The Caribbean - SJU Layover options

I am coming back from STX through SJU, and purposely gave myself a long layover because I've never been there and thought it might be worth checking out.

My layover is 5 hours, and may be longer as I might try to standby for an earlier flight from STX if it is deemed worthwhile.

Anyway, any suggestions are welcome! I will be arriving around noon, and departing around 5 PM.

I do not need to see anything special, a nice place to eat lunch and wander would be great.

I am coming back from STX through SJU, and purposely gave myself a long layover because I've never been there and thought it might be worth checking out.

My layover is 5 hours, and may be longer as I might try to standby for an earlier flight from STX if it is deemed worthwhile.

Anyway, any suggestions are welcome! I will be arriving around noon, and departing around 5 PM.

I do not need to see anything special, a nice place to eat lunch and wander would be great.

Five hours might seem deceptively long - check-in in SJU can be an absolute zoo depending on airline and day of week, so I'd still allow yourself 1-2 hours to check-in, unless of course you're through-checking at STX and already get your BP.

If I were you, I'd hop a taxi to Barrachina (right in the heart of Old Town), have lunch there, walk around Old Town a bit, perhaps head over to the San Cristobal fort and down to the beach nearby, and then hop a taxi back over to the airport. I've always found service to be slow at Barrachina (it's just fine if you're used to "island time"), but the food is good to excellent, and their pina coladas are great.

Taxi to Barrachina from the airport will be $20 and likely take about 15 minutes if traffic is good. Same on the return. A 3-course lunch with a pina colada should run around $30.

Old Town is fun to walk around and explore. You can pick up plenty of souvenirs in Old Town or if you're looking for things like coffee and candy, wait until you get back to the airport - they're cheaper at the stores and kiosks next to the gates.

Good luck and have a great trip!

Sean

The success of your plan will depend on what day of the week you try to do it. You will not be able to take a cab to Old San Juan and be back to the airport in time for your flight during a weekday. The traffic on the main road between the airport and Old San Juan starts to build up around 2. You may want to take a cab to any of the hotels in Isla Verde - El San Juan, Ritz Carlton, and have lunch there. If you are attempting to do this on a weekend, then you should be fine assuming that your flight to SJU is not delayed and there is no special event going on in Old San Juan. You may be able to get a couple of hours in Old San Juan. Even then, it is going to be rushed. It should work a lot better if you can catch an earlier flight from STX.

Thanks guys. It's a Monday (late Sept), so traffic may be difficult.

I should have no problem checking in through to LAX at STX, it's all the same itinerary. So I won't need to worry about check-in.

Are there elite security lines at SJU (I'm flying AA)

Is there a bus service or similar to Old Town? I'm a bit of a cheapskate and especially if there is traffic, a cab might be pretty expensive.

Sounds like if I can catch an earlier flight lunchtime in Old Town might be a good idea, otherwise I should stick closer to SJU?

Thanks

Thanks guys. It's a Monday (late Sept), so traffic may be difficult.

I should have no problem checking in through to LAX at STX, it's all the same itinerary. So I won't need to worry about check-in.

Are there elite security lines at SJU (I'm flying AA)

Is there a bus service or similar to Old Town? I'm a bit of a cheapskate and especially if there is traffic, a cab might be pretty expensive.

Sounds like if I can catch an earlier flight lunchtime in Old Town might be a good idea, otherwise I should stick closer to SJU?

Thanks

Yes, there is an elite line at security for AA.

No idea on the bus service - someone more familiar with SJU can hopefully answer that. The entire driving distance is all of seven or eight miles from SJU baggage claim to Old Town. There are a number of alternate routes that can be taken, and when we found traffic to be slow (on a Monday afternoon), a re-route south from Old Town and across the Puente Teodoro Moscoso saved a bunch of time.

Hope you can enjoy lunch and a stroll through Old Town - having no luggage and being through-checked plus the convenience of the elite security lane should allow you enough time to properly enjoy your time there.

Enjoy your trip!

Sean

Thanks guys. It's a Monday (late Sept), so traffic may be difficult.

I should have no problem checking in through to LAX at STX, it's all the same itinerary. So I won't need to worry about check-in.

Are there elite security lines at SJU (I'm flying AA)

Is there a bus service or similar to Old Town? I'm a bit of a cheapskate and especially if there is traffic, a cab might be pretty expensive.

Sounds like if I can catch an earlier flight lunchtime in Old Town might be a good idea, otherwise I should stick closer to SJU?

Thanks

Buses are relatively easy and cheap. Look for the "Parada" sign outside of baggage claim. You'll want the B40 bus to Rio Piedras (interesting market right there with good local eats inside); you'll need to change buses there to continue to Old San Juan. Bus was $1.25 last time I did this (early last year).

A taxi will be $19 to Old San Juan (as of two weeks ago).

Enjoy San Juan! :)