This week we are sharing with you a United States destination that offers beautiful landscapes and unspoiled nature. Let us introduce you to Puerto Rico. This is one destination within the United States where you will still feel the excitement and connection only a vacation can offer.
Puerto Rico is a Caribbean Island that is a territory of the United States. There is no passport required for visitors who are U.S. citizens. And, if you are traveling from the Northeast, the Caribbean is a short plane ride away.
Puerto Rico is a land with a vibrant culture and beautiful people. It is a combination of diverse culture, heritage and history. Here are seven things to do while in Puerto Rico that will allow you to see what it offers its visitors.
- Water Fun- No matter where you are going in the Caribbean, the beaches and ocean are an essential part of the trip. In Puerto Rico, areas like Culebra, La Parguera, and El Yunque are great places to visit. Flamingo Beach in Culebra offers the ideal backdrop for your snorkeling and diving adventure. La Parguera is the home of a beautiful bioluminescent bay, and El Yunque is the only subtropical rainforest in the United States National Forest Service.
- An Old Spanish Fort- Castillo San Cristobal is a 500-year-old Spanish fort erected to protect the Spanish interest in their New World colony. This fort was the largest that the Spanish built in the New World as it was six stories tall and took up 27 acres of real estate on the tip of the island overlooking the ocean.
- Festivals- Puerto Rico is an island that knows how to party, and they know how to do it well. Some types of festivals are going on every month all year long. These festivals are highlighted with parades, music, food, drinks, and dancing. They are a convergence of Puerto Rican culture. The best months for these festivals are December and January, and daytime is the best time to experience them.
- Great Drinks- Puerto Rico is considered the King of Rum, and they embrace the moniker. There are amazing innovative mixologists all over the island that are using Puerto Rican rum and native fruits (like passion fruits, mangoes, papayas, and more) to create a perfect taste of Puerto Rico. Many of these mixologists also compete internationally, so they are a lot of fun to watch work.
- The Food- The “Dining Capital of the Caribbean,” this is how many Puerto Ricans refer to their homeland. Their cuisine is a harmonious blend of Taino (the native people of Puerto Rico), American, and Spanish cuisines. These different influences combine to generate unique dishes like mofongo (mashed plantains).
- Bacardi Rum Factory- The Bacardi Factory in Puerto Rico is the largest globally as this factory can bottle up to 100,000 bottles a day. Aside from just touring the factory itself, you can also go on a tasting tour. You will learn about the rum, the bottling process, and the different flavors and tastes that Bacardi manufactures. It is an essential part of Puerto Rico, and it is a lot of fun.
- Old San Juan- San Juan is the capital of Puerto Rico, and Old San Juan is the colonial remnants of San Juan’s days as a Spanish colonial city. Old San Juan is the oldest city in the Western Hemisphere. Its brightly colored buildings and cobblestone streets give it an old-world feel at your fingertips. You can go on guided tours to learn about the over 500 years of history of this area of the city. You can make an entire day out of visiting Old San Juan.
Almost three years ago, Hurricane Maria destroyed much of Puerto Rico and it has been a long, hard road to rebuilding. The resilience of Puerto Ricans is evident when you see how far they have come since then.
Tourism is an integral part of their economy, and it is an essential part of how they are rebuilding their island, one brick at a time. Your fun trip to Puerto Rico is not just for you but for the Island of Puerto Rico itself.
Email or call us today to get your vacation planning started.
Tillie and Joe James
Tillie James Travel LLC, Virtuoso member agency
804.997.9460 | info@tilliejamestravel.com
