Puerto Rico Travel Guide

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San Juan

Puerto Rico's capital, which radiates out from a bay on the Atlantic, is most commonly associated with the colonial streets and forts of Old San...

El Yunque and the Northeast

Tree frogs, rare parrots, and wild horses only start the list of northeastern Puerto Rico's offerings. The backdrops for encounters with an array of flora...

Vieques and Culebra

Although the islands of Vieques and Culebra (known as the "Spanish Virgins") are only a few miles off the coast of Puerto Rico, they feel...

Vieques

Looking for a place to play Robinson Crusoe? Well, here you can wander along almost any stretch of sand and rarely see another soul. You...

Ponce

"Ponce is Ponce and the rest is parking" is the adage used by residents of Puerto Rico's second-largest city (population 166,000) to express their pride...

Culebra

"Open some days, closed others," reads the sign on a food kiosk near the canal that cuts through a part of this island. It's a...

Fajardo

Fajardo, founded in 1772, was once notorious as a piratical pit stop. It later developed into a fishing community and an area where sugarcane...

Humacao

Travelers flock to the Humacao area for one reason: the sprawling resort community called Palmas del Mar and its two world-class golf courses...

Piñones

Funky Piñones is little more than a collection of open-air seaside eateries. Sand floors, barefoot patrons, and tantalizing seafood—traditionally...

Utuado

Utuado was named after a local Taíno chief, Otoao. Surrounded by mountains and dotted with blue lakes, the town sits in the middle of lush,...

Dorado

This small and tidy town is one of the oldest vacation spots on the island, having gotten a boost in 1955, when Laurance Rockefeller bought...

Aibonito

Legend has it that Aibonito got its name when a Spaniard exclaimed, " ¡Ay, que bonito! " (Oh, how pretty!) upon seeing the valley where the...

The North Coast and the Cordillera Central

There's more to Puerto Rico than beautiful beaches, as anyone who lives on the island will tell you. Locals escape the heat by heading to...

Ponce and the Porta Caribe

Not as popular as San Juan or Vieques, the south is a region full of underrated attractions, fine food, and a laid-back, authentic vibe that...

Boqueron

Once a quiet fishing village, Boquerón still has its share of seaside shanties. Its narrow streets are quiet during the week but come alive on...

Patillas

Patillas, the so-called Emerald of the South, is a tranquil city of about 19,000, with a small plaza and steep, narrow streets. The best sightseeing...

La Parguera

La Parguera is best known for its bioluminescent bay. Although it is not nearly as spectacular as the one in Vieques, it's still a beautiful...

Juana Diaz

Juana Díaz doesn't figure prominently in the typical travel itinerary, but for the traveler who has a bit of extra time, a stop in this small...

Guayama

Guayama was founded in 1736, but the city was destroyed by fire in the early 1800s. It quickly recovered when the sugarcane industry grew, and...

Guanica

Juan Ponce de León first explored this area in 1508, when he was searching for the elusive Fountain of Youth. Nearly 400 years later, U.S. troops...

Coamo

Founded by the Spanish in 1579, Coamo was the third city established in Puerto Rico. It dominated the south of the island until the mid-1880s...

Naguabo

In this municipality's downtown, pastel buildings give the main plaza the look of a child's nursery: a golden-yellow church on one side faces...

Rincon

Jutting out into the ocean along the rugged western coast, Rincón ("corner" in Spanish) may have gotten its name because it's tucked into a...

El Combate

Welcome to the end of the Earth—or the end of the island, anyway: this peninsula on the southwest corner of Puerto Rico is a bit...

Cabo Rojo Town

People often assume that the town of Cabo Rojo is at the southwestern tip of Puerto Rico, where there is a lighthouse by the same...

Rio Grande

This urban cluster of about 54,000 residents proudly calls itself "The City of El Yunque," as it's the closest community to the rain forest...

Joyuda

Known as the Milla de Oro (Golden Mile) because of its string of more than 15 seaside restaurants, the community of Joyuda is a must...

Salinas

Most visitors are familiar with Salinas only because they see its name on an exit sign along Route 52. Islanders, however, know that the road...

San Juan Suburbs

The suburbs of Cataño, Bayamón, Guaynabo, and Dorado, west and south of San Juan, are separate municipalities but in many ways indistinguishable...

San German

During its early years, San Germán was a city on the move. Although the first settlement's exact founding date and location remains at issue...

Adjuntas

The coffee-growing town of Adjuntas sits north of Puerto Rico's Ruta Panorámica. It's also the world's leading producer of citron, a fruit whose...

Rincón and the Porta del Sol

"La Porta del Sol" is how tourism officials describe the island's western coast—but the Gateway to the Sun is still not nearly as well known...

Arecibo

The town of Arecibo was founded in 1515 and is known as the Villa of Capitán Correa because of a 1702 battle fought here by Captain Antonio...

Aguadilla

Resembling a fishing village, downtown Aguadilla has narrow streets lined with small wooden homes. Weathered but lovely, the faded facades recall...

Jayuya

Jayuya is a small town in the foothills of the Cordillera Central, Puerto Rico's tallest mountain range. Cerro de Punta, the island's highest...

El Yunque

The temperature in the U.S. Forest Service’s only tropical rain forest—an easy and popular day trip from San Juan—is about 73°F year-round,...

Isabela

Founded in 1819 and named for Spain's Queen Isabella, this small town on the northwestern edge of the island skirts tall cliffs that overlook...

Mayaguez

Me encanta" is what most people from Puerto Rico say when you ask them about Mayagüez. However, the city is home to 12,000 university students...

Cabo Rojo

Named for its pinkish cliffs, the Red Cape was used in the late 18th century as a port for merchants—as well as for its attendant...

Luquillo

Known as the Sun Capital of Puerto Rico, Luquillo has one of the island's best-equipped family beaches. It's also a community where fishing...

San Juan

Puerto Rico's capital, which radiates out from a bay on the Atlantic, is most commonly associated with the colonial streets and forts of Old San...

El Yunque and the Northeast

Tree frogs, rare parrots, and wild horses only start the list of northeastern Puerto Rico's offerings. The backdrops for encounters with an array of flora...

Vieques and Culebra

Although the islands of Vieques and Culebra (known as the "Spanish Virgins") are only a few miles off the coast of Puerto Rico, they feel...

Vieques

Looking for a place to play Robinson Crusoe? Well, here you can wander along almost any stretch of sand and rarely see another soul. You...

Ponce

"Ponce is Ponce and the rest is parking" is the adage used by residents of Puerto Rico's second-largest city (population 166,000) to express their pride...

Culebra

"Open some days, closed others," reads the sign on a food kiosk near the canal that cuts through a part of this island. It's a...

Fajardo

Fajardo, founded in 1772, was once notorious as a piratical pit stop. It later developed into a fishing community and an area where sugarcane...

Humacao

Travelers flock to the Humacao area for one reason: the sprawling resort community called Palmas del Mar and its two world-class golf courses...

Piñones

Funky Piñones is little more than a collection of open-air seaside eateries. Sand floors, barefoot patrons, and tantalizing seafood—traditionally...

Utuado

Utuado was named after a local Taíno chief, Otoao. Surrounded by mountains and dotted with blue lakes, the town sits in the middle of lush,...

Dorado

This small and tidy town is one of the oldest vacation spots on the island, having gotten a boost in 1955, when Laurance Rockefeller bought...

Aibonito

Legend has it that Aibonito got its name when a Spaniard exclaimed, " ¡Ay, que bonito! " (Oh, how pretty!) upon seeing the valley where the...

The North Coast and the Cordillera Central

There's more to Puerto Rico than beautiful beaches, as anyone who lives on the island will tell you. Locals escape the heat by heading to...

Ponce and the Porta Caribe

Not as popular as San Juan or Vieques, the south is a region full of underrated attractions, fine food, and a laid-back, authentic vibe that...

Boqueron

Once a quiet fishing village, Boquerón still has its share of seaside shanties. Its narrow streets are quiet during the week but come alive on...

Patillas

Patillas, the so-called Emerald of the South, is a tranquil city of about 19,000, with a small plaza and steep, narrow streets. The best sightseeing...

La Parguera

La Parguera is best known for its bioluminescent bay. Although it is not nearly as spectacular as the one in Vieques, it's still a beautiful...

Juana Diaz

Juana Díaz doesn't figure prominently in the typical travel itinerary, but for the traveler who has a bit of extra time, a stop in this small...

Guayama

Guayama was founded in 1736, but the city was destroyed by fire in the early 1800s. It quickly recovered when the sugarcane industry grew, and...

Guanica

Juan Ponce de León first explored this area in 1508, when he was searching for the elusive Fountain of Youth. Nearly 400 years later, U.S. troops...

Coamo

Founded by the Spanish in 1579, Coamo was the third city established in Puerto Rico. It dominated the south of the island until the mid-1880s...

Naguabo

In this municipality's downtown, pastel buildings give the main plaza the look of a child's nursery: a golden-yellow church on one side faces...

Rincon

Jutting out into the ocean along the rugged western coast, Rincón ("corner" in Spanish) may have gotten its name because it's tucked into a...

El Combate

Welcome to the end of the Earth—or the end of the island, anyway: this peninsula on the southwest corner of Puerto Rico is a bit...

Cabo Rojo Town

People often assume that the town of Cabo Rojo is at the southwestern tip of Puerto Rico, where there is a lighthouse by the same...

Rio Grande

This urban cluster of about 54,000 residents proudly calls itself "The City of El Yunque," as it's the closest community to the rain forest...

Joyuda

Known as the Milla de Oro (Golden Mile) because of its string of more than 15 seaside restaurants, the community of Joyuda is a must...

Salinas

Most visitors are familiar with Salinas only because they see its name on an exit sign along Route 52. Islanders, however, know that the road...

San Juan Suburbs

The suburbs of Cataño, Bayamón, Guaynabo, and Dorado, west and south of San Juan, are separate municipalities but in many ways indistinguishable...

San German

During its early years, San Germán was a city on the move. Although the first settlement's exact founding date and location remains at issue...

Adjuntas

The coffee-growing town of Adjuntas sits north of Puerto Rico's Ruta Panorámica. It's also the world's leading producer of citron, a fruit whose...

Rincón and the Porta del Sol

"La Porta del Sol" is how tourism officials describe the island's western coast—but the Gateway to the Sun is still not nearly as well known...

Arecibo

The town of Arecibo was founded in 1515 and is known as the Villa of Capitán Correa because of a 1702 battle fought here by Captain Antonio...

Aguadilla

Resembling a fishing village, downtown Aguadilla has narrow streets lined with small wooden homes. Weathered but lovely, the faded facades recall...

Jayuya

Jayuya is a small town in the foothills of the Cordillera Central, Puerto Rico's tallest mountain range. Cerro de Punta, the island's highest...

El Yunque

The temperature in the U.S. Forest Service’s only tropical rain forest—an easy and popular day trip from San Juan—is about 73°F year-round,...

Isabela

Founded in 1819 and named for Spain's Queen Isabella, this small town on the northwestern edge of the island skirts tall cliffs that overlook...

Mayaguez

Me encanta" is what most people from Puerto Rico say when you ask them about Mayagüez. However, the city is home to 12,000 university students...

Cabo Rojo

Named for its pinkish cliffs, the Red Cape was used in the late 18th century as a port for merchants—as well as for its attendant...

Luquillo

Known as the Sun Capital of Puerto Rico, Luquillo has one of the island's best-equipped family beaches. It's also a community where fishing...

San Juan

Puerto Rico's capital, which radiates out from a bay on the Atlantic, is most commonly associated with the colonial streets and forts of Old San...

Ponce

"Ponce is Ponce and the rest is parking" is the adage used by residents of Puerto Rico's second-largest city (population 166,000) to express their pride...

Vieques

Looking for a place to play Robinson Crusoe? Well, here you can wander along almost any stretch of sand and rarely see another soul. You...

Culebra

"Open some days, closed others," reads the sign on a food kiosk near the canal that cuts through a part of this island. It's a...

Fajardo

Fajardo, founded in 1772, was once notorious as a piratical pit stop. It later developed into a fishing community and an area where sugarcane...

Humacao

Travelers flock to the Humacao area for one reason: the sprawling resort community called Palmas del Mar and its two world-class golf courses...

Isabela

Founded in 1819 and named for Spain's Queen Isabella, this small town on the northwestern edge of the island skirts tall cliffs that overlook...

Naguabo

In this municipality's downtown, pastel buildings give the main plaza the look of a child's nursery: a golden-yellow church on one side faces...

El Combate

Welcome to the end of the Earth—or the end of the island, anyway: this peninsula on the southwest corner of Puerto Rico is a bit...

Juana Diaz

Juana Díaz doesn't figure prominently in the typical travel itinerary, but for the traveler who has a bit of extra time, a stop in this small...

Boqueron

Once a quiet fishing village, Boquerón still has its share of seaside shanties. Its narrow streets are quiet during the week but come alive on...

Guanica

Juan Ponce de León first explored this area in 1508, when he was searching for the elusive Fountain of Youth. Nearly 400 years later, U.S. troops...

Guayama

Guayama was founded in 1736, but the city was destroyed by fire in the early 1800s. It quickly recovered when the sugarcane industry grew, and...

Coamo

Founded by the Spanish in 1579, Coamo was the third city established in Puerto Rico. It dominated the south of the island until the mid-1880s...

Rio Grande

This urban cluster of about 54,000 residents proudly calls itself "The City of El Yunque," as it's the closest community to the rain forest...

Piñones

Funky Piñones is little more than a collection of open-air seaside eateries. Sand floors, barefoot patrons, and tantalizing seafood—traditionally...

Mayaguez

Me encanta" is what most people from Puerto Rico say when you ask them about Mayagüez. However, the city is home to 12,000 university students...

La Parguera

La Parguera is best known for its bioluminescent bay. Although it is not nearly as spectacular as the one in Vieques, it's still a beautiful...

Rincon

Jutting out into the ocean along the rugged western coast, Rincón ("corner" in Spanish) may have gotten its name because it's tucked into a...

Patillas

Patillas, the so-called Emerald of the South, is a tranquil city of about 19,000, with a small plaza and steep, narrow streets. The best sightseeing...

Cabo Rojo Town

People often assume that the town of Cabo Rojo is at the southwestern tip of Puerto Rico, where there is a lighthouse by the same...

Aibonito

Legend has it that Aibonito got its name when a Spaniard exclaimed, " ¡Ay, que bonito! " (Oh, how pretty!) upon seeing the valley where the...

Joyuda

Known as the Milla de Oro (Golden Mile) because of its string of more than 15 seaside restaurants, the community of Joyuda is a must...

Jayuya

Jayuya is a small town in the foothills of the Cordillera Central, Puerto Rico's tallest mountain range. Cerro de Punta, the island's highest...

Adjuntas

The coffee-growing town of Adjuntas sits north of Puerto Rico's Ruta Panorámica. It's also the world's leading producer of citron, a fruit whose...

Luquillo

Known as the Sun Capital of Puerto Rico, Luquillo has one of the island's best-equipped family beaches. It's also a community where fishing...

Arecibo

The town of Arecibo was founded in 1515 and is known as the Villa of Capitán Correa because of a 1702 battle fought here by Captain Antonio...

Salinas

Most visitors are familiar with Salinas only because they see its name on an exit sign along Route 52. Islanders, however, know that the road...

Utuado

Utuado was named after a local Taíno chief, Otoao. Surrounded by mountains and dotted with blue lakes, the town sits in the middle of lush,...

San German

During its early years, San Germán was a city on the move. Although the first settlement's exact founding date and location remains at issue...

Aguadilla

Resembling a fishing village, downtown Aguadilla has narrow streets lined with small wooden homes. Weathered but lovely, the faded facades recall...

Caguas

The inventive small town of Caguas continues to grow into an arts, culture, and entertainment hub only 30 minutes outside of San Juan. There is...

San Juan

Puerto Rico's capital, which radiates out from a bay on the Atlantic, is most commonly associated with the colonial streets and forts of Old San...

Ponce

"Ponce is Ponce and the rest is parking" is the adage used by residents of Puerto Rico's second-largest city (population 166,000) to express their pride...

Vieques

Looking for a place to play Robinson Crusoe? Well, here you can wander along almost any stretch of sand and rarely see another soul. You...

Culebra

"Open some days, closed others," reads the sign on a food kiosk near the canal that cuts through a part of this island. It's a...

Fajardo

Fajardo, founded in 1772, was once notorious as a piratical pit stop. It later developed into a fishing community and an area where sugarcane...

Humacao

Travelers flock to the Humacao area for one reason: the sprawling resort community called Palmas del Mar and its two world-class golf courses...

Isabela

Founded in 1819 and named for Spain's Queen Isabella, this small town on the northwestern edge of the island skirts tall cliffs that overlook...

Naguabo

In this municipality's downtown, pastel buildings give the main plaza the look of a child's nursery: a golden-yellow church on one side faces...

El Combate

Welcome to the end of the Earth—or the end of the island, anyway: this peninsula on the southwest corner of Puerto Rico is a bit...

Juana Diaz

Juana Díaz doesn't figure prominently in the typical travel itinerary, but for the traveler who has a bit of extra time, a stop in this small...

Boqueron

Once a quiet fishing village, Boquerón still has its share of seaside shanties. Its narrow streets are quiet during the week but come alive on...

Guanica

Juan Ponce de León first explored this area in 1508, when he was searching for the elusive Fountain of Youth. Nearly 400 years later, U.S. troops...

Guayama

Guayama was founded in 1736, but the city was destroyed by fire in the early 1800s. It quickly recovered when the sugarcane industry grew, and...

Coamo

Founded by the Spanish in 1579, Coamo was the third city established in Puerto Rico. It dominated the south of the island until the mid-1880s...

Rio Grande

This urban cluster of about 54,000 residents proudly calls itself "The City of El Yunque," as it's the closest community to the rain forest...

Piñones

Funky Piñones is little more than a collection of open-air seaside eateries. Sand floors, barefoot patrons, and tantalizing seafood—traditionally...

Mayaguez

Me encanta" is what most people from Puerto Rico say when you ask them about Mayagüez. However, the city is home to 12,000 university students...

La Parguera

La Parguera is best known for its bioluminescent bay. Although it is not nearly as spectacular as the one in Vieques, it's still a beautiful...

Rincon

Jutting out into the ocean along the rugged western coast, Rincón ("corner" in Spanish) may have gotten its name because it's tucked into a...

Patillas

Patillas, the so-called Emerald of the South, is a tranquil city of about 19,000, with a small plaza and steep, narrow streets. The best sightseeing...

Cabo Rojo Town

People often assume that the town of Cabo Rojo is at the southwestern tip of Puerto Rico, where there is a lighthouse by the same...

Aibonito

Legend has it that Aibonito got its name when a Spaniard exclaimed, " ¡Ay, que bonito! " (Oh, how pretty!) upon seeing the valley where the...

Joyuda

Known as the Milla de Oro (Golden Mile) because of its string of more than 15 seaside restaurants, the community of Joyuda is a must...

Jayuya

Jayuya is a small town in the foothills of the Cordillera Central, Puerto Rico's tallest mountain range. Cerro de Punta, the island's highest...

Adjuntas

The coffee-growing town of Adjuntas sits north of Puerto Rico's Ruta Panorámica. It's also the world's leading producer of citron, a fruit whose...

Luquillo

Known as the Sun Capital of Puerto Rico, Luquillo has one of the island's best-equipped family beaches. It's also a community where fishing...

Arecibo

The town of Arecibo was founded in 1515 and is known as the Villa of Capitán Correa because of a 1702 battle fought here by Captain Antonio...

Salinas

Most visitors are familiar with Salinas only because they see its name on an exit sign along Route 52. Islanders, however, know that the road...

Utuado

Utuado was named after a local Taíno chief, Otoao. Surrounded by mountains and dotted with blue lakes, the town sits in the middle of lush,...

San German

During its early years, San Germán was a city on the move. Although the first settlement's exact founding date and location remains at issue...

Aguadilla

Resembling a fishing village, downtown Aguadilla has narrow streets lined with small wooden homes. Weathered but lovely, the faded facades recall...

Caguas

The inventive small town of Caguas continues to grow into an arts, culture, and entertainment hub only 30 minutes outside of San Juan. There is...

El Yunque and the Northeast

Tree frogs, rare parrots, and wild horses only start the list of northeastern Puerto Rico's offerings. The backdrops for encounters with an array of flora...

Vieques and Culebra

Although the islands of Vieques and Culebra (known as the "Spanish Virgins") are only a few miles off the coast of Puerto Rico, they feel...

Dorado

This small and tidy town is one of the oldest vacation spots on the island, having gotten a boost in 1955, when Laurance Rockefeller bought...

The North Coast and the Cordillera Central

There's more to Puerto Rico than beautiful beaches, as anyone who lives on the island will tell you. Locals escape the heat by heading to...

Side Trip from San Juan

About 1 hour 15 minutes (depending on traffic, of course) west of San Juan, off Route 22, lies Arecibo, home of the world-famous Arecibo Observatory...

San Juan Suburbs

The suburbs of Cataño, Bayamón, Guaynabo, and Dorado, west and south of San Juan, are separate municipalities but in many ways indistinguishable...

Ruta Panorámica

...

Cabo Rojo

Named for its pinkish cliffs, the Red Cape was used in the late 18th century as a port for merchants—as well as for its attendant...

Rincón and the Porta del Sol

"La Porta del Sol" is how tourism officials describe the island's western coast—but the Gateway to the Sun is still not nearly as well known...

Ponce and the Porta Caribe

Not as popular as San Juan or Vieques, the south is a region full of underrated attractions, fine food, and a laid-back, authentic vibe that...

Ceiba

A calm coastal area, Ceiba is a small town and municipality named after Puerto Rico's native Ceiba tree. It is bordered by Fajardo to the...

El Yunque and the Northeast

Tree frogs, rare parrots, and wild horses only start the list of northeastern Puerto Rico's offerings. The backdrops for encounters with an array of flora...

Vieques and Culebra

Although the islands of Vieques and Culebra (known as the "Spanish Virgins") are only a few miles off the coast of Puerto Rico, they feel...

Dorado

This small and tidy town is one of the oldest vacation spots on the island, having gotten a boost in 1955, when Laurance Rockefeller bought...

The North Coast and the Cordillera Central

There's more to Puerto Rico than beautiful beaches, as anyone who lives on the island will tell you. Locals escape the heat by heading to...

Side Trip from San Juan

About 1 hour 15 minutes (depending on traffic, of course) west of San Juan, off Route 22, lies Arecibo, home of the world-famous Arecibo Observatory...