Old San Juan:

Bacardí Rum Factory (tours include free drinks!)

From Jesse On A Journey: Top Booze Experiences in Puerto Rico (more than 70% of all the rum sold in the United States comes from Puerto Rico, according to the official tourism agency)

El Yunque, only National Park Service subtropical rainforest

Arecibo Observatory

Tours in Puerto Rico

While in San Juan, Mark stayed at the Intercontinental Hotel along the beach.

Puerto Rico Lodging Options

Puerto Rico is served with an international airport, cruise ship harbor, bus services, rental cars, tour groups, and drivers for hire.

Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport (SJU), in the capital of San Juan, is the international flight gateway to the island, and in fact is the Caribbean hub for smaller airlines, such as Cape Air, Seaborne Airlines, and Air Sunshine, according to the airport’s website.

While the airport is growing, its passenger count is down 18% from its 2005 record.

There are four terminals: A, B, C, & D. Be sure to check your airline for information on which you’ll be using.

As with the US Virgin Islands, no passport or visa is required for American citizens to visit Puerto Rico, since it is a US commonwealth. Many Americans do bring along a passport, however.

The US dollar is the official currency.

The official languages are English and Spanish, but some Puerto Ricans speak little to no English, especially outside of the main cities. If you want to be prepared, consider downloading one of our favorite foreign language translations apps.

If an asteroid is about to hit Earth, you’d find out about it first on Puerto Rico! The island is home to the Arecibo Observatory , the world’s “largest single-dish radio telescope.” The tourism agency boasts it is “the only radio telescope that can accurately predict when and where an asteroid might collide with Earth, and was responsible for the first asteroid images in history.” You’ve likely seen it; it starred alongside Jodi Foster and Matthew McConaughey in the 1996 movie, “Contact.” Tours are available and you’ll get the opportunity to walk out on the observation deck for a classic photo.

An aerial photo of Arecibo, the world’s largest single-dish radio telescope. Courtesy: National Science Foundation

-If staying in a hotel or resort, look for a corner market nearby or beach stall. These are plentiful on the island and picking up groceries and snacks for the day can save you a bundle of cash, especially compared to restaurants at the hotels or in tourist areas, such as Old San Juan.

-Save on transportation (and perhaps energy) in San Juan by taking the free trolley in Old San Juan. The trolleys are frequent, but do not run at night.

For more in-depth—and often candid—travel advice when visiting PUERTO RICO, consider LONELY PLANET’S PUERTO RICO guide on Amazon.com. Thank you for using our referral (“affiliate”) link to support our journalism.