on Apr 22, 2025, Updated May 20, 2025 On my second visit exploring Puerto Rico, I brought my 13-year-old son and my 79-year-old father. I knew we would be experiencing a few destinations outside of San Juan, along with some fun stuff in the city, so I had my planning work cut out for me. This year, my husband and I decided to divide and conquer for spring break because our boys each have different schedules. It worked out perfectly, and it was so nice to have some one-on-one time with each of the boys. Having my dad along on this trip was also really cool, and we made some great memories. On my last visit to Puerto Rico, we were mostly in Old San Juan and a few points nearby, This time, we headed east and south! Keep reading to see what we did. I’ll link to as many resources as I can, but feel free to let me know in the comments if you have any questions!
Getting To and Around the Island
We flew directly from Raleigh to San Juan with JetBlue. I am a huge fan of nonstop flights and seek them out whenever possible. It wasn’t fancy, but it definitely beats having a layover. Once we arrived, we picked up our rental car, which we used for the first half of the trip. I booked in advance with Hertz and picked up right at the airport. Very easy and seamless. Driving in Puerto Rico can be an adventure, but it wasn’t as crazy as some say. My advice is to watch out for potholes, drive defensively, and be aware that most people don’t use their turn signals. When we returned to San Juan, we walked or used our hotel shuttle to get around, except for our Uber to the airport. We also booked round-trip ferry tickets from Cieba to Vieques for our day there and parked the rental car at the port. If you plan to visit Culebra or Vieques, be sure to purchase tickets in advance, as they often sell out quickly. I downloaded the app from the Puerto Rico Ferry and booked right in the app. Our friends drove us all over Vieques in their Jeep (thanks, Jariel and Lindsay!), but if we didn’t have them, we would have rented a vehicle to get around that day.
Where We Stayed in Puerto Rico
Our first four nights were at the Wyndham Palmas Resort in Humacao, in the east coast of the island. It was idyllic! I would definitely return for another relaxing stay, even if it weren’t booked with points. The room was comfortable and cool, we loved the scenery and golf course atmosphere, and the pool was delightful. I enjoyed coffee and quesitos (or empanadas) each morning from the lobby coffee shop, and we ordered food at the pool a couple of times. I highly recommend the yucca fries, and the pizza was quite good. We didn’t eat in the main restaurant, but it was always filled with people laughing and having a good time. In San Juan, we stayed at the Hyatt Place, which I also booked with points. This is a no-frills hotel, but we were still comfortable there. Breakfast was included, which is always a lovely addition, and they have a great pool. I also appreciated the shuttle, as we no longer had a car. I liked being just a few minutes from Old San Juan, a mile from the beach, and within walking distance of the T-Mobile district. I stayed next door at the Hyatt House on my last visit, so it was nice to have familiar surroundings.
What to Eat in Puerto Rico
In a word, everything! The thing about Puerto Rico is that you can find a lot of American chain restaurants. But aside from our late-night Chick-fil-A run, we tried to avoid those and eat locally as much as possible. Notable meals were enjoyed at the Luquillo Kiosks (we chose #23), Duffy’s in Esperanza Beach, Vieques, Chocobar Cortes in Old San Juan, and if you must have fast food, opt for the local chain, El Meson, for delicious sandwiches. I also highly recommend snacking on empanadas, quesitos, and arepas wherever you can find them, which is nearly everywhere!
Our 7-Day Exploring Puerto Rico Itinerary
We arrived in the evening on a Wednesday and flew home the following Tuesday. We didn’t have seven full days on the island, but I’ve accounted for all the days so you can get an idea of how to plan your schedule. Plan your next trip and find amazing deals with these links.
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This post includes affiliate links. Please read our Terms of Service & Privacy Policy On this trip, our focus was on the east side of the island and the rainforest. I guess we’ll have to come back to see the rest. Darn!
Day 1: Arrival
We picked up our car rental at the airport (I had booked in advance), and drove to Humacao. This took approximately an hour and a half. We stopped at Walmart in Humacao before arriving at the resort so we could have a few snacks, drinks, and breakfast for the room. I’m a big believer in room snacks! And if you enjoy an alcoholic beverage at the end of the day, the savings really add up. There happened to be a Chick-fil-a in the Walmart parking lot, and once my son saw that, he was on a mission. By the time we were done shopping, it was pretty late, so to the drive-thru we went. After checking into our room, we unpacked and went to bed to get a full night’s rest for day two. *A note on “fully rested”; in this part of Puerto Rico, the coqui (tree frogs) are especially prominent. If you have them right outside your door, they may, in fact, keep you up all night. Don’t worry, it’s endearing (eventually!).
Day 2: El Yunque Rainforest
Puerto Rico boasts the only tropical rainforest in the U.S. National Forest System, so a visit was high on the list for us. I booked a morning hike to see waterfalls, learn about the vegetation, and swim in the cool, fresh water pools. We had a great time! Afterward, we made our way to Luquillo Beach for a tasty lunch at one of the renowned food stalls, known as Los Kioskos de Luquillo. We feasted on arepas, fried pizza, seafood rolls, pork rice, and beans. It was delicious! Back at the hotel, we spent time relaxing and swimming. For dinner, we enjoyed some delicious pizza poolside.
Day 3: Day Trip to Vieques
We took the ferry to Vieques for a day trip and to see friends who live on the island. This was such a fun day full of free-roaming horses, snorkeling, great food, and a beautiful sunset.
I booked our ferry tickets in advance online. These sell out extremely quickly, so don’t wait if this is something you’re interested in. There is a park-and-ride facility at the port, and the ferry ride was pleasant and smooth. Seats on the ferry are indoors with air conditioning, but I recommend going to the upper floor if you want to see the outside view. If you want to experience a bioluminescent tour after dark, you’ll want to plan an overnight stay on the island. And you are in luck because my friends own the beautiful CocoLoco Guest House! We didn’t add this activity because we were there during a full moon, and when it’s bright like that, the conditions aren’t great for seeing the biobay. You’ll want to plan your trip during a new moon for optimal results. Overall, it was a fantastic day. We saw the 300+ year old Cieba tree, snorkeled in Punta Arenas, and had a sunset dinner in Esperanza.
Day 4: Pool Day at the Resort and Driving South
With our first two days being action-packed, we were ready for a quality resort day. We loved seeing the wildlife, swimming and lounging by the pool, and resting up. By the afternoon, we were ready to explore so we hopped in the car and drove south to the Punta Tuna Lighthouse. It was closed by the time we arrived, but we ended up walking to a nearby beach with a beautiful view of the lighthouse. It couldn’t have been more picturesque! On the way back, we ate at a cliffside restaurant in Yabucoa with a fantastic view. This is when it started to rain. The rain slightly blurred the view, but it was very pleasant sitting on the open-air deck, listening to the rain fall on the tin roof. We drove back to the resort and spent some time exploring the harbor scenery before heading back.
Day 5: El Yunque Views and San Juan
We checked out of our hotel and drove back to San Juan. On the way, we stopped at the official entrance to El Yunque, where we drove up to the Yokahu Tower to see the amazing 360° views. It was so interesting to see how the island terrain changes so much depending on where you look. I loved this! Then we made a quick stop at the visitor center for some shopping before heading back to San Juan. In San Juan, we checked into our hotel, and I returned the car to the airport. I’ve learned that you really don’t need a car in this part of town, and in many ways, it’s more trouble than it’s worth. We had a nice walk after dinner to Distrito T-Mobile and then a quick night swim at the hotel before turning in.
Day 6: Snorkeling and Old San Juan
After my last trip to Puerto Rico, I knew I wanted to snorkel at Escambron Beach again. This time, after taking the shuttle from the hotel, we rented all the gear from Scuba Dogs at the beach and hopped in the water. It was amazing! We saw sea turtles, tons of colorful fish, crabs, and even Caribbean Reef Squid. It was a very satisfying morning in the water, and I wish I could start every day like that. We walked back to the hotel to shower and change, then took the shuttle to Old San Juan. I love simply walking around and discovering the city one corner at a time. It is a lovely place to wander. We explored the coastline around El Morro Fort, saw lots of cats, checked out the cruise port (I’m coming back for you!), and had some tasty sandwiches. Of course, we had to sip on some cold drinks at ChocoBar and do a little shopping too. We went back to T-Mobile for dinner, and they were all in on the St. Patrick’s Day shenanigans, which was fun. Then it was back to the room to pack!
Day 7: Hotel Breakfast and Departure
We enjoyed a tasty hotel breakfast and then took an Uber to the airport. Don’t worry, if you forgot a souvenir, there are plenty of options to choose from, especially if you love coffee and chocolate! Our Boricuan adventure may have come to an end, but if you know me, you already know it’s just the beginning. We still have the other half of the island to explore! Let me know your questions below, or give us a suggestion for our next trip! 🗺️ Like this post? Share it with friends!
