Puerto Rico

It’s basically summer. Do you have any travel plans this year? If you don’t, may I suggest, Puerto Rico? A few weeks ago I was chatting with some friends about our favorite travels, and they listed Puerto Rico in their top choices. Some winning attributes are the tropical climate, ease of access (Americans don’t even need a passport), and the variety it offers. Back in 2021, when the world was just coming alive again, my friend Esther and I made a quick summer trip to the Island. My only caution about Puerto Rico in the summer is that it is technically rainy season, and you will probably be rained on at many points of your trip. But the showers don’t last long and the humidity isn’t unbearable, so I wouldn’t let that keep you from going then.

Our trip was just 5 days, which we mostly spent in the capital, San Juan. For colonial architecture, visit Old San Juan and Castillo del Morro, the fortress at the tip. We found many cute spots to pose for pictures and even more wonderful spots for food. I highly recommend piraguas– freshly made shaved ice, and Anita’s Gelato. Mofongo is another local food you should try. It’s basically the mashed potato version of plantain.

We also rented a car for a visit to El Yunque National Rainforest. It rained, as a rainforest does, so we had to leave earlier than we planned since the mountainside was turning into a waterfall. But boy, was it entertaining and beautiful! I definitely recommend bringing ponchos for this part!

For our last day, we went to the beach. San Juan is right on the coast, so the beach is a must.

Tips:

1. You don’t need Spanish to navigate Puerto Rico, although it always helps.
2. Ubers and taxis are the most convenient way to get around.
3. As always, please travel smart. Puerto Rico can sometimes have unrest and, as with most major cities, there are more and less ideal places to stay in San Juan. Old San Juan and the hotel beaches are usually a safe bet.

So why Puerto Rico?

1. It’s an American territory, which makes it accessible, but also Spanish, so it doesn’t totally feel like you’re in America.
2. The Old Town and Fortress are especially interesting. Colonized by Christopher Columbus himself, one can’t help but notice the impact of Spain on this little island.
3. It has a nice variety of urban and rural– coffee shops and road side stands, ubers and frogs, walking and riding.
4. The Spanish dialect is one of my favorites. I picked it up working with Puerto Ricans while I lived in Pennsylvania, which really helped because it’s not so intuitive. Basically, they drop most final consonants and pronounce R’s as L’s, among other things. I love that they own it and often their menus reflect the pronunciation. Kind of like ordering ‘chicken ‘n biscuits’ in the South.
5. It’s a great destination for a long weekend or spontaneous trip as it doesn’t require too much travel planning and the flights are usually cheap.

Bonus: A selfie with Jesus- because He’s my favorite celebrity.