It was a snowy winter in Ohio and I was determined to find an escape from the cold and dreary. Looking for the perfect vacation, I realized that a cruise out of Puerto Rico would be the perfect, affordable option without much planning. Asking a friend to join, within days we were boarding an early morning flight scheduled to arrive in San Juan at 4PM Atlantic Time. Leaving a foot of snow behind, we were on our way to the Caribbean islands for a sun-drenched, relaxing getaway. Located about 1000 miles off of the coast of Florida, Americans are not required a passport as the island is an unincorporated territory of the United States.
Booking an early morning flight ensured that if there are any delays, there would be additional flights following. And of course, leaving early in the morning would give us an additional full day to explore San Juan.
Celebrating with a couple of Bloody Marys and a short nap, we landed a few minutes ahead of schedule and collected our luggage.
The smell of the salty air and humidity greeted us as we exited the airport. A short taxi ride took twenty minutes to the Hotel Plaza de las Armas, located in the heart of Old San Juan. Securing a reservation with accommodations in the center of the city allowed us to walk to all of the top attractions. We were not only close to all of the action in the historical city but in close proximity to the cruise ship port as well.
After unloading our luggage, and having only had a couple of Bloody Marys from the flight, finding a restaurant was our top priority. Checking in with the front desk, the young attendant suggested that we try La Barrachina for the Comida criolla (local Puerto Rican faire) and added that it was the home of the Pina Colada. Not a bad way to kick off our sunny escape.
Reaching the restaurant within minutes, we noticed the placard boasting La Barrachina’s claim to fame for inventing the Pina Colada as we gave our name to the hostess. We became spellbound by the smell of the Caribbean spices coming from the kitchen and looked over the menu to browse the local cuisine.
After a few squawks from the parrot in the back of the restaurant, we were seated in an enclosed, air-conditioned space which was starting to fill up on a Saturday night. Our server arrived quickly, took our drink order and provided a list of house specialties and recommendations.
Happy hour prices for the Pina Colada included two for the price of one. What’s not to love about a frothy, fruity drink with a double shot of rum? No doubt the rum comes from a local distillery, most likely from the local Bacardi factory, the largest producer of this sugar cane based libation. Cheers to Don Ramon and his tropical invention.
Deciding what to order was becoming more of a challenge than we had thought with so many options. Our waiter was eager to explain some of the items on the menu starting with the mofongo, which is cooked meat or vegetables poured over a plantain based mash seasoned with garlic, spices and broth. Dave decided on the chicken mofongo while I ordered the grilled grouper, adding a beer and another Pina colada to our bill.
Just finishing our drinks, we could smell the delicious garlic and spices from our meals before they reached the table. My grouper was perfectly prepared, but one taste of the mofongo and I was addicted. My obsession with this Puerto Rican dish would continue over the next couple of days. Is it possible that they serve this at breakfast, lunch and dinner?
The sun had already set as we left the restaurant and we ended the evening with a romantic stroll down the Paseo de la Princesa, the esplanade outside of the city walls. Known for its food stands and artisans, this beautiful 19th century walkway is lined with stately trees, antique streetlamps, ending at the Atlantic Ocean. We stood by the Raices Fountain while watching the moonlight’s glow reflecting on the sea. Retracing our steps along the promenade, we decided to stop for one more drink at the nearby beach bar before turning in for the night. It was a beautiful, relaxing start to our first day of vacation and we had tired ourselves enough to guarantee a great night’s sleep.
Have you had the pleasure of visiting Old San Juan in Puerto Rico? Do you have a favorite dining location or local food you would like to recommend? I would love to hear about your experience if you would kindly leave a message in the comments section below. Many thanks for reading about my first day in Old San Juan and wishing you many Happy Travels!
Preparing for Puerto Rico:
Contact and Pre-Vacation Information: For more information about Puerto Rico, contact their website at www.seepuertorico.com. I would suggest that you request some information prior to your visit, such as the Que Pasa magazine. I found my walking tour on www.puertoricodaytrips.com.
When to Go: Dave and I booked our trip for the end of January and found a great price for our flight on Southwest! The cruise rate was reasonable and so were our hotel expenses, highly unusual for this time of the year. Off-season is considered September – November and mid-March to June.
Airlines:
Southwest Airlines
Phone: 1 800 435 9792
Southwest now flies to the Caribbean!!
Flights were $400 per person from Columbus, Ohio to San Juan, Puerto Rico with a small stop in Orlando
Where to Stay:
Hotel Plaza de Armas
San Jose Street 202
Old San Juan, Puerto Rico 00901
Phone: 866 599 6674
Amenities: Non-smoking, free continental breakfast, WiFi, refrigerator and microwave; there is a free trolley nearby at Stop #8
*Hotel was prepaid costing $150 per night. We arranged for a queen sized bed, room without a window, non-smoking and guaranteed late arrival.
Where to Eat:
Restaurant Barrachina
Fortaleza Street 104
Old San Juan, Puerto Rico 00901
Phone: 787 721 5852
*Order the pina colada (birthplace of the drink) and the chicken mofongo! The restaurant displays a copy of the Discovery Map of Puerto Rico which is what we used to get around. There are detailed maps of Old San Juan, the Condado as well as Isla Verde.
The view from our inside table at Restaurant Barrachina. It would have been fantastic to eat outside, but there was no breeze in the courtyard and we decided upon air conditioning. The walls were painted in bright tropical colors with abstract artwork adding more culture. The tables were simply decorated with paper table covers over white linen cloths. To add to the ambiance, there were candles lit in the center.
Puerto Rico’s Premium Light Beer, Medalla, not to be confused with Mexico’s Modelo
Enjoying our first night in San Juan, Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico is known for its rum!