El Morro

Location: Old San Juan

Getting there: Park here to start right next to El Morro. When you leave the parking structure and walk to the road, El Morro will be in sight. The walk there is totally unshaded and can be very hot in the heat of the day. Entrance costs $10 per adult and is free for National Park passholders.

General Info: This must be the single most visited location in all of Puerto Rico, though El Yunque National Forest is likely a close second. Expect a lot of visitors there with you. The upside is that the fort is big enough that you don’t feel too crowded. Inside the walls are various rooms you can explore. Some have information plaques and some artifacts under glass. Since I have been living in Puerto Rico, El Morro’s quality as a tourist destination has improved. There is much more information and artifacts than before. There is also now a room with an informational movie. The bathrooms are awesome, each has a balcony with a view. There is a water fountain so you can fill up your water bottles there. Once you have explored the inner courtyard and adjacent rooms, you can walk the rampart (upper level). The view is beautiful. There is also a lower area that you can walk around. Like the rampart, there is not much to see besides the view and there is no shade. I am not sure about the schedule, but I believe that on some weekends during the high season the staff there does reenactments at El Morro to show what life was like back then. You’ll almost certainly see iguanas on the walls of the fort or on the grass surrounding El Morro.

Heads up: It can get incredibly hot here as there is no shade, except when you are in a room. Bring plenty of water, sunscreen, and a hat. The Caribbean sun is no joke!