I recently had an opportunity to join my husband on a work conference trip to San Juan, Puerto Rico. Even though I knew our time together would be limited due to his work obligations, I was all in to join him.
Alone time on a beach with a book? Yes, please.
Seeing San Juan through a different perspective this trip was much different than my first time on the island. Many years ago when I was in the youth group at church, we traveled to San Juan for a mission trip, World Changers. The week was spent tackling various construction projects to help serve the community.
Need a visual? I was on a crew that built a small home and put on a new roof on a home, in the Summer, in the Caribbean, and under the blazing sun. High schoolers with adult crew leads and supervision completed the physical labor. Can you imagine that?
I think it’s safe to say that my hands on experience with DIY and seeing the impact it can have on others, myself included, started at a very young age. Re-roofing a home for someone who didn’t have the means to fund it and building a small home from the ground up and witnessing a family’s gratitude when the job was complete was by far one of the most impactful moments for me on that trip. It certainly beat my coming home and my ankles being the same size as my calves because of my reaction to numerous fire ant bites. This is NO exaggeration, ask my parents who greeted us at the RDU airport.
Apart from one afternoon exploring Old San Juan as a group, we were immersed in the deep culture of San Juan and slept in a non-AC building where fire ants infested our beds (no amount of Arm & Hammer sprinkled on our sheets deterred them). It was a HOT week.
I think it’s important for you to have a visual of my first experience to see the contrast of my visit back to San Juan as an adult for vacation and not a mission trip.
Present day travels to Puerto Rico looked much different and I’m here to share about our few days in the vibrant city of San Juan.
Lucky for us, the conference was held at a beachfront resort on the popular Condado beach.
The area was pedestrian friendly with sidewalks and a greenway path for bikes that lead you all the way into Old San Juan which was approximately 3 miles before you reach the downtown entrance. We walked all the way into town early one morning. I ran the pathway every morning and soaked in the sunshine, ocean breezes and made a few stops along the way for scenic opportunites. It was fun to explore charming pockets of common areas, historical remnants and scenic overlooks.
We arrived to San Juan early on a Sunday morning which gave us a few hours to explore before Adam had to be at the conference. We unpacked, changed into shorts and t-shirts and booked an uber into town. There was a good bit of traffic on our commute so when we were close to town, we asked our driver if we could get out and walk. She was happy to let us out and we were happy to get out and walk in the sunshine along the coast.
As we wondered through the colorful streets and historic landmarks of San Juan, we found ourselves captivated by its beauty. There is vibrant architecture and rich culture everywhere we explored.
There are two major historic castles in Old San Juan that you can tour. Paying the entry fee into one gets you entry into both on the same visiting day. Because it’s a US National Park, we were able to use our National Park pass that we had purchased for our travels to Zion & Bryce National parks just last Spring. Read all about that life giving trip here.
It was well worth the time exploring Castillo San Felipe del Morro and the history lesson, highly recommend.
The greenspace around the Castillo was full of families flying kites, having picnic lunches and groups gathering to hang out.
If you’re wondering if San Juan is kid friendly, without question, YES.
We left the Castillo and walked the sidewalk into the vibrant streets of Old San Juan to explore. The only thing we had marked on a map were three recommendations from the hotel receptionist for places to eat and the location for the original Pina Colada.
We popped in a few shops along the way, talked to the locals working there and confirmed we needed to visit, Barrachina. We snagged the last two seats at the courtyard bar, ordered two of the original Pina coladas and an entree to share, a local specialty called Mofongo, pictured above.
It was a very rich dish with a lot of flavor.
After exploring the streets a little while longer after lunch, we hustled back to the hotel and went our separate ways. I set out for the beach where the staff set up chairs and umbrellas, anywhere you want to be, and Adam set off for the conference.
I have to admit, my chair was placed in a very popular area of the beach due to the Puerto Rican flag by the water. It provided entertainment for me as several couples seized it as a photo opportunity and video content.
The water was beautiful. I made the most of the only full sunny day we had and spent as much time at the beach and pool as possible.
Food Recommendations from our trip that I highly recommend:
Burrito Social – Fresh seafood tacos and Mexican cuisine + margarita happy hour.
La Hacienda – Market + Cafe, you can order fresh made items a la cart from the deli (eggs, chorizo, eat.), collect items to cook if you’re staying at an Airbnb, and order coffee. Prices were some of the best we found.
Barrachina – Pina Colada + local cuisine
Di Zucchero – Across the street from the Marriott, they have a very robust menu, rooftop and indoor/outdoor dining options.
Anitas – BEST gelato we’ve had outside of Italy. Truly, it was amazing. We visited the location on Condado beach and in downtown San Juan. Their story of how they started and where they have expanded globally is incredible. Come to NC Anitas!
One thing I wish I had researched ahead of our trip was visiting El Yunque Rain Forest for a hike and exploring. Some of the other conference goers had done this and show us pictures. It looked amazing so I would highly recommend doing this if you have a car rental and/or book an excursion through your hotel. Learn from our missed opportunity and read more about how you can explore the rain forest on your visit to San Juan, here.
This trip reignited my love of color and affirmed my recent design decisions in the home that incorporates more.
More than anything, Adam and I were reminded how much we love to travel. Before kids, we made travel a priority. After kids, we started including the kids. It’s important to us to expose them to many cultures and experiences from little weekend getaways to larger trips that require thorough planning.
All this to say, it’s worth making arrangements to travel with your spouse sans kids and together as a family.
San Juan, Puerto Rico would be a destination you could easily travel to with little ones and is also a great area to retreat to with your spouse, kid free.
Whether you’re drawn to its colorful streets, rich history, or lively culture, San Juan promises an unforgettable adventure. I hope you’re able to experience firsthand why this Caribbean gem captures the hearts of all who visit.
We certainly left with full hearts and vibrant memories.
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