FAQ

There is not truly a “best time”. The summer has warmer, calmer water that is great for snorkeling or relaxing in the shallows. It can get really hot, though. The winter has bigger waves for surfing and the temperature is cooler, especially at night.

Technically, yes. They say it’s May through November. August is historically the rainiest month. In my experience, it can and does rain sporadically any month and the weather changes fast. My advice would be not to plan around the rainy season too much. I am writing this in March, one of the months with the least historical rainfall and it’s been rainy all week. 

Yes, the hurricane season runs from June to November. That is when the conditions are right for hurricanes to form. August and September are the most likely months, historically. At the time of writing this, I have lived in Puerto Rico for over two years. We got hit by a category 1 hurricane (Fiona) in September of 2022, and that’s it – nothing in the 2023 hurricane season.

No. Puerto Rico is a U.S. territory. As such, you can travel to and from the island with a valid driver’s license.

Yes. You’ll find ATMs all around San Juan as well as grocery stores and gas stations.

Puerto Rico is full of toll roads. After two years of living here, we have spent many hundreds of dollars in tolls. Tolls range from 0.75¢ to $3.75. If you rent a car, they will have a pass in it that automatically charges the account when you drive through a toll station. You don’t need to stop or do anything unless your rental agency says otherwise. It’s hard to estimate what your bill will be, it depends on how much you are driving around and how long you stay. I’d guess that you’d have to do a lot of driving to spend more than $20 in fees on a one-week trip. 

Spanish is the primary language spoken on the island. If you or someone in your group speaks Spanish it will come in handy. That being said, Spanish fluency is not necessary. Many Puerto Ricans are bilingual, especially in the more touristy areas.

Plan on 80º F weather during the day (or hotter in the summer) with an ever-present chance of rain. You’ll be in and out of the water, so a fast-drying swimsuit is a must. You don’t need warm clothes for anything besides when you are inside and the AC is blasting. This may happen at restaurants or on ferry rides to Culebra or Vieques. If you get cold easily, bring a light jacket or sweater for these occasions. Otherwise, you can go the whole trip in a T-shirt, shorts, and sandals. Strapped sandals are useful for hiking and rivers. You’ll appreciate bringing sunglasses and a hat. 

There are great malls scattered around the island. Plaza de las Americas is the biggest mall in the Caribbean. Caribbean Cinemas is an awesome movie theater chain – if you have never experienced a 4D movie, you need to do it. There are fine arts centers in many cities where you might catch a symphony, ballet, or play. There are good museums in San Juan, and many decent museums scattered around the island. Go on a drive – the scenery is still beautiful in the rain. Some embrace the rain and decide to hike or snorkel in the rain to spite the storm clouds.

If you are imagining a lush, tropical paradise where birds sing in the trees, fruit grows everywhere unbidden, and warm Caribbean water laps on the sand of an empty beach, you’d be absolutely right. It’s amazing, and living here has been the best time of my life. There are downsides, certainly. They pale in comparison to the upsides.

Yes. Puerto Rico is safe. Violent crimes in particular are uncommon and only happen around gang activity. I’ve never had my car broken into, anything stolen off the beach, or felt unsafe. Use common sense and you’ll be just fine, even if you are a solo traveler. If you are buying drugs in La Perla at 2:00 am, you might have a problem. Otherwise, Puerto Rico is a very safe destination full of friendly people.