The old city provides a memorable introduction to Puerto Rican culture and history. With its blue cobblestone streets, pastel-colored buildings, and sweeping ocean views around every corner, Old San Juan is one of the best-preserved cities in the Americas, having been founded two centuries before the Pilgrims arrived on the Mayflower.

You can stroll through the city's many tranquil plazas, historic churches, and artisanal shops, which are best explored on foot. To feel like you're on the set of Pirates of the Caribbean, visit either of the commanding fortresses, El Morro or San Cristobal, both of which are Unesco World Heritage Sites. Grab a refreshing piragua (Puerto Rican snow cone) and head to the gardens of Museo Casa Blanca, the city's oldest residence, constructed in 1521.

Old San Juan seizes the best of both worlds: a historical landscape for history buffs, and modern energetic nightlife for party lovers. As you walk through the cobblestone streets, make time for some of the best activities to do in San Juan, such as visiting the San Juan’s Gate, La Capilla del Cristo, El Paseo la Princesa, and La Fortaleza.

One of thOne of the largest art districts in the Caribbean has emerged in San Juan's largest and most populous neighborhood. Santurce is vibrant and colorful, especially around Calle Cerra, where most buildings are covered in impressive murals. Take it all in on your own or join an Art Walk PR street art tour for a more curated experience.

Santurce is also home to some of the island's most fashionable art galleries, coffee shops, bars, and restaurants. Café Comunión serves coffee, and Vianda, a James Beard Foundation semifinalist for Best New Restaurant, serves dinner.

There are plenty of options for a night out on the town, and the scene is a big draw for both locals and visitors. Check out La Esquina Watusi or La Placita, where revelers spill out onto the streets with cold drinks in hand for impromptu open-air block parties, often involving lots of dancing.

Hike the 25 miles of trails, swim in natural pools, and bathe under waterfalls in the US National Forest System's only tropical rainforest. El Yunque is a 29,000-acre lush mountainous terrain in the northeastern part of the island.

On an easy and enjoyable day hike, see what the area has to offer. Down to the Las Damas pool, take the Angelito Trail. You'll arrive at a deep pool of clear, cold water with a rope swing via a winding trail through dense vegetation. This well-known swimming hole is ideal for families who want to unwind in the pools.

Try the more intense 2.6-mile El Yunque Trail if you're looking for a bit more of a challenge. This trail ascends through sierra palms and the Cloud Forest, a unique zone with a nearly constant state of rain, from the trailhead to the highest points in the forest. The reward at the top is a panoramic view of the rainforest below.

Las Pailas is another great place to have some fun after a day of hiking. While not technically part of the park, it is located on private property near the park's edge and is well worth a visit. River waters rushing down from the rainforest have sculpted rocks into natural playgrounds and smoothed them into natural water slides with a variety of features.

San Juan's new entertainment hub, dubbed the Caribbean Time's Square, features over a dozen eateries, an urban adventure park, cutting-edge technology, and a variety of entertainment venues. Begin your visit at the Popular Plaza, where bright lights guide you to the other venues and live entertainment is provided.

With impressive works of art and neon lights, the sports bar Arena Medalla celebrates Puerto Rican athletes and local beer. With a beer in hand, watch a game on one of the many jumbo TV screens, book a private karaoke room, or tuck into a foosball, pool, or arcade-style table.

Toro Verde Urban Park has two ziplines, a rope course, a rock-climbing wall, and other family-friendly activities.

For some family fun, head over to Toro Verde Urban Park, with its two ziplines, a rope course, a rock-climbing wall and an arcade room with classic machines and VR games.

The district also offers several other casual and fine dining experiences. Go for burgers at La Burguesía, try some tapas at Barullo or sip on rum cocktails at La Central, all of which overlook the district's Plaza Popular.

The small island municipality of Vieques, just six miles off Puerto Rico's eastern coast, is home to the world's brightest bioluminescent bay, an idyllic wildlife refuge, and world-class beaches like Chiva, Media Luna, and Caracas. You can get to and from this tropical paradise via a quick ferry from Ceiba or a flight from San Juan, where the pace of life slows dramatically and you can enjoy long stretches of sand all to yourself.

Stay at Finca Victoria for a truly relaxing retreat, where you can stay in modern-day tree houses or tiny homes with outdoor showers and enjoy massages, daily yoga, and vegan meals. Head to La Esperanza for beachfront dining at Bili or El Quenepo. For some freshly caught Caribbean spiny lobster, the island's specialty.

There is a pleny of things you can do in Vieques. Besides boasting a bioluminescent bay, Vieques has some of the most beautiful places in Puerto Rico, including Playa Negra, the only black sand beach in the country, and other paradisiacal beaches like Navío Beach, Sun Bay, and La Chiva. History enthusiasts can’t miss the Puerto Ferro Lighthouse and the Fortin Conde Mirasol Museum, the last Spanish fort built on the American continent.

Cabo Rojo is a municipality in the extreme southwest of Puerto Rico with 28 miles of coastline – more than any other municipality on the island – where you'll find seascapes framed by towering limestone cliffs, pristine nature reserves, and innovative seafood restaurants like Jose Carles' DownTown Boqueron.

On weekends and holidays, beautiful beaches like Buyé, Boqueron, and Combate can get quite crowded. For a more remote experience, head to Playuela Beach, also known as Playa Sucia, or Dirty Beach in English, by locals to discourage visitors from spoiling the natural beauty of the beach.

Stop by the town's namesake, the red-hued Salt Flats, as well as the Los Morrillos Lighthouse, one of 27 sites listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Though Los Morrillos Lighthouse itself embraces historical value, the main draw of this popular attraction in Cabo Rojo is the surrounding landscapre with cliff and rock formations that seem like out of a movie.

The La Parguera Nature Reserve, one of the island's most biologically diverse ecosystems, is home to this seaside fishing village. It's the ideal eco-tourism destination for nature lovers, with plenty of opportunities to scuba dive, snorkel, hike, bike, and bird watch thanks to its extensive coral reefs, mangrove forests, and wildlife.

There are no fancy hotels or resorts here, but there are plenty of cozy inns and boats that have been converted into Airbnbs for visitors to enjoy the town's coastal simplicity. Exploring La Parguera, which has over 30 cays and islets, is a different experience every day. Scuba dive at the La Pared (The Wall), kayak through the mangroves, visit the bioluminescent bay, or dine and drink on the malecón (boardwalk).