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Trip Report
Puerto Rico Itinerary 10 days
This 10 day Puerto Rico itinerary was filled with history, culture, adventure, and relaxation. My grandma and I went for a girls’ vacation and an escape from the day-to-day.
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North AmericaPuerto Rico10 days / May 2018
Highs & Lows
Seeing the Vieques Bioluminescent Bay in a 2-person clear-bottom kayak on a moonless night
Dorado was isolated and had very little to do.
Itinerary Overview
San Juan Sightseeing, restaurants, museums, culture
San Juan has become one of my favorite cities in the world. I absolutely love Old San Juan, with its colorful buildings and colonial history. Everyone on the island is so friendly and helpful. The food’s so good that you’ll miss it as soon as you’re wheels up. I highly recommend trying mofongo and Puerto Rican rice. Yum!
Vieques Beach, Bio Bay tours
One night is all it took for me to fall head over heels in love with Vieques. This island is undeveloped, with stretches of beach that don’t have overpriced highrise hotels on them. It is pure bliss. The locals are so friendly and it’s got that small-town vibe of hospitality. Everybody knows everybody, and it’s like one big family. I’d live there for sure. I highly recommend Bili Restaurant, laying on the beach, and booking a Bioluminescent Bay tour.
Dorado Beach time
Q & A
What would you have changed?
I so wish I hadn’t visited Dorado. It’s a nice, more upscale suburb of San Juan, but it’s just not my vibe. I definitely prefer the kind of place where I can get out and walk, be amongst locals, and reach many things on foot. Dorado just isn’t that kind of place. I would have stayed in San Juan and Vieques longer. After spending just one night in Vieques, I will never stay such a short time again. I’d say give yourself at least 3 nights there.Transportation Tips?
Uber is readily available throughout the island, and we had no problem getting rides for long distances without scheduling. I do think I’ll rent a car next time, though, just for more flexibility to get around the whole island. Also, those Uber rides add up! After seeing how much we spent on rides, we could have rented a car for more convenience at a lower cost.Any surprises?
I was surprised by just how incredible the Vieques Bio Bay is. That one’s a can’t-miss. I could do that tour once a month for the rest of my life and never get bored!
Lodging
DoubleTree by Hilton San Juan; The DoubleTree is a lovely hotel with a nice pool and very nice gym. Breakfast is on the expensive side, however, and the rooms are a bit small for the price. Casablanca is a locally-owned hotel on Calle Fortaleza in Old San Juan, and was an absolute dream! The only complaint I have about this place is the food quality, which can be overlooked for the comfort of the beds, cool rooftop, and friendly staff. Embassy Suites by Hilton San Juan has a nice pool and rooms, but can be noisy because of the central courtyard.
El Blok - This hotel is by far the coolest hotel I’ve ever stayed at. The architecture is so unique, the beds comfy, the staff friendly, and the location ideal. I’d go back in a heartbeat, and highly recommend it to other travelers!
Embassy Suites by Hilton Dorado del Mar - It was in this stay that I knew I’d never, ever book an Embassy Suites property under the Hilton brand again. The design of the hotel creates this acoustic where every little noise travels. Aside from that, this hotel is very isolated from any activities or exploring, which just isn’t my style. The amount of beach it has is very small, and you can’t walk down the beach or get off the property without driving a long way. The food is very lacking, and the rooms are dated. All of that being said, the staff here are so friendly and will really do everything in their power to improve your stay.