Clothes should I take to my trip in Puerto Rico?

    When visit Beaches and Rivers:

    • Sleeveless Shirts (more comfortable and more space in the backpack or luggage if have this shirts)
    • Short Pants
    • Sunglasses
    • In a Tropical island round by water with the best beaches in the Caribbean you have to come with some swimwear’s.
    • Don’t forget to pack a sunblock.
    • Water Shoes (specially for rivers).

    For nightlife:

    • Jeans
    • A good t-shirt or shirt
    • Finest Casual Clothes
    • Closed Shoes

    For the day:

    • T-shirt and sleeveless shirts ( Is a tropical island, days are hot during almost all the year)
    • Short pants and jeans

    Visiting the El Yunque National Rainforest:

    • Swimwear- El Yunque have waterfalls and rivers where you can spend the day.
    • Rain Jacket- If you going to hike to the top areas of El Yunque like the Yokahuma Tower, is possible that it’s raining.

    Visiting Toro Verde Adventure Park- Ziplines:

    • Jeans or long pants for the ziplines
    • Sneakers (You will be walking on land and grass)
    • T-Shirt