✦ 10 days in Puerto Rico!!
This was a huge trip. To be honest, Puerto Rico was not at the top of my travel bucket list, but when two totally different groups of friends invited us to events on the island, we had to go.
We split the trip into three parts to see as much of the island as we could. First, the jungle with just me and Riley. Then the beach, where our friend Dante from art school and Riley’s Billabong days got married. And finally, the city, where our friends Marina and Taze celebrated their joint bachelor / bachelorette party.
Leg 1: The Jungle
Getting there was a series of long travel days, with back-to-back five hour flights and then a two hour drive to our Airbnb. Safe to say we were a little delulu by the time we arrived, but it was worth it.
We chose the west side of the jungle since it was closer to our next destination, but next time I would love to spend some time on the eastern side and visit El Yunque National Forest.
We stayed in an Airbnb that overlooked a small waterfall. The sound of the jungle and the river was so calming and totally enveloped you when you arrived. The interior design of the house was a little cheesy for my taste, but the location more than made up for it.
On our first full day we drove through some truly wild jungle roads to visit Cascada Gozalandia. It was beautiful. A little touristy I’m not going to lie, but worth it for the easy access and short trails. There was even a small bar on site where we stopped for a drink afterward.
Leg 2: The Beach
After two days in the jungle, we made our way to the coast. Our friends were getting married in the small surf town of Isabela.
An hour before the ceremony was supposed to start, a total downpour hit. After waiting almost an hour with no sign of it stopping they decided to move the ceremony to the covered cocktail area.
Everyone gathered in a loose circle around them for the impromptu ceremony. As they began their vows, the rain softened and the clouds parted. Light poured in, and two perfect rainbows appeared in the sky. It was one of the most romantic things I’ve ever witnessed.
Later that night, we also tried some Puerto Rican moonshine. Very fun.
We stayed another day in Isabela soaking in the beach. The hotel sat right on the water, so we barely left. Our favorite meal of the trip was at Flora restaurant, a great recommendation form the newlyweds.
Leg 3: The City (and more beach)
The final part of the trip was party time. We stayed just outside San Juan in a beach neighborhood called Piñones for the joint bachelor / bachelorette trip, and from the moment we arrived it was nonstop.
Four days of drinking, dancing, celebrating, recovering, and then doing it all over again. Very little sleep. Questionable decisions. Great stories.
Our group stayed in a house made of shipping containers, tucked next to the main villa where the rest of the group was staying. 21 people flew all the way to Puerto Rico for these two, which really says everything about how loved they are.
By pure luck, we were there during San Sebastián, the annual festival that completely takes over Old San Juan. Over a million people flood the streets every year. To avoid the chaos we went on the last day and luckily didn’t get too overrun by crowds.
One of my fav stops was Barrachina, the birthplace of the piña colada. Extremely touristy but hey when in Puerto Rico.
Final Thoughts
I would be remiss if I didn’t acknowledge the other side of visiting this place. Exploring the island, it’s hard not to notice the contrast between visible poverty and the presence of American capitalist institutions. Even as tourists, you can feel the American military presence across the island.
There’s so much beauty, music, laughter, and generosity, and at the same time a deep history of colonialism and disenfranchisement that’s impossible to ignore.
It felt strange, at times, to celebrate and dance under that backdrop, to laugh with friends while also seeing the burden of centuries of colonial influence and ongoing struggles over identity and autonomy.
But I think that’s part of what made the trip so memorable for me: the beauty and joy are real, and so are the challenges. The kindness of the people we met, welcoming us into their homes, sharing stories, and laughing with us late into the night, showed me that Puerto Rico is not defined by power or policy, but by the people who carry its history, its resilience, and its extraordinary warmth.
So much gratitude for this trip and the memories with all our friends.
Thank you, Puerto Rico.
