Viejo San Juan
No visit to San Juan would be complete without touring Viejo San Juan, or Old San Juan, a 7-square block area that was originally designed as a military stronghold to ward off pirates and other foreign invaders. Today, you'll find the streets of Old San Juan filled with charming little shops, restaurants, bistros, and residential as well as commercial areas. However, its charm lies in the brightly colored buildings and streets paved with adoquine, a stone with a blueish hue to it. I didn't realize that the area was also a little hilly, so even though we all had comfortable shoes on, it felt like a little hike walking around the neighborhood. Old San Juan is easily accessed from the Condado area with either a short taxi ride ($10 one way) or via the bus ($0.75 fare) system, so it was close and convenient enough to be located near our hotel.
Our cab dropped us off at Plaza de Colón, the plaza named in honor of Christoper Columbus, and our cab driver was nice enough to point out a few things that were worth seeing. Even though we were there around 10am, the humidity was starting to creep up on us, so we had to run into one of the many souvenir shops to arm ourselves with bottled water. My first impression of Old San Juan was that it was very colorful and had a cheerful atmosphere. Vendors were starting to set up their tents to sell various handmade souvenirs, such as purses and masks, and the smell from the street food carts were beginning to pervade my senses. I fought the temptation though. Old San Juan has a number of famous plazas dispersed throughout its area, but some of the notable ones are Plaza San José, Plaza del Quinto Centenario, and Plaza de Armas. Also, in case you have little children in tow, there are free trolleys you can hop on and off on your trek so that you don't have to suffer in the heat. They're marked by trolley stops (with numbers) along various streets in Old San Juan. I do recommend walking as much as you can, since you may miss some of the quaint little shops and unique restaurants along the way. Also, we enjoyed interacting with the local residents as they were incredibly friendly and particularly helpful in directing us to local eateries we may enjoy.
Old San Juan is best explored first thing in the morning, as tourists tend to trickle in after a lazy breakfast or lounging at the beach. Also, we were told that it was best to come during the weekday versus the weekend, when the bulk of the tourists from hotels and the cruise lines converge in the city. The day we went it wasn't crowded at all. I would also recommend at least one full day or two mornings to really take in this area of the city, as there's so much to see and do. Don't forget to arm yourself with a wide-brimmed hat, sunscreen, and plenty of water as the heat and humidity is fairly brutal in Puerto Rico. When you're done exploring, you can catch the bus back to your hotel or head to the taxi pick up area, which is clearly marked and located towards the southeastern portion of Old San Juan and not too far from Colon plaza.
Latin Star
One of the first places we ate in San Juan was the Latin Star, a mom & pop type restaurant located a block away from our hotel. In our quest to eat authentic Puerto Rican food, we scoped out a handful of places dotted along Ashford Avenue, but a few were crowded until we spotted this little place. Sandwiched between a souvenir store and an internet cafe, the restaurant offered outdoor seating with overhead fans to keep clients cool while they wait for their food.
We were served by Maria, who recommended a few items to try on their list. I started out with the calamari salad drenched in some mysterious, but unbelievably tasty sauce and garnished with lime. I liked the freshness of the calamari and its tender meat. It didn't taste rubbery or overly fried at all. We also ordered a chicken tenders basket for my son while my husband had their Cuban sandwich. While we were waiting for our meal, Maria served us some warm toasted bread with a garlic spread that we finished within minutes. I guess it's an "all you can eat" bread basket because Maria had to come back twice to give us more bread. Also, there are a number of Puerto Rican dishes in their menu, but I wasn't ready to try the mofongo just yet. For those who are slightly picky, you can find basic sandwiches and a few chicken dishes that don't sound too exotic. They do have a decent appetizer menu and a relatively good selection of seafood and meat dishes.
The only downside I could find with the Latin Star are the prices of the meals. Since they're in the Condado area, meals seem a bit overpriced at $12 - 22 for main dishes and $8 - 10 for appetizers. Bottled water will cost you $2 and drinks are around $6 and up. A good thing about the restaurant is that it's opened 24 hours and if everything on Ashford Avenue is packed (which is common), you can always drop by here.
Marriott Resort & Stellaris Casino
Situated in a prime spot among Condado's hotel and resort-lined avenue is the Marriott Resort & Stellaris Casino. This 4-star hotel boasts 513 guest rooms and 12 suites to accommodate a variety of travelers. Because we booked a package during Puerto Rico's off-season, prices were actually cheaper than if we went in February or March. We saved about $300 off the normal booking rates for the hotel / flight package to San Juan.
Our package included the double bed oceanfront view with a balcony. Other rooms have the city view, partial ocean view, or the pool view, but I think you can request oceanfront rooms if they have them available at the time. Ours was located on the 7th floor, which was high enough to spy on the people frolicking below on the beach and in the ocean. The beds were comfortable in true Marriott fashion and the bathroom was pretty spacious. My only complaint was the lack of a microwave, but since you're at a resort, they'll find sneaky ways to make sure you use their facilities instead of hoarding microwaveable meals in your luggage and eating up in the rooms. Oh, and the fridge was about the size of a small TV. It's still large enough to fit a few bottles of water and my son's juice pouches. The maids also brought in 4 complimentary bottles of water each day, so don't worry about running out of water. If you do happen to run out, the front desk is more than happy to send more bottles to your room.
The resort also boasts a lively lobby area complete with a full service bar, a lounge, a coffee / snack area, and free wi-fi in the area. Adjacent to the lobby is the Stellaris casino, which features a number of games (cards & slots) to keep you occupied, in case the weather turns ugly. Nearly every night, the lobby was packed with visitors and guests dancing to live bands playing salsa or rock, but being on the 7th floor, you couldn't hear anything. There's also a small souvenir store carrying various sundries, in case you forgot to pack your sunblock lotion or toothbrush. However, here's a tidbit: don't buy from the hotel---they're overpriced. Instead, head out and walk a block to the corner Walgreens and get your alcohol, snacks, and other items there.
As for the restaurants in the hotel, I can't write a review on it because we didn't get to dine in any of them. Why not? We didn't book an all-inclusive package (which wasn't available, anyway), so we opted to indulge ourselves in some of the finest dining that San Juan had to offer. However, we did take advantage of the resort's two pools (one for the kids and another for the adults), the water slide, and its pristine beach. I only regret that I didn't have a waterproof case for my camera or a waterproof point & shoot for those water shots. Still, who wants to relax on the beach while lugging an obnoxious black camera around?
San Juan in May
The month of May completely rocked; my husband came back from a year's deployment, I celebrated a birthday, and we took a much needed family vacation to San Juan, Puerto Rico. First, we headed home to Florida to catch a short flight from Jacksonville to San Juan which was roughly 2 and a half hours. It's not bad, especially for families with toddlers or infants. Jet Blue services a number of flights out of Jacksonville, so we were lucky enough to score a non-stop flight to Puerto Rico.
San Juan in May is doable. Since we live in South Carolina (& make frequent trips to Florida), the humidity didn't faze us. Well, most of the time. Florida in May simmers at 40% humidity give or take, but San Juan was a balmy 70%. The air was arguably thicker and it was hot, but it didn't really bother our family. What we wanted to do was check in the hotel, grab a quick bite to eat, and nap until we were ready to do a little exploring. We were spending a week in San Juan and banking on a combination of exploring, noshing on the local cuisine, and taking advantage of our hotel's amenities.
Prior to choosing the specifics of our vacation, location was a key factor in booking our trip. Since we knew we wanted to enjoy the beach and be close enough to check out other nearby sights, namely Old San Juan, we picked a resort located in the Condado region of the city. The only downside I could think of in our area was that San Juan faces the Atlantic Ocean and not the Caribbean, so the waters are a little rough, but it's a delight to the surfers and boogie-borders. I'll get into more detail of our hotel in another post, so bear with me. The Condado area is a prime choice for people who want to be near the night life, delectable restaurants, the beach, and shopping.
My biggest decision was what camera and gear to bring to San Juan, but thankfully, I kept it light. Knowing that I'd be traveling with a 3 year old and in the heat, I should've considered bringing my Sony (micro camera), which was lighter, but I had to drag the Nikon out the bag and grab 2 lenses. The result? Awesome pictures, but my neck and shoulders were suffering due to the extra weight in the bag. Mind you, I didn't bring a camera bag, since I chose to go with fashion rather than convenience.