Best Places to Visit & Things to Do Near San Juan

Explore El Yunque stress-free!  The top-rated tours from San Juan handle all the details, ensuring a seamless and enjoyable experience.  If you want to rent a car and explore on your own, our guide tells you how to get there. 

• Option 1 – Book a catamaran or boat tour from San Juan – Fastest and most convenient.  See tours that offer pick-up service in San Juan.
• Option 2 – Icacos & Bioluminescent Bay or El Yunque Rainforest Day Trip – You may wish to do two attractions on the same day.  Icacos and Laguna Grande are a great combination since they are both in Fajardo.  Book in advance to secure spots on the top-rated tours, especially during high season.  You can reserve and pay later and cancel if needed.  See Icacos Cay tours from Fajardo.  See bioluminescent bay tours from Fajardo.  If you don’t want to kayak and want a boat tour of Laguna Grande (Bioluminescent Lagoon), you can get to Las Croabas (place of departure) around dinnertime to reserve a spot.
• Option 3 – Drive to Fajardo and Take a Water Taxi – At Las Croabas there are water taxis offering a ride to Icacos.  You are dropped off and the captain will pick you up at an agreed-upon time.  You will have to take everything you’ll need to the island; the cay is secluded with no facilities or staff.  The only benefit of this option is that it’s less costly.  We don’t recommend visitors this option; with an excursion, your tour guide and captain will be available to help you in case you need assistance or have a medical emergency.

Camuy River Cave Park –  This is the most accessible cave in Puerto Rico with all the wow factor the entire family will enjoy.  Camuy River Cave Park is among the top five natural attractions in Puerto Rico.

Cueva del Indio – Worthy of a filming location for Pirates of the Caribbean… and it was, as well as other Hollywood films.  One of the top rated tours to Cueva del Indio made it to the coveted list of Trip Advisor’s Traveler’s Choice list… earning the 12th spot on Top Adventure Activities in the World in 2021.  Right along the coastline, you can visit a beautiful cave home to Taino Natives where you can observe original petroglyphs.  The cave is located in one of the top five most scenic places on the island also known as Seven Arches, where rocks, water, and wind have come together to form seven natural arches.  You’ll get tons of Instagram-worthy vacation photos.

See all the tours from San Juan to Cueva del Indio; some have added favorite beaches and other attractions.

Arenales Caves – Incredible experience, ranked #25 in 2022, #5 in 2021 – Top Overall Experiences in the World. Also ranked #2 in 2022 and #1 in 2021 – Top Overall Experiences in the Caribbean – Spend a full morning on an intimate tour with a combination of river trekking, hiking, river floating through a breathtaking underground cave, and more. This is for the visitor with an adventurous spirit and physically challenging but worth every step.

Beaches are listed from nearest to farthest from San Juan. Driving times with regular traffic

East of San Juan

• La Posita de Piñones –  Loiza, Puerto Rico – 20 minutes drive
• Luquillo Beach – Luquillo, Puerto Rico – 40 minutes drive
• Beach at Icacos Cay – Fajardo, Puerto Rico – 1 hour drive

West of San Juan

All the following beaches have one thing in common, they are natural pools on the north coast.  Coral walls create a shield from the open rough waters of the Atlantic, creating a natural pool.

• Mar Chiquita – Manati, Puerto Rico – 40 minutes drive
• La Poza de Las Mujeres – Manati, Puerto Rico – Best during summer, not safe to swim in winter. – 45 minutes drive
• La Poza del Obispo – Arecibo, Puerto Rico – 1-hour drive – Please do not climb the wall behind the beach.
• Playa Sardinera – Hatillo, Puerto Rico – 1 hour drive

During inclement weather, these calm water pools become like whirlpools, making it hard for children and adults to swim.  Please do NOT climb on the coral walls, they can be slippery, the stone has sharp edges and a big wave could surprise you, causing a fall that could lead to falling in open water and loss of life.  Please enjoy these beautiful beaches safely.

For a great day trip on the west coast of Puerto Rico, leave early and visit the following beaches on the northwest coast, in the towns of Isabela and Aguadilla.

• Pozo Teodoro in Isabela, Puerto Rico – 1.5 hour
• Jobos Beach in Isabela, Puerto Rico – Lunch at Jobos, there are plenty of seaside bars and restaurants.  It’s a fun beach with a laid-back Puerto Rican beach vibe, lounge rentals available, and surfing lessons. – 1.5 hour drive
• Crash Boat Beach in Aguadilla – Spend the rest of the day at Crash Boat Beach for swimming, snorkeling (when the water is calm), sunset, and dinner. – 1 hour and 45 minutes drive

Perhaps you like to plan things well; we encourage you to let that go and go beach hopping the Puerto Rican way, nice and relaxed. 

Here are our tips for a splendid experience on the coastline:

• Rent a car for a day to enjoy beach hopping at your own pace.
• Pack light, you only need a beach towel, sun block, swimsuit, regular clothes to wear over your swimwear when dining.  If you need anything, you can find almost everything at a Walgreens Pharmacy or local grocery store.
• Stop by a bakery, load up on water, Puerto Rican treats, and sandwiches, and enjoy the island life.
• Let your hair down, play your favorite tunes, and listen to them a bit louder than you’re used to.  It’s ok.  That’s the Puerto Rican way.
• When you get hungry, you’ll find plenty of beachside spots, roadside food trucks, and chinchorros (tiny simple food places) serving inexpensive but delicious traditional fritters.

Driving in Puerto Rico is easy, traffic is congested coming out of San Juan, but once you’re out of the city, you’ll be on your way to a nice adventure on the road.  

Weekdays are more mellow since locals are at work, so if you like to be away from crowds, weekdays from Tuesdays to Fridays are the best days to go beach hopping around the island.  However, if you love a lively local vibe, you’ll have a lot of fun joining locals at the beach, they certainly know how to make it more lively with music, laughter and fun water sport rentals more available at local beaches for the whole family to enjoy.  Many beachfront restaurants offer live entertainment during weekends. 

From San Juan, take Rt. 18 to Highway 52 from San Juan towards Caguas, pass Ponce and continue to the town of Guanica, your first stop.

Morning

• Gilligan’s Island, try and get there early to take the earliest water taxi (ferry).  Stay until noon.
• Lunch – The best and closest place to get lunch after Gilligan’s Island is Copamarina Beach Resort. If you wish to drive and eat at a local place, we recommend Taty’s Pinchos, a food truck that serves traditional fritters, and it is perfect for a quick lunch.  The average cost per person is $5.00, a little more for chicken pinchos (chicken on a skewer).  If you have room stop for frappes at La Frutera on the way to Cabo Rojo, not far from Taty’s Pinchos.

Afternoon

• Head to Las Salinas in Cabo Rojo – see location
• Hike to Faro Los Morrillos – see location
• Visit La Playuela / Playa Sucia  – the beach is at the end of the road.  The road is a dirt road in a nature reserve and gets bumpy and muddy when it rains.

Dinner and Sunset

• Option 1: Head back to Lajas for dinner at the fishing village.  At dark, take a tour of the bioluminescent bay in Lajas which is right near the restaurants, it is the only bay where you can swim in Puerto Rico.  See location
• Option 2: Head to the colorful village of Boqueron (see location on map), with a number of restaurants and casual island-style pubs.  See location

Head back to San Juan

From San Juan, take Rt. 18 to Highway 52 from San Juan towards Caguas, pass Ponce.  Then set your GPS to La Parguera, Lajas.

• Island Hopping at La Parguera Nature Reserve
• Lunch at La Parguera Fishing Village
• Drive by the San German Historical District
• Stop by Plaza Colon in Mayaguez and get a pastry, sandwich, and coffee at Ricomini Bakery.
• Head to Rincon Lighthouse to watch the sunset.  From January until March (peak season in February),  you may get lucky and see humpback whales from the lighthouse.  They’re best observed early in the morning and early evening.
• Dinner in Rincon
• Head back to San Juan along the north route.