1:00 PM · 40 min
Uber from SJU to Old San Juan
Quick and car-free; skip rental parking here
Day-by-day plan, $5
Puerto Rico in 5 days
For anyone going to Old San Juan & Fajardo: all 5 days planned, 24 places in order.
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- Its places average 4.6 on Google17 rated places, 50,247 reviews
Wander Old San Juan's blue streets and forts, drive east for El Yunque and Luquillo, then sail to Culebra for turtle snorkeling and Fajardo seafood before a last swim in Piñones.
Day 1 is on us
5 days · 24 stops
What it's like in DecemberExpect highs around 29.2°C (85°F) and lows near 21.7°C (71°F), with about 16 rainy days, so pack a light rain jacket.
Day 1 · Free
Blue streets and brick promenades
Walls, red gate and blue cobbles, then mofongo
Photo: P. Hughes / Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.03:30 PM · 1 h
Paseo de la Princesa
Historical landmarkBayside walk beneath 40-foot sandstone walls
4.8(765)Googlefree
6 min
Photo: Henry F / Google4:45 PM · 20 min
Puerta de San Juan
Historical landmarkThe historic gateway into the old city
4.8(3,365)Googlefree
3 min
Photo: Dwayne Michael McCormick / Google6 min
Photo: Roberto / Google7:00 PM · 1 h 15 min
Café Manolín Old San Juan
American restaurantClassic criollo mofongo, friendly prices, no reservations
4.6(4,290)Google$
6 min
Photo: La Factoría / Google
The rest of the plan
18 stops
Day 2
Forts, ramparts and Santurce nights
4 stops · Old San Juan, Santurce
Day 3
Rainforest tower, beach and glowing bay
6 stops · El Yunque, Luquillo, Fajardo
Day 4
Ferry to Culebra and sea turtles
5 stops · Ceiba, Culebra
Day 5
Piñones fritters and a last swim
3 stops · Piñones, Ocean Park, SJU
Get all 5 days
Everything below Day 1, plus offline maps and updates until you go.
- 5-day plan: Old San Juan, El Yunque, Fajardo and Culebra
- Which days need the car, and the ferry and bio bay bookings
- Fort, rainforest and beach times that beat the crowds
- Offline maps in the app
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Sally can plan your ownRead Day 1 freePlanning 5 days in Puerto Rico: San Juan, El Yunque, Culebra
This 5-day Puerto Rico itinerary is for a couple on a first trip, flying in and out of San Juan (SJU). It spends two nights in Old San Juan without a car, then two near Fajardo with a rental car from Day 3. It is built around Old San Juan's two forts, El Yunque's Yokahu Tower, a bioluminescent kayak night on Laguna Grande and a ferry day to Culebra's Flamenco Beach.
How the five days fit together
Two city days without a car come first, then two days on the east side by car, and the last morning is a swim before the drive back to SJU.
- Day 1, Old San Juan: an Uber from SJU, Paseo de la Princesa under the 40-foot walls at 3:30 PM, the red Puerta de San Juan, the blue cobbles of Calle del Cristo, mofongo at Café Manolín at 7 PM, then craft cocktails and salsa at La Factoría.
- Day 2, the forts: El Morro at its 9 AM opening, Plaza de Armas, the ramparts and sentry boxes of Castillo San Cristóbal, then a street-party dinner at La Placita de Santurce.
- Day 3, El Yunque and Luquillo: Yokahu Tower and a short walk to Torre Britton, alcapurrias at Kiosko #48, a swim at Luquillo Beach, then a guided kayak tour of the glowing Laguna Grande lagoon.
- Day 4, Culebra: the ferry from Ceiba, Flamenco Beach and its rusted WWII tank, tacos at Zaco's, turtle snorkeling at Playa El Tamarindo, then seafood at El Pescador in Fajardo.
- Day 5, a last swim at Seven Seas Beach in Las Croabas, then the car back at SJU.
Getting around: Old San Juan on foot, the east by car
The plan takes an Uber from SJU to Old San Juan, about $15 to $25, and skips a rental for the first two days to avoid parking in the old city. La Placita de Santurce is a 10-minute Uber away. The car starts on Day 3 for the drive east to El Yunque's PR-191 entrance, Luquillo, Fajardo and the Ceiba ferry. Tolls are cashless and billed through the rental agency; refuel before returning the car at SJU.
What to book ahead
If the ferry is sold out, the plan's fallback is a catamaran from Fajardo to Icacos.
| What | Booking | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Bioluminescent kayak tour, Laguna Grande | Well ahead, with a licensed operator such as Kayaking Puerto Rico | The glow is best near the new moon; keep phone screens off |
| Culebra ferry from Ceiba | Ahead at puertoricoferry.com; tickets sell out | $2.25 each way; arrive 45 to 60 minutes early |
| El Morro and Castillo San Cristóbal | One $10 pass | Covers both forts for 24 hours; keep the receipt |
| Café Manolín | No reservations | Go early to avoid a wait |
Weather, rain and the beaches
The plan is set in December, when highs are typically around 29°C (85°F) and lows near 22°C (71°F), with about 16 rainy days, so pack a light rain jacket. Quick showers are normal in El Yunque, and La Mina is closed, so check trail status before driving out. Use reef-safe sunscreen at Luquillo, arrive early at Flamenco to claim shade, and bring your own mask for the turtles at Tamarindo, a $5 público ride from Flamenco.
San Juan in two days, and other island trips
Days 1 and 2 work as a San Juan itinerary on their own: the walls, the gate, the blue streets and both forts, with Ubers only from the airport and to Santurce. For a longer rainforest-and-beach trip, see the plan for a week in Costa Rica, or compare ten islands in the guide to the best islands to visit.
How this plan was made. Sally, Highlights' AI trip planner, wrote it from a brief written for this trip. Its stops are matched to their Google Maps listings (checked Nov 12, 2026), and the ratings, hours and addresses come from Google.
Questions
Do you need a car in Puerto Rico?
Not for Old San Juan. This plan rides an Uber from the airport and walks the old city for two days, skipping rental parking there. It picks up a rental car on Day 3 for El Yunque, Luquillo, the Laguna Grande kayak night and the Ceiba ferry, then returns it at SJU on Day 5.
How do you get to Culebra?
This plan drives to Ceiba early on Day 4 and takes the ferry, which costs $2.25 each way. Tickets sell out, so buy them ahead at puertoricoferry.com and arrive 45 to 60 minutes before sailing. If the ferry is full, the plan swaps in a Fajardo catamaran to Icacos.
When is the best time to see the bioluminescent bay?
The plan's note on Laguna Grande in Fajardo says the blue-green glow in the mangrove lagoon is best near the new moon. It books a guided kayak tour after dark, at 7:30 PM, with a licensed operator such as Kayaking Puerto Rico, well ahead. Keep phone screens off on the water.
What can you see in El Yunque in a morning?
This plan drives to the PR-191 entrance, climbs the 69-foot stone Yokahu Tower for 360-degree views from canopy to ocean, then takes an easy forest walk to Torre Britton. Pack a rain jacket for the quick showers. It is down at the Luquillo kiosks for lunch by 1 PM.
How much does it cost to visit El Morro?
The plan budgets $10: one pass covers both El Morro and Castillo San Cristóbal for 24 hours, so keep the receipt. It reaches El Morro at opening to beat the cruise crowds, then does San Cristóbal in the afternoon; that fort closes at 5 PM.
