Best San Juan Cruise Excursions,
Things to Do & Places to Visit – 2023 Guide

Cost:  Free entry to Escambron Beach, but there is a parking fee if driving in.

Distance from Cruise Piers

• Old San Juan Piers:  Walking: about 35 minutes;  you can safely walk through Old San Juan, then walk through the scenic oceanside walkway of Paseo Puerta de Tierra. ⎮ Drive: 8 minutes.
• Pan American Pier:  Walking: about 36 minutes; a taxi is recommended due to traffic.  ⎮  Drive: 9 minutes.

Should You Explore Old San Juan on Your Own or with a Tour Guide?

Our short answer is… a mix of both is just perfect.  We’ll give you recommendations on how to explore on your own, with a tour guide, or a mix of both.

Exploring Old San Juan on Your Own

You can walk the streets of Old San Juan on your own, below we have listed recommendations of sights you may want to visit as you walk around the historic district.  For the best experience without having to do much planning, consider booking a tour (see suggestions below), the stories and history bring the city to life with the addition of learning about the Puerto Rican culture.

Top Attractions & Places:  Castillo San Felipe del Morro, Castillo San Cristobal, Casa Blanca Museum, Museo de Las Americas, Iglesia San Jose, Cathedral San Juan Bautista, Paseo de La Princesa, Santa María Magdalena de Pazzis Cemetery, La Rogativa

We invite you to relax at a square, and simply walk down streets to admire the architecture and take vacation photos full of color.  The most popular streets for shopping and dining are Calle Cristo and Fortaleza, but you’ll find more great shops and restaurants throughout other blocks.  This list may seem short, but there’s truly a lot to see and do in Old San Juan.  Keep reading this guide for ideas on things to do.

Cost:  Free plus entry cost to chosen attractions.  Fort visit cost: $10 per person for both fortifications

Explore Old San Juan with a Friendly Knowledgeable Tour Guide

Following are top-rated walking tours to suit cruisers, including driving tours to help those with mobility challenges and private tours for those that prefer a more personalized experience.   Most tours last two hours, so you’ll have time left over to choose other activities at your leisure.

Close this tab, and see directly below for tour recommendations.

Cost of Fortifications Visit:  $10, valid for 24 hours with access to both forts.  Ages 15 and younger enter free of charge.  See fees, passes information, and discount entry information on the official website.

Castillo San Cristobal

San Cristobal is bigger and easier to navigate for visitors with mobility challenges, it is also closer to the piers.  San Cristobal offers views of the ocean and sweeping views of the city.

Distance from Cruise Piers: 

• Old San Juan Piers:  Walking: 20 minutes ⎮ Drive: Approx.: 13 minutes
• Pan American Pier:  Walking:  Not recommended – 1.5 hours⎮ Drive: 15 minutes

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Castillo San Felipe del Morro

“El Morro” is the most popular fort in San Juan.  There are six levels at the fort, however, the main parts of the fort are easily walkable.  The grounds make it one of the most family-friendly attractions in San Juan, one of the traditions is to fly a kite after touring the fort, then simply relax to take in the views.  El Morro has sweeping views of San Juan Bay and it is a wonderful place to watch the sunset.

Distance from Cruise Piers: 

• Old San Juan Piers:  Walking: 20 minutes ⎮ Drive: Approx.: 13 minutes
• Pan American Pier:  Walking:  Not recommended – 1.5 hours⎮ Drive: 15 minutes

Cost of Casa Bacardi Tours:  From $33 – $83 per person plus the cost of a taxi.

Distance from Cruise Piers:  From Pier 1 in Old San Juan – a 25-minute drive ⎮ From Pan American Pier – a 20-minute drive.   You may also take the Cataño Ferry from Old San Juan, a very inexpensive option.

Please Note:  It is recommended that you arrive at Casa Bacardi 30 minutes before the starting time of the tour to register, enjoy your cocktail and take photos.  

• Cost of El Yunque National Rainforest Tour:  See tours below
• Distance from Cruise Piers: Old San Juan Pier – 1-hour drive ⎮ Pan American Pier – 50 minutes to Visitor Center

Itinerary 1:  You may enjoy visiting Castillo San Cristobal Fort, then taking a short 6-minute walk east for a romantic beach walk at Playa Peña, where you can go beachcombing for sea glass, and take some great vacation photos at the fort ruins.  From the fort, walk east on the sidewalk towards Plaza San Juan Bautista, which is right across from the Capitol Building.  Facing the San Juan Bautista statue, you’ll see a stairway to the right.  Please note: this beach is narrow and best to explore during low tide, it may not be possible to walk to the ruins during high tide.

Cost: Free entrance to beaches, plus $10 cost of fort entrance.

Distance from the Cruise Piers

Old San Juan Pier  – 10-minute walk ⎮ Pan American Pier: 12-minute taxi ride

Itinerary 2:  Take a short taxi ride to Escambron Beach, where you can take a quiet walk on the scenic beach trail which leads to Bateria Escambron, a small fortification with sweeping views of the Condado shore.  Be sure to read our guide for enjoying Escambron Beach.  Wear a swimsuit under your clothes, bring your snorkel gear, and go snorkeling with sea turtles at the end of your walk.  You may also book a guided snorkeling tour.  If you don’t know how to snorkel, Escambron is the perfect place to learn.

Cost:  Taxi Ride plus the cost of snorkeling tour if you wish to do the experience.

Distance from the Cruise Piers

Old San Juan Piers:  Walking: about 35 minutes;  you can safely walk from Old San Juan, then along the oceanside walkway of Paseo Puerta de Tierra. ⎮ Drive: 8 minutes

Pan American Pier:  Walking: about 36 minutes; a taxi is recommended due to traffic.  ⎮  Drive: 9 minutes

Watch the Sunset on the grounds of Castillo del Morro  – By sunset the fort has closed for tours of the interior, the grounds are relaxed and visitors head into town to get dinner, go shopping, or return to the ship.  This is a wonderful time to sit down on the grounds and share a bottle of wine as you watch the sunset over San Juan Bay.  You can purchase a bottle of wine at the CVS Pharmacy right across the street from the pier, located at the Sheraton Old San Juan.  We invite you to stay until it gets dark so you can see the fortress shine to the golden glow of the night lights.  As you walk back to the cruise port for dinner, you’ll be holding hands with a new appreciation for each other and only wishing for more experiences such as these.

• Cost:  Free plus the cost of food/drinks to enjoy on the grounds of El Morro.

Plan a romantic floating picnic on the calm waters of Condado Lagoon, the only thing that may be distracting are friendly Manatees pointing their nose above the water to say hello.

Times of Experience: Various from 10:00 am – 5:00 pm⎮ Cost: $290 for a couple ⎮ Tour Duration: 2 hours ⎮ Distance from Piers:  Old San Juan – 10 minutes / Pan American – 8 minutes

Distance from Cruise Piers

Old San Juan Pier:  10-minute taxi ride ⎮ Pan American Pier: 7-minute taxi ride

Small group tour that perfectly mixes food, culture, history, and architecture (9 stops, food, and rum cocktail).   This tour has ranked #3 in 2020… on the Coveted List of Top Experiences in the Caribbean on Trip Advisor’s Travelers Choice. 

• Name of Tour:  Flavors of Old San Juan Food Tour
• Tour Time: Morning from 10 am and afternoon tours, the last one is at 3:30 pm
• Cost: $147.00  Reserve Now & Pay Later
• Tour Duration:  3 hours (approx.)
• Languages:  English
• Meeting Point:  Carli‘s Fine Bistro & Piano – 206 Calle de Tetuan – Corner Of Recinto Sur And San Justo Street.  Please confirm the meeting location before your tour.
• Distance from. Cruise Piers:  A 4-minute walk from Pier 1 in Old San Juan.  From Pan American Pier you must take a taxi or Uber.
• Cancellation Policy:  For a full refund, you must cancel at least 24 hours before the experience’s start time.  Please check the confirmation e-mail for information.