My love affair with Puerto Rico began in ’94, when I was sent to live on the island as a 19 year old. Every couple of months I was assigned a different area of the island. This was great because I had the chance to totally immerse myself in the culture, language, and customs. This gave me a unique opportunity to really experience the island - more than most tourists and even more than the average local (how often do you really explore where you call home?). Since then, I’ve helped friends and family plan vacations there and taken plenty myself! Actually, I shouldn’t say plenty, as I can never get enough...
This book is not for those just planning to stay a day as their cruise ship ports in San Juan. It’s not for the wedding planner trying to plan a wedding there. It’s not for those princes and princesses that want to be pampered in some luxury resort. It’s for those wanting to get off the beaten path and have an experience they’ll never forget. It can be all relaxing, all high octane adventure, or I hope a combination of both! It doesn’t matter if you travel solo, as a family, or a group of adventurers - this book can help you plan your trip.
The island, region by region
Old San Juan
Blue cobblestones, El Morro, and 400 years of history you can walk.
The Northeast & El Yunque
The rainforest, Luquillo’s kiosks, Las Pailas.
Vieques
Wild horses and the brightest bioluminescent bay on Earth. Officially.
Culebra
Flamenco Beach and turtles you will actually see.
Ponce
The south: museums, the plaza lions, a different island.
The West & Rincón
Surf culture, Crashboat, Playa Sucia, La Parguera seafood, Isabela.
Utuado & the Mountains
Coffee farms, lakes, and roads that feel like a dream.
Holidays & Festivals
Nobody parties like Puerto Ricans — when to show up.
Start anywhere
The whole book is up here, chapter by chapter, exactly as I wrote it — opinions, tangents, blood sausage and all. Where the world has changed since I wrote a line, a small boxed note tells you the current facts; my words stay mine.
Things to Do Anywhere
Coquís after sunset, plazas and dominos, street food, roosters as alarm clocks — the island itself.
Things to Know
The people, the culture, and what makes this island unlike anywhere else.
Getting There
Ferries, tiny planes, and the mistakes to avoid — current as of September 2026.
