The 9 Best Places to Stay in Puerto Rico

Greater San Juan is beautiful, safe, vibrant, and in our opinion, one of the best places to visit in Puerto Rico. The neighborhood of Old San Juan, on the northmost tip of the city, is full of history: ancient forts, monuments, museums, and colorful historic houses.

Take advantage of local advice. Our trip planners tell us that Old San Juan can be "hit or miss" when it comes to restaurant options—lots of stuff in this area is geared at tourists. Still, they say it's easy to find "diamonds in the rough." One of our local trip planners raved about Punto de Vista, where you can get great Puerto Rican food and enjoy a stellar sunset from the restaurant's rooftop. 

Just near the northwest tip of Puerto Rico lays Rincon, a top destination for surfers. The town’s two nicknames—Pueblo del Surfing (surfing town) and El Pueblo de los Bellos Atardeceres (the town of beautiful sunsets)—are only two of reasons why Rincon is an excellent (and beautiful) place to stay. 

The neighborhood of Santurce, just outside of Old San Juan, bursts with art and culture. Locals tell us that Santurce's photo-worthy street murals and electric nightlife make it one of the coolest places to go in Puerto Rico—and Santurce easily one of the top options for places to stay. Once the sun goes down, night owls gather at La Placita de Santurce (the neighborhood's public square) for cheap drinks, good music, and plenty of outdoor grooves. Our local trip planners recommend bringing cash! 

A quick ferry ride from Puerto Rico is the exquisite island of Vieques. This is an awesome place to stay if you want to hang out with friendly wild horses, explore black-sand beaches, and enjoy all the benefits of island life—and, conveniently, Vieques has some great hostel options. (If you're looking for something more luxurious, locals recommend Hix Island House, pictured above.) Locals recommend grabbing a meal in the foodie Esperanza neighborhood and definitely checking out the wonder of Bahia Bioluminiscente (Mosquito Bay) to see its famous blue bioluminescence. 

Speaking of great island destinations...if you're looking for beachy things to do in Puerto Rico Culebra is a great place to stay. Just off the coast of Puerto Rico proper, Culebra is home to Playa Flamenco (Flamenco Beach), which is known for its warm turquoise waters and white sands. It's a great place to go in Puerto Rico if you dream of sunning yourself near the ocean. 

Getting suggestions from locals is a great way to enjoy Culebra's excellent, healthy options for meals. One of our trip planners recommends Vibra Verde, a locally-owned brunch spot that bakes their own bread! 

If you're looking to get off the beaten path, this remote southwest locale is a great place to stay for something different than San Juan. Home to some of Puerto Rico’s most scenic sights and best hikes, our Puerto Rico travel planners recommend exploring the wildlife refuge and Las Salinas (gorgeous pink salt flats). They tell us that the hike from Cabo Rojo's iconic lighthouse to Punta Jaguey is especially lovely. Basically, if you love being outdoors then Cabo Rojo is a good place to stay! 

No trip to Puerto Rico is complete without a visit to San Juan’s beautiful beach-and-resort area: Isla Verde. Technically in the neighboring town of Carolina, Isla Verde is just a short ride from the airport. Its coastline is home to three of the beaches in Puerto Rico that we adore (and come highly recommended by locals): Condado Beach, Balneario de Carolina, and Isla Verde Beach. 

Ponce, Puerto Rico's second-largest city, is packed with incredible things to do—which makes it a pretty stellar place to stay. Ponce offers amazing history (you'll want to take a photo in front of the bright red Parque de Bombas, Ponce's historic fire station) and fun activities like sipping pina coladas along La Guancha boardwalk. Less-visited than San Juan, it's also a great place to stay if you want to avoid crowds. 

Isabela, in the northwest part of Puerto Rico, is famous for its wealth of natural beauty. Underground rivers, mangrove forests, mountains, lakes, and wildflowers pack this town—which is a traditional vacation spot for Puerto Rican locals.

Benefit from local knowledge in this locally-beloved town, where our trip planners recommend ordering a classic Puerto Rican dish at Restaurant El Platanal—the mofongo gets rave reviews.