Do you Puerto Rico?
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So, the wife and fam and I are planning our next trip. Usually in the summer (January/February) we like to go somewhere beachy and just mostly lay on our backs, drink drinks with umbrellas and make sure our children don't wade too far out into the ocean. At the top of our list right now is Cuba - 3 days in Havana, a week in Varaderos on the beach. Another option we discussed was Rio for 3 days and then a week on a beach. And then I remembered that Puerto Rico exists.
So, have you been before? What do you know about the place? Would 10 days be way too much? I can spend lots of time on the beach but we like to do outings to nature and culture to break up the days as well. Does Puerto Rico have much to see or is it just lie on the beach and do nothing? Should I take paper towels?
Please, Zone, what do you got for me?
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Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Ken D.
I haven't been, but my
I haven't been, but my brother has a couple times and he really liked it. The islands of Vieques and Culebra get good reviews for laid back beach going and I would like to check out El Yunque National Forest - the only tropical rainforest in the US National Forest system.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Sun so hot, clouds so low
Mofongo!!!
Mofongo!!!!
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Jay
>>>So, have you been before?
>>>So, have you been before?
I've gone 7-8 times in the last couple years. The hotels seem low priced right now with their current recovery and such so may be a good time to get down. I'm usually put up at the Courtyard Isla Verde- Isla Verde is a huge tourist spot with some amazing beaches and restaurants. It's about 10 minutes from San Juan and 5 minutes from the airport. 30 minutes from El Yunque rainforest... don't miss the rainforest and hiking to Britton tower!
Below are some videos I put on Youtube from May:
View from Britton Tower (inside a cloud):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0LEgtSLzfOw&t=99s
Mountain stream I swam in:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6URlAY4SoB4
Yokahu Tower at El Yunque (Cool views of beach ~10 miles out!:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R3BYUl0h-v0
Cool video of Courtyard Isla Verde to give you a sense of what's available for ~200 dollars a night:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cL-jRt52r5M
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Philzone Refugee
Winter League Beisbol. Cheap
Winter League Beisbol. Cheap rum. You would be past the hurricane season.
Sounds like they're still dealing with infrastructure issues, and the Governor just resigned.
I hear that it's beautiful outside the cities.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Hitchhiker awaiting "true call"
My grandfather was born there
My grandfather was born there.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Jay
>>Mofongo!!!! Yesss.
>>Mofongo!!!!
Yesss.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Andean Flight
Nice! I knew I could count on
Nice! I knew I could count on the Zone for some quality info. So I guess the question is: Is 7 - 10 days on the island way too long? I/we can only handle so many days of doing nothing. We get itchy feet and like to go places, like the El Yunque Rainforest mentioned above.
I'm going to check out those links tonight and see what I see.
Thanks, y'all!
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Sun so hot, clouds so low
I spent two weeks there and
I spent two weeks there and it rained often enough that the sea was brown. I still had a great time. Shared a house with friends for a week on Vieques and another week on the mainland.
When you go to San Juan, you must eat breakfast at La Mallorca located at 300 calle San Francisco. The Mallorca is what they call a breakfast sandwich. Coffee is great there too.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Jay
I think 7-10 days may be a
I think 7-10 days may be a little long to be there... it's not that big.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Andean Flight
Trailhead, that sounds like a
Trailhead, that sounds like a good time. If I make it there I'll definitely snarf down some of the local grub and coffee.
I'm thinking, like Jay, though, that 7-10 days is too long for Puerto Rico alone as a family vacation. I was wondering to see how it stacks up against Cuba in terms of having a good balance of just beach chilling and cool worthwhile cultural exploration, but I think Cuba's the better option. Dominican Republic (Punta Cana) is also an option at this point but I'm not really sold on it, either.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Def. High
Never been to either one, but
Never been to either one, but PR has a rep of crime and violence that is worse than anything I've heard about Cuba. Not that it's super-violent; just more so than Cuba. I would also assume PR would be more "touristy" than Cuba.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Hitchhiker awaiting "true call"
I got a rep of crime and
I got a rep of crime and violence in one pocket, drugs and rape in the other.
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Andean Flight
Right on, Surf, thanks for
Right on, Surf, thanks for the tip.
Knot, lol
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Nathaniel
Go to Cuba if you can!
Go to Cuba!
It's like stepping back in time. Virtually unchanged since the 50's.
I went on a Person-to-Person visa about 6 or 7 years ago with a group of filmmakers, photographers and such (which was one of few ways available to fly straight from Miami at the time) so I'm sure some things have changed...
But I'm sure you can still hail a vintage mint 57' Chevy "cab" when you need a lift around Havana!
Top of Page Bottom of Page PermalinkFull Name: Andean Flight
Nathaniel, we're still
Nathaniel, we're still undecided but Cuba is looking like the likely winner. Puerto Rico is out but we're playing with lots of different ideas right now to see what fits best for our needs. Thanks for the push on Cuba, though. I think that's where we'll end up going. :)