Hola! I always try to post a blog recap of the trips we take, mainly because it’s a helpful reference for me, and hopefully others too! This Puerto Rico trip was not planned out well, as it was honestly a super last minute change for our adults only vacation, but ended up being perfect. We were initially supposed to go to Scrub Island in the BVIs, but unfortunately they were hit with a Covid spike, and coincidentally a curfew and lockdown. Therefore, we quickly pivoted, and 4 days prior to our trip we changed the destination to Puerto Rico. One of the biggest pros of PR is that since it’s US territory, it is super easy to travel to.
We used Marriott points for this trip, so we stayed at the St. Regis at Bahia Beach. It is a beautiful resort that is set on an old lush coconut plantation. The resort itself was beautiful and had tons of amenities, including a luxurious spa, a stunning golf course, tennis courts, and full service at the pool and beach. The rooms were nice and large, and the service was good. The only thing I was kind of disappointed with was the food. Other than sushi night (Friday and Saturday) at the St. Regis Bar, I wasn’t impressed with the menu or overall restaurant experience at the St. Regis resort.
Once we arrived to the resort, we were able to relax a bit by the pool, but then per usual, we wanted to spend a good bit of our vacation exploring and having fun. We talked to some other guests at the resort and to the activities concierge and were able to schedule a boat day for island hopping, deep sea fishing, a round of golf at the resort, and a hike in the Yunque Rainforest.
- Island Hopping Boat Excursion : This was such a great way to spend the day and see some of the prettiest beaches around Puerto Rico! We visited Palomino Island and Icacos Cay.
- Deep Sea Fishing : We have been deep sea fishing before in CR and I LOVED it. However, that was not the case in PR. The waters were So rough, that this experience wasn’t enjoyable at all for me. Thankfully, we did catch some fish that we were able to take back for the hotel restaurant to prepare.
- El Yunque Rainforest : Hiking El Yunque may have been my favorite part of this trip. It was such an adventure, filled with hiking, swimming in waterfalls, rock sliding, and beautiful views.
Other Recommendations I received from a sweet follower who is from PR:
Ekelekua: great breakfast/lunch spot in Rio Grande. We popped in here for lunch one day and it was really good!
Las Vistas Cafe: breakfast in Fajardo
Beaches to visit near Rio Grande: Playa Escondida, Seven Seas, and Palomino Island
Restaurants/Drinks in Old San Juan: 173 Grados, The Rooftop at The Olive Hotel, La Factoria.
Overall, it was a great trip! We relaxed, ate well, and had a lot of fun. One of my biggest tips would be to rent a car or hire a driver, unless of course you plan to park it at the resort your entire trip, which wouldn’t be a terrible idea either. You can’t go wrong in Puerto Rico!
XO – Shana
