Sunday, April 28, 2013

What are the Best things to do in San Juan?

What are the Best things to do in San Juan?
My Boyfriend and I will be vacationing in San Juan on Aug 31- Sept 3. We are a 21 & 23 year old Black couple. This will be our first trip to PR and we are trying to make the best of it, in the little time we have. We are interested in the PR culture, Night Life, beaches,shopping, Sight seeing, as well as activities. Money is no object, so if you have any advice or personal experience you would like to share, that would be very much appreciated.
Puerto Rico - 4 Answers
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1 :
www.gotopuertorico.com If you are staying in Old San Juan, Condado or Isla Verde. First you should visit Old San Juan, their Forts "El Morro and San Cristobal", The Cathedral, the Governor House "La Fortaleza o Santa Catalina Castle", also could have something to eat on La Bombonera or Manolin. Go to Bacardi and take a tour. Shopping: Plaza las Americas, Beltz Outlets or Barceloneta Outlets. Could visit: Camuy Cavern, Arecibo Observatory. Visit Ponce the second most important city of PR, here you could see Serralles Castle, El Vigia (a beautiful cross on the top could see all ponce), Ponce firehouse (oldest on PR). Take a trip to El Yunque Rainforest and spent the day on Luquillo Beach. Night life around Isla Verde on different night clubs or go by night to old San Juan. Could also rent a car.
2 :
Just for you two alone there are things you can see and do to make your trip a wonderful experience. Lets start off with the basics. Transportation: Depending on where you go and what you want to see and do, you can walk, take the AMA(Metropolitan Authority Bus) or take a cab or rent a car. The AMA buses are like the buses in the States. Regular fare one way is 75 cents per person. Senior, disabled pay half fare or 35 cents and students with ID pay 60 cents. The cabs here are plenty but a bit expensive and sincerely I have heard a cab driver say to two couples in San Juan that he could take them around the city for $35 which is pretty steep, so in Old San Juan there are FREE trolley rides. One trolley takes you up to the center of San Juan and the other will take you up by the Forts and the North part. From there a nice walk down is good so you can see old historical buildings, take in the life of everyday San Juan and even shop and eat at your own pace. The trolleys run up until 9p.m. the last I was told by the drivers. I take the trolley just about every day when I go to San Juan. Now renting is depending on where you rent can be expensive or cheap. Hertz-too expensive Budget-not too bad USave-1-787-717-7368 they are located in Condado and to have nice rates. Lanes Car and Truck Rental-I always rent from Lanes. They pick you up, take you to their local and will give you the car there. They will also take you to the airport if needed even pick you up there. Their rates are nice. 1-787-268-6161 or 1-787-268-6262 Dollar Rental-1-787-791-5500 Vias Car Rental-1-7887-791-4120 Call first and ask about any offers, specials rates or what every they have and even they may arrange for your pick up. Now for what to see: In Old San Juan, there are the Forts San Cristobal and El Morro. They are very old and have gift shops. There is an entrance fee of $1.50 to $2.00 I put both prices because I heard that it may change. Senior citizens and disabled persons with proper ID get in free. The Morro has a video room like a mini theatre that does show a half hour movie on the History of El Morro. It is interesting English Version has Spanish Subtitles and the Spanish Version has English Sub titles. There is also the Old San Juan Bautista Cathedral that is open to all to go in and see. Straight down from the cathedral to the bottom is the Old Entrance and Gates from what was the Harbor where ships did dock hundreds of years ago. Also right there on the right hand side is a house that is 3 stories high. It is the house of Old San Juan's first Female Mayor she was Felisa Rincon De Gautier. All here keys to the different cities are on display as well has her clothes, her furniture is still in tact and her certificates every thing. Visiting is free to all. She was the one who brought the first vans of rea snow to Puerto Rico so that the poor children could see it. She also made the Hiram Bithorn Stadium back in the 60's and she started here the Head Start Programs. Nice place. There are also plazas to visit. Right from the Cathedral across the street on the right is the Convento Hotel. It was back in the 1700's a convent. Then many, many years later abandon and turned into a casino. Then now it is restored to a Luxury Hotel. Nice place to see antiques. There are many gift shops in Old San Juan. If where you are staying has no casino then the Sharaton Hotel in San Juan has a casino and no smoking is in all places. In Condado there are beaches also in Isla Verde. There are night clubs in San Juan there is the New Billiard Palace, Krash club 1-787-722-1131,The Parrot Club Old San Juan-1-787-725-7370 and Club Lazer 1-787-721-7581 which is continue on going party. Now Condado have hotels, beaches and so does Isla Verde. Isla Verde has many restaurants open until late at night. Now out of San Juan-Condado there are other towns and places to see such as: El Yunque Rain Forest - I have been here and it is breath taking this is in Carolina. Las Cavernas de Camuy- in the town of Camuy on rout 2 these are caves that are wonderful to see. Don't worry about special hicking gear. A trolley takes you down and there are special walk ways so you don't have to worry about spike shoes. Just wear comfortable clothing such as sneakers, jeans just regular comfortable clothing. There is the Rum Bacardi plant in Catano, you can leave Old San Juan on the Ferry which is 50 cents one way per person. Take a bus to the plant and see the rum being made. Or maybe your hotel has guided tours set to go there. Plaza Las Americas- the biggest shopping mall in the Caribbean-there is Macy's, JC Penny, Sears just to mention a few and some local stores and plenty of restaurants to eat from Agrentine Fuegos and Fuegitos to Chinnese. If you want you can take the train from Stop 26 and go to the town of Bayamon. It is very interesting. From the train station in Bayamon, there is the Canton Shopping mall and straight across is the new town library. In Bayamon there is the center of the town plaze with it's very old Church, also the Old Mayors Office is now a museum. Very interesting. There is a house of Dolls. A woman has all kinds of Dolls collected and entrance to the house and mayors museum is free. All in walking distance. I hope this helps you out with your stay and you can log on toPuerto Rico Toursim to get more information. Or by calling some of the places that I have mentioned. Enjoy your stay here. Welcome, Bienvenidos.
3 :
I don't think there is much to said after what other people already did. For few days, I would recommend you to rent a car and try after San Juan and Isla Verde to go to the west side of the Island you can do it in one day or you may stay in Lajas, La Parguera and see the luminescent bay it is near some beautiful beaches. For Shopping try Belz Outlets and Plaza Las Americas. Don't forget to check the site welcome.topuertorico.com Enjoy The Enchantment Island
4 :
Well the San Juan area has several beaches including Condado Beach, Ocean Park, Isla Verde and El Escambrón. But if you are interested in a beach with true Caribbean blue waters, you should probably take a day trip to Culebra island or Vieques from Old San Juan; theres a ferry there that will take you there for like 60 bucks. Culture... Old San Juan has tons of historical stuff, fortresses, old Spanish manors, local landmarks, Museums, art galleries, etc. There's also the Bacardi place on the other side of the San Juan Bay. Shopping, again, Old San Juan if you want eclectic and kinda touristy stuff but if you want like a shopping center type setting, there's Plaza Las Americas, the Caribbeans biggest. Anchored by Macy's, JC Penney's, Sears and has everything from Coach, Armani and Zara to American Eagle Outfitters, Guess and Lucky Brand, including a movie theater and a bowling alley; or Plaza Carolina, Belz Outlet Mall. Night Life, theres every type of clubs, bars & pub. There's Shannan's Irish Pub in the suburb of Guaynabo (a local hotspot), Shots in Isla Verde, a couple of discos in Old San Juan plus all the bars in Calle San Sebastian. You could arrange a scuba tour, go the el Yunque( the only tropical rainforest in the US Park system), go to Ponce in the south, etc.



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