I want to share my experience with you guys because so many of you sent me recommendations for places to visit and for that I am SO grateful. I had the best time! I want to preface this blog post by letting you all know that this was a VERY low budget vacation for me, which is super rare. I typically like to go all out when It comes to where I’m staying and what I’m doing when I travel, but this time around I wanted to visit Puerto Rico and have an authentic experience. It definitely helped that my boyfriend is Puerto Rican, born in Santurce!
We stayed in a town called Carolina, not too far from Old San Juan, in a low budget AirBnB. I wanted to spend very little on where I was staying because I only wanted a place to sleep at night. The AirBnB provided the basic necessities that we needed (a comfortable bed, a working shower, a powerful AC, and strong WiFi). My first reaction of the neighborhood where the AirBnB is located was: “UMM am I safe here?!”. I even freaked out and sent my location to my parents *eyeroll*. Dramatic much? YES, because I realized almost immediately that we were safe and surrounded by the nicest locals. We were lucky enough to be very close to a ton of restaurants and bars on Calle Loiza which were all super cozy and accommodating. It was honestly a great stay for low maintenance travelers.
My first reaction of the neighborhood where the AirBnB is located was: “UM am I safe here?!”. I even freaked out and sent my location to my parents *eyeroll*.
Here is a breakdown of what I budgeted for this trip and what I actually spent:
Total Budget: $800
Total Spent: $555
Flights: $205
We flew JetBlue. If you know anything about me, you know that I ALWAYS find the deals on flights. I have a whole system in place for how to finesse cheap flights. I’ll write a blog post on it soon!
AirBnB: $255
Like I mentioned before, we took a VERY low maintenance approach this time around to be able to really enjoy the island and its people in an authentic way.
Car rental: $95
We wanted to rent a car because my boyfriend was OBSESSED with wanting to show me the entire island. We drove pretty much all over the island which was surprisingly much smaller than I thought!
After 4 amazing nights and 5 wonderful days in Puerto Rico, here are my recommendations on where to go for both first time visitors and seasoned visitors alike:
Restaurants
Raices: My first meal in Puerto Rico was a Chicharron Mofongo with a Coconut Mojito at Raices, a casual restaurant located in Old San Juan. It’s very touristy but the food was pretty darn good. If you’re in Old San Juan and are looking for a safe bet, Raices is definitely the place for you. $$
Casita Miramar: This restaurant was one of the most memorable experiences on the island. It is a semi causal dress code, so don’t feel obligated to wear your Sunday best. The food was so delicious and the ambiance left me speechless. $$
Marmalade: Definitely a place where you can dress up and slay the night away. This place is on the pricier side but SO worth It. The food was so tasty. You can really feel the love in how the meals are prepared. The pricing is per person and starts at $125 for a 4-course meal with wine pairings. $$$
Punto de Vista Rooftop: I stumbled upon this rooftop on my first visit to Puerto Rico and fell in love with the creamy garlic sauce that they serve with their Mofongo. I had to come back! I ordered the exact same thing and had some very delicious coconut mojitos. It’s a very causal atmosphere and very inexpensive! $
Pinky’s: Breakfast ALL DAY at Pinky’s. This super casual, local breakfast spot is perfect for a low budget, delicious breakfast option. The best part of It all was how massive their portions were. You will NOT leave hungry, trust me. $
Beaches
Playa Luquillo: Local beaches are my favorite type of beach. The vibes are drastically different than beaches in touristy areas like Old San Juan. The sand was soft and golden. The water was crystal clear and warm, but not too warm where It isn’t refreshing. The beach was pretty empty when we arrived and stayed like that throughout the day. It was about an hour away from Old San Juan but well worth the drive. There is an entire street filled with food vendors selling yummy meals that are perfect for beach days.
Dancing
Although we were surrounded by a ton of great bars and lounges near our AirBnB, we partied only one night. It was very difficult to want to move or do anything after our amazing dinners BUT on our last night in Puerto Rico we forced ourselves to go to La Placita, and I am SO glad that we did. La Placita is a strip of nightclubs, bars, and late night restaurants in Santurce. There is a vibe for pretty much anyone and everyone.
The first bar we visited was called Aguardiente. The music was a mix of reggaeton and top 40 which pleased both my BF and me. The drinks were okay but I was too busy dancing my butt off to really care. We left Aguardiente in search of old school reggaeton and stumbled upon a bar called Garabatos. The music was THE BOMB and the drinks were so good. We ordered a hookah, posted up in a corner by the bar and sang/danced the night away until we couldn’t anymore.
In all honesty, I can’t wait to return to Puerto Rico. I had such a good time and my boyfriend fell in love with his island (and me *wink, wink*) all over again. If you have any questions or want to learn more, drop It in the comments below. I can talk about Puerto Rico forever!
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