I recently visited San Juan, Puerto Rico on a cruise ship visit and it reminded me how much there is to do in one city (and island).
I sailed on Royal Caribbean's Oasis of the Seas for a 7-night Eastern Caribbean cruise and one of the ports of call was a visit to San Juan.
From bars, to historical sights, to shopping, and the beach, there's a surprising amount to do here. Most Caribbean ports are usually "one trick pony's", meaning they primarily lean in one direction for what to do. But that's not really the case in Puerto Rico.
Before you purchase a shore excursion to take you around, I'd recommend exploring on foot on your own because it's a lot easier than you might think.
If you have a cruise ship visit to San Juan, here are my top recommendations for fun that won't break the bank.
Exploring the city's history is a must
The name "Old San Juan" lives up to to the reputation, because there is so much history you can take in during your visit.
Within a reasonable walking distance are a lot of historical sites you can easily get to in just a few hours.
Here's an example of a walking tour that you could use as a loose guide of what to see. If anything isn't of interest, keep walking to the next one.
The two Spanish forts are probably the top must-sees within the city. El Morro and San Cristobal are excellent examples of traditional Spanish colonial forts.
They're great for young kids too, because there is lots of climbing and exploring. For adults, read the placards or just walk around and get a sense of what they looked like.
If you're a Walt Disney World fan, the castle at the beginning of "Pirates of the Caribbean" is based on El Morro.
Plus, admission to one fort gets you admission into the other one if you visit on the same day!
I'd also prioritize the Paseo de La Princesa, which is part of the old city wall.
You'll get views of the harbor, wall, and it's a beautiful vantage point.
Within the city itself, you'll find lots of historical spots to see. It seems like around every corner is something else to see.
The city is built on a hill, so it's practically impossible to get lost
If you've never been to Old San Juan, it's a lot easier to walk around on foot than you'd imagine.
Because the city is built on a hill and your ship docks at the bottom of the hill, it's nearly impossible to get lost.
If you ever get turned around and have no idea where you are, just walk downhill and you'll run back into the cruise ship.
While the streets don't have a grid, it's still remarkably easy to know where you are. Plus, Americans can use their cell phones here and with the aid of Google Maps, you shouldn't have trouble getting around.
More bars and restaurants than you can imagine
I've visited Old San Juan many times across so many sailings. Initially I was drawn in by the history, but the food and bars are what I look forward to more today.
On nearly any street you'll find various bars and places to eat. Some are more formal than others, but each has its own character to it.
It's fun stumbling upon a "hole in the wall" bar and trying the drink special. Or grabbing lunch at a cafe that offers terrific people watching on the street.
My kids love how many ice cream shops there are, which is a must-do when we visit during the very hot and humid days of the year.
While there are a few well-known restaurants many people recommend, such as Raices or Barrachina (where the Pina Colada was invented), I think it's fun to see where the path takes you and try a random spot.
Recommended places to visit
If you've got a cruise ship visit to San Juan, here are a few ideas of places to hit up:
- El Morro: Old Spanish fort, you can skip admission and just look at it
- Raices: Traditional Puerto Rican restaurant with less adventurous food too
- Vaca Brava: Puerto Rican food, lots of seating for large groups
- Barrachina: Puerto Rican food, creator of the Pina Colada
- Catedral Basilica Menor de San Juan Bautista: Traditional Spanish church with grave of Juan Ponce De Leon
- Himalaya Ice Co: My kids' favorite ice cream spot
- Convento hotel: walk through this for an incredible decorated hotel lobby
- Santa María Magdalena de Pazzis Cemetery: Final resting spot for many prominent residents of Old San Juan
There are great beaches, but I'd save them for another port
Puerto Rico is well-known for being a tropical destination, but I'd save the beach day for a different port.
There aren't any beaches in Old San Juan, so you'd have to take an excursion or taxi to get to the beaches that are in a different area of San Juan.
While there's absolutely nothing wrong with the beaches here, I'm willing to bet every other port your cruise visits will offer a typical beach day. Instead, I'd lean into a day of city exploration while in San Juan.
