Puerto Rico Top 10 Things to Do,
Places to Visit & Tours – 2024 Guide

Puerto Rico Things to Do Guide ⎮ Top Ten Things to Do in Puerto Rico 2024

Puerto Rico… The Island of Enchantment… The Land of a Thousand Blessings…

We are fortunate to have all the beauty of Puerto Rico year-round; we’ve come up with a great list of things to do, places to visit, and vacation itinerary ideas to make your planning easier.  It is an honor to share the best of Puerto Rico and help you plan an unforgettable stay.   We travel around the island often to keep this guide updated, and we speak to travelers to put together an objective, useful, and inspiring guide.

We don’t build our guides for search engines; we have built them for YOU since 2004.  We take pride in responsibly recommending places we would take our own family… places and activities that are safe, memorable, and worth your valuable vacation time and hard-earned money. 

Spend a Day or Book an Excursion to Flamenco Beach – The Most Beautiful Beach in Puerto Rico & Among the Best in the World

Simple Perfection…  As soon as arrive at Flamenco Beach, you’ll understand why it is one of the most glorified beaches in the world.

Flamenco Beach is located on the sleepy island of Culebra, located off the east coast of Puerto Rico.  If you plan to book one tour while in Puerto Rico, an excursion to Culebra should be one of the top three excursions; you’ll have bragging rights to visit one of the best beaches on the planet.  Check out our guide for traveling to the islands for the best options.

Walk the Streets, See the Sights, Taste the Flavors & Dance to the Rhythms of Old San Juan

San Juan, Puerto Rico

Old San Juan is the best place to start your vacation, the cultural epicenter of Puerto Rico, an open living museum that houses over 500 historic buildings.   As you walk around Old San Juan you can tour five-century-old castles, churches, relaxed squares, restored buildings turned into interesting shops, excellent restaurants, and casual cafes.  Old San Juan is constantly changing, offering something new and interesting to repeat visitors.  See Old San Juan top landmarks and things to do.

Explore The Enchanting Rainforest of El Yunque

Luquillo / Rio Grande, Puerto Rico

El Yunque National Rainforest, one of the world’s natural wonders, is within your reach.  El Yunque National Rainforest is one of the reasons this island is called The Island of Enchantment. The forest captivates and transports visitors to more ancient times, and it is free of development, cement structures, and stressors of everyday life.  Cool, clean crisp air, sights of lush green canopies of giant ferns and ancient trees, and bursts of colors from flower petals adorning the rainforest… the sounds of birds, coquis singing, and splashing of waterfalls in the distance, the feel of cool fresh water from waterfalls that Taino Natives considered sacred.  This is El Yunque, a place to get lost in unadulterated beauty and renew your body and mind.

From easy hikes to more challenging and adventurous excursions, there’s something for everyone in El Yunque. While you can explore on your own, enthusiastic and professional tour guides are happy to show you the enchanting rainforest and other fun at the foothills of the rainforest for the more adventurous.  You may also explore independently if you have more time to plan your visit. The visitor’s center will help you with a map and other information.

 Escape to the Idyllic Icacos Cay

Fajardo, Puerto Rico

Cayo Icacos (Icacos Cay), part of Cordillera Reef Reserve is among the most popular offshore excursions in Puerto Rico, satisfying that wanderlust for that secluded island tropical experience.  Lay on the sand without the need of dreaming, because you’re already there… on a cay surrounded by nothing else but the Caribbean Sea.  Enjoy the warmth of the sun, jump in crystal clear turquoise waters… float, swim, and snorkel… experience the enchantment of Puerto Rico.  The experience begins as soon as you begin to sail away from the shores of the main island, as you admire the coastline and the lighthouse at the top of Las Cabezas de San Juan Nature Reserve from the best viewpoint.

Choose from various wonderful experiences to visit Icacos from luxurious private sailing charters, fun catamaran trips, or small group boat tours.  Tours leave from Fajardo, and various tours offer to pick up in hotels and resorts in San Juan / Isla Verde and east coast resort communities.

Swim or Go Kayaking on Bioluminescent Waters… Under Starry Skies

This world-wonder has been included by many travel experts as one of the “things to do before you die”, and one of the most romantic experiences in nature.  You may have seen bioluminescence in scenes of movies such as Avatar and Nim’s Island… it does look like magic on the water.  You can experience bioluminescence by kayak, boat, and in one location you can jump in and swim in the glowing waters.  

Laguna Grande, located in the town of Fajardo, is the most convenient option for visitors staying in the San Juan, Isla Verde, and east region of the island.  Mosquito Bay is located in Vieques and is the brightest in the world, but you must stay overnight on the island.   On the west coast of the island, there is a bioluminescent bay in La Parguera, the only one allowing swimming; it is also the one with the least crowds.

We published the first extensive guide on the bioluminescent bays in Puerto Rico.  Please read our guide before you book a tour so you can plan the best experience and avoid disappointments.

Go Snorkeling in Puerto Rico

With hundreds of beaches of course Puerto Rico has great snorkeling…  If you have a longer vacation you can rent a car and bring your own snorkel gear to visit the best snorkeling spots.  If you only have a few days in Puerto Rico, we encourage you to allow one of the passionate tour guides in Puerto Rico to take you on a wonderful snorkeling excursion.  We are happy to make your planning easier, we were the first to create an in-depth guide to all the best snorkeling beaches in Puerto Rico, complete with top-rated snorkeling charters.

Marvel at the Spectacular Camuy River Cave Park / Parque Las Cavernas del Rio Camuy 

Camuy, Puerto Rico

Camuy River Cave Park is the most impressive natural wonder in the northern region of Puerto Rico.  This cave is very family-friendly and does not require hiking.  It is one of the world’s largest cave networks.   Take a peak at what awaits at Camuy River Cave Park… we promise you it has a wow factor not possible to capture in photos.

Explore Five Century Castles at San Juan National Historic Site

San Juan, Puerto Rico

While in San Juan, you can’t miss the San Juan National Historic Site, which includes two of the most spectacular landmarks in Puerto Rico, the forts of Castillo San Cristóbal & Castillo San Felipe del Morro.

• Castillo San Felipe del Morro (known as El Morro) is one of the most beloved landmarks on the island rich in history, where many cultural events are held.  Most Puerto Ricans have fond memories of flying a kite on the lawn, a must-do while here.
• Castillo San Cristobal is the largest of the two, a lot of fun for kids as they tour the tunnels, the views are spectacular.  If you wish to tour both forts, you can follow our Calle Norzagaray Walking Tour.

Time Needed to Visit Both Forts:  At a relaxed pace, you can tour both forts and walk along Calle Norzagaray in a full morning/afternoon.  You’ll need about 1.5 hours at each fort.

Visit Casa Bacardi – The Largest Premium Rum Distillery in the World

Cataño, Puerto Rico

Casa Bacardi is the largest premium rum distillery in the world.  We recommend a Rum Tasting Tour, after the experience, you’ll be sipping on rum neat, some of Bacardi’s finest rums are too delicious to mix.  A general tour includes the history of Casa Bacardi, the distillery process, and a welcome cocktail.  Casa Bacardi also offers a fun Mixology Tour.  For something really special to take home, only at Casa Bacardi Gift Shop, you can purchase Bacardi Casa Special Reserve, which you’ll be personally pouring into a bottle straight from the barrel.

Go Swimming with Sea Turtles

Being on a beach is a great experience, but putting your head down where noise is canceled and your senses are introduced to a new world where sea turtles gracefully glide in tempered waters… are among the experiences that make Caribbean life so enviable.  You may think that you have to go to a secluded, out-of-the-way beach in order to swim with sea turtles, but you’ll be happy to know that there are a handful of beaches where you have a pretty good chance of seeing them.

• Balneario El Escambron in San Juan – Yes!  Right in the city you can swim with sea turtles.  The beach is located a short drive from Condado and Old San Juan.

Puerto Rico ⎮ Top Ten Things to Do in Puerto Rico 2024