Exploring San Juan's Street Art, Rainforests and Castles
Puerto Rico has so much to offer: blissful beaches at every turn, plenty of cultural tourism and El Yunque, the only tropical rainforest in the US. It's an ideal spot to visit, especially for American travelers, since it's so easy to get to from the US and super-affordable. You can often find amazing flight deals and award availability to the island, too, making it the perfect place to cash in some hotel points, as there are many hotels with loyalty programs scattered throughout the island. Here's a look at the best art, hikes and castles in San Juan, Puerto Rico, and where to find them.
For starters, history buffs — or anyone who loves a good castle — can enjoy not one, but two giant stone fortresses perched overlooking the deep blue sea: the Castillo San Felipe del Morro (a UNESCO World Heritage Site) and the Castillo de San Cristóbal. Both castles date back to the 1500s, when Spanish settlers arrived to colonize the island. A $5 ticket is valid for seven days and includes entrance to both sites, but if you don't feel like exploring the interiors, strolling around the walls at dusk is a lovely way to enjoy the sunset.
Simply wandering through the streets of Old San Juan is a great activity for pretty much anyone. The hilly, cobblestone streets are lined with colorful buildings, and the sounds of salsa wafting in and out of bars complete with warm, pleasant evening temperatures set the scene for a truly enjoyable walk. If you want to enjoy the sights but need to take a load off your feet, a free trolley also operates between 9:00am and 6:00pm, stopping at various points around the city. If you pick up a city map at the tourism office or your hotel, you'll see that all the trolley stops are marked along the way and you can hop on and hop off as you wish.
Of course, there are plenty of nearby beaches that you can spend your day lounging on, the closest and most popular being Condado, a great place to watch the local boogie boarders do their thing. Ocean Park, another nearby beach, pictured below, is great for families and has much calmer waves.
Daytime temperatures can get really hot, so if you aren't at the beach, it may be best to head indoors for a bit and check out one of San Juan's many museums, like Casa Blanca, a restored home perched over the sea that was once built for Ponce de León. The Museo del Niño (Children's Museum) is a lively, bright space perfect for families, and the Museo del Arte has a varied permanent collection featuring works ranging from the 17th century to the present-day. Visit the art district of Santurce — the street art you'll see along Fernandez Juncos Avenue (bus stop 22) is creative and inspiring. Foodies should check out the Flavors of San Juan Food & Culture Tour, where they can sample some of the island's most famous dishes. For a real treat, stop by the Bacardí Distillery and end your historic rum factory visit with a stiff mojito or mixology class.
There are plenty of convenient escapes from the city as well. Anyone seeking a short hike or a picturesque drive should visit El Yunque, the only tropical rainforest in the US. If you'd prefer to skip an organized tour, you can always rent a car and drive up through the forest on your own.
There are several hikes you can do, most of which are well-marked with easy-to-follow trails. The most popular is the Big Tree Trail hike to La Mina Falls, which is a moderate-level 30-minute hike along a paved trail. Non-hikers can check out the Yokahu Observation Tower for incredible views of the tropical treetops.
The Humacao Nature Reserve, located about 90 minutes from San Juan by car, is a one-stop shop for nature, beaches and a little exercise.
You can walk or rent bikes and enjoy the palm-tree covered trails, visit the beach, hike up to an old bunker or paddle kayaks through the lagoon. Keep an eye out for the giant iguanas that frequent the park, which probably won't mess with you, but I wouldn't get too close.
Finally, your trip wouldn't be complete without a kayaking tour through bioluminescent bay, located in Fajardo about an hour from Old San Juan. Although it can be rather touristy since you can only visit the bay with a guided kayak tour, seeing the water glow when dinoflagellates light up the water is a special experience — just be prepared to kayak in almost-complete darkness on the way back!
What are some of your favorite things to do in Puerto Rico? Tell us about them below.
All images are courtesy of the author except where otherwise noted.
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| 3X | Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com. |
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Why We Chose It
There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits. (Partner offer)Pros
- 4 points per dollar spent on dining at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (on the first $50,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter and $25,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter, respectively)
- 3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline or with amextravel.com
- Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
- Solid welcome bonus
Cons
- Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
- Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
- Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.
Rewards Rate
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 3X | Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com. |
| 2X | Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com. |
| 1X | Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases. |
Intro Offer
You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after spending $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer.As High As 100,000 points. Find Out Your Offer.Annual Fee
$325Recommended Credit
Credit ranges are a variation of FICO® Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit card application.Excellent to Good
Why We Chose It
There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits. (Partner offer)Pros
- 4 points per dollar spent on dining at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (on the first $50,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter and $25,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter, respectively)
- 3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline or with amextravel.com
- Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
- Solid welcome bonus
Cons
- Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
- Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
- Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.