First time in PR- Eastern/Northern region of the island needed
Hello,
Our family of five, including a 4-year-old and two 10-year-olds, will be traveling to PR next month, staying in an Airbnb in Carolina for a week, and renting a car. I have a couple of questions I'm hoping to receive guidance on answering. Thank you all for your time!
Food- We have some picky eaters. In addition to a market, are there places not too far from Carolina, or in Carolina, that offer pasta- or kid-friendly options you would recommend trying? Also, we would love some great restaurant recommendations for authentic food, including seafood, in the area.
Excursions-
Currently, I have a snorkeling with sea turtles option booked in Fajardo with the 10-year-olds. I have also booked a Biobay boat tour for the family and a day trip on a powered catamaran to Culebra.
El Yunque- I am debating whether to purchase a guided tour or to travel in our rental car. Since we have a 4-year-old with us, I am looking for walkable trails with some wonderful sights, as he would not be able to complete any strenuous hikes to waterfalls, etc. If we were to go with a tour company, even if we used our own transportation or they provided it, are there any you would recommend? We would love to support a local operator directly instead of the big agencies. We would be looking for an early-morning tour of about 3-4 hours, followed by Luquillo beach and the kiosks.
OSJ Tour- Would you suggest grabbing an Uber from Carolina or driving in and parking at one of the two public parking garages? I saw the one science station tour for little ones. Are there any other kid-friendly tours that last 1-2 hours? We were also thinking of completing the tour on a Sunday to see the artisan market. Good idea? Restaurant suggestions?
Arecibo Region- We were looking at landscapes and caves, although with a 4-year-old, it could be a challenge. Does anyone have any suggestions for tours or explorations of this area? It is a beautiful area we would love to visit in some way while we are in PR.
Northern Beaches- Are there any family-friendly northern beaches that are not too far from Carolina that you would recommend that do not require a drive of multiple hours? We would love to show our kids at least a small slice of PR's beauty.
- Finally, knowing our travels, would you suggest purchasing the toll pass when renting our car?
Thank you all for your assistance! We are excited to visit!