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If you have been to Puerto Rico then you have probably visited San Juan. This is the capital of Puerto Rico and it is where the highest concentration of the population of Puerto Rico lives. It’s a very busy city that balances the business class of Puerto Rico along with the major amount of tourists that pass through the streets. This is where the cruise ships and main airport are so of course, this is where you go first! But, this is where we went last on our trip to Puerto Rico.
Save the best for last? Not really. If you truly want to go on a vacation to Puerto Rico then visit the other places I have already suggested (ER’s PR Travel Guide). We had about four hours to kill before our plane left so we dashed around San Juan like a Tommy Bahama wearing flip-flop running too much sun tourists.
Go to El Morro first and visit the fort that was built in 1539 in order to protect Puerto Rico from just about everyone until the U.S. came around in 1898 and said, “enough, these Puerto Ricans are ours” (ok, they didn’t say that). We spent about 35-40 minutes there, I’ve been there a few times before so between my dad, me, my mom, and a few pamphlets, Mindy had a good idea of what was going on there.
Next, we went straight into Old San Juan. Old San Juan is the historic district of San Juan. There you will find blue cobblestone roads, colorful buildings, and a lot of restaurants catering to the tourist industry. Margaritas, Tacos, and Burger King are not Puerto Rican food….sorry to disappoint you. If you want to eat like the working Puerto Ricans eat then go to Cafe Manolin, by far it’s the best restaurant in Old San Juan…..no bullshit, no frills or gimmicks, just great food. The place has been there for 75 years and has been serving the same style of food for that entire time.
This is where you can buy all your awesome souvenirs that will take up space on your refrigerator, boxes in your closet, and become future shirts you wear when you do yard work. Oh, how fun!
I’m serious, save San Juan for last and get to the other part of the island first in order to experience what Puerto Rico is and isn’t.
(Click here for more of my Puerto Rico Travel Guide)
Eric
Man, we’d love a trip to PR. You don’t even want to know all the food we’d eat.
If you ever go then let me know. I know a few places you can eat
Eric
For everyone “COME TO PUERTO RICO” and enjoy my beautiful island.
I cannot wait to go back to Puerto Rico – we were only there for 4 days, so didn’t get to see too much – next time we’ll hit Old San Juan and Vieques. Great writeup! Thanks for all the fabulous information.
Thanks Chris!
By the way, you have the best name for a food blog I’ve ever seen. Pantry Raid!! BRILLIANT!
Eric