OUTFITS: BUE SKIRT Superdown | STRIPPED SWIMSUIT Tip Tuck Swim | FLORAL DRESS Lilly Pulitzer | GREEN SWIMSUIT Cupshe (only $32) | FLIP FLOPS Bought at a local store | YELLOW DRESS Amazon (only $15!) | HEELS Jessica Simpson | JEANS Madewell | PINK TOP Lulu’s
WHERE TO STAY
Serafina Beach Hotel: We fell in love with this hotel just from the pictures of it online alone. Loved the infinity pool right on the beach and the interior is so cute and beachy but also has a modern flare. We loved the restaurant with outdoor seating overlooking the ocean. We had breakfast there every morning. Also, we loved the hotel bar which had delicious and creative cocktails. The beach is very rocky and filled with coral reefs so, unfortunately, it’s not great for swimming in, but you can definitely walk into the ocean as far as you can stand. We didn’t mind – that’s what the cabanas and infinity pool are for! It’s in the newer part of San Juan and only a 5 minute and $5 cab ride away from Old San Juan.
WHAT TO DO
Old San Juan: Old San Juan is home to the San Juan National Historic Site, and city buildings dating from the 16th century, including the San Felipe del Morro, the San Cristóbal fortresses and the old city walls. Brightly colored houses line cobbled streets and shady plazas, alongside cool cocktail bars and renowned Caribbean fusion restaurants. It was founded by Christopher Columbus and the first settlement was named Puerto Rico, meaning rich port, because of the plentiful natural resources. And you can definitely see why!
El Yunque Rain Forest: We skipped this because it is a bit of a far car ride but I kind of regret not doing it. If we had a longer trip we definitely would have! It’s filled with waterfalls you can swim in and wildlife.
San Juan National Historic Site: Constructed in the 17th and 18th centuries it is absolutely stunning to see and is walking distance from the beautiful streets of Old San Juan. It has hours to go inside for tourists to pay, but it’s equally stunning on the outside with the ocean in the background.
Pool Time: It’s a very warm climate, so it’s definitely worth it to stay at a great resort with a pool and cabanas.
WHERE TO EAT
Cafe el Punto: We stumbled upon this place during a downpour and absolutely loved it. It has a garden area in the back if it’s not raining. Definity order the plantains with guacamole. Craving it now just thinking about it!
La Danza: This is a tiny little restaurant but it’s right on the famous street Fortaleza Street with the hanging Puerto Rican flag. I hear they change it up and previously had hanging colorful umbrellas. It’s perfect for Instagram photos!
Punto de Vista: This is a very popular place. It was raining and we still had to wait about 40 minutes (half of the roof is inside). The most famous dish in Puerto Rico is the Mofongo and we got it there and it was amazing! You can choose your meat and flavoring. You can’t leave San Juan without ordering this dish somewhere!!
Pirilo Pizza Rustica: If you are in the mood for Italian, they are known for their pizza’s and great cocktails. It’s right in the heart of Old San Juan and has a great atmosphere.
STK: We went here for dinner one night because it was walking distance from our hotel. It was a pretty standard STK and they had great music so I had a little dance party by myself haha.
WHAT TO EXPECT
The people are AMAZING!!! Every single person we interacted with from the service people to waiters, cab drivers – everyone was so nice, friendly and funny. They all speak pretty good English and it was good for me to brush up on my Spanish from what I learned in school.
San Juan is absolutely beautiful with the ocean views and tropical greenery. The city is rich in history and has gorgeous colorful buildings in Old San Juan.
WHAT TO WEAR
Flats!! I tried to wear heels for all of about 5 minutes, with the cobblestone streets in Old San Juan it was just impossible and not worth it. And at our hotel, we were just walking around the pool. The weather changes from minute to minute, unlike anything I’ve ever seen before. It’d be raining one minute, sunny the next and then an hour later another storm would roll in. One day we even experienced 21 mile an hour winds! It was a bit humid so we wore dresses. We forgot an umbrella so every time it would downpour we’d hop into the closest bar and wait it out with a cocktail haha.
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