A plan for San Juan

Location

San Juan has one of the best harbors in the Caribbean in a strategic location in the Atlantic Ocean. The city celebrated its 5th century anniversary in 2008 from the founding of Caparra, and in 2021, it celebrated its 500th anniversary of its official founding in its current location at the Isleta de San Juan. The city has a land area of about 76 sq mi (200 km2).

Climate

San Juan is a tropical city with winter temperatures typically ranging in the low 80s°F (21-24°C) during the day, and low 70s°F at night. Summer temperatures are generally in the high 80s°F (29-32°C) during the day, and high 70s (25-28°C) at night. Summer does include high humidity. The city has a tendency to receive rain and thunderstorms from April to November in the afternoon. San Juan and the rest of Puerto Rico can be hit by hurricanes or tropical storms from July to November.

Culture

San Juan is a Latin American city with Spanish-based culture, mixed with African traditions and Taíno culture. Museums of modern art exist abroad. The citizens of San Juan are very festive, as on the rest of the island. San Juan has bars and discotheques all-around the city, from Old San Juan to the southern part of the city that stay open until 3 or 4AM. San Juan has become very modernized as of late, with its first Metro line (called Tren Urbano) and buses. Like most large cities, however, there is a small population of vagrants and beggars lining the streets.

San Juan is the financial capital of Puerto Rico. There are facilities for petroleum and sugar refining, and pharmaceuticals.

Old San Juan

San Juan National Historic Site, 501 Norzagaray St, ☏ +1 787-729-6960. 9AM-5PM. The park consists of multiple sites. Castillo San Cristóbal is one of the largest Spanish fortresses in the new world, and has a National Park Service visitor center off of Avenida Luis Muñoz Rivera. The center offers English and Spanish versions of an introductory film to the Historic Site, exhibits, and a bookshop. Castillo San Felipe del Morro (or el Morro) is a citadel with a commanding view of the entrance to San Juan Harbor, at the end of Calle Norzagaray. The extensive esplanade between the citadel and the town is popular for kite flying. Allow at least an hour to explore each fort. The park also includes most of the historic city walls, and tiny Fortín San Juan de la Cruz (or el Cañuelo) across the harbor on Isla de Cabras. $10/day adults, children under 15 free, national park passes includes up to 3 visitors. One ticket is good for both Castillos on the same day.

1 El Castillo San Felipe del Morro (El Morro). A 16th-century citadel that lies on the northwestern-most point of the islet of San Juan, Puerto Rico. It is part of San Juan National Historic Site and was declared a World Heritage Site by the United Nations in 1983.

El Castillo de San Cristóbal, ☏ +1 787-729-6960. A fort built by the Spaniards to protect against land based attacks on the city of San Juan. It is part of San Juan National Historic Site. It covers 27 acres of land and is 150 ft (46 m) tall.

Alcaldia, Calle de San Francisco (along one side of Plaza de Armas). San Juan's City hall, built in 1602. (updated Jul 2025)

The Institute of Puerto Rican Culture. (updated Jan 2016)

Casa Blanca, western end of Calle San Sebastián, ☏ +1 787-721-7000 ext 2358. Wed-Sun 8:30AM-noon and 1:30-4Pm. Ancestral home of the Ponce de Leon family, now a museum. $5 adults, $3 seniors/students/children. (updated Jul 2025)

A popular point of interest is Old San Juan, a 7-block area that has become popular for tourists and residents. The narrow streets of old San Juan are packed with people so it is recommended to experience Old San Juan by foot in order to avoid too much traffic. You can take a taxi for less than $20 from most hotels but for $0.75 you can also take the B21 bus which picks up from many locations near the hotels and is very easy to use.

There are a few things to do in Puerta de Tierra that don't have anything to do with what is in your hotel. There is a large park, a nice beach, and several smaller walkways to take short walks on.

Beaches

Check out the beaches in Condado and Isla Verde.

Escambrón

In Puerta de Tierra, the Balneario el Escambrón is the most accessible area of the beach to hotel guests, being a 5-minute leisurely walk from the hotels. This family-friendly beach is protected from the waves by a coral reef, and in the smooth waters you can see many fish. Once on the beach, there are great distant views of not only the San Cristobal fort, but El Morro as well, if there is no fog.

Closer in and right next to the Kiosko Escambrón, a snack bar often playing loud salsa and serving up drinks to locals, is a lookout point that faces the water, where romantic couples often go to privately make out and gaze off into the ocean.

Parks

Central Park is the park to visit if you're looking for traditional activities such as jogging, tennis, baseball, etc.

Parque Luis Munoz Rivera, Av. Ponce de León. Tu-Su 9AM-5PM. By the ocean, it has beautiful trees and landscaping. A great place to tour by foot.

Parque de las Palomas overlooks La Princesa Jail. From this park you are able to see a great view of the mountains, harbor and the city.

Parque del Tercer Milenio. Encompassing most of the beach and park area of Puerta de Tierra, this park also holds an athletic club with a track and plenty of field area for outdoor napping or picnics on the beach.

Entertainment

The Teatro Tapia, +1 787-721-0169 or +1 787-721-0180. Built in 1832, this is one of the oldest theaters in the Western Hemisphere. This building, which was named after Alejandro Tapia y Rivera, has been remodeled twice, once in 1949 and once in 1987. Plays, ballets, and other concerts and events are held here.

El Asador, The Grill Old San Juan, 350 San Francisco St (Old San Juan), ☏ +1 787-289-9966. Daily 10AM - 4AM. Puerto Rican cuisine at the entrance of Old San Juan, the heart of nightlife in the Old City. It is a two-level restaurant with an exterior patio.

Margarita's, Several locations including 3rd level at Plaza las Américas and 1013 Ave. Roosevelt, +1 787-792-0283. A traditional Mexican food restaurants.

Tierra del Fuego, 3rd Level at Plaza las Américas, +1 787-294-7019. One of the best Argentinean restaurants where you will be able to savor a tender, juicy cut of meat prepared by chefs and cooks who work together with a warm staff of waiters and hostesses.

UVVA Restaurant, +1 787-727-3302, 1 Calle Tapia, Ocean Park. International creative cuisine by Chef Jose Vicente is served from 8AM-11PM. The ambiance is elegant and casual.

BUNS Burger Shop, 1214 Ashford Ave. (In front of Marriott Hotel). 11:30AM-4AM. Great burgers with high quality beef. Over 40 beers, some on tap.

Isla Verde

Several major hotels have their own restaurants serving most if not all meals; if breakfast is not included in the room rate, prices can be substantial.

On the south side of the "Avenida", small malls and parking areas variably hold small restaurants offering traditional Puerto Rican food, and several branded fast food outlets. This includes the Espana Bakery...on the south side of the highway (west end of Isla Verde). It has been in existence for over 30 years easily the best place to get "pastelitos" of many types, Spanish style soup (Fabada Austriana or Caldo Gallego - both versions of hearty bean and ham or sausage soups), sandwiches and "cafecito" the local coffee drink offered any time of the day or night.

Mi Casita is a similar family restaurant for Puerto Rican dining. At Plazoneta De Isla Verde (phone+1 787-791-1777, toward the East end of the "Avenida"), it serves tasty breakfasts, lunches and dinners at attractive prices, with many items substituted across generous entrees. The plazonetta (strip mall) also offers Church's Fried Chicken, Burger King and other franchises for easy recognition from the "Avenida". If you are driving, charges for secure parking can be offset by receipts from businesses within.

There is a public ordinance which bans drinking alcoholic beverages on the street. Although this is rarely enforced, it is recommended to consume all alcoholic beverages inside the establishments. This local ordinance is relaxed during the San Sebastian Festival, when drinking in public areas is allowed within the cordoned area of the festival if using plastic containers: no cans or bottles.

1 Club Brava (In the El San Juan Hotel), ☏ +1 787-791-2781. Thu-Sat from 10PM-4AM. Large and popular nightclub.

El Patio de Sam, Calle San Sebastián, Old San Juan. One of the most popular late-night joints with a good selection of beers. Live entertainment is presented here M-Sa. Open daily noon to 1AM.

Shannon's Irish Pub, Marginal Martínez Nadal, Guaynabo. Daily 11:30AM-1AM (closes at 2:30AM F-Sa). A sports bar with TV monitors and high-energy rock 'n' roll.

Nuyorican Cafe, 312 C. de San Francisco, ☏ +1 787-977-1276. Calle San Francisco #312. Good live music venue in Old San Juan. Salsa, Latin jazz, folkloric music.

BUNS Burger Shop, 1214 Ashford Ave. (In front of Marriott Hotel). 11:30AM-4AM. Great burger place with over 40 beers. High quality beef is their priority. $8-12.

Puerta de Tierra

In Puerta de Tierra, you are pretty much restricted to the lounges in your hotel for drinking options, as there are no other bars in this part of town, and even if there were, it is not safe to wander around the southern end at night.

Old San Juan

2 Barrachina, 104 Calle Fortaleza (on Calle Fortaleza between Calle del Cristo and Calle San José), ☏ +1 787-725-7912. Sun-Tue Thu 10AM-10PM, Wed 10AM-6PM, Fri Sat 10AM-11PM. Home of the original Piña Colada, a stone marker on the outside wall marks the location. Some bloggers report most "Coladas" have compromised flavor because they are held in and served from automatic machines.

3 La Taberna Lúpulo, 151 Calle San Sebastian (just south of the Museo de Arte e Historia de San Juan in Old San Juan), ☏ +1 787-367-9519. Mon-Fri 6PM-2AM, Sat Sun 1PM-2AM. Probably the best place in San Juan to grab a beer that's not Medalla or Coors Light. 50 taps and 150 bottles of the finest Belgian, English, German, and American Craft Beers and great pub food! On historic Calle San Sebastian in an open air colonial setting.

For those staying in Old San Juan, organized bus/van day-trips to other sights in Puerto Rico can be arranged through most hotels.

Some cabs wait at the end of the El Morro esplanade footpath. There are usually many, many cabs standing at the southwest corner of Plaza Colón.

By car

1 Estacionamiento Doña Fela (Doña Fela Parking Garage), Calle del Recinto Sur, ☏ +1 787-722-3558. Parking lot in Old San Juan with reasonable prices. (updated Apr 2022)

Getting around various parts of the city, the rest of the island, and to and from the airport, will be much more convenient with a car. Though some road signs may be in Spanish, on the plus side driving is almost a universal language, and with this being an American territory, the road sign shapes are going to be as familiar to you, if you are used to American road signs. And after all, when you see the word norte sitting above a numbered-road sign enough times, it won't take you long to realize that means north. However, a car could entail parking fees as you travel around to your destinations so you will need to budget for that, and if you go to Old San Juan, parking will be quite difficult.

If you think you can handle San Juan drivers and have a good road map in hand, you may want to rent a car to drive to the attractions in the city. Keep in mind that in Old San Juan and in the hotels especially, parking is rarely free. There is free parking at the Puerta de Tierra beach, however, and most of Puerta de Tierra's attractions are either on the beach or within walking distance. If you decide to drive anywhere in San Juan, however, read the main San Juan article on driving around the city and brace yourself for some very close encounters on the road!

Old San Juan is primarily made up of one-way cobblestone roads, and parking is practically non-existent. If you must drive, try to drive and park along Calle de Norzagaray or any other streets on the northern side, and park there if you can. It is near the main attractions and the trolley system which can take you into Old San Juan and out back to your car when you are done.

Use common sense when going around. The tourist areas, like the Old City, Condado, and Isla Verde tend to be very safe. There is a wonderfully visible, 24-hour police presence in the Old City.

Use caution when riding a bicycle around the city as roads are often crowded and some are unpaved. Be sure to pay attention to the roadway on which you are riding and the traffic.

Pedestrians need to use similar caution in Old San Juan. While traffic usually is slower, the streets are narrow, and sidewalks very narrow, sometimes crowded, with occasional trip hazards.

Ave. Fernandez Juncos is a major road running across the southern waterfront of Puerta de Tierra. Many buses, including a metrobus line, run through this part of the city before entering the bridge to Condado and beyond. While it is safe to ride through this part of town in the day time, it is not at any time of day safe to explore, as this is a run-down area where poverty and drug trafficking can be easily found. At night, it is probably best to take the B-21 bus back to the hotel from Old San Juan which does not go on this street.

Many of the roads that tourists use in Puerta de Tierra are high traffic roads, and the problems that pedestrians face during the daytime while sharing roads with vehicles are magnified at night. Use common sense, and if you feel like you may come to a place where you are not easily seen or there is no sidewalk, walk on lit paths that will show your presence to drivers.