Should I rent a small car for two lane roads or for old San Juan? Someone suggested this.

(CURRENTLY) AT THE LUIS MARTINEZ AIRPORT CHATTING UP A GIANT LATINA(MY TYPE DONT JUDGE LOL) JUST WANT TO SAY IF YOU DONT SPEAK SPANISH YOUR PRETTY MUCH COOKED! DATING,SERVICE,TRAVELING AROUND OR JUST IN GENERAL I THOUGHT THEY WERE GETTING BETTER WITH ENGLISH WHAT GIVES?

Are there any alternatives to renting two cars for the six of us to tour the island ?

I’m sharing this in the hope that it will be helpful to other solo female travelers. Before my trip, I received a lot of comments/messages on Reddit warning me about safety concerns, the language barrier since I don’t speak Spanish, and the fact that I don’t drive. Well, I’m here to say: NO! I had a wonderful experience, and I want to encourage others to do the same.

Here’s a breakdown of my solo journey through Puerto Rico.

San Juan (Days 1–5)

Stay:
I stayed in Condado, a walkable area with easy access to buses and scooters for trips to Old San Juan. I only used scooters or buses. A note on scooters: if you take a scooter at night, you have to book it 4 times before. Otherwise, it doesn't let you.

Day 1:

I didn't sleep the day before, so I was so tired. Walked around the Condado area.

• Lunch: Café Bebos is recommended by many people. I tried mofongo, but it was dry. Not recommended.
• Beach Bar: Número Uno Beach Hotel & Restaurant – $30 minimum spend. Lovely spot but mainly for wealthy tourists. Especially rich Americans. Not my vibe. I wouldn't go again. And Pino Colado was too weak.
• Crash Early: Slept at 9:30 pm :)

Day 2:

• Morning Coffee: Gustos Coffee, Miramar –A cute spot with open windows, great coffee. I journaled there while watching people.
• Exploring:
  • Took a bus to Old San Juan. (10 minutes ride)
  • Walked to Castillo San Cristóbal ($10 covers both forts).
  • Walked through La Perla (don’t take pictures here) by the water. I had a romantic moment by myself. :)
  • Lunch at La Garita – Mostly locals. Beautiful view, great mofongo, mojito, and pino colado.
  • Walked to Castillo San Felipe del Morro (you can use the same ticket from the other port within the same day. It closes at 5 pm)
• Dinner:
  • Empanadas at The Red Monkey – Delicious! and grabbed a local beer.
  • Later, tacos at Acapulco Taquería Mexicana – Dry and overrated.
  • Night out: Casa Laurel – A charming, local spot run by an older couple who cook a small selection of dishes fresh each day. I spent the evening surrounded by elderly Puerto Ricans, watching them dance salsa with the karaoke :) It felt like stepping into a family gathering, and I loved every moment of it.
• The End:
  • I took an Uber to Calle Cerra, a popular nightlife spot with lots of bars and people hanging out outside. There were plenty of places to dance and grab a drink. I had a cocktail at one of the bars, but the crowd was mostly young. It’s a fun place, but not really my style.

Day 3:

• Coffee & Breakfast: Café Comunión – Great coffee and sandwiches.
  • Kasalta - Try their guava pastries. Delicious!
• Old San Juan:
  • Barrachina for piña coladas (meh).
  • Drunken Cookies – Highly recommend! You get a small shot with each cookie.
• Dinner: Cueva Del Mar – Fried whole snapper. So good! Must-Try. and a glass of wine.
• Night Out: Checked out La Placita but preferred La Penúltima – La Placita was too crowded for dancing, but a local recommended La Penúltima - a perfect cocktail bar. Chill vibe, great drinks, and locals.

Day 4:

• Morning: Visited a Christmas market in Miramar – Fun and festive.
• Museo de Arte Puerto Rico: Loved it! Try to join a guided tour.

Food/Drink Stops:

• La Sonrisa food truck at Lote 23 – A must for empanadas.
• a beer stop with locals- Superduper (must go) Grab your beer from the fridge. Super cheap
• Scryer Rum BarrelHouse at Old San Juan– The espresso martini was okay but pricey. Made a friend here!
• Evening: El Cafetín – Great music, dance, friendly crowd, and I made tons of friends.
• Salsa at La Factoría – Danced for hours. They have live music every Sunday and Monday starting at 10:30 PM. Made friends again.

Day 5:

• Run into friends from New York. We were together all day.
• Spent the day relaxing on the beach.
• Dinner: Delicious Cuban sandwich at La Taberna Lúpulo – 30+ beers on tap, perfect for beer lovers. Lovely bartenders.
• Salsa - Back to La Factoría for another night of dancing.
• Missed My Ferry to Culebra: I missed my 3:30 AM ferry due to poor planning (the terminal is far), and Uber was $85 . Instead, I booked a last-minute flight to Culebra for $65 on a small plane—best decision ever! Glad i missed the ferry!

Culebra (Days 6–7)

Day 6:

• Golf Cart Rental: I rented from Carlos Rentals for $85/day—the cheapest option available since most others were over $100. My bargaining skills didn’t work this time! I don’t know how to drive a car, but I figured it out and had so much fun. The locals were super helpful, especially with parking in tight spots. 😊
• Beaches:
  • Flamenco Beach – Umbrella was $15 for the whole day.
  • Zacos Tacos – Pricey but fresh and delicious fish tacos and Pino colado.
  • Evening: Practiced driving around the island and rested early. :)

Day 7:

• Snorkeling: (smoke weed if you can)
  • Tamarindo Beach – Bring your own snorkel. Started talking with the tour guys in the water and we became friends. They showed me around and all the other beautiful beaches. We snorkeled for about 2 hours.
  • Melones Beach: Went there after for another snorkeling experience
  • Playa Punta Soldado – Watch the sunset and go into the water. It was like a dream. Sandy flies will kill you if you don't go into the water (Learned from the experience)
• Dinner: Dinghy Dock – Went there with the locals. A beautiful spot by the water, followed by a visit to a small art gallery next door. Must visit both. And say hi to the gallery owner. He is super knowledgeable and friendly.
• Stargazing: Water tower – Bring bug spray for this magical experience. We were there for around 3 hours watching the stars. Smoke weed if you can :)

Last Morning:

• Sunrise: Woke up at 5 to watch the sunset at Zoni Beach – followed by breakfast. Don't remember where.
• Smoking and snorkeling for 2 hours in Tamarindo Beach. DREAM!

Final Thoughts

Take the time to connect with the locals—whether it’s bartenders, baristas, or anyone you meet along the way. Both San Juan and Culebra are incredibly safe, and the people are welcoming and helpful. If you don’t want to be alone, you won’t be. And if you're a bit shy but want to make friends, a couple of drinks might help break the ice. :)

I truly hope this is helpful to other solo female travelers. Don’t let fear hold you back from your adventure! 🌴

I just read about El Yunque’s 200 car limit, and I imagine it’s more crowded on weekends than on weekdays (please correct me if I’m wrong).

I’m planning my itinerary, and as of now I’d be getting to El Yunque around midday on Sunday. How long of a wait should I expect if I arrive around 1pm? I don’t think I’ll be able to arrive much earlier than this, maybe 12 at the earliest if everything goes smoothly.

My alternative would be to shift my other plans around and go to El Yunque on Wednesday morning. I’m sure it’s less crowded on a Wednesday morning than a Sunday at midday, but is it a significant enough difference that you’d recommend I make this change?

Has anyone taken the clear kayak tour in Mosquito Bay with a young child? We’re planning to go with our 4-year-old, and it’ll be his second time kayaking. He enjoyed it the first time, so we’re confident he’ll have fun again!

We’re planning to have him sit in the middle between the two of us for balance. Has anyone had any challenges kayaking or canoeing with a child this age? Any tips to make the experience smoother or more enjoyable?

Planning to go with pirate bio bay tours at 6:30 pm on a day before the new moon.

We just finished 3 days in Vieques and my 23 week pregnant fiancé is feeling the adventures. We fly back to Ceiba shortly and then are staying at another ABNB in Luquillo. We had planned to do El Yunque as it is our last full day before we fly out Tuesday night but I'm wondering if relaxing may be our better option after the adventures on Vieques. I've read there are easier trails so we may still consider those. Anyone able to offer any advice? Trying not to burn her out for our last day or 2

I want to travel to PR with 3 friends including myself, but I'm not sure if I should get an AIRBNB or get a Resort room? Which is the best option? Also, I want somewhere where the nightlife is heavier. Any suggestions would be helpful. ( I also heard the ubers in San Juan were expensive? ) Thanks : )

My boyfriend and I are looking for a warm destination in February. While our goal is primarily relaxing on a beach, we consider ourselves foodies who love an excursion or two (waterfalls, city streets, etc).

What would you recommend for a week in Puerto Rico? It seems like the best beaches are in Vieques, but we also want to tour old San Juan and do a potential day trip (rainforest/El Yunque?). While we’d enjoy a night out, nightlife isn’t super important to us — it’s more about having good restaurants. We’d also like to avoid spending too much time traveling place to place… reminder: low key vibes.

Look forward to hearing your thoughts! If you’d recommend another destination all together, I’d love to hear that too! We went to Aruba this year and absolutely loved it, but we’re targeting a less touristy spot with more to do than “beach.”

Hi,

I’ll be traveling to San Juan, Ocean Park and was looking for ideas. There are three of us and my daughter is 6. We’ll have a rental car. We’ll be there three full days and two travel day. Probably looking to do half day trips and spend half of the day at the beach.

What are some good activities for us? How tough is the rainforest for kids? Any good recommendations in San Juan? Is the bioluminescence kayaking worth it?

Any ideas would be appreciated!

Thanks

https://imgur.com/a/GSF50GG

I cannot find the exact location

Landing in San Juan PR AT 1 am is there any open food trucks ?

What’s your thoughts on the esj towers? Because some reviews are great and some are terrible.

I’m looking to take 5-6 days in March sometime with my girlfriend. What part of the island is a good place to stay for the first time? Looking to explore, visit beaches, sights see, hike, and most of all relax. Any other advice is appreciated, thanks!

Going to Condado Beach for a few days any suggestions on shopping, hole in the wall food joints day trip or anything I need to know thats impressive TIA✅ Ps….. should I rent a car

I have severe, as in skin contact can cause a reaction allergies to peanuts and tree nuts.

I have never visited a non-English speaking place without someone who knows the local language.

I know no Spanish. My question is, would restaurants in PR accommodate allergies, and do I need to carry a translator to explain to them or do restaurants usually speak English?

Hello everyone! Me and my partner are traveling to PR for the first time in december. We can't rent a car because we don't have US driver licenses, and we like to walk. So we need transportation between cities (Aguadilla, San Juan, Ponce). What would you recommend? Táxis, private transportation? Any suggestions, websites, driver's contact info would be very welcomed! Thanks!!

Hello! Traveling to San Juan by cruise ship mid-December and looking for suggestions. My plan is to just spend the day wandering Old San Juan with no real schedule. Below are the places I’ve come across searching the sub but open to other spots to add. Would love bakery or ice cream shop recommendations as well as other local vendors. Solo female traveler if that influences any recommendations!

Drunken Cookies

Puerto Rican arts and crafts

Pigeon park

Cat park

El Jibarito (lunch?)

Barrachino (pins colada)

Kaffe Haus (brunch??)

Rogativa Plaza

Hoping to watch the Liverpool vs Man City match tomorrow at a bar with an atmosphere. I've been told T Mobile or The Place but neither could confirm if it would be on. Anyone have any experience finding a bar to watch soccer?

Wife and I are experienced world travelers but just had our first baby. We were thinking about taking them to Puerto Rico in December for their first trip. She will be 3 months old. Anyone had good luck with this? We would probably just stay in San Juan for the week to minimize having to travel with her once we are there.

I have a Florida MMJ card. Was wondering the best way to get a temporary med card on my vacation.

Can you get tickets in advance ??

Six of us - can’t rent a vehicle for us all. Should we just Uber around or rent two cars ($650 each).

I would like to go on their river tubing tour but in some videos I saw cliff jumping, rock climbing and zip lining (I think - could have been another tour). I’m deathly afraid of heights (even short heights) but I love river adventures. Does anyone have some insight?

Hey guys, planning a trip in January for 4 days to Puerto Rico with my lady. This is somewhat a last minute idea I had in mind and need help with some things.

1. Where do I rent a car? I’m 21 and never rented a vehicle before, heard there’s cheaper alternatives outside of the airport and Enterprise being one of the easiest one to rent from? Also heard there’s under 21 upcharge fees, what do these fees consist of? Recommend getting insurance?

2. I want to go to Flamenco Beach which is a must for me, can I take a rental car to the island and what’s the parking situation like? Ferry cost?

3. This is a big one, my lady is vegetarian and so finding food for her is kind of hard, are there spots you recommend for vegetarian people? Is it abundance in Puerto Rico?

4. Hotels or Airbnb? Where should I get a place to stay? In the City of San Juan? Or out east.

5. Anything else you guys recommend! Any places to see, tips, or any must do places feel free to let me know or what to avoid.

Thanks!

It feels like time wise nothing goes our way.

We are staying Esperanza and our flight is at 3PM in San Juan. This is on a weekday. If we take the 10 AM- 11:30 AM ferry to Ceiba it would take 1hr 30mins to get to the airport. Say it would take us 30mins to find a taxi and board it, we would be at the airport 1:30 AM earliest which is cutting it close, our friend told us there is a long line at the airport and we cannot miss it as we don’t have flight insurance.

However, if we choose the 6 AM ferry, we won’t be able to take our rental car and return it, as the place opens up at 8 AM, so we have no idea how we would get to the Vieques Ferry Terminal from Esperanza and I don’t think we will be able to find any taxis at that time. Walking from the rental car place to the terminal is 30mins

Are there any other options for water transportation with a different schedule. I couldn’t find any water taxis.

Hi,

Me and me friend is going to PR for five days January and need some advice.

We are traveling from Sweden and just want to surf, relax and eat cheap great food. And we are beginners of surfing and want to take some classes. Probably not rent a car so we going to use Uber.

Rather going to a smaller village than a bigger town.

Where should we go?

28F First time solo traveler to puerto rico for 4 days. I don’t know how to drive, so I will be uber’ing around I guess and because of that I want to stay in the metro area. I also want to discover the architecture in areas like Old san juan, food culture and enjoy the beach (and I love to dance!) Any recommendations for where I can stay? Do you recommend airbnb or hotel? In which area? Any advice on areas to avoid and things I can do solo?

Thank you so much!!

I want to go to either Vieques or Culebra on my trip, and I’ll have 2 days for either one. Which would you recommend?

For context I’m a single 29M (although I don’t expect either one to be a place to meet people), and I expect this to be the only time I’m ever in Puerto Rico, so there’s no going back and doing the other one another time

I have an adventurous 17 and 16 year and a baby who is about to turn a year old. I’m struggling with ideas of what to do as a family. My husband and I are busy-bodies and aren’t the type to want to just sit around a hotel pool for a vacation.

El Yunque is a must.

We can do Old San Juan for a day or two. I’m not sure the older boys will be very entertained by this. Definitely open to suggestions there. I think Castillo del Morro looks fun.

I’m trying to figure out beaches. My baby is at the age where he just can’t stay still. So while the older boys are in the water and snorkling, I’ll need something to entertain him. Any suggestions on beaches? I’ve been trying to find a place with beautiful hiking trails.

I really wish we could make Vieques work, but I think between the ferry and needing a second car rental, it would just be too much. It’s very tempting with the beautiful beaches, horses, bio bay for the older boys, and nature preserve.

I’m fine with splitting up a couple times. I want the older boys to experience zip lining. My husband or I can stay back with the baby.

I was thinking about spending a night in Old San Juan, a couple nights at an AirBNBs on a beach, and a couple nights in the middle of the jungle.