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Know before you go:
The weather is nearly unpredictable. On the days leading up to our arrival in San Juan, we checked the weather constantly to make sure our plans wouldn’t fall through. It rained 3 out of 4 days we were there. Thankfully, it never lasted all day; it rained here and there and we didn’t have to modify our plans too much.
Recreational marijuana is legal here, so be aware that any where you walk, or relax, anyone can be enjoying it. It was interesting when we were hanging out on the beach where someone asks my husband if he wanted any. This happened three separate times!
Driving here is more aggressive. Driving here is not for the weak. There are a lot of potholes in the roads and very rarely will you see lines dividing lanes. Be very attentive because a lot of the traffic lights don’t work either. Drivers there will squeeze in where they can fit in!
Pack multiple swim suits. For once, I’m thankful for my indecisiveness that I couldn’t choose which swim suits to bring, resulting in me bringing 3. I made sure to always keep one in my day bag, so that any time we came across a beach, we hopped in for a quick swim. Check out other packing essentials in my Packing Guide for Puerto Rico.
Now, lets get into our 4 day itinerary…
Day 1: Old San Juan
Old San Juan is a beautiful and historic neighborhood within Puerto Rico’s capital city, San Juan. We spent our day walking up and down the beautiful streets, marveling at the colorful architecture surrounding us.
One thing I was looking forward to the most was the iconic display of umbrellas on Calle Fortaleza (Fortaleza Street). Unfortunately on the day we went, there was nothing to see.
We happened to go on a day when four cruise ships arrived at the port, making the streets crowded and hard to move through. While it’s an unavoidable, it’s definitely worth noting for future reference.
Travel tip: check out this cruise port schedule. you can gauge what kind of crowds you’ll be met with on the day you go.
We stopped by a place that had lots of TikTok recommendations, called Deaverdura. There was quite a long line and we ended up waiting almost an hour to be seated and to get our food. We got the sampler for 2 which only costed $35. Overall, the service was great and the food gave us a wonderful introduction to Puerto Rican cuisine!
Later that night, we were met with heavy rain that flooded the streets, so we ended our night early but satisfied.
Day 2: Luquillo
On day 2, we originally planned to visit El Yunque National Forest, but because of the heavy storm the night prior, we dropped our plans due to the mosquitoes and flooding. If you’re interested in booking any tours, I recommend Get Your Guide. They’re super reliable and versatile.
Travel Tip: If you want to travel to El yunque National forest on your own, they only allow 200 cars in a day. reserve your spot for only $2 USD.
To avoid the rain. we started off in Luquillo, where we stumbled across a restaurant called La Fonda Gourmet. We got corned beef empanadas, chicken tacos, and aguacate with a side of mofongo. This is some of the best food we had on this trip. 10/10 recommend!!
Afterwards we headed 10 minutes down the road to Luquillo Beach. On the way there we ran into some flooding and had to detour.
Because of the storm the night prior, the water was very murky with lots of seaweed floating around. Regardless, there were lots of people still swimming and enjoying their time.
Day 3: Condado Beach
On day 3, we started off at Chocobar Cortes. I got the Chocolate Grilled Cheese and a Choco-latte. The latte was fantastic. The grilled cheese? Hmm, not so much. The chicken bowl had great reviews from my husband.
Right down the street from Chocobar Cortes is Condado Beach where the sand is soft and waves are high! We spent the rest of the day relaxing here.
Day 4: Carolina
We started off with lunch on Calle Loiza at La Prerna where they serve amazing arepas. I definitely recommend their arepa pipita! It’s made of a fresh arepa topped with vanilla ice cream and caramel. Sounds simple but tastes delightful!!!
Later in the day we headed to the Museo del Niño de Carolina or the Children’s Museum. If you have little ones, I cannot recommend this place enough. Our one year old had such great time here. It’s great for both kids and adults to learn about all things science! Above all, my favorite part was dressing our daughter up in the costumes and going through the rooms.
Travel tip: The Children’s museum is only open Friday, Saturday and sunday, so keep that in mind if you plan to include this in your itinerary!
We ended our trip to Puerto Rico at the T-Mobile District. The perfect place to hang out, have a drink, and play some games.
Final thoughts
Is 4 days enough in Puerto Rico?
Absolutely not. There is so much to do on this beautiful island and it is impossible to squeeze it all into 96 hours. I would’ve loved to island hop to neighboring islands such as Culebra and Vieques, as well as visit the western part of the island.
Is Puerto Rico baby-friendly?
Sure, there are plenty of things to do with a baby here on Puerto Rico. If you are okay with missing out on excursions such as snorkling, horseback riding, helicopter rides etc, then it is a great place to bring your baby! If you are coming here for an adventure, however, maybe rethink possible destinations.
At the end of the day, it depends on what you want to get out of your trip. If you are wanting a relaxing beach destination, then Puerto Rico is perfect! If you are seeking adventure, maybe not.
As far as strollers, Old San Juan is navigable by stroller, but bear in mind, there are a lot of hills so you will be getting a great workout.
Is Puerto Rico budget-friendly?
Puerto Rico is definitely pricier than its other Caribbean neighbors. You can expect to spend about $100 a day per person. I will add, however, that food portion sizes here are enormous compared to what we are used to so we never finished a single meal at a restaurant. That being said, we were able to take home meals and eat leftovers. Dining out only 1 or 2 times a day really saved us lots of money!
Do I need a rental car in Puerto Rico?
YES. A rental car will give you the freedom to travel outside of San Juan where there is so much to see! While you can use an uber to get around San Juan, you will definitely need a rental to get to other parts of the island.
Lauryn Dunning
Hello! I'm Lauryn. While serving in the U.S Navy, I spent nearly every four-day weekend traveling somewhere new. Those quick trips inspired 96 Hours, a blog dedicated to turning short getaways into big adventures.
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