6 best day trips from San Juan

Day trips compared

The day trips

45 km · About 45 minutes to 1 hour by car

1.El Yunque National Forest

The only tropical rainforest in the US national forest system, with waterfalls, observation towers, trails to swimming holes and the chorus of coquí frogs. Hurricane damage and maintenance sometimes close sections, so check before going.

Getting there

Car via PR-3, or organised tour

Best for

Families, First-timers, Couples

60 km · About 1 hour by car

2.Fajardo bioluminescent lagoon

Night kayak tours paddle through a mangrove channel into Laguna Grande, where microscopic organisms glow blue-green when the water moves. The effect is strongest on moonless nights.

Getting there

Car via PR-3, or evening kayak tour with transport

Best for

Couples, Families, First-timers

45 km · About 45 minutes by car

3.Luquillo Beach and kiosks

A palm-fringed public beach with calm water protected by reefs, and a long row of food kiosks along the highway serving fritters, seafood and drinks. It pairs naturally with a morning in El Yunque.

Getting there

Car via PR-3

Best for

Families, Beach, Food lovers

90 km · About 1 hour by car plus 45–90 minutes by ferry

4.Culebra and Flamenco Beach

A small island off the east coast whose Flamenco Beach is a long crescent of white sand and turquoise water, with rusting tanks from former US Navy use. Ferries sell out at weekends; an overnight is more relaxed.

Getting there

Car or shuttle to Ceiba, then ferry; or small plane from San Juan

Best for

Beach, Couples, Quiet stays

50 km · About 45 minutes by car

5.Guavate

A mountain area in Cayey famous for its strip of lechoneras roasting whole pigs, with live music and dancing on weekend afternoons, set among forested hills.

Getting there

Car via PR-52 to Cayey

Best for

Food lovers, Culture

115 km · About 1.5 hours by car

6.Ponce

Puerto Rico's second historic city, on the south coast, with the striped red-and-black Parque de Bombas firehouse, a grand cathedral plaza and the Museo de Arte de Ponce's European collection.

Getting there

Car via PR-52

Best for

Culture, Couples

Day-trip tips

• Leave early: most trips are more relaxed with a morning departure and a return before dinner.
• Public buses link the old town, Condado, Santurce and Isla Verde at low fares, but services can be infrequent.
• Tren Urbano, a single elevated and underground line, links Santurce's Sagrado Corazón with Hato Rey, Río Piedras and Bayamón; it does not reach Old San Juan or the beaches.
• For trips over about 150 km, an overnight stay or an organised tour saves a lot of travelling.

Questions travellers ask