Puerto Rico

1,124 Views | 12 Replies | Last: 6 yr ago by putu
drmwvr
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AG
I have an apportunity to stay at a friend's place next spring break near San Juan. I was told we will be within driving distance to the beach, jungle tours, cave exploring, zip-lines etc. We would also stay two nights on Isla de Culebra to visit Flamenco beach.

The crew will be my wife and I (late 40's) and three daughters ages 13-19.

It sounds awesome but I'd like to hear of all pros and cons with PR. Also places of interest and a resort recommendation for Isla de Culebra are appreciated as well.

Thanks!
Premium
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We took a cruise out of there and stayed in Old San Juan. Visited the old fortresses which is probably a reccomended thing for most.

Also liked the ChocoBar for breakfast - restaurant with Chocolate/Churros/And real food.

https://chocobarpr.com

Counterpoint
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Take a trip out to Vieques! The W Retreat & Spa is amazing. If you do decide to do that, I have many more recommendations.
jeffdjohnson
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I don't think there are any resorts on Culebra. It is a very small island, which has pro's and con's. You may consider making Flamenco beach a day trip. There are "snorkel tours" that depart Fajardo and take you out to some reefs and Flamenco beach. If you want to stay off the mainland, then the W on Vieques is the right idea. They have a bio luminescent bay on Vieques that you won't want to miss. Definitely visit Old San Juan during the day, but make sure you are out of there by night unless you want to be accosted by homeless.
permabull
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Riverdancer
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We went to Culebra in January, 2011. There were no resorts there at that time. We rented a car and stayed at this house. https://www.vrbo.com/432045#reviewsPage3 It was wonderful because it overlooked a bay and they had kayaks for the use of the guests. The kids loved that. We drove to Flamenco Beach from there and on one day took our boogie boards to Resaca beach which had some small waves and was virtually empty. We snorkeled at Melones, went on a dive trip and hired a fishing guide for a day. The only downside was that it was windy for most of our stay and, therefore, the water clarity wasn't very good. However, friends went the year before and didn't experience any wind. We flew and it is my understanding that the ferry isn't very reliable especially if it is really windy. Hopefullyl, that is not a problem..
tamc91
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I used to travel to PR for work 20 years ago. We spent a lot of time around San Juan, Cieba, and on Vieques. We took the kids back 2 years ago for Spring Break and had a great time. For the most part you can avoid the college crowds.

El Yunque NP rainforest is a must, but go early since rain chances typically increase as it gets warmer.

San Juan has some cool historic things to see in old San Juan, and good restaurants. However it is more expensive than the rest of the island. The beaches on the north side of the island (west of SJ) are nice and less crowded. There are cave tours and the observatory in that area so a day trip would be good if you have time.

Cieba has an airport (former Roosevelt Roads NAS) that flies for much cheaper than SJ International, so if you're flying a family and have a car, you should consider that. You can rent cars / jeeps on the islands.

Vieques and Culebra have great beaches that aren't crowded. Vieques has the bio bay. Both have good snorkeling.

We decided to rent a house to staying in the resort, and there are a lot of options now via VRBO. We just felt like we were "in it" versus behind a wall.

Since the Navy has largely moved out, their economy is noticeably struggling compared to 20 years ago, but tourism is a focus so you'll mostly be welcomed.

Driving is easy for the most part but signage can be sketchy. Plan your routes. Google maps helps, but brush up on the Spanish names before you head anywhere. Overall, it is safe, but like any place with a struggling economy know where you are and mjnimize the valuables you carry or leave in a car.

It was our kid's favorite trip.
Counterpoint
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If you go to Vieques and decide to rent a car, beware of horses in the road. They're everywhere!
drmwvr
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Thanks everyone for the comments so far, this has been very helpful!
HollywoodBQ
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It sounds like you've got the accommodation sorted already.

I'm from the SE corner of Puerto Rico so I would recommend Palmas del Mar in Humacao. We've been there a few times and the kids really enjoyed it. My wife enjoyed shopping in Caguas where she was able to find some nice clothes. These days they've got a Chili's and a Wal-Mart in Humacao so it's pretty easy livin. Good luck.
rlb28
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Quote:

There are "snorkel tours" that depart Fajardo and take you out to some reefs and Flamenco beach.
this... ^^^ was one of our favorite things. Great food, great drinks and unbelievable scenery and snorkeling.

also, we took about a 3-4 hour tour... Charlies ... check out his reviews on trip advisor, 97 percent give him a 5-star rating.

you can spend a lot of money on food, but we found some out of the way, side of the road places that fed our family of four for less than $30.
gee_bananas
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I also recommend Fajardo....

We stayed at the Conquistador which is an amazing resort with a great casino, multiple pools, great dining, etc. They even have a private island (Palomino Island) that has all the beach activities or excursions you would like.

I almost forgot to mention the biggest draw for us at the time, they have a water park on the premises that our daughters loved.
BSD
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I thought Fajardo and the Waldorf conquistador was the Jersey Shore of the Caribbean. It was crowded, the service wasn't anything to write home about, the food was terrible, you had to take a crowded tram to the marina to catch a crowded ferry to the crowded private island, where the snorkeling sucked and everything was packed. It was the antithesis of the Caribbean that I want. Of course our next stop was St John so maybe my comparison is too harsh based on the subsequent stay at Caneel Bay.
putu
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Most hotels no longer have on site casino's, including the Conquistador and El San Juan. Not sure about others. While the Conq. is one of my favorite hotels on the island, the service was not great this past June. This can be a common thing around the island (and most locations where the talent pool is shallow). On the other hand, we stayed at the El San Juan and had some of the best service we have ever had at a luxury property. My wife and I both work for luxury hotels and have traveled extensively. She is also Puerto Rican.

You will find PR a great place for both you and the kids. There are lots of things to do, especially outside of San Juan. While I still consider it safe, you do have to watch yourself (like anywhere). No passport, US dollar, 90% speak English, great food, Medallia and Don Q....

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