5 Day Itinerary
Puerto Rico is bigger and has more to do than many realize. I think five days in Puerto Rico is the minimum I would recommend, if you can spare the time. With five days you’ll be able to travel all over the island to soak in the sun on the many amazing beaches, hike to waterfalls, and visit the top spots.
Day 1
Arrive in San Juan the night before or the morning of Day 1. For the first day, if you choose to stay in San Juan, you won’t need a car. You can get around by walking, renting a scooter, or by Uber. Take an Uber from the airport to your hotel or Airbnb. Once you’ve dropped off your stuff, take an Uber to the historic district of Old San Juan. Come prepared with plenty of water, sunscreen, and a hat, it gets hot here! It’s best to get an early start on the day and see Old San Juan while it’s still cooler in the morning.
Established in 1521, Old San Juan is one of the oldest settlements in the Americas and has been designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site for its rich cultural and architectural heritage. I usually spend 4-5 hours walking the walled city.
If you are renting a car, park here to start right next to El Morro, our first destination. If you’d rather walk the city streets first, park here. Either one works and both can fill up on busy days.
El Morro
Walk from the parking structure to the nearby Castillo San Felipe del Morro, or El Morro. It’s a 16th-century fortress located at the entrance of San Juan Bay and the main tourist attraction here. Entrance costs $10 per adult or free for National Park pass-holders. It was built by the Spanish to protect the city from attacks by sea and is now one of the most popular tourist attractions in Puerto Rico. Visitors can explore the fortress’s various rooms full of antiques and information plaques, and enjoy the view from the top of the fort. If you visit at night, you won’t be able to enter, but the fort is lit up and is well worth walking around.
Museum of the Americas
From El Morro, you can look back at the town and see a long yellow building three stories tall, to the left. That is the Museo de las Américas (pictured above on the left). The museum houses a collection of artifacts and exhibits that tell the story of the region from pre-Columbian times to the present day. Visitors can see everything from Taino artifacts to contemporary art from Puerto Rico and beyond. When you pay at a booth, they’ll explain the different rooms and what they contain.
Walk The City Streets
Leaving the museum, you can begin to wander. My favorite thing to do in Old San Juan is walk around the city’s charming streets. From high-end boutiques to local artisan shops, there’s something for everyone here. Even if you don’t plan on buying anything, walking the blue cobblestone streets to enjoy the colonial architecture is well worth your time.
The blue cobblestones were brought to Puerto Rico from Spain in the early 16th century as ballast for ships. The stones are made of blue basalt, a type of volcanic rock, and were later used to pave the streets of Old San Juan. The blue hue is caused by the oxidation of the iron in the rock over time. The stones were initially black, but exposure to the elements caused them to turn their now emblematic shade of blue.
There’s no wrong way to go, but most of the popular attractions are located on the west side of Old San Juan.
Here are some places you should see while walking the city, some I describe in more detail below:
- The San Jose church, just a short walk from the Museum of the Americas. It was built in 1532 and has been lovingly restored.
- The San Juan Bautista Cathedral (see below).
- The Door to San Juan (see below).
- Puerto Rican Arts & Crafts is my favorite gift shop. It’s full of work from local artists. I highly recommend this shop if you’re looking for a souvenir.
- La Fortaleza (see below).
- Pigeon Park – a park with a lot of pigeons that will land on your body.
- This amazing gelato shop (see below).
Located in the heart of Old San Juan, the Catedral Basilica Menor de San Juan Bautista is the second oldest cathedral in the Americas boasting an impressive history and architecture. Originally constructed in 1521, the cathedral has undergone several renovations over the centuries, resulting in a unique blend of Gothic and Baroque styles. Visitors can admire the intricately carved wooden doors, stained glass windows, and vaulted ceilings.
La Fortaleza is an iconic manor located in Old San Juan, Puerto Rico. Built in the 16th century, it is the oldest executive mansion in continuous use in the Americas, serving as the official residence of the Governor of Puerto Rico (closed to all but scheduled tours). You can catch a glimpse of it from here, down a closed street that it is decorated with colorful hanging umbrellas.
The Puerta de San Juan is the main, and only remaining entrance into the walled city from colonial times. Spanish sailors would arrive at the island after sailing from Europe, they’d enter and walk directly to the cathedral just up the road to give thanks for their safe passage.
Playita Puerta de San Juan
This is a small beach outside of the Puerta de San Juan. It’s a great place to cool off from walking around Old San Juan. The view from the beach of the 300 year old walls and recently restored turrets is beautiful. You’ll have to scramble over large rocks to make it to the narrow strip of sand.
If you are looking for a place for lunch, you can never go wrong with Restaurante Raíces. Raíces offers quality, traditional Puerto rican dishes. It’ll cost more than some other places, but in this case you really get what you pay for. Every time that friends or family visit me, I take them to Raíces and it never disappoints. The restaurant’s theme is “jibaro”, styled after the farmers of past generations that made a living off the land, living in the country. The servers dress in their fashion and the restaurant is painted with beautiful murals of country life. This may be the best place to try mofongo, and carnivores should try the enormous chuleta Kan Kan. Stay away from the fish tacos (there are better places for that).
Cool off with some quality gelato at Anita La Mamma del Gelato
Usually a long line, but so worth it! Located conveniently near attractions like Parque de las Palomas and La Fortaleza. Every flavor is good! I can’t help but get the watermelon mint as one of my flavors every time. Try some samples before settling on a couple flavors (you’ll want more than one, trust me).
Escambrón Beach
After lunch, cool off in the water. Walk or drive over to Balneario del Escambrón. It’s the best beach in the area and I go all the time. You can find a free parking spot along the perimeter of Luis Muñoz Rivera Park, or just pay $5 for the parking at the beach. Relax on the beach in the shade of a palm tree and watch the sun set. For those with some experience, rent a surfboard from La 8 Surf Shop. The owner is really helpful if you have any questions. If you have snorkel gear, there are two protected areas here where you can do some snorkeling. It won’t be the best snorkeling you’ll ever do, but it’s still fun. Or, rent a scooter to explore the surrounding area.
Alternatively, you can check out Condado. The Condado area is a main tourist hub, it has great restaurants, some of the best hotels in San Juan, and some decent, popular beaches. These beaches are more popular than Escambrón Beach, but will feel less crowded because they are much bigger. Ocean Park Beach, Condado Beach, and Isla Verde Beach are the main beaches in San Juan. They’re all similar. Condado Beach is the closest to Old San Juan. At Ocean Park, there are spots to play beach volleyball or tennis and it’s a favorite spot for windsurfers.
The Condado Lagoon is surrounded by a bustling metropolitan area. You can rent kayaks or paddle boards from multiple outfits. I own an inflatable SUP so I park and put in here. If you’re lucky, you may see manatees grazing during the day! If you’re even luckier, you may see the water illuminate with bioluminescence at night (I’ve seen each of these phenomena once). The wind can be strong on the lagoon, making paddle boarding difficult, but not impossible. If you were considering renting a paddleboard, switch it for a kayak on a windy day.
For dinner, there are many options in the Condado area for you to choose from. I can recommend Ropa Vieja and KOSAN. They are located within walking distance so you can check out the menu of both before deciding. I really like Puerto Rican Chinese food and think you should give it a try at some point during your trip! Stay the night in San Juan.
Day 2
For day 2 you’ll travel to El Yunque National Forest. It’s one of the most popular places to visit in Puerto Rico for a reason. Arrange a tour to take you or just drive a rental car there. All of the popular hikes are short and simple, you won’t get lost.
On the way, get breakfast at Panadería España – an amazing bakery with so many options. Like at any bakery, you can’t go wrong with their egg, bacon, and cheese sandwich.
Arrive at the national forest early. It opens at 8:00am and they only allow 200 cars in at a time. The gates close at 5:00pm.
The following is a list of my favorite spots in the order I typically visit them, for a more in depth guide, check out my El Yunque Itinerary.
La Coca Falls
Yokahu Tower
Juan Diego Falls
Britton Tower
If you follow my itinerary and arrive close to 8:00am, you’ll finish at around 12:30pm. As you leave El Yunque, a great stop is the natural water slide and swimming hole called Las Paylas. It costs $5 to park in front of someones property and $1 to walk through their property. The walk can be a little muddy and slippery. Walk up the rock on the right side of the slide. Careful, it is very slippery! When sliding down, sit up and run your hands over the rock as you go down for balance – like sitting in a chair with arm rests. After the slide, walk down the river a ways to find a large swimming hole where you can relax in the water.
It’s lunch time! Drive from Las Paylas to the Luquillo Kiosks – a long line of kiosks which are mostly restaurants or bars. My favorite place to eat is at La Parilla but I highly recommend walking from kiosk to kiosk sampling the different food you see on display if you want to try different traditional foods. Most of those kiosks are on the east end, opposite of La Parilla restaurant.
Luquillo Beach
The kiosks are located right on the beautiful Luquillo Beach. Walk to the beach and find some shade to set up under. The water is calm and shallow. If you walk to the far east side of the beach, near the paid parking lot and where the beach rounds a corner, you’ll have an awesome view of El Yunque. The water is calm enough for paddle boarding, and renting jet skis is popular here.
A good alternative to Luquillo Beach is the nearby Las Picuas Peninsula Beach. Beaches surround a peninsula lined with residential properties. The sandy bottom turns to sea grass after a few feet in most areas which leaves just enough room to lay in the shallow water. There are signs that say “ruta” that mark paths to the beach between the houses. The spot pictured has the most space but is also the most popular. There are umbrella holders set out in the shallows, all you need to do is pop an umbrella in, set a beach chair in the shade, and relax. During high tide there is very little sand. There are coral reefs past the sea grass you can swim out to for some snorkeling, but there isn’t a whole lot to see. The reefs are almost completely dead.
When the sun sets and you dry off, head to a hotel or Airbnb in the area. Getting a place to stay in Luquillo, Fajardo, or Ceiba will make for a shorter drive in the morning. There are several fancy resorts nearby like the Hyatt Regency, which owns it’s own mini-Florida shaped peninsula. For those hoping to spend less than $800 a night, check Airbnb like I do. For dinner, consider trying popular Puerto rican fast food like El Mesón – a fancy subway, or Pollo Tropical, which offers cheap Puerto Rican food. If that’s not your style, Cinco Nudos is a restaurant in the Fajardo Marina with some good seafood options and has a nice ambiance.
Day 3
Today is beach day at the best beach in all of Puerto Rico! Head to the Ceiba Ferry Terminal. If you decided to stay the night back in San Juan, the drive will take about an hour. In advance, up to a month prior, you need to buy round trip ferry tickets. If you are not able to buy the tickets in advance, you’ll need to check online to see that there are enough ferry tickets available at the ticket booth and buy them the morning of, or better yet, the night before. If there are no tickets available consider a day trip to Vieques where you can spend the day in Esperanza, Sun Bay Beach and Caracas Beach. I suggest buying tickets to Culebra departing around 8:00am and returning around 2:00pm, 5:00pm at the latest. Bring some cash to Culebra to pay for the taxi to the beach and the entrance to the beach. Check out my Culebra Itinerary for an in-depth guide to making the trip to the best beach in Puerto Rico.
Take the ferry back to Ceiba. From there, drive to San Juan for dinner and to stay the night. There are plenty of great places to eat in the city. I think the best Mexican restaurant In Puerto Rico is Acapulco Taquería in Santurce. Try their barbacoa, you won’t be disappointed! For traditional Puerto Rican food, Bebo’s BBQ is a local favorite at a decent price.
Day 4
Today you’ll be beach hopping along the north coast of the island. The north coast has so many beautiful beaches, you couldn’t possibly see them all in a day. We’ll have to pick and choose which ones to see. For a complete guide to beach hopping along the coast, check out this itinerary. There is so much to do in this region of the island, but here is how I recommend you spend the day:
Leave San Juan after breakfast. If you are interested in trying some unusual dishes, head over to El Caracol restaurant in Toa Baja. They have the typical paselillos (empanadas) of pork, chicken, and crab. They also offer more exotic meats like sting ray, caiman, and iguana.
The first stop is a calm, shallow beach in Vega Alta. Cerro Gordo looks like a smaller Luquillo Beach to me. The main part of this beach is surround by a paid parking lot ($4). A small key is visible off the coast. There are mountain biking trails nearby and apparently the snorkeling is decent by the key. There are showers to rinse off.
Next is a very unique beach in Vega Baja. It’s a sandy point sticking out like a small peninsula runs into a wall of rocks parallel to the coastline. Laying on the sand, you’ll find water on either side of you. One side is protected by the rock which creates a natural pool. There was a surprising amount of fish in and near the mouth of this pool when I last went so I had a good time snorkeling. This beach can get extremely crowded, go before noon to beat the crowd. For me, visiting on a weekend isn’t even worth it.
Next, drive inland to explore a magical part of the Morovis River. The so-called sand caves could be a gateway to Narnia, they look so magical. A short hike along and through the riverbed brings you to a high ceilinged cave. The cave goes all the way through revealing a smaller, clear stream on the other side. Natural clay deposits can be found on the stream bed here that you can rub on your skin, treat yo’ self! Inside the cave you can climb up the rock and jump into the narrow river from about 20 feet up. Parking costs $5 on someone’s property, park on the road closer to the trailhead at your own risk as theft is apparently a problem here.
Return to the beach in Manatí. This may be the most unique beach I have laid eyes on. When it’s calm you can do some snorkeling, when the waves are big you can watch them explode violently on the rock. When the waves are just right you can even surf here, I’ve done it! I often stop by this beach with visitors just to show it to them while driving along the north coast. The rocky shoreline limits the areas where you can lounge in the water. The rocks on the left are safe to climb, the rocks on the right are not when there is big surf.
For much of the year, this beach in Manatí is not worth visiting. The wind is strong and the waves are rough. I have walked past this beach many times and never seen anyone on it. But, if the conditions are just right, this beach transforms. In the summer, when there is very little surf, the water becomes crystal clear and Caribbean blue, rivaling any beach on the island. Park on the left side of the road and walk down the dirt road until you see a sign for the beach. June through August is your best bet, but even then rough shore break waves can ruin it. If you’re visiting in the summer, it’s worth rolling the dice to see if you can catch this beach when the stars aline.
If you are visiting in the winter or Las Palmas beach is too rough, come here. Just down the road is this protected spot on the coast. It’s as close to a natural swimming pool as I have found. This beach is protected by rocks and has a sandy bottom throughout. Fresh water from a natural spring runs into the pool in an extremely shallow river. If you look around underwater, the top 6 inches or so is hazy from the fresh and salt waters mixing. Getting to this beach requires a 10 min hike through a small forest, park here. You can walk in front of or behind the abandoned buildings, there is a trail on either side. This beach attracts nudists for whatever reason so be prepared for that. Though it is secluded, this beach still gets busy on weekends.
Before leaving Manatí, grab lunch at our go-to panadería on the north coast. Their oatmeal, toast, pancakes, sandwiches, and pastelillos are all excellent. Most panaderías are pretty similar but this one is better than most. The bacon, egg, and cheese sandwich on the local bread – pan sobao is my favorite breakfast item. They have a lot of lunch options as well.
From Manatí, make the 40min drive to the Cueva del Indio Nature Reserve, the most important Taíno site on the island. The indigenous people that populated the island before the Spanish found it, carved hundreds of markings all over the inside of a rocky cove. To see them face to face isn’t for the faint of heart. Sneak through a small slit in the rock, spiderman-walk the two walls, and hop to a rock dodging a steep fall. If thats not for you, you can still see markings looking down into the cave, but not nearly so many as when you are down there. I believe there used to be some kind of ladder but that is gone now and can not be replaced due to laws protecting the site. Entrance fee is steep at $10.00 per person because you must park on and cross private land. They close the parking lot at 5:00pm.
After looking at the petroglyphs, end the day at one of my personal favorite beaches. It’s basically a natural swimming pool where rocks enclose a sandy pool of clear water. In the winter, big waves break on those rock and blast water high into the air to rain on those that stand close to the rocky perimeter. This also creates a kind of wave pool that is fun to play in, though currents can get strong. In the summer the pool is calm and clear. It gets really windy often, so umbrellas won’t work. Also, it is a very small area and can get very crowded. On the upside there is a shower to rinse off (rare in PR) and an ice cream man. Watch the sun set behind the lighthouse and the water’s surface turn opaque and shimmer in lilac.
Eat dinner looking out over the darkening Atlantic Ocean at Salitre. It’s around $20 a plate but the food and location are good. Spend the night in Arecibo and get ready to see more beaches tomorrow. You came to an island so no complaining, it’s the best thing to do and there are so many to see!
Day 5
Today you’ll be beach hopping along the west coast of the island. The west is known for having the best beaches in Puerto Rico. For a complete guide to beach hopping along the coast, check out this itinerary.
Start the day by driving 45min to Quebradillas to a fun little beach called Puerto Hermina. As you drive down a steep road you’ll have an awesome view of the Atlantic Ocean. Parallel to the rocky coast line are coconut palms and a few pavilions with picnic tables under them. I suggest picking up breakfast from a bakery and eating here looking out at the water. The beach is at the end of the road located next to the ruins of some structure. The beach is small and interestingly the sand runs far inland, away from the ocean in a vaguely triangle shape. If you follow it back into the forest you can do a hike to a bridge with a great view of the surrounding forest and cliffs. For those interested, there is rock climbing on the sheer cliffs near the parking lot.
Drive another 30min to Jobos Beach in Isabela. This beach has something for everyone. It has surfing for all skill levels as there are small-moderate waves that break near a sand bar and bigger waves that break further out. Sea turtles graze on seaweed around the beginner surf area. Near the rocky area you can do some snorkeling. Close to shore the water is calm and the bottom is sandy so you can relax in the shallows. On the shore there are many palm trees where you can set up your spot in the shade. Parking on the road can be tough if you come late to this popular spot. You can easily spend the whole day on this beach. The current can be strong here, do not attempt swimming past the sand bar if you are not a strong swimmer.
Just down the road is Shacks Beach. The beach itself is windy and rocky, but Shacks Beach has some of the best snorkeling on the main island. There is a good amount of living coral, a diversity of fish, and these really cool caves you can swim around, into, and even through. I once dove into a cave and looked up to see a massive barracuda staring at me. This is a location for confident swimmers, exercise caution when swimming in the caves and be aware of the current and the reef. The reef gets extremely shallow and the current can be strong. There are a lot of sea urchins in rock crevices, even in the shallows. Snorkel with a buddy, take it slow, exercise caution, you’ll have a blast.
From Shacks Beach, drive 6 min to this ramen restaurant in Aguadilla. I have heard the claim that this is the best ramen in the island. I have only tried two ramen spots, but of the two it is the best. I highly recommend the double pork ramen, it was our favorite thing there. If it is closed, Khalan Thai is an excellent option. the only down side is that the food can take a while to come out.
Another option is traditional Puerto Rican food at Desecheo. This restaurant offers high-quality Puerto Rican cuisine. Unfortunately, it comes at a steep price – main dishes average at about $24. I got one of the cheaper options and felt it was still $5 overpriced. For that reason, I have not gone back though the food was decent. There are places with equally good food for much less. That being said, it is a safe and good option in the area.
After lunch, drive 15min to Peña Blanca. It’s a great beach for snorkeling, laying in the sand, or even whale watching! There is decent snorkeling here close to shore. I have seen fish, eels, and turtles. Whales pass between the shore and the distant Desecheo Island February – March. The water is almost as clear as the nearby Crash Boat Beach. We got a $100 ticket for parking close to the beach. It turns out that a man owns a dirt lot near the beach and charges everyone $10.00 to park on his dirt, if you park at the beach entrance (where there are no “no parking” signs), he calls the cops who promptly come to hand out tickets. High tide eats up much of the beach and makes it tough or impossible to get down to the water so check the tide.
A short drive from Peña Blanca is Crash Boat Beach. This is easily one of the most popular beaches on the island, it’s always packed and loud. Parking is usually a headache. Everyone has congregated at this west coast beach in Aguadilla for a reason. The water visibility here is perhaps the best on the main island. You can snorkel around the tip of the pier and see marine life like fish, sea snakes, and squid. This is a popular scuba shore dive location for these reasons. You can walk to the end of the pier and jump off in either direction, then climb up a rope attached to the end of the pier to do it again. It’s a location with a lot of energy and it’s always fun. If there’s one beach you don’t want to miss today, it’s this one.
It’s a two hour drive back to San Juan. There are plenty of great places to eat in the city. One good option is Lote 23. It’s a food park sandwiched between big buildings. There are four or five good places to choose from. I usually go with the poke bowl.
In 5 days you will have seen some of the amazing things Puerto Rico has to offer. The good news is that there is so much more to do! I have lived in Puerto Rico for two years and find new things all the time. Check out the rest of my Travel Time Itineraries if you decide on staying longer! (You should.)
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