How to spend 10 days in Puerto Rico

It’s hard not to fall in love with Puerto Rico –  it’s a tropical paradise brimming with stunning beaches, lush rainforests and vibrant streets alive with colorful art, culture, and incredible food! 

Spending ten days in Puerto Rico could never be enough  I think we could visit the island 100 times and discover a hidden jewel every single trip.  

Sadly, ten days was all we had for the trip – and we packed a LOT into those 10 days.  I’ll break down each of these legs of the trip in a separate blog post, but first I’ll give you a brief look at the highlights of how we spent 10 days in Puerto Rico.

Hit the Ground Running to Maximize Time

Our flight landed around 8 pm, and we toyed with the idea of staying in San Juan, but decided to maximize our time on the west coast of the island instead.  We hopped in our rental straight from the airport and made the approximately 2 hour trip to Rincon.  

Spoiler alert:  It was the least amount of traffic we experienced our whole trip. If you’re driving – expect delays! 

3 Day in Rincon

We spent 3 days in Rincon staying at Rincon of the Seas, which had the perfect oceanfront access and a pretty awesome pool with a swim up bar! We spent our time exploring the west coast of Puerto Rico.

I’ve broken this trip down in more detail in this post.  But here are the highlights I’d highly recommend from the trip (for where not to visit be sure to read the full post). 

• Crash Boat Beach:  This spot was crowded, but so unique you should see it at least once. 
• Rincon Lighthouse:  This spot is a great evening excursion.  The park surrounding the boardwalk had scenic boardwalks and food and drink options. 
• Pink Salt Flats: These  pink salt flats are simply stunning, but also incredibly stinky.  But plug your nose and persevere for amazing views. 
• Cabo Rojo Lighthouse: The lighthouse is a bit of a trek, especially in full sun, but so very worth it.  The views were magical. 
• Cara del Indio: Plan on this one being a short roadside stop.  Be mindful of the traffic here and crossing the street!
• Tunel de Guajataca:  One of my favorite beaches from the whole trip!  And we saw a lot of incredible beaches

1 Day in San Juan

San Juan is a multi day trip easily.  However, this country mouse gets a little over-stimulated by cities and cares to experience them only in short doses. Also, expect San Juan to be blazing hot.  Still, I’d happily go back to take in more of this beautiful city’s artistry and rich history.

Here’s what we did, but for more information, including what I’d go back to see, check out the full blog post here. 

• Cathedral de San Juan Bautista: Visiting this stunning cathedral was like stepping back in time with it’s stunning Spanish Gothic architecture and it’s centuries-old charm. Inside you’ll find incredibly intricate Roman Catholic art and religious artifacts. 
• Castillo San Felipe del Morro: El Morro is a magnificent fort that once protected San Juan from pirates and foreign invaders. From the massive stone walls to the breathtaking views of the Atlantic Ocean, this historic spot is a sort of living history all itself. 
• Save a Gato: You’ll know this place when you see herds of kitties.  We got lost looking for this spot but then a literal herd of cats came to greet us and lead the way.  This is such an amazing safe place for homeless cats in the city. 
• Pigeon Park: This was one of the highlights of our trip.  For a few bucks you can buy a bag of pigeon food and get flocked by hungry birds.  We found that even without food a wayward bird would randomly perch on us. 
• Anita Gelato:  When the heat of the day became too much, this was the perfect spot to stop and cool off.  They have tons of options and generous scoops! 
• Iglesia de San Jose:  This was another historic cathedral worth stopping by.  The massive Golden Altar is a sight to behold!

3 Days on the Northeastern Coast of Puerto Rico

This leg of our trip wasn’t quite as eventful as we had originally planned. My youngest had to be hospitalized for one very scary night and required a good bit of down time in the following days to recoup. 

Luckily, we’d booked our rooms at the El Conquistador resort and found it the perfect spot to spend a few quieter rest days.  Check out the full details of our experience here and a big tip for how to find deals on El Conquistador. 

Unfortunately, that means we missed a good portion of all the amazing adventures the eastern side of the island has to offer, but I’ll highlight the one spot we hit and the big one we had to miss. 

• El Yunque Rainforest: This one hurt.  We had been looking forward to our first family trip into a rainforest.  We had a full day of adventures planned out here. 
• Luquillo beach: We did make it to the kioskas briefly at the start of our trip, but this is when my sweet girl got sick.  If you do make it out there, we highly recommend El Navegante.  I don’t recall their kiosk number but their tacos were banging, and the people that owned it were so incredibly kind.  Sadly, we didn’t get to experience the beach. 

3 Days on Vieques

This little gem of an island won our whole hearts. Wild horses, glowing bioluminescence, black sand beaches (in addition to perfect white sand beaches) PLUS the lullaby of the coqui singing you to sleep? This place is heaven on earth. Three days on this island were not enough, but there were definitely highlights! Read about our adventure and everything you need to know before visiting here. 

• Play Negro (Black Sand Beach) – Not your typical seaside view, this beach is covered in black sand! 
• Blue Horizon Boutique Resort – Kitchy couples only resort where we spent an evening dining and exploring the coastline below. 
• Mosquito Bay – Bioluminescent Tour – This whole night was an enchanting, magical experience!
• Playa Caracas – Of all the many beaches we visited along our 10 days in Puerto Rico, this beach was by far the most perfect. 
• Downtown Isabel II – This seaside island town is brimming with colorful murals and adorable stores. 

10 Unforgettable Days in Puerto Rico

10 days in Puerto Rico could could never be enough.  This tropical oasis has captured a piece of our hearts and I’m certain we’ll be back.  While Vieques reigns supreme in my experience, I think there is probably still so much magic on this island to be found.  

After 10 days in Puerto Rico, you’ll sample incredible flavors, explore historic streets, and experience the island’s vibrant culture. From El Morro to pristine beaches and hidden waterfalls, your 10 days in Puerto Rico will be filled with adventure, history, and unforgettable views.