Hola amigos! I’m back from spending a week in Puerto Rico with my family. I traveled to San Juan, where I met up with the rest of my relatives who flew in from other cities! We spent a few days doing all of the touristy stuff in San Juan (which we never get to do!), then we went to Ponce, the city where my family is originally from!
To say that I was excited about this trip would be an understatement. We usually go every year for the holidays, but ever since Hurricane Maria, I’ve been unable to go. I really missed my Grandmother and couldn’t wait to see her! This turned out to be the best trip we’ve taken to date!
We’re a fun bunch and get pretty silly when we’re all together, and a lot of you pointed that out when you watched my Instagram Stories! You can stalk my IG here: @rubionrepeat!
This post is going to be longer than usual, so lets jump right in:
Dinner in Old San Juan
LEFT: Mofongo with Bistec, RIGHT: Mofongo with Carne Frita (Fried Pork)
We checked into the cutest little Airbnb, (more on that in a sec) and after a quick shower, we headed out for Viejo San Juan (or Old San Juan) for dinner. We went to the restaurant Raices. I had one of the best mofongos I’ve had in awhile. The servers wore traditional PR clothing and were very enthusiastic and friendly. I felt at home.
Exploring the Streets of Old San Juan
This was one of my favorite days of the trip. I was really looking forward to getting the iconic Insta-worthy picture with the umbrellas. You can find them on the street named: Calle Fortaleza.
Capilla de Cristo on Calle Del Cristo
Just a few steps away on Calle del Cristo, you’ll find the Capilla de Cristo (Chapel of Christ the Savior). This was by far my favorite photo op of all. I really thought the umbrellas would be IT for me, but I kept lingering around this beautiful little corner.
The story said to be behind it? In this exact spot in the 1700’s, a rider in a horse race lost control of his horse, and fell to the cliffs below. The horse didn’t survive the fall, but the rider was miraculously rescued. As a thank you to God for sparing his life, this chapel was built. They say people come to this chapel now to pray for their own miracles. Isn’t that INSANE?
Popsicles at Señor Paleta
I kept looking for Señor Paleta, as I’ve heard about their gelato and sorbet popsicles for awhile but have never tried it. I excitedly asked the locals where it was and it was also just a few blocks away from the umbrellas!
Boy was I glad we found it! Such a tasty way to beat the heat. I’m sure you can’t go wrong with any flavor, but I highly recommend getting the parcha! (translation: passion fruit!) Its so juicy and refreshing!
Castillo San Felipe del Morro
We made our way to Castillo San Felipe del Morro, usually simply referred to as “El Morro.” It’s a fort that was built in the 16th century to guard the entrance to San Juan and protect itself from attacks from seaborne enemies. It’s declared a World Heritage Site and is one of the top tourist attractions in PR, yet I’d never seen it! I’ve been visiting PR ever since I was a kid, so I was happy to finally cross this off my bucket list. It’s full of such rich history and it was pretty surreal to walk through these fortresses and imagine the battles that occurred here way back when.
Ponce, Puerto Rico – My Family’s Hometown
The second half of the trip, we headed south of the island to the city of Ponce. It’s the second most populated city in PR, and is referred to as La Perla del Sur (The Pearl of the South), La Ciudad Señorial (The Manorial City), and La Ciudad de las Quenepas (Genip City).
This is the town my parents were born in, and we still have so many family members who live there. It was actually my Grandmother’s 90th birthday this week, so we threw her a surprise party!
This was the first time in YEARS that all of her children were in one place at the same time. Half of them live in PR, and the rest of the stateside crew flew in to surprise her! She was definitely touched and broke down in tears multiple times throughout the party!
My Parent’s First Home
This is the first home my mom and dad lived in after they first got married in 1980. My siblings and I have seen it before, but every time we visit, we ask our parents to take us here. We’re obsessed with checking in on it – Hahaha! We were pleased to see that it was still standing after Hurricane Maria.
My dad was telling us about their experiences living there with rats and cracks in the wood walls. When it would rain, so much water would leak into the house! Their rent was $75 a month and it was a struggle for them to even make that payment. (I caught a little snippet of my dad talking about this in my Instagram Stories – its still there under my travel highlights! So many of you enjoyed watching it!)
My parents only lived there for about a year or so before my dad came home one day and told my mom after my older sister was born that he joined the army. (He didn’t even consult with her first – and yes, she freaked out. LOL!) After that, the rest is history. Today they live in a 5 bedroom, 3 floor home, so it all worked out.
Things We Saw and Did in Ponce:
Cruceta del Vigía
The Cruceta del Vigía (The Watchman Cross) is a 100 foot tall cross that sits on a high hill overlooking Ponce. It sits at the same spot where early settlers would sit (on a much smaller cross) and look out for invaders and pirates. This larger cross was built in the 1980s to honor those watchmen.
Castillo Serrallés
Near the cross is Castillo Serrallés, a mansion built in the 1930’s that now serves as museum where you can go inside and learn about the sugar cane and rum industries in Puerto Rico. We didn’t get a chance to go inside ’cause we arrived too late and there was a closed off special salsa event going on, but we will definitely return in the future.
La Guancha
This is the hangout spot for locals in Ponce. La Guancha is a boardwalk filled with restaurants, bars, and kiosks that sell delicious, authentic fried food. During the weekends, it gets SUPER packed and busy, with live salsa bands where you will see the crowds bust out the best salsa moves you’ve ever seen!
Parque de Bombas
Parque de Bombas is the oldest fire station built in PR, but today it just stands as a museum. Located in a plaza (Plaza Las Delicias) lined with shops and food trucks, we come here EVERY time. They have some fun affordable souvenir shops where you can even get delicious sandwiches (bocadillos) served too! My favorite souvenir shops are Utopia (That’s the one with the food!) and Mi Coqui. Oh, and you can’t come to “la Plaza” without stopping by King’s Cream for delicious homemade ice cream!
Where We Stayed
For the San Juan portion of the trip, we stayed in this adorable Airbnb in Carolina, San Juan! It was in a great central location, about a 8-10 minute drive from the airport. It had a roofless patio in the middle of the house which was so cool! (Nope – no bugs entered surprisingly! LOL) See the listing here.
In Ponce – we were nomads! We alternated between hotels and staying with various family members. The hotel we stayed at was the Ponce Plaza Hotel & Casino. It’s in a perfect location in the middle of the Plaza. After I left PR, my parents then got this Airbnb for the remainder of their stay in Ponce. They said they really enjoyed that one too.
PHEW. That was a long post, but I hope you enjoyed it or it was helpful in some way if you are planning a trip to Puerto Rico soon! I love the island, I love my people, and I’m happy I got to share a piece of it with you.
OMG! This made me miss Jamaica and seeing my friends and family again. Your photos are awesome. I hope you really cherish the moments you had.
Author
I want to go to Jamaica so bad, I’ve never been! Thank you, it really was a trip to remember!
Great post! Really enjoyed reading about Puerto Rico and learning more about the things to do in Old San Juan and Ponce!
Author
Thank you so much! Glad you enjoyed!