A Raver’s Guide to San Juan, Puerto Rico

Read on for a fellow raver’s favorite experiences, attractions, and eats in San Juan and Puerto Rico as a whole.

Puerto Rico offers a great mixture of nightlife, culture, and nature that makes it a fantastic destination. The music scene may feel smaller than bigger cities, but the energy is real and the local pride runs deep.

Puerto Rico is a US territory, which means travel can be straightforward for US citizens who are flying in from the mainland as they generally do not need a passport. Travelers who are not US citizens must follow US entry rules, so it is worth confirming requirements before booking. A site such as Sherpa can help you double check the latest entry guidance and if any documentation needed.

Spanish is the primary language across the island, and that shows up everywhere from street signs to menus to the music in the clubs. English is also widely spoken in the touristy areas, especially around the capital city of San Juan, so getting around tends to be smooth even with basic Spanish.

The best times to visit are December to April, when it’s the dry season with mild temperatures and a lot less rain. Hurricane season is June to November, which can mean a cheaper time to visit — but, of course, you risk poor weather overshadowing your vacation.

Modern Puerto Rican culture has also had a huge impact on the world recently, and few artists represent that reach more than Bad Bunny. His rise helped push Puerto Rico to the forefront of the global attention economy, spotlighting the island’s creativity and style. He’s also frequently doing concerts both free pop-ups and paid events on the Island. If you’re lucky, you might just time your trip right to catch one.

Beyond the parties, Puerto Rico is packed with things to do. You can spend mornings in Old San Juan among cobblestone streets and historic forts, chase waterfalls and rainforest views in El Yunque, or relax on beaches from Isla Verde to Piñones. Throw in great food, nature, and quick trips to nearby islands, and you have a destination worth visiting.

A Raver’s Guide to San Juan, Puerto Rico

Photo credit: Peter Hansen

Transportation Tips

Puerto Rico’s main airport is near San Juan, and most visitors arrive via SJU, Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport. Puerto Rico also has smaller commercial airports in Aguadilla and Ponce, which can be convenient depending on where you plan to stay on the island, but flights to these places are limited and often more expensive.

Most first-time travelers will likely start in San Juan since it’s the easiest for sightseeing, food, and nightlife. From there, day trips can cover a lot, but the best transportation choice depends on how far you plan to roam.

If your plans are mostly in San Juan, or you are booking guided tours, it is usually possible to skip renting a car. Getting around by rideshare, taxis, and hotel or tour shuttles is common, with typical rideshare pricing from SJU into popular areas of San Juan often around $15 to $25 one way, depending on demand and the exact neighborhood.

If you want to explore outside San Juan, having your own car can make the trip simpler since many beaches and nature spots are not well served by public transit. San Juan does have public transportation options such as the Tren Urbano rail line and AMA buses, but coverage and convenience can be limited for visitors compared with driving.​

Photo credit: Nikita Castro

Lodging Tips

Hotels, hostels, vacation rentals, and Airbnb dwellings are all widely available in Puerto Rico, so the best choice usually comes down to budget, privacy, and the kind of trip you are planning. Puerto Rico uses the US dollar, so pricing often feels similar to other popular US destinations, especially in the more popular areas.

For first-time visitors, Old San Juan, Condado, and Isla Verde are great places to stay, and they are generally considered the easiest areas for tourists because they have a strong mix of lodging options, restaurants, and walkable streets. Still, use basic city awareness, especially at night. Stick to well-lit areas if you are walking, and use rideshare when in doubt.

If you are staying outside San Juan, the same approach applies, but it helps to be more deliberate. Read recent reviews, confirm parking and check-in details, and watch for red flags such as repeated mentions of safety issues, poor communication, or misleading listings. Be safe and book from trusted providers that will help you if any issues arise.

Photo Credit: Jose Acevedo

Top Nightlife Destinations

San Juan’s nightlife stays busy, especially on weekends, with bars, lounges, and clubs spread across the city. La Placita is one of the more popular areas for a night out, especially for tourists, with a lot of different venues nearby.

For larger events, international DJs sometimes pop up at hotels, outdoor venues, or larger spaces such as the food hall La Marqueta, so it is worth checking Pietix (Puerto Rico’s local ticket provider), Facebook events, Bandsintown, and other social media platforms ahead of time if there’s someone specific you want to see. Artists like Sidepiece, John Summit, Loco Dice, and HUGEL have all recently had shows in Puerto Rico.

The scene can feel more limited than what you might be used to in larger mainland cities, but there are still plenty of options if you keep an open mind. It’ll be easiest to find salsa, house, reggaeton, hip-hop, pop music, or EDM. If you’re looking for other genres, you will most likely need to plan your vacation around them and check beforehand.

Club Brava in Isla Verde is one of the proper bottle service nightclubs on the island. Located in the Fairmont El San Juan Hotel, the dress code is casual elegant, so no shorts, flip-flops or athletic gear. Unless it’s a special event, the cover is usually $20 — cheaper if you RSVP ahead of time. Guests of the hotel can get a reduced or waived fee altogether.

Club Fifty Eight is another nightclub in an upscale hotel in Puerto Rico. The club located in Condado offers bottle service and has a dress code. Depending on the night, the cover can be anywhere from free to $40, depending on the event and who’s playing it.

Puerto Rico is also a prime location for music festivals. Electric Holiday in San Juan and Bori Rave in Santa Isabel are mainstays of the island, with recent newcomers like Let It Roll Puerto Rico and The 5th Element Festival recently entering the market.

Photo Courtesy of Pixabay

Bars/Restaurants You Should Check Out

Of the different foods you must try while visiting, mofongo is probably the most famous. It’s fried green plantains mashed up with garlic and pork cracklings, often topped with your choice of protein. This is a dish that will be practically in every restaurant on the island, a Puerto Rican staple.

Other dishes to try include lechón asado, a slow-roasted pork dish more than likely served with rice and plantains. Arroz con gandules — a rice, peas and pork dish — is also quite famous in Puerto Rico. Restaurants like Raíces or Café Manolín are great options to try all the local cuisine on your first night in the city.

One of my favorite bars in San Juan is La Factoria, where drinks are $10-20. Here you can find live salsa music a few nights a week and an open-format DJ on others. Drinks are fantastic and it’s also where the some of the music video for “Despacito” was filmed. It’s very easy to spend an entire night here.

La Placita is another area to make sure you check out. It’s a large, open-air square full of bars, restaurants, and things to do. It can get quite busy, especially during weekends. People will be dancing to salsa, merengue, reggaeton, hip-hop, etc. all night either out on the street or in a venue.

During the day, there are many different bars near the beach where you can sit to enjoy the views and breeze, all while enjoying a beer or cocktail. These tend to be on the cheaper side, and it’s great to just relax and take in everything thats happening. You can find these all over San Juan.

If you like jazz, the Cannon Club is a great bar dedicated to the genre. It’s located inside the Gallery Inn in Old San Juan. There’s jazz every night of the week and a good menu, too, if you’re hungry. What makes this bar unique is the resident parrots that you’ll see around — sometimes even near the piano itself.

Photo credit: Edgard Bracero

Other Things to Do in Puerto Rico

Outside of San Juan, old military forts, and the historic Old Town, the nearby islands are also a treat. The island Culebra is worth the trip. It’s 20 miles east of Fajardo, and you can take a ferry or small plane from the main island. Plan ahead, but most who live in Culebra don’t drive cars, so golf carts are the popular way to get around. Its beautiful beaches and very warm, tropical water make it a unique place.

Additionally, Puerto Rico has dozens of waterfalls with popular ones including Gozalandia and La Coca Falls, which you can drive to or explore via a guided tour. The West Coast of the island is known for surfing, especially in Rincón. Kitesurfing is also quite popular especially in Punta Las Marías and La Parguera, with plenty of opportunity for lessons.

Sites like Tripadvisor and Airbnb can give you different options for things to do. Snorkeling, diving, sailing, boat rides to nearby islands, salsa lessons, art tours, and painting experiences can all be planned ahead of time or when you arrive.

Photo credit: Daniel Reyes

San Juan Pro Tips

If you are renting a car and staying in San Juan, park in parking garages. It’s easy to get a parking ticket. These can cost hundreds of dollars and are impossible to contest.

I highly recommend a bioluminescent kayak tour. It’s a really cool way to see a different perspective of the island and get to see something that only occurs in certain places.

Research and plan your travel ahead of time, especially during any major holidays. Tours, events, or attractions can easily sell out.

If you like Gelato, you need to try Anita in Old San Juan. The lines are long, but for good reason.