Slower 3 Full Day Itinerary (post travel notes)
Hello, just got back and thought writing/yapping out this itinerary could help some folks who have a shorter amount of time and give some ideas for places.
We wanted a more relaxing trip and there was a good flight deal / hotel package from my local airport. We didn't want to rush around and we wanted to move on island time, so this isn't super packed. Didn't rent a car this time either because driving majorly stresses us out, but Ubers and transportation were super easy to arrange.
A few of the big things missing from the itinerary are El Yunque, the bioluminescent bays, and the food kiosks on the other beaches...will hit it up next time for sure :). I was just honestly more in the mood for drinks and reading my book by the pool and beach. If you're looking for more jam-packed stuff this might not be the best itinerary for you!
Flew in to San Juan around 6pm and stayed at the Royal Sonesta in Isla Verde. We were tired so we just hung out at the resort and ate at the Italian place. Walking around the resort to hear the coquis was nice though and that was one of my favorite things! I will miss that at night!
Wednesday Day 1:
- Got up and went to Panederia Espana to get some mallorca for breakfast (just FYI they are strict about breakfast food hours. We slept in and were in line at about 9:40, and got to the register at 10:02...so just be aware of that). But we still got mallorca and a Cuban sandwich with egg as well so that acted as a brunch and it was all delicious
- Got caught in the rain on the way back, but it stopped soon enough for us to enjoy the pool bar and the beach the rest of the day. Ate dinner in Condado at Semilla Kitchen and bar. Awesome meal. (we stayed at the hotel for most of this day because we knew the cruise ships were in the port, just wanted a quieter and less busy experience for Old San Juan)
Thursday Day 2:
- Old San Juan day with an early start. We ate at Cafe Luna. Waitress was really kind and gave us water bottles because it was going to be a hot day. Temperature wise the day was like the summer sun before a storm in the south mainland...bearable for us, but be prepared with water/sun block if you're not used to it! Saw some people with a portable mini fan and I was mad I forgot mine lol
- We went to El Morro early, and it was probably one of our favorite things during the trip. Definitely recommend if you're a history buff.
- Then we went to Barrachina for drinks, and enjoyed mofongo at Manolin. Did some shopping, then we stopped off at San Cristobal castle. After that we were sweaty and tired so we went back and had a relaxing evening at the hotel pool bar and had dinner there. This was probably our favorite day.
Friday Day 3:
- Slow morning, but then later we did book an East Island tour out to Caya Icacos (shuttle picked us up from the hotel). They had a 4 hour option on a smaller boat, which was shorter, but I preferred that for this trip (we'll consider the longer trip next time and hit up Culebra!). The ride can be bumpy, so have your sea legs ready! Did a short snorkeling session on a different spot, lunch, drinks, then went to Icacos. Lots of seaweed (which didn't bother me but just letting people know that's a thing). It was very cool feeling like we were on our own little island. Overall a beautiful day.
- We had dinner at Ocean Lab Brewery and we enjoyed the flights and drinks. The views were awesome on the beach as the sun set.
We had an early flight, but TSA was absolutely normal and nothing wild like several weeks ago in case you're nervous about that! Reflecting, there's so much to do on the island, but we still had a great time with what we chose. It's a popular, easy flight from our airport so we will absolutely be back and hit up the more adventurous spots!
Edit to add: If I were to change this, it would be 1-2 more days. That seems like th sweet spot to see that side of the island and add a couple more big attractions. But for a quick visit where I needed to rest and recharge, it was great.