Thread: Do you have a Favorite thing to do in San Juan?

Jackie .... Feel sure there are quite a few.

In Old San Juan we've always enjoyed La Mallorquina which claims to be the oldest restaurant there ....

Thanks Lulu, I will put that one in my notebook....

Originally Posted by cruzinmama

Any suggestions for a good, authentic Puerto Rican Restaurant in San Juan? We will be staying for 2 days pre-cruise, and wanted to find a nice place to eat.

Restaurant Barrachina!!!!!

Birthplace of the Pina Colada and home to very good authentic Puerto Rican food. A favorite snack here is Coconut breaded Calamari.

I re-read your post and noticed a 2 day stay ahead of your cruise. You must add Parrot Club to your list of dining. A nice dinner at Parrot Club and a nice lunch at Barrachina would be great.

PE

Thanks so much for the rccommendations! I am writing this all down. Now , I have heard that Barrachinna'a does a Flamenco Dance at 8pm on Fridays & Saturdays, does anyone know if they still do this? Thanks again...

If I remember correctly, Coach is on the corner of Calle Del Cristo and Calle San Francisco. So walk about a block or so down Calle San Francisco and there is a great local restaurant/diner/bakery type of place. The fried bread is awesome. Had a local lunch there also (couldn't pronounce it but it was gooooood).

I don't smoke alot of cigars, but when I go to San Juan, I have to visit my favorite cigar house. It's located inside "The Doll House", which is located at Fortaleza Street (between Tanca and San Justo Street). The gentleman in there hand rolls some of the best cigars I've ever had. Highly recommend him.

And when you walk out of The Doll House, cross the street and turn right. A few doors down is a little shop that sells some fantastic micro-fiber tablecloths. We've bought several and have give many away as gifts. Wonderful place to shop.

Pete

Thanks for all the suggestions! Pat, I knew you would know where I like to go..

Ahhhh! San Juan one my favourite Carribean ports!

So walking is definitely one of the best ways to see San Juan and I cannot highly recommend the walking tour from the Legends of Puerto Rico - if you are there for a late cruise the late afternoon one is fantastic and you get some amazing pictures!

Carnival also does the bioluminescence kayak trip which is awesome! Not much time for anything else that day but this is the most beautiful experience if you don't mind a little bit of paddling.

From a food point! I think someone mentioned Mofongo which has amazing traditional food! For something a little more gourmet Marmalade is amazing! They do a truffle soup with is of this world. And dragonfly is also great for a cool Asian experience.

Have a fantastic San Juan!

10 reasons to come have a vacation in Puerto Rico ”

How many times have you heard yourself saying, “I need a break”. Yes, I know exactly what you mean and today I would like to tell you ten reasons why you should take a vacation on the enchanted island of Puerto Rico .
Reason # 10 can simply be because it is like going to another country but you don’t need a passport. You can still use U S currency and most people know English.
Reason # 9 is that you can go to the many casinos.
Reason # 8 is that there are almost 20 golf courses around the island
Reason # 7 is that there are so many different types of beaches.
You can go surfing in the west or just find calm waters in the south.

Up to now, these reasons are pretty easy to understand.
Now let us take a vacation to see something that you have never seen before.
Reason # 6 is visiting the Arecibo Observatory and the Rio Camuy Caves . Both these attractions are unique to Puerto Rico and simply a must see.
Reason # 5 is visiting two old colonial cities like San Juan and Ponce . This reason could have been # 1 but for now lets just say that this is a historical reason.
Reason #4 is basically a new attraction that many people want to experiment. It is called the luminescent bay. There are not many in the world that you can go to very easily.
Reason # 3 and I take advantage of the upcoming concert of Paul McCartney. Yes, Puerto Rico has seen top musicians and singers performing in top quality coliseums.

Oh my, I have two more to go and do not which one is more important than the other. Well, here it goes.
Reason #2, would be to taste something different like alcapurrias, bacalaitos, mavi, tamarindo, pinchos, lechon asado, pasteles and parcha. Sorry, I don’t know the Spanish translation to some.

Reason # 1, is something that is easy to do but you would not think about it, if someone does not suggest it. Number 1, is to plan your vacation with the idea of staying all over the island in one week.
Yes, think about it. You arrive and at the airport you rent a car. You go west so you can spend a night in Arecibo . The next day go west to Rincon. The next day go south to Ponce . The next day go east to Humacao. The next day go north to Fajardo and finally back to San Juan .
You combine these towns with sightseeing and you have a very unique experience.
For more information on how to do this, please keep reading the great articles at Puerto Rico Explore or ask me, your friendly tour guide and friend.