Next week we are headed to Puerto Rico for a few days with some close friends from Manhattan. Jared has been taking a break from work so we are trying to squeeze in some last minute trips while he still can. We’ve went to Puerto Rico a few years ago when we lived in Hoboken (it’s such a quick trip from Manhattan!) but have never been with a kid and would love to hear your recommendations. Particularly on quaint, kid friendly places to stay and the best beaches, and of course anything else you’ve loved doing there. We are most definitely doing the bio bay again. Most incredible thing in the world! I’m so excited to relax a bit and spend some quality time with our good friends. They have a daughter the same age as Henry so it’s perfect for the kids too.
Have you been? I’d love to hear your recommendations!
My husband and I were lucky enough to live in Old San Juan as interns in a store for the first summer married. It was awesome, and I can’t wait to go back with our kids sometime. You can’t miss trying: a Mallorca and hot cocoa at La Bombonera, a coconut piragua from a street cart, and a free pina colada sample from Barrachina.
Our favorite beach on Culebra was Zoni on the other side of the island. The sand and surf are the same as Flamenco, but there are far fewer people, and an amazing view from the hill overlooking the ocean. We just did a day trip to Culebra…(well, we planned on camping, but the swarms of mosquitos changed our minds!)
We loved El Yunque (La Mina Falls is great for swimming/wading).
My very favorite memory is eating chicken pinchos and plantain tostones at a tiny shack near the ocean on the side of route 187 headed East. Of course the best food is the for the locals, by the locals food.
Side note: we brought home a couple watercolors by local painter Erick Ledesma and are still totally enamored by them. If you have a chance, check out what he has available!
I’m glad I live in the tropics and I can go to the beach year round. Now, if I can just find the time to do it…
I highly recommend Vieques! Gorgeous beaches and very few people. We took a ferry from Fajardo and then rented a Jeep on the island to get around for the day. We didn’t stay overnight (though I wish we had). Also ziplining in El Yunque was really fun/beautiful.
My kids love exploring both the forts in San Juan..El Morro is their favorite. They spend lots of time flying kites on the grounds. And I have taken some amazing pictures of them in the fort overlooking the beach.
Hi! Live in PR and have a 3 year old daughter…
Must for anyone visiting:
1. El Yunque (Rain Forest)
2. El Viejo San Juan ( The Old City) Beautiful old world feel, amazing restaurants, Old spanish forts to visit – El Morro, kids fly kites on the amazing green lawns http://cn2.wnet.org/wliw/21pressroom/files/2010/11/EL_Morro.jpg , and you can take a trolley ride through the cobble stone streets.
3. Various beaches to choose from but our favs that are kid friendly and have shallow tide pools that are safe to wade in are Aviones Beach in Piñones (although a surfing hot spot there is a very cute tide pool and no more then 2′ deep water http://s3.amazonaws.com/photos.zeepuertorico.com/LOIZA-La%20Posita%20de%20Pi%C3%B1ones%5EIMG_9246-BIG.jpg or in Isabela – Villas del Mar Hau http://a1.ec-images.myspacecdn.com/images02/44/ac8b97e453b0495f8ae3a5f9d0131bd8/l.jpg
4. Culebra is amazing and Flamenco Beach is a dream http://www.tripadvisor.com/LocationPhotos-g580453-d317155-w2-Culebra_Beach_Villas-Culebra_Puerto_Rico.html
5. As you mentioned the Bio Luminescent Bay in Parguera and there is Las Cabezas de San Juan http://www.puertoricodaytrips.com/las-cabezas-de-san-juan-nature-reserve/
Hope you have an amazing trip!
wonderful! we are headed to check some of these out tomorrow
Liz, my youngest daughter’s God Mother is from PR. I should tell her to stop by here and make some suggestions! I have heard that Fort San Felipe del Morro in San Juan is a cool place to visit. I bet your son would enjoying running around there!
We took our youngest child to Aruba with us over the holiday this year for a family wedding. My husband is from Venezuela so it was his fam and literally a 20 min flight for them. We had a great time. Since Latin Americans, as a culture, love children–you should have a great time in Puerto Rico with your son this time!
Have a fabulous time! 🙂
I love Puerto Rico! Last time we stayed on Vieques, which had a bio bay, but we stopped at Culebra for a day on the way back and loved it! We hiked to a nature reserve and for some amazing snorkeling and had this pristine beach all to ourselves. Hope you have a great time!
Thanks! I think we’re looking to stay on that island for a day. so excited!
Cool!!! You’re coming to my hood.
Well it’s not exactly of the beaten path but a friend of my mom’s rents a house in old San Juan, one of those centuries old houses from the spaniards time I can’t find the listing exactly but you can just check on The site http://www.vrbo.com/vacation-rentals/caribbean/puerto-rico/puerto-rico#a16449
Those are all the municipalities, you’re bound to find lovely scenery any where but Rincon is renound for it’s world class surfing as is isabela, there’s nothing like old San Juan for historical charm although it’s just listed as San Juan [hotel el convento, used to be a convent it’s right in front of the cathedral and a lovely park and a children’s museum, we’ve never stayed there but it’s droolworthiy), ponce is grand, palmas del mar Humacao is kind of like the hamptons for people from San Juan, vieques
Has more of the small island appeal as does the other island municipality, culebra, at least for us locals, amazing beaches perfect for the weekend or day trip via ferry or plane. I am from vega Baja so I’m biased and y love love LOVE my beach but it’s not turisty at all. There’s also Dorado for great golf and Manati for horseback riding to the beach and you’re bound to find rental houses there as well. La Concha is an amazing, newly remodeled hotel in el condado, I’m sure I was completely unhelpful in narrowing anything down for you but…
Hope you have a lovely time
http://www.vrbo.com/56880
http://www.vrbo.com/243963#comments
This link and the one above are to the houses of my mom’s friends
Sorry this is beginning to feel like I’m spamming you
Thanks, I’ll check these out!
OBSESSED with the bio bay! So jealous! I loved,at the very beginning, before I knew how wacky it would be when we were swimming in it, seeing a fish go jetting through the water. SO cool!
I’m currently living in P.R. Hotel El Conquistador is very nice and they have a boat that takes you to their own private island. The national rain forest or el Yunque is something you should see and your children might enjoy. Have fun and appreciate your beach time! Flamenco beach is to die for btw.
We went for our honeymoon. its gerogeous and rain forest is amazing, zipline and yes bio bay for sure
which rain forest did you visit?
Go to flamenco beach!!! There are several boats that takes you out there to snorkel and swim and when we went in August, there was no one there but the people on our boat. Its one of the top ten beaches!
Just checked that out. Looks amazing! Putting it on our list, did you stay there or just visited for a day?