ONE Thing to Eat, See & Do in Puerto Rico

The #1 Thing to Eat

Pirilo Pizza Rustica - Old San Juan

@allierawlings

This restaurant is tucked into a charming corner of Old San Juan. The interior is cozy, but the energy is vibrant! If you’re looking for mouth-watering pizza and pasta, this is the spot. My husband and I are still talking about our meal months later.

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Now if you’re reading this thinking “you went to Puerto Rico and the best meal you had was Italian food?! I hear you. For some delicious Caribbean-fusion dining, you should check out Zaco’s Tacos on Culebra.

Zaco's Tacos Restaurant

@allierawlings

The space has such a fun vibe and the food was amazing. (A tad on the expensive side in my opinion, but I still walked away feeling satisfied.)

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The #1 Things to See: Bioluminescent Bay

Puerto Rico is one of the top destinations for viewing bioluminescence! We took a tour with Yokahu Kayak Trips, which is located on the main island. However, our tour guide informed us that the very best spot is actually located on the island of Vieques in Puerto Mosquito. If you’re unfamiliar with bioluminescence, essentially, in certain regions of the world, there’s a type of aquatic algae that emits light due to a chemical reaction in the water. It is a spectacular phenomenon to witness! During the tour, you’ll kayak through mangroves until reaching an open bay. You’ll do all of this at night far from any light pollution. Here, you’ll get to witness those magical glowing waters you’ve seen from the photos. During our tour, the guide covered the entire group in a tarp so that there was no light pollution whatsoever. This allowed us to see those glowing water in their brightest form. It’s truly a once in a lifetime experience in my opinion. While there are places around the world that they can be viewed, you’ll rarely be somewhere where they are as prevelant as they are in Puerto Rico so I highly recommend taking advantage!

The #1 to Do: Rent a Golf Cart & Visit Flamingo Beach

The day we spent on Culebra can be summed up in a just a few words: Pure. Caribbean. Magic. To reach the island, you’ll take a ferry from Ceiba. While tickets aren’t very expensive, you’ll pay in the form of motion sicknesses. If you’re particularly prone to nausea, I would ensure to bring along some dramamine. I can assure you that your day on the island is well worth any physical maladies you may suffer in journeying there. The island is relatively small, so most tourists rent a golf cart to get around during the day. While there are certain roads you’re not allowed to take them on, you can easily access some of the best destinations with it. Carting around in the sunshine, hopping from beaches to restaurants to bars was just insanely fun.

Flamenco Beach

@allierawlings

A 15-minute golf cart drive will take you to Flamingo Beach. This is without a doubt, one of the most stunning beaches I have ever visited. Picturesque white sand, turquoise water, and a palm-tree lines shoreline are what you greet you here. They also have a little village of small businesses selling refreshing treats and beach gear to rent. We spend a few bucks on beach chairs, plopped them under a palm tree and spent hours reading in the sun and swimming in the clear, warm waters. The sunburns we received from this day were well worth the experience. (That being said, do not be like me and REAPPLY EVERY 2 HOURS. The sun is on another level out here.)

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