Ultimate Puerto Rico 5 Day Itinerary | Exploring The Best of Puerto Rico

Are you dreaming of a magical island getaway? Look no further. Puerto Rico is the perfect tropical destination. In this video we'll show you how to experience the best of this enchanted island in just five days. Puerto Rico is a stunning Caribbean island just bursting with adventure, wonderful food and beautiful sights to see. Sometimes it can be a little overwhelming when you're planning a trip to Puerto Rico because there's just so many amazing things to do. So in this video we're going to give you the perfect five-day itinerary to, in our opinion, experience the best the island has to offer. The most beautiful beaches, the rainforest, wonderful authentic food and experiences that you'll never forget. Day one, Luquillo. Get up bright and early to beat the crowds to explore El Yunque, a mystical lush tropical rainforest. First stop for pictures at La Coca Falls, then get ready to go on an amazing nature hike. This is El Yunque National Forest. It's the only rainforest in the national park system and it's a must visit if you're in Puerto Rico. On your hike, get immersed in the peaceful sounds, bright greens and earthy aromas of the tropical rainforest. We recommend the rugged yet well-marked Caimitillo and El Yunque trails up to Mount Britton Tower. If you have kids, make sure you also check out the visitor center to enjoy some interactive educational exhibits and see the adorable and sassy endangered Puerto Rican parrots. We recommend giving yourself at least four hours to hike El Yunque. It's easy to hike the forest on your own, but if you're extra adventurous you can also find a private tour to do some rappelling and swimming. After your long hike, you'll be hungry, so get a fabulous lunch at the Kioskos de Luquillo. It's a strip of small restaurants serving local delicacies like These are the Kioskos de Luquillo. They're an important part of culinary culture here in Puerto Rico. It's a super fun place to go and get lunch any day of the week, especially if you just went and did a long hike in El Yunque. At the Kioskos, watch what the locals order and you won't be disappointed. It's also a highly energetic and colorful spot to enjoy the vibrant culture and We're in La Parria. It's the first kiosko and it's definitely my favorite one. They have great seafood and really good prices. This is the beef alcapurria. This is a very popular traditional fritter. Let's see what it's like. Look at that steam coming out. This is fresh. This is the chio frito or fried red snapper. This is like my favorite thing to eat in Puerto Rico. These are off the shore and they're super fresh. This is a great place to get them. I love how they fry it so crispy on the outside but on the inside it's flaky and light. It's so fresh. It's perfect because they don't over season it or over salt it. It's just fishy perfection. So good. Then spend the afternoon relaxing at Balneario Monserrate, just down the road from the kioskos. All year round this palm tree lined beach has some of the calmest and clearest waters in Puerto Rico. It's so relaxing to bob around in the warm bright turquoise water. It's truly therapy for your mind and body. This is the Balneario Monserrate in Lujillo, really close to the kioskos. There are beautiful pine trees and palm trees so there's lots of shade to set up camp underneath. It's a wonderful place to spend the day with your family. Here you'll also find a bar where you can order that coveted piña colada in a pineapple. What better way to get into a tropical mood. Staying in Lujillo gives you close access to various bonus adventures like nearby ATV rides, the bioluminescent bay in Fajardo, and go karts and other family fun at Sector 66. Lujillo is the perfect place to immediately immerse yourself in the magic of Puerto Rico. Day two, road trip to Aguadilla. Today you're going to drive from Lujillo to Aguadilla, so make sure to stop for a good meal on the way. One option for a fabulous brunch is Chaplain's Cafe in Bayamon. Or if you're in the mood for something fancy, go to Maison Salitre in Arecibo for the freshest seafood imaginable. Get ready to see the most beautiful beach of your trip. Make sure to bring your snorkeling gear to Peña Blanca Beach. Can't wait for you guys to see this beautiful coral reef. It's like a forest of corals with so many different colors and shapes. Peña Blanca is the best place to go shore snorkeling in mainland Puerto Rico. Dive into the inviting blue waters and you'll find dozens of fascinating coral species, fish of every color of the rainbow, sea turtles, and if you get lucky maybe even nurse sharks or manatees. This is a chocolateria in Aguadilla. It's a beautiful chocolate shop that has all of their cacao grown in Puerto Rico in the mountains of San Sebastian. After a brilliant beach afternoon, treat yourselves to some Puerto Rican chocolate. These chocolate bonbons are a delightfully indulgent way to end your first day in Aguadilla. Day three, Aguadilla and Rincon. Today you have all day to explore two of the most fantastic towns in the Caribbean. Staying in Aguadilla gives you the advantage of being able to beat the crowds at Crash Boat Beach, one of the most popular beaches on the island for good reason. When you're in Aguadilla, you have to check out Crash Boat Beach. This is one of the most popular and famous beaches on the island, so it is a good idea to try to get here early in the morning or on a weekday if you can. This beach is famous for its beautiful white sand and turquoise waters and these docks where you can jump off and snorkel with a lot of beautiful fish. You can easily spend all day at Crash Boat. There are delicious food kiosks featuring fried treats and grilled kebabs and you'll have a huge array of recreational activities to choose from like banana boats, scuba lessons and snorkeling. Jump off the docks where friendly sergeant major fish will swim right up to you. It's so enchanting to swim through a glittering cloud of golden fish. If you come here in the winter like during December and January and the water is too rough to get in like you see huge waves, another good way to spend the rest of the is to go visit Punta Borinquen Beach and hike to the lighthouse. So many beautiful views there. In the afternoon, check out the old ruins at Punta Borinquen Beach. There's a beautiful and well-maintained trail to the ruins which are such a unique sight and great for dramatic photos. The whole beach is a wonderful place to do some good old-fashioned exploring and discover every special angle of this rugged landscape. End the day by catching a perfect beach sunset in the town of Rincon, just 30 minutes to the south. This is a fun artsy town with a happy-go-lucky laid-back surfer vibe. If you get there early enough, you can catch a casual dinner at a beachside grill and have fun watching the surfers. Rincon has a beautiful town square with a festive yet relaxed nightlife. The most famous beaches are Steps and Domes but whichever beach you pick will offer the best sunset you'll ever see. Day four, exploring hidden gyms. Start off your fourth day in paradise with the best brunch of your life at Mona Cafe. It's super popular so try to get there early. The menu has a variety of irresistibly indulgent sweet treats like milkshakes and french toast. You can also get an exquisite meal of churrasco steak or fish at Peña Blanca Restaurant. On the way to San Juan, stop at the Tunnel de Oaxaca for a unique landscape and a We're at the Tunnel de Oaxaca. This is a super fun place to visit. It's an old railway tunnel that has a beautiful walking trail along the coast. It's great fun for the whole family to walk through the tunnel and be greeted by the breathtaking views on the other side. This area also has a postcard gorgeous beach for taking photos but not for swimming. It's a really fun place to take the time to explore or to just lay out on the pristine white sand and relax. We love how it's so windy that you'll feel instantly refreshed no matter how hot it is that day. There's a little kids train you can go on and there are food kiosks and craft kiosks and I just love this beach. This is not a beach for swimming but it's a beautiful place to just come and sit down with your family and just relax and listen to the waves and watch the beautiful sights. I love the beautiful palm trees on this beach. If you walk to the far left of the beach you'll find some fabulous otherworldly beach waterfalls. Be careful if you explore them not to get trapped by the tide or climb on the tide pools. It's one of our favorite views in Puerto Rico. Back on the road stop at this traditional candy shop for some unique and delicious locally made souvenirs. These cookies and candies are so delicious you're gonna find flavors you've never had before. It's a great gift to bring back home if it survives the trip. Cucas are like ginger cookies that are super super crunchy. These are the traditional guava like sugar cookies or like butter cookies. Yeah. Now we're all set for a delicious road trip. I can't wait to try all these candies. If you feel like going for another swim visit Balneario Puerto Nuevo on your way to San Juan. This is Playa Puerto Nuevo in Vega Baja. It's one of our favorite beaches to visit all year round because there's amazing snorkeling and beautiful clear water. This is a stunning beach with beautiful cliffs and a shallow natural pool that is safe even for babies to swim in. A great bonus is that a few sea turtles live here year round and you can find them while snorkeling on the left side of the beach. If you're in the mood for a hike and you'd like to escape from the crowds for a little bit keep going down the road to Manatee to find a glorious secret beach. Right now we're hiking to our favorite secret beach on the north coast of Puerto Rico. This is in the Tortuguero Lagoon Nature Reserve and if you want to find it put Los Tubos MTB trail in your GPS. This park is actually a network of mountain biking trails and has some excellent trails for hiking including this one that goes to the most picturesque white sand beach. I love doing this hike just to immerse myself in nature. You can hear the most exotic sounding birds and lizards are always scurrying about. You can even find tropical fruits on the way that you can eat on the beach. Look at this beautiful mango. This is one of our favorite places to escape the crowds and just have the peace of being in nature and it's less than an hour away from San Juan. This beach is about a half mile hike from the parking lot at Los Tubos MTB trail. The hike is fun for the whole family as it's a great habitat to find hermit crabs, lizards, birds, and other wildlife. At the end of the hike you'll be rewarded with views of a picture-perfect pristine beach. One of the only beaches you may have all to yourself during your stay in Puerto Rico. You might even get lucky and spot a humpback whale. I love coming to this beach. It's so relaxing. It's super windy. Just so you know this is not a safe beach for swimming at all. It's just a beautiful beach for relaxing, taking photos, and climbing on the palm trees. It's just a beautiful place to come and it is an unforgettable experience. You'll arrive to San Juan in time for dinner which you can enjoy in Condado or Old San Juan. If you're nervous about parking in San Juan leave your car at your hotel or park in Doña Fela parking lot. Catch a sunset over the bay from the hill of El Morro and have a relaxing romantic dinner. We're at La Mallorquina. It was founded in 1848 and it's the oldest restaurant in Puerto Rico and some say the oldest in the new world. Dining options in Old San Juan are endless. It's the perfect place to have a nice meal, relax, and unwind after a long day of driving and sightseeing. On your last day explore the colorful historical city of Old San Juan. Old San Juan is a wonderful place to spend your final evening in Puerto Rico. It's a beautiful historical city. You can enjoy the architecture and get some great souvenirs. This is the Parque de las Palomas or Pigeon Park. This is so delicious. Take a long walk and soak up the rich culture of this impressive city with over 500 years of history. The hill at El Morro is a great place to fly a kite. It's a super fun activity and it's wonderful to see all the beautiful kites of different colors flying around. The Spanish used to control access to the Caribbean. El Morro was constructed from year 1539 to 1790. The fort successfully defended naval attacks by other world powers including the English navy. It was even used by the United States in World Wars I and II. In the 1960s it became part of the U.S. national park system as a historic site. Another thing you have to try when you're in Old San Juan is a piraguas. Let's go get one. That's so refreshing. We're at Te Verdura. This is a very popular restaurant in Old San Juan. I'm super excited to get lunch here. It's our first time and we've heard really good things about this place. It's so good. Walk around and try new flavors at snack shops like Ito's which serves a modern take on the crunchy fried fish fitter, the Bacalaito. Old San Juan is the perfect place to end your Puerto Rico vacation. It's a great place to relax, have some great food, enjoy these beautiful sites and also get the perfect souvenirs made locally for everybody back home and for yourself. In the afternoon take a stroll through beautiful Condado. This is probably the most touristy place you'll visit but it's a gorgeous place for a long walk which will bring you to the Condado Lagoon, a fascinating urban ecosystem surprisingly full of endangered wildlife. The Laguna del Condado is one of my absolute favorite places to visit in Puerto Rico because of the amazing biodiversity here. In the Condado Lagoon you can snorkel or rent a kayak or paddleboard. If you're lucky you may see a family of manatees that frequents this lagoon. We're here at Distrito T-Mobile. If you have time for more adventures here are some bonus activities you can do with your family. If your kids are clamoring for some excitement visit Distrito T-Mobile for a futuristic atmosphere with a zipline, arcade, concerts and spectacular restaurants. If you'd like to experience the vibrant nightlife of San Juan go dancing at Placita de Centorce. We recommend taking an Uber since it's very difficult to find parking. If you're a culture buff go see a Puerto Rico Symphony Orchestra concert and visit the Puerto Rico Museum of Art. Puerto Rico is so full of vibrant experiences, delicious food, beautiful sights and lovely people it will ignite your imagination and leave you dreaming of your next visit to the island of enchantment. Please remember to subscribe so you can discover all of Puerto Rico's hidden gems with us.