Puerto Rico and outlying islandsPuerto Rico is a Caribbean island,
the smallest of the Greater Antilles, 100 miles long by 35 miles
wide. Because it became an unincorporated territory of the United
States in 1898, at the end of the Spanish-American War, the
currency is the US dollar and there is no passport requirement for
US citizens unless arriving from a foreign country. The official
language is Spanish but everyone speaks at least basic English. A
nice bonus is that for duty-free purposes, trips to the mainland
US qualify for purchases in the stores, and there is no limit on
duty-free purchases! It is not uncommon to find yourself with a
long layover at San Juan's Luis Muñoz Marín International
airport -- Puerto Rico is an aviation and cruise ship hub for the
Caribbean. This article will give you some ideas of what to do if
you find yourself in that situation.
!! Steps !!
* _ Determine your layover time and subtract
from that one hour for security screening and returning to your
gate, and another hour for round-trip travel. If you have less
than two hours left over, leaving the airport may not be a good
idea, particularly on weekdays when rush-hour traffic can be very
heavy. Rush hour in the area of the airport is from 7AM to 9AM
(westbound traffic) and from 4PM to 7PM (eastbound traffic).
Traffic is generally light on weekends. If you have a short
layover and would like to see more of San Juan, talk to the
airline you will be flying and ask if you can change your
departure date. There are many inexpensive and charming hotels in
the area[1] and you will not regret having the opportunity to see
more of this city and its 500+ years of colorful history.
* If you have friends in Puerto Rico who live
reasonably close to the airport, your best bet is to call them and
ask them to give you a small tour to see places that interest you.
All cellular phones that work in the United States (and most of
the foreign ones that have roaming service) will also work in
Puerto Rico.
* A waterfall at El Yunque Tropical Rain ForestIf you like
nature hikes, your layover is eight hours or more, and the weather
is reasonable, find a tour to El Yunque[2], the only tropical rain
forest in the United States and a Federal Forest Reserve.[3] A
visit to El Yunque is an experience you will not soon forget, but
dress light, put on some sneakers (do not_ wear dress or heeled
shoes, or flimsy floppy shoes), wear some sort of light hat and
sunblock and do _not_ bring a heavy handbag or purse. Do bring
your camera and a large bottle of water.
* If you like to gamble, the airport has a
casino in the hotel located in the main terminal!
* Close up of the fountain at San Juan's Plaza de ArmasIf you
have three or more hours available during the layover and would
like to see the Spanish colonial influence on the island, take a
taxi ride to Old San Juan's "Plaza de Armas"[4] (pronounced
"PLA-za de AR-mas"). This very nice plaza is located in front of
San Juan's City Hall and is within walking distance of shopping
areas as well as the imposing Spanish colonial El Morro Castle[5].
This amazing 15th century military structure guards the entrance
to San Juan Bay, and is in and of itself a half-day experience.
* Walking in Old San Juan can be a very
pleasant, relaxing experience. One of the best places to walk is
the "Paseo de la Princesa" (pronounced pah-SEH-oh de lah
prin-SEH-sa). Literally translated, it is the "princess' walkway"
but actually refers to the building where the Tourism Department
is currently housed. The structure used to be a very nasty jail
called "La Princesa" that dated from Spanish colonial times. It
was not until the 1970's that a federal judge issued an order to
close it.
* If you want to hit the beach and soak up some
rays, ask the taxicab to take you to the closest one, the
Balneario de Isla Verde (pronounced "bal-neh-AH-rio de IS-lah
VER-deh"). It is located about ten minutes from the airport and
parallel to the north of airport's runway number eight.
* If you want to get something to eat, check
out Frommer's list of San Juan restaurants.[6] If you want to try
some classic Cuban food, the closest to the airport and very much
a favorite for locals is Metropol[7] (pronounced "meh-tro-POLL").
The same area in Isla Verde also boasts many types of cuisine,
from affordable fast food to world-class fare.
* If you would like to visit a museum with
local art, there are many in the San Juan metropolitan area as
well as in Old San Juan.[8]
* If you want to go shopping, tell the taxicab
to take you to Plaza Las Américas[9] (pronounced PLA-sah las
a-ME-ri-cas), the largest and most up-scale shopping mall on the
island. It takes approximately 20 minutes or so to get there if
traffic is light – during the rush hour periods it can take up
to an hour to get to the mall! The main entrance to the mall is
where you will find the taxicab line to get back to the airport.
!! Video !!
!! Tips !!
* Taxicabs charge fixed fares to/from all destinations when either
the beginning or ending point is the airport.[10] Ask the taxi
dispatcher at the airport (look for a Tourism Department uniform)
for the rates.
!! Warnings !!
* If you decide to go shopping, remember that
anything you bring back to the airport has to go through TSA
security screening. That means liquids, gels, etc., that exceed
the posted limits will have to be checked in or surrendered at the
checkpoint. You may want to consider asking the airline if they
will allow you to check-in more bags while in transit, and buy an
extra bag to pack your purchases obtained during your layover.
* When shopping, check the "Made in xxxx" labels. There are many
stores in Puerto Rico selling tourist items and trinkets that are
not made in Puerto Rico. If you want to buy a souvenir from Puerto
Rico, ask the store attendant to show you items that are made in
Puerto Rico. Support the island artists and artisans, please.
* Only use taxicabs that are painted white and
display the "Taxi Turistico" logos. Public transportation buses
are an option but they are *never* on schedule and should not be
relied upon to return to the airport.
* If you have never driven in Puerto Rico, do not rent a car for a
short visit like this one. Driving in Puerto Rico is a skill that
takes practice – there is no defensive driving, it's all
offensive! You also have a high likelihood of getting lost and
missing your flight, even with a GPS!
* Don't venture out of the airport in the late evenings for walks in
Old San Juan or a beach visit unless you are part of a group.
Stick to hotels and restaurants.
* If you do decide to drive, keep in mind that
police vehicles usually leave their upper blue lights on. If they
wish to stop you for some reason, they will use their siren or
loudspeaker.
* Stay out of the tourist trap stores. Most of them are fairly
obvious. You should only go in there if you are looking for some
inexpensive things to give away as gifts, and if so you should
only buy items that are made in Puerto Rico.
* Use common sense! Leave *all* valuables in your bags, do not dress
in flashy clothes, do not wear jewelry and do not try to make it
patently obvious that you are a tourist.
!! Things You\'ll Need !!
* Sunscreen, good walking shoes if hiking, water.
!! Related WikiHows !!
* How to Enjoy Puerto Rico
* How to Dial Puerto Rico
* How to Make Mofongo
* How to Handle Long Layovers at an Airport
* How to Go Through Airport Security Smoothly
!! Sources And Citations !!
!! Article Tools !!
* Read on wikiHow
*
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