Question 1

San Juan on Your Own

Accepted Answer

Old San Juan is made for a day on foot: the forts, the cathedral and the shopping streets are all within walking distance of the piers. Go early, wear good shoes for the hills and cobblestones, and save a taxi for the beach. The two forts: One pass covers both Castillo San Cristóbal and El Morro for 24 hours; it cost $10 for adults in 2026, children 15 and under go free, and the forts do not accept cash. Check before you go. The old streets: The San Juan Cathedral, at 153 Calle del Cristo, holds the tomb of Juan Ponce de León, and La Fortaleza, built between 1533 and 1540, is still the governor's residence. By the bay: On weekends an artisans' market sets up along Paseo de la Princesa, where La Princesa, an 1837 building, overlooks San Juan Bay. A beach afternoon: Bus T21 runs from Old San Juan over the bridge to Condado, and taxis charge set fares between the main tourist areas. Mind the hills and the cobblestones: The streets climb from the waterfront, and brief showers make the cobblestones slippery. Getting back on time: All-aboard is usually about 30 minutes before sailing, and your ship posts the exact time. A ship will not wait for passengers touring on their own. Puerto Rico keeps Atlantic Standard Time all year, an hour ahead of US Eastern while the US is on standard time, roughly November to March, so go by the ship's clock.

Question 2

Getting Around

Accepted Answer

Old San Juan is easiest to see on foot, since its narrow one-way streets leave almost no parking. For anywhere farther, taxis charge set fares between the city's main tourist areas, and city buses and a public ferry are cheap alternatives. Confirm the taxi fare with the driver before you get in. Buses do not run inside the old city. Routes T3, T5 and T9 end at the Covadonga bus station, near one of the main cruise piers, and T21 links Old San Juan with Condado. Uber operates in Puerto Rico, and drivers drop off at Plaza Colón for San Cristóbal and at the edge of the El Morro grounds, each a few minutes' walk from the entrance. The public ferry to Cataño crosses San Juan Bay in about 12 to 15 minutes, but it often leaves when it is full rather than on schedule, so allow extra time.

Question 3

Food and Drink

Accepted Answer

Mofongo is the dish to try in San Juan: green plantains fried or boiled, then mashed with garlic and pork cracklings in a wooden mortar. It is often filled or topped with chicken, shrimp, beef or octopus. Mofongo is part of a family of mashed-plantain dishes found across the Caribbean, and Puerto Rico's version is built around pork cracklings or bacon. The piña colada has been Puerto Rico's official drink since 1978. Two San Juan establishments claim to have invented it: the Caribe Hilton dates it to 1954, and the restaurant Barrachina to 1963.

Question 4

Tipping in Puerto Rico

Accepted Answer

Puerto Rico uses the US dollar, and tipping here works much as it does on the US mainland. Bring a card as well as cash, because the two forts take cards only. Tip at restaurants and for services as you would on the US mainland. Taxis charge set rates between San Juan's main tourist areas, so confirm the fare before you get in.

Question 5

Culture

Accepted Answer

La Fortaleza and the San Juan National Historic Site were named a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1983. Inside the walls, Old San Juan is still a neighborhood where people live and work, not only a place for visitors. The San Juan National Historic Site, run by the US National Park Service, includes El Morro, San Cristóbal, most of the city walls and the San Juan Gate. San José Church, built in 1523, is one of the oldest churches still in use in the Americas, and Ponce de León was buried there before his remains were moved to the cathedral. Casa Blanca, at the western end of Calle San Sebastián, was the home of the Ponce de León family and is now a museum. Spanish is the language you will hear most, though staff who work with visitors usually speak English.

Question 6

History

Accepted Answer

Spain held Puerto Rico for nearly 400 years, and built San Juan's walls and forts to hold the first large island its ships reached from Europe. The city held off attacks from the sea for centuries and became part of the United States in 1898. Before Columbus: The Taíno called the island Borikén. Columbus landed on November 19, 1493, and named it San Juan Bautista. Caparra, 1508: Juan Ponce de León founded the first European settlement, Caparra, on August 8, 1508, and became the island's first governor. The city on the islet dates from 1521. The forts begin, 1533 to 1539: La Fortaleza was built between 1533 and 1540, and work on El Morro began in 1539. Drake, 1595: Francis Drake sailed into San Juan Bay with 27 ships in November 1595 but could not overcome the forts. Cumberland, 1598: The Earl of Cumberland landed troops to the east and attacked by land, held the city for several months, and left when dysentery broke out among his men. The Dutch, 1625: A Dutch force besieged El Morro and La Fortaleza and set the city on fire as it withdrew. The walls, from 1634: Work on the city walls began in 1634, and by 1790 San Juan was one of the most heavily fortified places in the Americas. Abercromby, 1797: A British force of 7,000 men and 64 ships attacked and was driven off. The United States, 1898 to 1952: Puerto Rico passed to the United States in 1898, Puerto Ricans became US citizens in 1917, and the island's constitution was approved in 1952. To learn more ashore: The exhibits and park film inside Castillo San Cristóbal, at the corner of Calle Sol and Calle Norzagaray, tell the story of the city's defenses, and the Museo de San Juan, at 150 Calle Norzagaray, covers the history of the city.

Question 7

Traveling with Kids

Accepted Answer

The forts are the family outing in San Juan: there are tunnels, dungeons, sentry boxes and cannons to explore, and entry is free for children 15 and under. Plan the day around one fort and the lawn in front of El Morro. Younger children: The wide lawn in front of El Morro is where families fly kites. Inside the forts, ramps and stairs are steep and surfaces uneven, so think twice about a stroller. School age: Ask a ranger for the Junior Ranger book, which children complete during their visit, and explore the tunnels and dungeon at San Cristóbal. Teenagers: The nature trail behind El Morro has views over the Atlantic, and visitors can climb into the forts' sentry boxes and World War II lookouts. Fourth graders: US fourth graders and their families can get a free national parks pass through the Every Kid Outdoors program, with a voucher printed in advance.

Question 8

Accessibility

Accepted Answer

Both forts were built for war more than 400 years ago, so their surfaces are uneven and the ramps and staircases steep, but the main levels of each can be reached without steps. The rest of the old city is hilly and cobbled. At San Cristóbal, an elevator runs from the main entrance to the main plaza and the first floor, and the entrance area has accessible restrooms. The upper levels are reached only by steep historic ramps. At El Morro, there is no parking at the entrance, but the sidewalk to it is level. The main plaza, on the fifth level, is accessible; the sixth level is up steep ramps, and the lower levels are not accessible. Park films are captioned in English and Spanish, assisted listening devices are available at both forts, and the park brochure comes in Braille. To plan special accommodations, the park asks visitors to contact its visitor services team before the visit.

Question 9

Shopping

Accepted Answer

Old San Juan's narrow streets are full of jewelers, art and craft shops and a few brand outlets. On weekends, local artisans sell their work at a market along Paseo de la Princesa, separate from the souvenir stalls that set up beside the ships. Rum is the local product to take home, and Casa Bacardí, the Bacardí rum distillery's visitor center, is across the bay in Cataño. Tours are booked ahead. The ferry from Old San Juan to Cataño is the cheap way across the bay. The National Park Service runs bookstores inside both forts.

Question 10

Beaches

Accepted Answer

Old San Juan has no beach of its own, so a beach afternoon means a short ride east. Condado, just east of the islet across the bridge, has the popular hotel-district beach, and Ocean Park, beyond it, is the largest beach in the municipality. Bus T21 runs from Old San Juan to Ashford Avenue in Condado. Puerta de Tierra, between the old city and Condado, also has a beach. Rip currents can form even when the weather looks good, so check the flags and the rip current forecast before you swim.

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