You know a trip was absolutely top tier when you cannot stop thinking about little moments, talking about it and randomly laughing to yourself when you remember silly things that happened during your time there!

San Juan is definitely my new favorite solo-travel destination. So, if you have never traveled solo but would like to finally get into it, trust me, this is the place for you and by the end of this guide, you will understand why.

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Let me preface this with a short, funny (not funny) story…

So, on the day of my travel, something randomly told me to check and see when the next time Mercury will be in retrograde and to my actual surprise lol it started that exact day! My immediate reaction was that GTA meme — ‘Ah shit, here we go again’!

I was so convinced that my travel wouldn’t be interrupted (I don’t know who I thought I was, being immune to natural causes). Luckily, I had a direct flight — departing at 7.26 pm, landing at 12.18 am. Oh so I thought it would be that lol! My flight got delayed by an hour when I got to the airport then when we boarded, there were complications with leaving so we stayed stationary for 1h45. Long story short, I ended up landing in San Juan at 3.30 am…

It was totally okay though because I did plan on just going to sleep and sleeping in on the first day, so I wasn’t mad about it but definitely super tired and sleepy!

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Oh man, Puerto Ricans are so friendly and helpful which made this trip extra special for me. I got the best advice from an Uber driver, got ‘plug’ contacts, went on so many spontaneous/unplanned side quests with strangers and met the owner and artist of Mi Pequeno San Juan, who gave me the best souvenir ever. One of the craziest things that happened was bumping into a girl I met when I was solo traveling in Miami back in 2022 but that wasn’t the actual crazy part, since 2022, we have been coincidentally traveling to the exact same place at the exact same time and this was the FORTH time this happened!

✷ As you are reading this article, whenever you see ‘IT’, I am giving you an ‘Insider Tip’ from my personal experience.

Okay ok k, that was enough yapping for an intro, let’s get into your San Juan guide on a budget.

KNOW BEFORE YOU GO

• In Puerto Rico, they speak Spanish but pretty much everyone is fluent in English too which makes it the best place to practice your Spanish. I was pretty impressed with how much progress I have made in learning the language, so I would suggest that you learn how to get by and if all else fails, you can just revert to English.
• November is the end of rainy season in Puerto Rico, so plan to travel between November — February for the best weather. It was an average of 87º/31º during my time there in early/mid-November. This time is also their big cruise season, so expect a lot more tourists around the island.
• Since Puerto Rico is a U.S. territory, it also uses the US dollar. I would like to argue that although they use the same currency, things are much cheaper though. For instance, gas was like $0.78 per gallon! I was so shocked whenever I passed by every gas station. They take all U.S bank cards and most places have Apple Pay too but bring cash because some vendors only take cash.
• As a U.S. citizen or permanent resident, literally all you need to fly with is your ID/driver’s license. No need to pack your passport or green card and risk losing it.
• Unlike the U.S. though, the legal drinking age here is 18!

THINGS TO DO

Explore Old San Juan

It may seem like it’s overhyped but trust me on this, it is totally worth it. I initially thought that those pretty streets were just three blocks but no, it’s a whole city of endless, colorful, stunning streets. They are made up of people’s homes, souvenir stores, familiar shopping stores (Marshalls), restaurants, hotels, historical sites (El Morro, Catedral Basilica de San Juan Bautista) and museums! Insider Tip: Stop by the cute, old Starbucks on Calle Tetuán and walk up to the next street for the ‘I Love SJ’ sign. Also, be prepared to walk for at least an hour or two if you want to fully explore and appreciate Old San Juan (I walked until my favorite sandals broke!) and make sure to stay hydrated!

Price | Free

Get the original Piña Colada at Barrachina restaurant

Located in Old San Juan is the birthplace of the famous piña colada, which was created here in 1963. They are celebrating their 60th anniversary, so if you order the piña colada, you get to take the cup with you! I have never been a huge fan of the cocktail but of course I had to do it and boy was it strong! Unfortunately, I did forget to grab my cup when I left. IT: To eat, order Puerto Rico’s traditional dish, Mofongo, which is made from fried green plantains mashed with garlic, olive oil, and your choice of protein (I got pollo/chicken). Very filling and incomparable to anything I have ever had.

Price | Drink: $13, food: $18 (I also got rice and beans on the side but I am actually not sure how much that was)

Photo Booth in Armas Hotel

Attached to the hotel, you will find a small and cute room full of photo booths, which will be perfect for a souvenir to frame and put up on your walls at home. Each booth is unique because they have different filters and styles — I went into the one with the yellow curtain for the vertical strip and for the horizontal black and white one, I went into the dark blue one to the right of the yellow booth.

Price | $6 per strip

Bad Bunny mural

Of course the absolute icon of Puerto Rico has a mural — Bad Bunny, Bad Bunny! There are actually a few murals of him around the island, but this particular one is especially popular because it sits right next to the gorgeous and equally famous Puerto Rican flag door. IT: Head up the road and across the street to Bastión de las Ánimas — it’s the fortress with that iconic window overlooking La Perla and the beach.

Price | Free

Salsa dancing at La Factoria

On Monday nights (and I think Sundays too), the stunning and intricate La Factoria cocktail bar, which is also like a speakeasy, hosts salsa nights while the amazing and energizing band ‘La 51’ performs all night long! Oh, what a time! Whether you know how to salsa dance or not, it doesn’t matter especially if you are a woman, because the men lead (as they should lol jk jk)! My only issue (not an issue at all) is that Puerto Rican salsa dancers do not get tired, they are wired!

Not only that, the songs are like 10 minutes long and you don’t stop dancing until the song is over. The way I was fighting for my life here in the most positive and fun way possible lol. Every time I would step aside to catch my breath, I would see yet another polite hand offering to dance with me. Was I on the verge of dying? Yes. Did I say no to anyone? No. Mind you, this went on all night until they closed at 1 am! No ragrets! IT: My Uber driver told me that the best cocktails are here and he was not lying! I had a lavender mule and it was just what I needed.

Price | Free (drink: $12)

Go bar hopping on Calle de San Sebastian

You know when you see the nightlife in San Juan on TikTok and there are hundreds of people on a tight street? Yeah, that’s on San Sebastian street! Even during the week, it’s popping but crazier on the weekends. It’s safe to say that I somehow ended up here every single night! This is where you will find El Cafetin (always extremely packed but it’s fun and every now and then, the male bartenders get up on the counter half naked, pop champagne to share with those closeby, then they pop confetti and everyone starts the Puerto Rico chant lol super fun moment)! Every bar offers a different vibe and is worth checking out. IT: If you want to get the top view of the crowded street like how people usually do, go into El Atico, they have mini balconies to enjoy the view from!

Price | Drinks start at $12 (but you should pre-game before you go)

Have a beach day at Condado Beach

There’s truly nothing like spending the whole day at the beach, just sipping on a drink, watching the waves, going in and out for a swim and listening to music, especially when you wanted to escape the hustle & bustle and the cold weather. Condado Beach is absolutely perfect for this because there are also a ton of nice restaurants around.

There are cocktail stands too along the shore, so make sure to get yourself coconut water or a cocktail in a pineapple or coconut. I got the mojito pineapple which was amazing and the size of two drinks (if you are a menace like me, stop at the liquor store across the street to get rum shooters before heading to the beach for an enhanced experience)! IT: Go to La Concha Resort, even if you are not a guest, you can rent an umbrella and chair. They only take cash though. Also, the cocktail stand I went to only takes cash or payments through money transfer apps (I used Cashapp).

Price | Umbrella: $10, chair: $5, mojito pineapple: $15

Dinner and live piano performances at The Cannon Club

This is a hidden gem! It is very inconspicuous when walking around the building but as soon as you step in, you are immersed in this gorgeous historical and romantic space that just goes on forever! Take your time looking at every inch of this place — the walls, the floor, the ceiling, the furniture, the decor and art pieces… everything is so carefully curated to give you an experience that settles your nervous system. On top of that, there is live music!

They have live music every night and this was my ‘fancy dinner’ night where I had planned to treat myself to good steak but unfortunately the kitchen was closed by the time I went there at 10 pm but I still enjoyed myself and got taken on a side quest by the bartender/server, Sam (she was absolutely amazing and hilarious), who gave me a special tour of the whole place and the ‘behind the seen’ while also giving me the restaurant/hotel history facts (and hella work tea lol).

Price | Check out the menu, they have great options

Night swim at Escambron Beach

I personally love going to the beach at night, mainly to watch and listen to the waves while contemplating. After hitting the club on one of the nights, me and a few friends I made decided to go to the beach. Escambron beach is actually open 24 hours so you are good to swim at night and have the whole beach to yourself, plus the water is super warm. IT: You should go skinny dipping here if you are like us and obviously didn’t have any swimwear with you and really wanted to go in for a swim at 2 am lol but you did not hear that from me! Another IT, Uber drivers might not want to pick you up from here because they know that the beach has no water taps so you will be going in their car with sand, walk up to the street and request from there. Luckily for me and the girls, our hostel was a few blocks away so we walked back.

Price | Free

Hike & go down the 25 ft natural slide in El Yunque National Forest

I booked a day trip tour through Tripadvisor from San Juan to El Yunque. What makes El Yunque unique is the fact that it is the only tropical forest in the U.S. National Forest System and it is stunning and the best way to be one with nature! This is a must-do experience when you are in Puerto Rico! We were picked up in San Juan and it was a one-hour ride. We hiked for about 2 miles each way and I want to say this is a pretty strenuous hike because of all the strategic climbing you have to do 50% of the time and the constant switch in terrains so if you are not used to hiking, this could be challenging for you.

We had an amazing guide, Gillian — she was fun, funny and taught us a lot about the El Yunque rainforest throughout the day! We got to go down the famous natural slide, jump off the cliffs (different sizes for all) and did the rope swing! IT: We all get lifejackets but I would recommend knowing how to thread/paddle if you cannot swim because you do need to swim to the rocks after jumping off everything. Book an early time for a better price. Wear shoes with good grip, I had brought water shoes and they were pretty slippery for the hiking part so I was constantly falling on rocks and in water! To get water out your ears tuck your head between your legs for a while, take pain meds and chew hella gum (this is what worked for me, I just had to figure it out because I was uncomfortable on the way back).

Price | $45

Luquillo Beach & Food Kiosks

This is actually part of the tour above. We stopped at Luquillo beach for an hour to enjoy the beach, explore the stores and eat. I had pork pinchos/kebab from one of the kiosks called El Almendro Pinchos, so definitely grab one or a few here too — it was so filling and so good! A friend had previously told me they went here the day before and said it is the best place to go jet skiing and it definitely made sense why she said that. The beach is very calm and open!

You can actually rent a jet ski right there at the beach from Gringos Jet Ski. $80 for 30 minutes and $150 for an hour. Also, what’s interesting about this beach is that when you walk into the water, it’s just a dip lol it’s almost like a pool. IT: Buy your souvenirs here because they are much cheaper than in Old San Juan and Condado which are the big touristy areas. You can find three shirts for $15 and four keychains for $5 so it’s a good spot to get gifts for friends and family.

Price | $6

Party hardy at La Placita de Santurce

La Placita is another must-have experience when in San Juan, you hear people talk about it all the time. It’s another nightlife capital but it’s more diverse compared to San Sebastian street because here you can get food, listen to live music (when I was there one of the nights, there was a pair of men singing right from a food stand and I thought that was absolutely hilarious but they were so so good!).

I personally liked San Sebastian more, only because of the music. Most clubs were playing USA hip-hop and rap, which I like because I can sing along but I can have that any day here in D.C., I didn’t fly all the way to Puerto Rico for ‘bow bow bow bow’ lol! IT: If you get there around 9/10 pm, you will see people standing outside basically every club handing out little tickets — make sure to approach them because they are offering free drinks and free shots from different bars!

Price | Free + drinks start at $10

Explore Puerto Rican art at Museo de Arte Puerto Rico

Whether you are an art nerd like me or not, I feel like learning about local artists and traditional artworks is an amazing way to fully embrace and understand everything you see around you. For instance, while I was here, I learned about the Puerto Rican Vejigante masks which you see almost everywhere you go in San Juan and are mainly used in annual festivals like Carnaval Ponceño. The museum has three floors to explore and a garden. It is recommended to start from the top and work your way down.

Don’t be lazy, be sure to read the art labels when entering each gallery room to connect the artwork to the culture and the artist. D.C. museums have absolutely spoiled me with the free admissions because my heart stopped when they told me that admission is $15 + an extra $3 to get access to the 4th floor (which I paid for too because I wanted the full experience as an art enthusiast and it was worth the extra $3).

Price | $20 (w/ taxes)

Get the best souvenir from Mi Pequeño San Juan

In Old San Juan, there is a quaint blue store owned by a French artist, Nico Thomassin, who has been painting and selling art in San Juan for over 20 years and has his own mini gallery inside The Poets Passage (which is owned by his wife and poet, Lady Lee Andrews). This store is filled with colorful ceramic doors of Old San Juan in all shapes and sizes which makes for the perfect memory trigger when you are back home!

Not only that, you can get the art piece personalized with your name on it for free. You choose from a menu of Old San Juan streets that inspired each piece, then you get directed to that section, where you get to choose your color before they personalize it for you. Now, my favorite surprise was when the lady working there was wrapping it up for me and I was genuinely confused because a second ago, she asked if I wanted it personalized, to which I responded, ‘Yes, please!’ lol she then said, ‘Oh, yeah I don’t actually do that part. The artist himself signs it!’ No way! So, she sent me to The Poets Passage, where I got to meet Nico in his workshop office! Made the souvenir extra special — my Casa Khuzwayo!

Price | $52 w/ taxes (Calle de San Sebastian)

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HOW TO GET AROUND

If I were to give you one piece of advice for when you are traveling to San Juan, it would be — DO NOT rent a car! If you are planning on staying in San Juan, you absolutely do not need a car. Every area is walkable and not only that, my favorite thing here was Uber! You actually would not believe me if I told you that the most I spent on an Uber moving around the city was $4.80! Yes, even at night. Uber drivers in Puerto Rico are so genuine and kind! Because of that and the fact that my rides were so affordable, I was literally tipping 100% every time. Some of my rides were $3! So, Uber Uber Uber and tip your drivers please!

WHERE TO STAY

Juliette Women’s Only Hostel

If you know me, you know I am a huge fan and advocate for hostels when traveling. It’s the best and most natural way to make friends who are also solo traveling, down for whatever and want to save money on accommodation to have more to spend on the trip! I will definitely write a full article on ‘how to get started’ with hostel-travel life if you are a skeptic.

I was in San Juan for 4 nights and in total, I paid $77! Yes, $77 with taxes included! This was also one of my favorite hostels and typically they have twin bunks but Juliette had double bed bunks! I have never seen that in my life. I chose a room with 4 bunks; the beds all come with curtains, they also give you a sheet and a long locker which has hooks, coat hanger rail, shoe storage and two shelves. Each bed also has an outlet, a personal dimmable light and a floating shelf for your phone, jewelry and water.

I also liked that it had shower rooms instead of one shower in each dorm, which I feel like can only work in a single-gender hostel though. This hostel is in a prime location too — walking distance to Old San Juan, the beach, restaurants and a convenience store across the street. There is WiFi, a hangout spot, work area, laundry room, eating bar, free coffee and tea and the best part… 24/7 reception service (which came in clutch when I was checking in at 3 am and when my roommate and I got locked out after a night out because our door code wasn’t working).

One of the guys we met in San Juan was staying at Casa Santurce by Condado beach and he said he liked it there. So, if you are a guy (since you can’t stay at Juliette) or a girl who prefers to be in that area, check out Casa Santurce — prices are similar!

Price | $17/night

WHERE TO EAT

In addition to what I mentioned above, here is the list I got from my El Yunque tour guide…

Must-Try Restaurants:

• El Nuevo Acuario
• Casita Miramar
• La Alcapurria Quema
• Airelibre restaurant and bar
• Sage Steak Loft
• QuePezcao
• Bistro Cafe
• Deaverdura
• Casita Blanca
• Marmalade
• El Jibarito
• Lote 23 food truck park
• Cueva del mar
• Bebo’s Café
• Metropol
• La Casita de Rones
• Raices
• New Reef restaurant (los pinones)

Vegetarian/Vegan Spots:

• El Punto Vegano
• Paladar Vegan Restaurant
• Playa Papaya
• Patio de Flores
• Cafe El Punto
• Chloe Condado
• Cactus
• A Pie Cafe
• Takeria

Best Coffee/Breakfast Spots:

• Old San Juan – Cuatro sombras
• Condado – Sobao
• Santurce – Tostado/Egg Joint
• Isla Verde – Bistro café/Sobao/las Canarias

HOW MUCH I SPENT IN TOTAL

The one thing I haven’t mentioned yet is my flight — for cheap flights, I always search on Skyscanner and Google flights! I found direct round-trip flights on Skyscanner for $170 and ‘luckily’ it was through Frontier, where I have Elite Gold status, meaning that I get a free carry-on, preferred seat selection (located closer to the front of the plane for faster boarding and deplaning) and Zone 1 boarding.

That brought my total to $523! So, yes, a 4-day fun-filled trip to San Juan is possible for less than $1,000!

‘GET READY FOR YOUR TRIP’ PLAYLIST

Creating a Puerto Rico playlist was not planned at all but they were playing absolute bangers every single place I went to and that Shazam button was getting annihilated! I have been playing this on repeat since I came back and every song teleports me back to this amazing trip, especially when I remember where I was when that played!

Whenever you plan your trip to San Juan, use this playlist to get you in the mood and the vibes to expect all around San Juan!

Azishe ke bafethu, have fun!