7 Days in
Puerto Rico

Your purchase includes three things:

The Guide. An 18-page designed PDF, available for download immediately and also emailed to you. It includes an overview of the full trip, a map and a day-by-day breakdown, sometimes with several pages of detail per day and an hour-by-hour schedule where it matters. It covers where to go and why, where to park, where to eat and how to make the most of every single day without wasting time figuring things out on the ground.

The Restaurant Guide. Every restaurant mentioned in the guide, with notes on why each one is worth it, plus additional options to give you more flexibility. Delivered as a Google Doc so it's easy to pull up on your phone.

The Booking & Lodging Guide. A list of everything you need to reserve in advance, plus all of the hotel and Airbnb picks I'd actually book myself. Also delivered as a Google Doc.

This guide was written by my Puerto Rican husband and me. I'm an American who loved the island so much I lived there, studied at UPR and worked there. These are the places we actually go. Nothing in here is a guess, a stock recommendation or sponsored content.

No. Every restaurant, hotel and Airbnb in this guide is something I would recommend to my closest friends, because that's exactly who I originally wrote it for. No one paid to be included.

Most travel guides are written by people who spent a long weekend somewhere and compiled a listicle. This one was built from years of experience on the island, obsessive research and a genuine love for Puerto Rico that goes well beyond tourism. I've scrutinized the routing, checked the hours and thought about how to make the most of every single day. It reads less like a travel article and more like advice from a friend who has already done the trip a hundred times.

Yes. This is a great starting point if you've never been. The itinerary is designed to show you the best of the island without overwhelming you and it spells out the logistics clearly so you're not spending your vacation figuring things out.

Also, yes. If you've been to Puerto Rico before but spent most of your time in San Juan or at a resort, this guide will take you somewhere completely different. There is so much more to the island than Old San Juan and El Yunque and this guide gets into all of it. This guide is even good for those that know the island a little better. My cousins in Puerto Rico tell me that we do things that they don't even know about.

The guide is written for a Saturday to Saturday trip (seven nights, eight days), which I think is the sweet spot for seeing a meaningful amount of the island without feeling rushed. That said, the guide is organized so you can rearrange it to fit a shorter or longer trip or a different arrival day. I've noted which days specific places are open or closed, so as long as you keep that in mind when you shuffle things around, you'll be fine. If you have questions about adapting it to your dates, feel free to reach out.

That depends on what you're looking for and the guide gets into this in detail. If you want dramatic natural pools and rock formations, the north coast has spots like Mar Chiquita and La Poza del Obispo that are unlike anything else. If you want calmer Caribbean water, head south to Playa Sucia, Playa Buyé in Cabo Rojo or Guánica. If you want a surf beach with a lively scene, Playa Jobos in Isabela is hard to beat. The guide breaks it all down with directions and parking information for each one. My favorite in the metro area is Isla Verde.

Old San Juan is non-negotiable, but don't stop there. The bioluminescent bay, the west coast surf towns, the mountain roads through the interior, the food — the real Puerto Rican food, not the resort version — all of it is in this guide. I've thought hard about what I would be heartbroken to miss and it's all in here.

It's one of the best road trip destinations I've ever been to and I say that as someone who has driven it many times. The island is small enough to cover a lot of ground in a week but varied enough that every day feels completely different. The guide is essentially a road trip itinerary, with driving routes, parking tips and stops along the way built in.

Yes. You will not be able to do this itinerary without a car. It would be really expensive to Uber this trip.

There is no go-to answer here. Puerto Rico has so many beautiful beach towns and mountain towns. For this trip, there are several nights in San Juan and several scattered around the island. The guide includes hotel and Airbnb recommendations for different parts of the island, with notes on what makes each one worth it.

It can be, but it doesn't have to be. One of the things I love about Puerto Rico is that you can have an incredible meal at a local spot for very little, or splurge on something special and both are worth it in their own way. The guide includes a mix of budget-friendly and higher-end options throughout so you can calibrate to what works for you.

Mid-December through April is generally considered the sweet spot, with lower humidity, less rain and lower hurricane risk. That said, I've been at many different times of year and had a great trip every time. Hurricane season runs June through November, with September and October being the peak risk months. If you go during that window, just keep an eye on the forecast and have a flexible mindset.

If you're a U.S. citizen, no. Puerto Rico is a U.S. territory so you only need a valid government-issued ID, the same as a domestic flight. If you're traveling from outside the U.S., standard U.S. entry requirements apply.

Both Spanish and English are official languages and you'll find English spoken widely in tourist areas. That said, Spanish is the heart of the island, especially outside of San Juan and making even a small effort to speak it goes a long way. The guide uses Spanish names for places and dishes where that's the natural way to say them, with English in parentheses when it helps.

Puerto Rico is generally safe for tourists and I've never felt unsafe there in all the years I've lived there and been going. Like anywhere, it pays to be aware of your surroundings, avoid leaving valuables visible in a parked car and use common sense in unfamiliar areas. The places in this guide are all spots I've been to and felt comfortable at.

Absolutely. My kids have been on this itinerary. They loved it all. They were not thrilled about the idea of visiting a coffee farm, but once we were there, they enjoyed it. They really loved chasing the roosters and peacocks. Some of the restaurants are more casual and family-friendly than others and I've noted the vibe where it's relevant.

It happens. Small businesses on the island open and close and hours change. I update the guide when I become aware of changes and do periodic checks, but I'd always recommend doing a quick check on Google Maps or Instagram before making something the centerpiece of your day.

Yes, and I'll be upfront about it. This guide is not for you if you're planning to stay at an all-inclusive resort and not leave the property. It's not for you if you're happy doing the same highlights every trip. And it's not a substitute for going with us — though it's the next best thing. 🙂

There are no major hikes or anything demanding on this itinerary. You will get more steps in exploring Old San Juan than anything else. Otherwise, there is an approximate 1/2 mile walk at the coffee farm and there is a very short hike down and then back up steps to a waterfall on the west coast. This itinerary is do-able for older generations and those with mobility challenges can amend to their comfortability level.