I went to Puerto Rico this past week with a group of girlfriends. But rather than this being a trip that “finally made it out of the group chat”, it was a trip that formed a group chat, each member trickling in as they were able to clear their schedules. Most of us hadn’t spent more than 6 hours together prior to the trip, which made for a unique opportunity to get to know each other while also getting to know the island.
My dear friend Brigitte was the glue that brought us all together: it was her birthday over the weekend, which made for a perfect excuse to rope together friends from all parts of her life to see Puerto Rico through her eyes. We were lucky to go with her, as she and her sister who joined are Puerto Rican, because it meant that we got to experience parts of the island I doubt I’d see without them.
In case you are lucky enough to visit Puerto Rico yourself, here’s our guide (and link to my PR Google Map in the paid subscriber section):
Where we stayed: Since there were 7 of us, we opted for a homestay as our home base on Ashford Avenue in Condado. It was great for our needs, but if I went with a smaller group for fewer days, I think a hotel in Viejo San Juan would have been great, too, to be right in the action.
Trip highlights: San Juan National Historic Site, horseback riding in Palmas del Mar, shopping on Calle Loíza, Opa (Greek)
A perfect day: Walk to Cafe Regina in Condado for breakfast and coffee. Over order —you’ll be glad you did. My order: hot cappuccino, iced cashew matcha, turkey sandwich, papaya bowl. Walk down Calle Loíza and do some shopping at Nude, Moli & Coli, and Electroshock. Stop home to drop your shopping bags, change into bathing suits, lather up with sunscreen, and hop in the car to Las Croabas. Take the Mandibula water taxi (reserve ahead) to Icacos and spend the afternoon on the small island beach. When you’ve had enough sun, take the taxi back, drive home, and enjoy a Corona while your group takes turns showering. Walk to Havana Grill for dinner and after, grab a drink at the Condado Vanderbilt Hotel while filling out your Off the Grid with the group or playing We’re Not Really Strangers.
(Another perfect day in the paid section below) 🌞
Most worn pieces:
This headscarf from Free People
These earrings from Free People
These Havaianas (we were joking it was a brand trip because we were all wearing them the entire trip)
This top from Merlette
Tips:
Wear lots of sunscreen- the sun in PR is very strong. Even when I was lathered up, I’d come home with my skin stinging from the rays. My favorite brand is Ultra Violette- currently using the standard moisturizer, but I also love the glowy, slightly pigmented version.
If you’re a confident driver, it really helps to have a car. We used ours, which we rented from Alamo, every day.
Keep an Off the Grid journal! I just finished filling mine out, and I’m so glad I did- there are little jokes from the trip I wrote down I would have already forgotten about by now.
If you wear rubber flip-flops (Havaianas, etc.), make sure your night-out shoes aren’t thongs. Our poor winter toesies suffered. I just ordered these from Asos so I don’t make the same mistake again…
Respect the locals! Puerto Ricans are (obviously) wonderful, generous people- treat them with love and you’ll receive the same back.
Bring a disposable camera- we just used Fujifilms and the photos turned out perfectly.
I’d love to return to PR and experience more of the western coast, which Brigitte reported is primarily made up of laid-back surf towns.
Paid subscribers get access to my Google Maps below, featuring 30+ places we visited and the spots on my list for my next trip. I’d recommend this if you have an upcoming trip and want to find great restaurants, things to do, and areas to stay. Paid subscribers also get access to my New York City guide with over 280+ of my favorite jaunts.
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