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Puerto Rico is a diverse and exciting destination, with attractions ranging from pristine beaches to verdant jungles.
Aerial view of Castillo San Felipe del Morro in Old San Juan, Puerto Rico
With its beautiful scenery and abundance of fun things to do, Puerto Rico is the Caribbean’s most popular vacation spot. A popular destination for sun worshippers and island hoppers, this is the most populous of all the islands in the tropics. It’s no surprise that the picturesque palm-lined beaches attract visitors of all stripes, from young couples to college students to families with young children.
Experience magnificent snorkeling in the Caribbean’s beautiful waters, unwind in peaceful bioluminescent lagoons or discover the region’s history at one of the many historic Spanish villages. Here’s a list of must-see places for those considering visiting Puerto Rico.
10/10 Old San Juan
To visit this city is to step into another period altogether. San Juan, Puerto Rico’s capital and largest city, is situated on the island’s Atlantic coast. Stay around the Isla Verde resort strip—famous for its casinos, nightclubs, and bars—which sits in front of the island’s largest beach. Spanish colonial architecture and narrow, winding lanes characterize Old San Juan. El Morro and La Fortaleza, two significant strongholds with magnificent ocean views and the Paseo de la Princesa bayside promenade, are some of the city’s most prominent attractions, and both date back to the 16th century.
9/10 Castillo San Felipe Del Morro
Castillo San Felipe del Morro is a citadel in San Juan, Puerto Rico, constructed between the 16th and 18th centuries and is the primary attraction in Old San Juan. Enjoy a stay close to the stately fort, which dates back to 1539, stands alone on a peninsula, and offers visitors a unique glimpse into the past. In 1983, together with San Juan National Historic Site, the United Nations designated the citadel as a World Heritage Site. One of Puerto Rico’s top tourist destinations, Castillo sees over two million tourists annually.
8/10 Castillo De San Cristóbal
Castillo of San Cristóbal is a must-see, even though it remains in the shadow of its more well-known neighbor, El Morro. Find a hotel nearby and pack a pair of walking shoes; San Cristobal is much larger than El Morro. A UNESCO World Heritage Site and the most prominent Spanish fort ever constructed in the New World, it offers visitors enjoyable sightseeing thanks to its five independent defensive units spread across 27 acres, all connected via moats and tunnels. This fort, built between 1634 and 1790, protected the eastern entrance to old San Juan.
7/10 Flamenco Beach
Flamenco is a beautiful stretch of white sand and turquoise water, making it one of the best beaches in the world. The lack of waves at this beach makes it perfect for water sports like snorkeling and swimming and more sedate pursuits like lounging, playing in the sand, and reading a book. Visitors staying in the area can access lifeguards, a camping area, showers, and food stalls serving traditional Puerto Rican fare. Flamenco is also home to Culebra’s most famous landmark, The Tank, a monument commemorating the United States Navy’s time on the island.
6/10 Mosquito Bioluminescent Bay
The beautiful island of Vieques hosts the brightest bioluminescence phenomena on Earth, as verified by the Guinness World Record in 2006. A must-do activity for guests vacationing on Vieques is a bay kayak tour with one of the island’s tour companies (some of which provide clear-bottom kayaks). Consider the moon phase while planning the trip, as the luminous effect peaks on nights when the moon is new or in its crescent phase.
5/10 El Yunque National Forest
Experience the tropical splendor of Puerto Rico’s nature by visiting El Yunque National Forest. Pico El Yunque is part of the Luquillo Mountains, home to El Yunque National Forest, the only tropical rainforest in the National US Forest System. One of the most visited natural attractions in Puerto Rico, it is often included in day trips for guests staying in San Juan. La Coca Falls, Yokah Tower, Bao Grande, Bao de Oro, and La Mina Falls are some of the most visited sites in El Yunque National Forest.
4/10 Culebra Island
Culebra may be smaller than Vieques, but its beautiful beaches and rolling green hills give it its own character and make it a perfect place to stay. The pace and the atmosphere here are relaxed. Culebra, a small island in the Caribbean, is just seven miles long and three miles wide and is surrounded by 23 smaller islands. More than twenty offshore cays and the entirety of Culebra’s shoreline are protected as part of the Isla de Culebra National Wildlife Refuge.
3/10 Cayo Icacos
Located off the shore of Fajardo on the eastern coast of Puerto Rico, Icacos is a tiny island with no permanent residents. Cayo Icacos, also known as Icacos Island, is the largest and most picturesque cay in the La Cordillera Nature Reserve. Azure seas lap softly against a narrow stretch of diamond-dust sand. To get to Icacos, visitors need to take a boat, so plan and book a ride on a catamaran or a water taxi. Even though there aren’t any lined palm trees to provide shade, the island is excellent for swimming and snorkeling due to the abundance of aquatic life to be discovered, so visit during a vacation in Puerto Rico.
2/10 Rio Camuy Caves
The massive cave system in Rio Camuy Cave Park covers 268 acres and is arguably the world’s third-largest. Visitors nearby can take the Cueva Clara Empalme trolley bus to a sinkhole (or cave) 200 feet deep and part of a protected area. There are many different chambers in the caverns, some of which have sky-high ceilings, rivers gushing out of their bottoms, and stalagmites and stalactites dangling from the walls. Visitors can visit the Cueva Clara Empalme on a guided tour. The cave system is stunning in its own right, and it is even more incredible to think that ancient people lived there.
1/10 Isla Verde
Isla Verde is perfect for travelers who want to be close to a big airport and have access to great resorts and a decent beach. Besides Puerto Rican culture, this place has everything visitors needs on vacation: sun, sand, and surf. Isla Verde is a tropical paradise with all the amenities, including calm waters, a white sand beach, palm trees, and luxurious resorts.
