Traveling During a Pandemic: Puerto Rico Edition
Yes, you read that correctly! My husband and I recently traveled to Puerto Rico for a much needed “post-quarantine” getaway. Our number one priority was safety and we practiced lots and lots of safety protocol during our trip. Full discloser, Puerto Rico has taken a very strict approach to establishing, implementing, and enforcing COVID-19 protocols, to ensure a level of safe visitor access as the country remained open during the COVID-19 outbreak. Travelers to Puerto Rico are required to complete a travel declaration form through the Puerto Rico Health Department’s online portal and show proof of a negative COVID-19 test result up to 72 hours prior to arrival.
Go to Explore
With it being our first time visiting this U.S. Territory located in the Caribbean, our mission was simple; relax, have fun, explore and indulge in some delicious authentic cuisine. We fell in love as soon as we landed. Take a look at our top reasons to visit Puerto Rico.
Old San Juan
Old San Juan, the capital of Puerto Rico is the most historic part of San Juan. Museums, galleries, cafes, and gourmet dining line these cobblestone streets. You can easily explore this old city on foot. It is absolutely beautiful and a very popular destination for remarkable ‘Instagram-worthy’ photo ops. We found ourselves huge admires of the craftsmanship, attention to detail, and the way wrought cast iron was infused in each design. You’ll find gorgeous homes lining the streets of Old San Juan, each fitted with uniquely designed entryways. Be sure to visit all the major landmarks and points of interest and take in the incredible colorful ancient architecture Old San Juan has to offer. Book a private tour of the city to visit some hidden gems in the bright and vibrant city.
Castillo de San Cristóbal
Located in Old San Juan, and ‘A list’ to the largest of the Spanish built forts in the Americas is a must. Step back in time walking through the fort and take in the breathtaking views overlooking the Atlantic Ocean. Due to the pandemic, the fort was closed during our visit, however, we were able to explore the open exterior of the fort. This included some of the best views San Juan has to offer and another great popular selfie destination.
Castillo San Felipe del Morro
No visit to San Juan is complete without visiting this monumental 16th-century Spanish fortification atop a cliffside promontory. While here you’ll see cannons pointing seaward, as a reminder of the deep history of the Island.
Loíza
Take a short 15-minute drive from San Juan to visit the town of Loíza which today, remains the largest culturally Afro-Caribbean community in Puerto Rico. During this off-the-beaten-path adventure, you’ll experience the unique history, culture, and traditions, which still remain true to this day. Make a stop at Estudio de Arte Samuel Lind. Visiting with Uncle Samuel was the highlight of our trip to Loíza. Samuel Lind graciously welcomed us into his studio and gave us an in-depth tour of his remarkable space. His genuine and humble tour also included a history lesson, where he explained the customs and culture surrounding their historic heritage. If your trip to Puerto Rico includes a weekend, you definitely want to visit Loíza to witness the local drummers and bomba dancers. This only happens on weekends in Loíza. Plan to head over on Saturday and you’ll be very happy you did.
Night Kayaking
Paddle through the San Juan Lagoon and take in the city lights of Condado. This guided Urban Adventure is a “must do” when visiting San Juan. You might even spot a few water creators out at night.
Campo Rico
Experience Puerto Rico’s countryside on a scenic horseback ride or a powerful ATV ride. Located within minutes of Old San Juan and the Luis Muñoz Marin International Airport, you’ll get the adventure of a lifetime on these action-packed trails. Local guides escort you through over 2,000 acres of land where you’ll enjoy breathtaking views of mountains, mangroves, lagoons, limestone formations, and native wildlife. Here you’ll learn about the distinct history of the Puerto Rican countryside and the plants and animals that inhabit it.
Other popular day-trip destinations from San Juan, are El Yunque National Forest and Fajardo.
Go to eat
Now for the best part, the food. Let’s face it, tasty authentic cuisine is a must while exploring any new destination. Puerto Rico is no exception. We are extreme foodies and take pride in tasting a variety of local meals. Keep in mind that every restaurant we dined at our temperatures were taken before entry and hand sanitizer containing 80% alcohol was dispensed before we entered the establishment. Take a look at our list of dining options to add to your itinerary while exploring Puerto Rico:
La Verguenza
Just down the street from Castillo de San Cristóbal and Carmelo Anthony Court, this red-orange and white building is the most popular restaurant on the street. There’s vibrant music playing and sounds of laughter and good times can be heard from the upstairs balconies which will entice you to enter. This place is known for its mojitos! I typically don’t dabble in mojitos but I found myself enjoying quite a few. They are extremely well made with the freshest of ingredients. La Verguenza is best with friends who enjoy drinking and good music. The food was decent but the drinks, views, and atmosphere thrived placing it in the back seat.
Another great thing Old San Juan is known for is breakfast! It is packed with several places to find breakfast and brunch that fill up rather quickly. Mercado La Carreta is located on the corner of Calle De La Luna in a beautifully designed gold and white building with a wrought cast-iron balcony stretching the entire face of it. Due to its design and location, it is another popular destination for photos but the true gem of this restaurant is the excellent cuisine, amazing interior, and friendly staff. With several options for seating from bars, to high top tables, there’s also a courtyard with a lovely mural in the back.
The food was amazing! I dared to try the strawberry cheesecake french toast while my husband couldn’t resist the opportunity for the chicken and waffles. Okay, the strawberry cheesecake french toast had real cheesecake inside the toast. It was a pleasant surprise and absolutely delicious. The cheesecake was so rich and creamy and it was all topped with fresh strawberries and whipped cream. Yummy just doesn't do the experience justice. While I found myself in gourmet paradise, my husband was enjoying what appeared to be the perfect piece of chicken on his waffles. After he noticed me looking, he shared a piece and the chicken was packed with flavor and topped with a nice light crunch.
It came with the best Cognac syrup I’ve ever tasted! Needless to say, his chicken quickly became “our” chicken. He also ordered a coffee which he described as the best coffee experience he’d had in a while. He is a coffee connoisseur so I’m sure it was on point! Unfortunately, it was gone before I could even grab a picture of it. The mimosas are good as well.
La Carreta is definitely a winner for breakfast and brunch. If you find yourself in Old San Juan for breakfast (which I highly recommend), be sure to try this spot early to beat the crowd. You will not regret it.
Villa Pesquera Herrera
Located on the beach in Loíza, Villa Pesquera Herrera can be seen from the road as you’re passing over a bridge. We decided to try it after a tour of Samuel Lind’s art museum and because we saw many cars in the parking lot (I was told that’s an indication of good food). We had a few drinks and finally tried the turnovers that are so popular throughout the island. The food is decent, however, the wait time was a bit lengthy. It was long enough to turn what should have been a drink and turnover stop, into a full out dine-in experience. Not to worry, it’s still placed on the beach with nice scenic views. It’s a great place to grab a mojito but save the cuisine for the road back to San Juan.
On our way back to San Juan from Loíza, the GPS had us take route 187 which is adjacent to the beach shore. The entire drive back we could see the sun beginning to set across the ocean. It was so breathtaking that we all (party of 4) voted to park to view it, which is clearly a thing because there were several places to park. After missing a few opportunities to stop, we found the restaurant Hook’d which was located directly on the beach and featured the sunset we were looking to capture.
It’s a long 3-story, split-level building, with glass windows on each floor that features the ocean so no one can miss the view. But the view isn’t the only thing that makes this place special, the staff is extremely knowledgeable, friendly, and they help to provide for a nice vibrant atmosphere. We decided to have drinks and to our surprise, Hook’d had a mixologist that made the best specialty drinks we experienced on the island. My husband was happy to finally have the local rum, Ron Del Barrilito, after missing out on the scheduled tour of the distillery. We did not eat because we had recently had Villa Pesquera. However, had we known this place was en route to our destination back, we would’ve waited and dined here as well. The food looked AMAZING! A table sitting next to us ordered a red snapper (full fish) that was plated as if it were fresh out of a gourmet kitchen. We were all jealous. My advice… eat here, drink here, and play here on your way back from Loíza. You’ll be happy you did.
Kaffe Haus
Kaffe Haus is another extremely popular breakfast restaurant in Old San Juan. It actually took two attempts to get inside to experience it (very happy we tried again). The key to getting a chance to enjoy this amazing cuisine is…you guessed it, arriving early. Like they say, “the early bird gets the worm”. Otherwise, you’ll find yourself outside in a very long line that doesn’t move quickly because the experience is good enough to make you want to stay.
With so many choices that seemed delicious, my husband decided to ask the manager for a suggestion. He suggested the Pumpkin Waffles. Now, my husband is no big fan of pumpkin by far but decided to roll with the manager’s suggestions. He had the pumpkin waffles with bacon, eggs, and hash browns. I had the Sweet Potato Pancakes with bacon and new potatoes. Everything was absolutely divine! His waffles arrived topped with fresh fruit (strawberries, blueberries, and bananas) and a swirl of whipped cream. My pancakes also came with a topper of fresh fruit (i mean truly fresh), a swirl of whipped cream, and sprinkles of powdered sugar. Now, add the trifecta of perfectly cooked bacon to the dish and you could just imagine how amazing it was.
Kaffe Haus is also a coffee bar so you know my husband couldn’t resist the urge. He had the pocillo which he described as “a mighty punch in a small cup”. It was so delicious that he wanted to try more but couldn’t due to its potency. There are tons of options at the bar which include: espresso, pocillo, macchiato, and several kinds of flavored specialty coffee. As you can see, this was another winner in Old San Juan! Be sure to arrive early and enjoy.
Café Cuatro Sombras
After our failed attempt at Haus, we found this delicious gem approximately a block away. Cuatro Sombras offers delicious breakfast sandwiches and several choices of coffee that include: espresso, latte, cappuccino, frappe, cold brew, and drip options. My husband had the black forest ham and I had the chicken salad croissant sandwich. We thoroughly enjoyed them! Due to COVID restrictions, dine-in was unavailable, but there’s a couple of benches right in front of the building that worked quite nicely. This is a great spot for quick take-out delicious food.
La Cueva del Mar
Dubbed as a local favorite by our barista at Kaffe Haus, this place was packed and filled with great vibes. Even more impressive… there is parking behind the building specifically for this restaurant. This is great news! Trust me. We drove around for about 45 minutes (almost missing this amazing cuisine) because we were unaware of the parking through an alley directly beside the building. Parking on this island can be very challenging. There are several signs restricting space both on the ground and on the curb. You really have to pay attention or great details can be missed. Like… parking in the Governor’s parking space. But that’s a story for another time.
Back to the food. This authentic island cuisine was everything our barista made it out to be! It was so good. I had the chicken with rice and beans and my husband had crab with rice and beans. That meal came fresh to order and was gone almost as quickly as it arrived. Don’t judge us. I would say it was due to the 45-minute search for parking, but that would be doing this gem a disservice. The food was on point and was the best dinner we had during our trip!
Tijuana's Bar and Grill
We stopped at Tijuana’s approximately 26 minutes before curfew at 10 pm (the time during our stay). We were enticed to stop due to the large crowd in outdoor seating, or so we thought. After being seated, we quickly realized that the restaurant with the large crowd was actually an Italian restaurant next door. With curfew being so close, we decided to stay and give it a try. The service was good and the food arrived quickly. This is a Tex-Mex kind of restaurant that will not disappoint if that’s what you’re after in San Juan. Unfortunately, we didn’t try the Margaritas for which they are well known. But, that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t. If you find yourself here, try one and let us know your thoughts!
Numero Uno Beach Bar + Kitchen
Located in the Numero Uno Beach House, this beauty is positioned directly on the beach. It has beautiful views, vibes, and many things to rent for water activities. This is not only a restaurant, it’s also a beach hotel equipped with excellent ocean views for guests. It’s a one-stop hub for beach activities. Whether you want to rent beach chairs with a bottle of champagne, have a drink at the bar, or kiteboard, this place has what you’re looking for. We chose to dine outside on the beach to keep that scenic view in front of us. My husband chose the burger after seeing a couple devour theirs and he thoroughly enjoyed it. They also had breakfast options (that we missed), tacos, quesadillas, a black bean burger, and many more options that are quick bites. If you are looking for a great time at the beach and food, this is the stop for you!
Serafina San Juan Located in La Concha Resort
Nice ambiance! Savvy service! Check. Okay, Serafina is a date night winner! It’s an Italian cuisine restaurant and was packed the night we arrived for dinner. The hostess was great and sat us quickly. Our waiter arrived and was well versed in the many options provided. After inquiring about the menu, the one thing he said couldn’t be denied was the brick oven pizza (bop.. bop… bop) so, we had to try it! While waiting for the pizza, we ordered calamari and the truffle french fries dressed with parmesan cheese as appetizers. The calamari and the fries were good (although $11 is a tad high for the amount of fries given). The pizza, however, was the true superstar of the meal! It was delightful. Add that with the modern upscale design and savvy vibes and you’ve got yourself a winner.
Places to Stay
There are tons of great places to stay throughout San Juan. I love the diverse options available on the island. From luxury and boutique hotels to vacation rentals, Puerto Rico has a place for you to stay and indulge in this tropical paradise.
We stayed at the Aloft San Juan. The Aloft San Juan is a vibrant boutique hotel featuring a modern design with a flare of Puerto Rican inspiration. The hotel is conveniently located near Miramar, Old San Juan, and Isla Grande Airport. It’s within walking distance from The Puerto Rico Convention Center and Casino Metro. The Convention Center is the largest and most technologically advanced in the Caribbean. Its beautiful structure is visually attractive and the I love PR display is another great instagrammable photo op.
Other hotels to check out are:
Condado Ocean Club
Numero Uno Beach House
Condado Vanderbilt Hotel
O:LV Hotel
Protocol during our time in Puerto Rico
A mask/face covering was required to be worn at all times in public.
Six feet of social distancing was required in public spaces.
A curfew was imposed from 10:00 pm to 6:00 am nightly during our time there.
All restaurants and bars must not exceed an occupancy of 30% based on their square footage.
For the latest protocols, be sure to visit https://www.discoverpuertorico.com/info/travel-guidelines.
As you can see, Puerto Rico is a spectacular Caribbean destination. It’s only a short flight from the US and you don’t even need a passport to visit. When you visit Puerto Rico, you’ll discover exquisite cuisine, stunning beaches, captivating architecture, and unprecedented natural attractions. You should definitely add Puerto Rico to your must-visit list. Let us know what are some of your favorite things about Puerto Rico?