[1. spend as much time as possible at the beach and in the water. puerto rico is located in the caribbean between the caribbean sea and the north atlantic ocean, so the water is naturally gorgeous! plus, the beaches are very clean, the water is a beautiful blue clear color, and there’s great sand, great scenery and endless opportunity for pictures. puerto rico’s beach and water area was by far the most breathtaking i have ever seen.]
[2. walk the cobblestone streets of old san juan. the city was founded in 1521, and is full of rich, rich history well worth exploring. old san juan is full of endless cobblestone streets decorated with lines of beautiful pastel and historic buildings. i have never experienced anything like it. grab a map, because it is easy to get lost.]
[3. see where the piña colada was created. the tale here is that a guy named don ramon, while working as the main bartender at the barrachina restaurant, mixed pineapple juice, coconut cream, condensed milk and ice in a blender, creating the first delicious and refreshing drink known today as the piña colada. we went. we tried it. it was delicious! take my word!]
[4. walk the castillo de san cristóbal and the castillo de san felipe del morr. castillo de san cristóbal and the castillo de san felipe del morr were citadel’s built in the 16th century to ward off invading countries and sea attacks. they still stand tall and beautiful as ever. ]
[5. pack the right shoes. puerto rico is all about walking. we walked every place we went and it was hilly. you will be happy you have good shoes in your bag.]
[6. paddle the bioluminescent bay. while in puerto rico we contemplated doing this for days. it looked incredible, but required us getting shuttled out to the bay. it was a little pricey, and we didn’t know if it was worth it. but, we rented the glass bottom kayaks and paddled through water of glowing organisms. the water looked like it was full of shiny glitter. it was TOTALLY worth it and our guides were funnier than heck. ]
[7. stay in an airbnb. we stayed in an apartment right in old san juan. it was probably cheaper nightly than a hotel, and we got the feel of what it is like to live in puerto rico. we were islanders for a week, waking up and walking the streets to get our coffee and groceries. i definitely recommend an airbnb.]
[8. write on the wall of la taverna lúpulo. when i was in puerto rico i met an islander who brought me to la taverna lupulo, which had the best beer on the island. it also had a hidden patio that was covered wall-to-wall with writings from visitors, from names, to quotes, to funny pictures. this was an awesome find!]
[9. find a treasure. find something to bring back that reminds you of this colorful culture. there are a billion authentic tourist shops in puerto rico, but spend some time looking to find a hidden gem. i found a place whose name i can’t remember anymore, but it was a little crystal shop full of rocks and crystals and gems. i bought a stone on a chain i still wear all the time. it is a special reminder of the my unforgettable trip to puerto rico.]
[10. eat the local food. the best part of seeing a new country or place is absorbing the culture and the best way to do that is through the food (and who doesn’t love food?!)- this tip is a no brainer.]
stay creating,
brookklyn
