mkt

If it's the Old Federal Courthouse in Old San Juan, it's about 3 miles away. Less than 10 minutes by car if there's no traffic.

If it's in the Federal Building in Hato Rey, it's about 5 miles away. Less than 15 mins without traffic.

Sweet Willie

try searching, there are numerous threads with even good routes listed to drive on exploring outside of San Juan@:-)

warreng24

I just got back from 4 nights in Dorado. The Embassy Suites in Dorado is nice. The rooms are spacious (all suites) and there's some decent activities. The hotel also houses the Aquarius time-share, so there's always a live band on Friday & Saturday nights. There's a giant, multi-level pool. There's also a separate kiddie pool and a spa/whirlpool.

There's also a "semi-private" beach and cove. Breakfast buffet was complimentary. All-in-all I'd go back again. It's a great hotel if you just want to get away from the hustle and bustle of the city and relax.

That being said, the hotel is about a 30 min drive West of San Juan. It wasn't painful to get to San Juan unless you went during rush hour. To give you perspective, Dorado is about half-way between San Juan and the radio telescope in Arecibo and the Caves/Caverns in Camuy.

However, in the general vicinity of the Embassy Suites, there isn't much to do outside of the resort area. The resort has tennis and a country club. So basically to do any of the touristy stuff you have to drive.

Heading east from the hotel, you're about a 15 min drive from the Bacardi Rum Factory (tour). Then its another 15 min drive until you're at the Ferry station in Cantano. The ferry is 50 cents, and it takes about 10 min to get to Old San Juan. This was perfect for us, since we could drive from our hotel in Dorado to the Ferry Station, park for the entire day for $3 (weekends only) and take the ferry into Old San Juan.

You DO NOT want to drive in Old San Juan. As we were walking around, we saw bumper to bumper traffic EVERYWHERE in all the narrow streets (think European narrow streets). From the ferry station, its a really short 15 min walk to El Moro, the old fort on the north-west tip of Old San Juan.

One more thing that you shouldn't miss, the Bio-luminescent Bay tours in Fajardo. Also, check out the El Conquistador resort (also in Fajardo). It's really nice, you can take some cool photographs there.

Bottom-line, if you stay in San Juan itself (Old San Juan is ideal, so you're right in the center of the action. Everything is in walking distance). Carolina and Isla Verde are also good options. You can take a taxi to Old San Juan.

However, if you want to explore the island (outside of San Juan vicinity), you'll need a rental car.

Sweet Willie

fyi for those that might be interested, there are other locations for bioluminescent bays as well if one is not near Fajardo. Search is your friend

OPFlyer

Thank you all very much and thank you warreng24 for your trip report and mkt for all of you suggestions.

Happy

It is useless to suggest people to do search when the function not working 90% of the time, or not recognize any word that is 4 or less letters.

I have tried to search both the driving routes and the biobay, none returned anything.

Sweet Willie

Search function has been working fine for quite awhile now, a search is only effective as the key word used. The two words you used IMO are poor choices for key word(s) to use.

I'll have to read this thread carefully but I don't believe there has been any earth shattering information shared which couldn't have been added to any of the other PR threads.

Hiking
El Yunque Caribbean Rain Forest
There are 13 miles (20.8 km) of recreational trails--ranging from primitive to developed--designed for foot travel only. The most frequented trails are just off Highway PR-191. Guided tours are available Monday through Saturday, departing at 9:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. from El Portal Center. (For more information, call El Portal Tropical Forest Center at (787) 888-1880.) There is a stunning road Rte 187 which you can pick up to the east of San Juan, 187 goes right along the north coast of PR and is much more interesting than 3, which 187 intersects with to the west of El Yunque.
Following is a chart with information on the most popular trails:
Trail Name - Difficulty Level (Distance)
Caimitillo - Easy 0.5 mile (0.8 km)
Baño de Oro - Moderate 0.5 mile (0.8 km)
Big Tree - Challenging 0.8 mile (1.28 km)
El Yunque - Challenging 2.6 miles (4.16 km)
Mt. Britton - Challenging 0.8 mile (1.28 km)
La Mina - Challenging 0.7 mile (1.12 km)

Make a full day of visiting El Yunque, after a hike, hit Luquillo Beach which used to be a coconut plantation, it is east after El Yunque Rainforest. Beautiful beach and food shacks along the road which Mrs Sweet Willie and I have dined at each time we have been to PR. You can walk on the beach to the shacks but bring shoes as there can be some broken glass. I find it beautiful walking on the beach and seeing the usually cloud shrouded El Yunque, looks like a vision from Fiji. Don't go on weekends or holidays when Luquillo will be PACKED with locals, on weekdays it is generally quite open and not busy.

If you don't want to hike but still get out, Hacienda Carabali offers gokarts and 4-wheeler tours as well as horseback riding, it is located after the exit for Westin RioMar but before the exit for El Yunque.

Guánica Dry Forest
In the southwestern town of Guánica, this spectacular nature reserve is the perfect location for a western movie... in the tropics! This subtropical dry forest has hundreds of cacti and semi-evergreen and desert plants, all in miniature sizes. Hikers will be delighted to walk along the seaside trail--part of the 1,640-acre Guánica State Forest, which features 12 major hiking trails. They also will get a chance to eat cactus fruit and have a great picnic while enjoying a sensational view.
Visitors should wear protective clothing, sunscreen and carry their own drinking water. (For more information, call the Department of Natural & Environmental Resources at (787) 724-3647 or the Guánica State Forest Visitors Center at (787) 821-5706.)
The Guánica Dry Forest is off Highway PR-2. Take Road 334 to Road 333. Once on Road 333, drive about 10 minutes (go past the Copamarina Beach Resort) to the end of the road, where you can park your car and head into the forest.

Arecibo Observatory http://www.naic.edu/

Horseback riding establishments can be found near such coastal towns as Isabela, Humacao, Luquillo and Yauco.

Museo de Arte de Ponce, located in Ponce, phone:787-848-0505
Museo de Arte de Puerto Rico, located in Santurce, phone:787-977-6277

Located in the southwestern town of San Germán, Porta Coeli (“The Gate to Heaven”) was built in 1606, and is believed to be among the oldest churches on U.S. territory. It contains many of its original furnishings as well as a collection of religious art that includes colonial paintings and wooden statues dating back to the 18th and 19th centuries. Among its treasures is an altarpiece by José Campeche, the first—and by many considered to be the greatest—artist born in Puerto Rico.

There are two phosphorescent bays in Puerto Rico. One in the SW part of the island and one on the island of Vieques. I’ve been to the one in the SW, near La Parguera, between Mayagüez and Ponce in the southwest of the island. A nice itinerary would be to eat at the local parador Villa Parguera Parador, very good Puerto Rican home-style food, then just a block walk from this parador you will find boats to take you to the SW Phosphorescent bay. Don’t remember the cost but it is cheap. Pretty incredible to see the swimmers swimming thus disturbing the organisms that create the light. Almost looks as if there is fluorescent lighting in the water.

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PUCCI GALORE

As I am clearly in the company of experts - could I have any recommendations going for restaurants - we love fish and seafood. The simpler the better. We are staying at the Marriott and I will have a car loaded with collision damage everything piloted by a husband who believes that he was destined to star at Formula 1. Thus dsitance is not an issue.

Last March we could have been mugged near the Marriott and bag snatching was clearly taking place. Fortunately my husband twigged that we had been targetted and took evasive action (he was a police officer until retirement) - do not be afraid but just be watchful. Anywhere that has tourists will always attract these sorts.

Sweet Willie

In Old San Juan:

Chef Marisoll, 202 Calle de Cristo. Contemporary. I had a curried chicken w/papaya and cilantro YUM!

Amadeus, Calle San Sebastian 106. Caribbean, but w/a gourmet twist.

Just next door to Amadeus is El Patio de Sam.
A busy, but fun place for drinks. I would not recommend the food. It is across from the Church de San Jose where there are usually some festive happenings, which are fun to take in after dinner (at Amadeus!).

One of our favorite restaurants is The Parrott Club at 363 Fortaleza. Very, very, very good PR and Caribbean food. Also live music at night. Very lively atmoshpere.

Brunch:

IMO, hands down it is the sunday brunch at the Caribe Hilton. What a spread.

In Condado Area:

Los Faisanes, Avenida Magdelena 1108. International. Being lovers of great pheasant (Faisanes) dishes, Los Faisanes always has at least two on the menu. Never disappoints.

Ramiro's, Avenida Magdelena 1106. International/Spanish. While the service is great, we've never been bowled over by the food at Ramiro's. Although most others we've talked to have. Just a personal opinion I guess.

Chayote, Avenida Miramar 603 (Olimpo Hotel).
Puerto Rican/Seafood. Always very good!!!

Compostela, Avenida Codado 106. Spanish. We like Compostela over Ramiro's anyday!!!

Urdin, Avenida Magdelena 1105. Seafood/PR.
Had a divine dish of Halibut w/a chutney of raisins and bananas over it.


AJILI MOJILI, Calle Joffre 6. If you want to try Puerto Rican food as the Moms of Puerto Rico cooked it, try this restaurant, Anything w/the Ajili Mojili sauce (a very garlicky chili salsa) is terrific.


In Isla Verde:

While we have stayed at the El San Juan, we have never really enjoyed the food or thought it was a good value, seeing the tremendous other restaurants in San Juan. So I can't recommend anything here......EXCEPT!!! goto the open air rooftop bar at the ESJ, get a magarita and have guacamole made tableside.
Very yummy and great views.

In El Yunque/Luquillo Beach:

I highly recommend driving to El Yunque Park. It is the only rainforest in the US park service. Great hiking. Afterwards wash yourself off in the ocean at Luquillo Beach, just don't go on weekends when it will be packed!!!! The good eats are the various bungalows along the beach (not in the beach park, but down from the beach area) you'll see when driving twoards the beach park. The various grilled meats and empanadas go great w/the cold Medalla beer.

In Ponce:

La Hacienda/La Cava de la Hacienda which is located in the Ponce Hilton. Good International cuisine, but pricy. A much better bet is either Mark's at the Melia Hotel (there is a thread, do a search for in Ponce or Melia) or to drive 20 minutes West to the following:

In Guanica:

One of our favorite places to stay (and eat) on the south side of the Island is the Copamarina Beach Resort whose Ballena's restaurant is very good. Service is slow here, but the food is well worth it.

In Rincon:

Rincon is 8 miles north of Mayaguez on the West side of PR. The Horned Dorset Primavera Hotel. This is THE best hotel in PR for couples (no kids under 12 allowed). It also has one of the most beautiful and delicious dining rooms in all of PR. Well worth the drive and $$. http://www.horneddorset.com/home.html


La Paguera:

La Paguera is located on the SW side of PR.
If you should find yourself there on a dark night. Make sure to do two things.
Eat at the Parador Villa Parguerra, which serves seafood in a traditional PR manner. the fresh fish is ALWAYS pleasing.

After dinner, find the local boats that take you to Phosphorescent Bay. Once there, the tiny bioluminescent organisms in the water light up when disturbed by the swimmers. A very amazing sight and real fun being on the water at night.

Happy

First, thanks a lot for taking the trouble to post the details. I very much appreciate it.


Leaving on Wed for a week. Have rental car and will do a round-the-island drive in the anti-clockwise fashion - stopping at Isabela, Mayaquez, Ponce, Rio Grande and end at Carolina (San Juan).

The info I seek is, off the toll-road, how are the conditions of the byways and local roads, how is the condition of driving, say, going from Ponce to San Juan thru the middle of the Island... None is found.

FYI, the Biobay at Viequez should be much better than the one on the mainland, from what I research. Yet, imo, it is still lots of hype - for I have yet to see a picture that is not photoshopped and posted by the tour operators. All amateur pictures, incl those who claimed using proper exposure etc, turned out to be very underwhelmed. Not sure it is worth it to go to Viequez especially now that island seems to be the "in" place, so the overnight lodging prices are greatly inflated.

Secondly, I did not use the exact words "driving routes" "Biobay" - I used much more elaborate combinations of that. Of course FT is not Google, but still, I would think it could recognize some words... it either not return anything, or return something that were like dd 2004 or 2005...

OPFlyer

Try Ruth's Chris Steakhouse, you can never go wrong with this place.

Sweet Willie

THAT is very debatable!, very few cities in the U.S. have any type of Puerto Rican/Caribbean food, so to travel to the motherland of some of this food and go to a western chain is a sin IMO, plus butter on a steak, UGH!
But to each their own.

--

Sweet Willie

yep I think everyone would like a better search engine on FT, I've found that easier very key word searches for where I'm interested in work better with the FT engine, for example Camuy, Yunque, Copamarina.

On Rt 52, 2, 22, there are going to be many fast drivers as well as some very very very slow drivers, it can be a hectic mix. Cops always have the lights flashing on their roofs for some reason, you freak out a first thinking they have them on to pull you over but you'll get used to them, plus it is easier to see them ;-)

From Ponce to San Juan Rt 52 is the main drag, this can be very hilly in sections and some of the trucks and busses may clog up this double lane, so can be slow. I'd allow 1.5 hrs to make the drive. It has been much longer if there is the commercial traffic listed or if there is a local rodeo, when there are many slow pickups with horse trailers.

Inland roads or single lane going into a town can be Seriously SLOW!!! Driving through the middle of the island is painfully slow if trying to make a shortcut. Most of these roads are not heavily traveled, the single ramshack restaurants, beautiful inland lakes and dense jungle vegetation make the drives very beautiful, so I certainly recommend an inner island drive, just go with a what will be will be attitude and you will enjoy.^

Happy

That part worries me, seriously. We enjoy open roads, and can get bored driving thru hours of dense forest without even able to see the sky... 1 to 2 hours dring thru forest would be more than enough.

I dont think other than South America, anywhere else in the civilized world would have more narrow, 1-lane, two-way traffic roads that hug the cliff, than in South Island, New Zealand. At times even at 15mph would still seem too fast - We had a 10day circle drive done over there this past April. So I guess as long as we avoid the rush hour traffic in PR we should be fine. I just dont want to encounter too many unpaved road.

On the map I see the freeway at the Southern coast has a section that looks like not finished yet? between Guayama to Playa Puerto Maunabo?

jartis

Hey iam traveling to san juan for spring break and me and some buddies were wondering if you could tell us what is the safest part of the island to get one in and that is not to far from the clubs in old san juan