{"id":1584,"date":"2015-05-29T03:50:00","date_gmt":"2015-05-29T03:50:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.diningtraveler.com\/?p=1584"},"modified":"2019-12-06T17:29:41","modified_gmt":"2019-12-06T17:29:41","slug":"puerto-rico-road-trip","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/diningtraveler.com\/2015\/05\/puerto-rico-road-trip.html","title":{"rendered":"How to Plan Your Perfect Puerto Rico Road Trip"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>When people ask me \u201cHow about a Puerto Rico road trip?\u201d\u00a0 I scream yes very loudly! One of the first things I recommend for those visiting the island is to rent a car and discover beyond the tourist spots of San Juan.\u00a0 My book, <a href=\"http:\/\/the-dining-traveler.myshopify.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Dining Traveler Guide to Puerto Rico<\/a> is inspired by many road trips taken with my family as I grew up on the island. The east coast of Puerto Rico was badly battered by Hurricane Maria in 2017. Two years later, the region is back with new places to explore and exciting hotel renovations.<\/p>\n<h2><strong>Getting Around Puerto Rico by Car<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>If there&#8217;s one advice I give to people when they ask me about traveling to Puerto Rico is: RENT A CAR!!! Even if your base is San Juan, take a few days to go on a Puerto Rico road trip. Traveling by car in Puerto Rico is quite easy. There are several main highways that are in good condition, however, I do recommend you are vigilant on the local roads as potholes are rampant!\u00a0 Google maps work very well on the island. I have T-Mobile and I get cell service even at the most remote places! <strong><em>Tip: don\u2019t forget to pack your cell phone car charger! Every destination on this post can be located with Google Maps.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<p><center><br \/>\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/gM5lbs_gbA4\" width=\"800\" height=\"600\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><\/iframe><br \/>\n<center><\/center><\/center><\/p>\n<div>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: left;\"><strong>Head South\u00a0<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>We headed on our Puerto Rico road trip by immediately heading south on route 52, which crosses the island north to south, from San Juan to my hometown of Guayama.\u00a0 Our goal: to make it to the Lechoneras (split roasted pork restaurants) of Guavate, deep in the Cordillera Central (central mountains) of the island. If you want traditional Puerto Rican cuisine, this is it!\u00a0 I haven\u2019t been in years, but Yelp (and my aunts) were very helpful in helping me find one open on Wednesday at lunchtime. We ended up savoring the salty pork crackling (el cuerito) with rice, octopus salad, and fried sweet plantains at <a href=\"https:\/\/plus.google.com\/114787272820429142455\/about?gl=us&amp;hl=en\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Lechonera Los Pinos<\/a>. How to get there: get off on exit Cayey\u00a0and follow route 184.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_1452\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-1452\" style=\"width: 800px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a href=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.diningtraveler.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/guavate.jpg?ssl=1\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" data-attachment-id=\"1452\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/diningtraveler.com\/2015\/05\/24-hours-in-ponce-puerto-rico.html\/guavate\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/diningtraveler.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/guavate.jpg?fit=800%2C532&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"800,532\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;5&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;NIKON D3200&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;1430920118&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;-10.94967296&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;400&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0.01&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"Guavate\" data-image-description=\"&lt;p&gt;24 Hours in Ponce, Puerto Rico Guavate&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt;Pig in Guavate&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/diningtraveler.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/guavate.jpg?fit=300%2C200&amp;ssl=1\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/diningtraveler.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/guavate.jpg?fit=696%2C463&amp;ssl=1\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1452 alignleft\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.diningtraveler.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/guavate.jpg?resize=696%2C463&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"Puerto Rico Road Trip Lechonera \" width=\"696\" height=\"463\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/diningtraveler.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/guavate.jpg?w=800&amp;ssl=1 800w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/diningtraveler.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/guavate.jpg?resize=300%2C200&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/diningtraveler.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/guavate.jpg?resize=768%2C511&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/diningtraveler.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/guavate.jpg?resize=696%2C463&amp;ssl=1 696w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/diningtraveler.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/guavate.jpg?resize=632%2C420&amp;ssl=1 632w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 696px) 100vw, 696px\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-1452\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Pig in Guavate<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p><em><strong>Ponce:<\/strong><\/em>\u00a0 From there, we followed route 184 to route 15 (the scenic route) towards Ponce.\u00a0 We took in the rolling hills, the colorful homes of the Puerto Rican countryside and the scent of charcoal used to cook the pigs.\u00a0 We arrived in Ponce, affectionately known as the pearl of the south (La Perla del Sur).\u00a0 There, we stay in the city center at a quaint boutique hotel, Hotel Belgica.\u00a0 That evening, we headed to La Guancha, a beautiful boardwalk filled with locals with their families, on their evening run, and we even spotted a few romantic dates.\u00a0 The sunset is worth the trip.\u00a0 For more details about Ponce, see my previous post \u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/www.diningtraveler.com\/2015\/05\/24-hours-in-ponce-puerto-rico.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">24 Hours in Ponce<\/a>\u201d.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_1592\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-1592\" style=\"width: 800px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a href=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.diningtraveler.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/sunsetlaguancha.jpg?ssl=1\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" data-attachment-id=\"1592\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/diningtraveler.com\/2015\/05\/puerto-rico-road-trip.html\/sunsetlaguancha\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/diningtraveler.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/sunsetlaguancha.jpg?fit=800%2C532&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"800,532\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;13&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;NIKON D3200&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;1430935955&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;18&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;100&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0.0015625&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"SunsetLaGuancha\" data-image-description=\"&lt;p&gt;Puerto Rico Road Trip Ponce&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt;Sunset at La Guancha&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/diningtraveler.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/sunsetlaguancha.jpg?fit=300%2C200&amp;ssl=1\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/diningtraveler.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/sunsetlaguancha.jpg?fit=696%2C463&amp;ssl=1\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1592\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.diningtraveler.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/sunsetlaguancha.jpg?resize=696%2C463&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"Puerto Rico Road Trip Ponce\" width=\"696\" height=\"463\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/diningtraveler.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/sunsetlaguancha.jpg?w=800&amp;ssl=1 800w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/diningtraveler.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/sunsetlaguancha.jpg?resize=300%2C200&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/diningtraveler.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/sunsetlaguancha.jpg?resize=768%2C511&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/diningtraveler.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/sunsetlaguancha.jpg?resize=696%2C463&amp;ssl=1 696w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/diningtraveler.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/sunsetlaguancha.jpg?resize=632%2C420&amp;ssl=1 632w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 696px) 100vw, 696px\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-1592\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Sunset at La Guancha<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p><em><strong>Southeastern Puerto Rico:<\/strong><\/em>\u00a0 Our goal was to see as much of Puerto Rico as possible with a limited amount of time (5 days).\u00a0 I wanted to take Puerto Rico Route 3 as it shows the beauty of the southeastern coast of the island.\u00a0 First stop from Ponce: my hometown of Guayama.\u00a0 If you love colonial architecture, head to one of the most beautiful plazas (city centers) of the island.\u00a0 There, you are transported to another time, with a turquoise blue art deco movie theater, a Spanish style church, and the beautiful Cautino museum. You see retirees playing an animated game of dominoes and flowers spouting of a garden the players adopted.\u00a0 Head to Rex Cream, a local favorite and indulge in freshly churned ice cream made from tropical fruits such as passion fruit, soursop, and tamarind. Local tip: Feeling hungry? Head to Casa de los Pastelillos, a beachside restaurant in Pozuelo, in Guayama.\u00a0 They have pastelillos (pastries) filled with everything from conch meat to crocodile.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_1590\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-1590\" style=\"width: 800px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a href=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.diningtraveler.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/dominoesguayama1.jpg?ssl=1\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" data-attachment-id=\"1590\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/diningtraveler.com\/2015\/05\/puerto-rico-road-trip.html\/dominoesguayama-2\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/diningtraveler.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/dominoesguayama1.jpg?fit=800%2C532&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"800,532\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;6.3&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;NIKON D3200&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;1430997459&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;18&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;800&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0.000625&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"DominoesGuayama\" data-image-description=\"&lt;p&gt;Puerto Rico Road Trip Guayama&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt;Dominoes in Guayama, PR&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/diningtraveler.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/dominoesguayama1.jpg?fit=300%2C200&amp;ssl=1\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/diningtraveler.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/dominoesguayama1.jpg?fit=696%2C463&amp;ssl=1\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1590\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.diningtraveler.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/dominoesguayama1.jpg?resize=696%2C463&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"Puerto Rico Road Trip Guayama\" width=\"696\" height=\"463\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/diningtraveler.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/dominoesguayama1.jpg?w=800&amp;ssl=1 800w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/diningtraveler.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/dominoesguayama1.jpg?resize=300%2C200&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/diningtraveler.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/dominoesguayama1.jpg?resize=768%2C511&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/diningtraveler.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/dominoesguayama1.jpg?resize=696%2C463&amp;ssl=1 696w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/diningtraveler.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/dominoesguayama1.jpg?resize=632%2C420&amp;ssl=1 632w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 696px) 100vw, 696px\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-1590\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Retirees Playing Dominoes in Guayama, PR<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>We continued our journey on route 3 and stopped in Patillas at a local favorite, El Marullo restaurant at Inches Beach.\u00a0 Inches is known for its rocky beaches and breaks that are perfect for surfing.\u00a0 We had freshly squeezed grapefruit juice (mine spiked with gin, the Dutchman was driving), octopus salad and checked out the surfers on their quest for the perfect wave.\u00a0 We hopped in our car and continued our trip to Fajardo taking in some of the epic views of the cliffs of Manuabo.\u00a0 This is where the Caribbean and Atlantic come together.\u00a0 Worth a stop to take in the magnificent view. <strong><em>Local tip: there are beautiful beaches in Humacao if you fancy a dip while on the road.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_1591\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-1591\" style=\"width: 800px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a href=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.diningtraveler.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/surfersinches.jpg?ssl=1\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" data-attachment-id=\"1591\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/diningtraveler.com\/2015\/05\/puerto-rico-road-trip.html\/surfersinches\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/diningtraveler.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/surfersinches.jpg?fit=800%2C534&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"800,534\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;5.6&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;NIKON D3200&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;1431004453&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;11.15098112&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;280&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0.0005&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"SurfersInches\" data-image-description=\"&lt;p&gt;Puerto Rico Road Trip Patillas Surfing &lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt;Surfer at Inches Beach, Patillas&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/diningtraveler.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/surfersinches.jpg?fit=300%2C200&amp;ssl=1\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/diningtraveler.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/surfersinches.jpg?fit=696%2C465&amp;ssl=1\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1591\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.diningtraveler.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/surfersinches.jpg?resize=696%2C465&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"Puerto Rico Road Trip Patillas Surfing \" width=\"696\" height=\"465\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/diningtraveler.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/surfersinches.jpg?w=800&amp;ssl=1 800w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/diningtraveler.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/surfersinches.jpg?resize=300%2C200&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/diningtraveler.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/surfersinches.jpg?resize=768%2C513&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/diningtraveler.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/surfersinches.jpg?resize=696%2C465&amp;ssl=1 696w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/diningtraveler.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/surfersinches.jpg?resize=629%2C420&amp;ssl=1 629w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 696px) 100vw, 696px\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-1591\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Surfer at Inches Beach, Patillas<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p><strong><em>El Yunque and Luquillo:<\/em><\/strong>\u00a0 No Puerto Rico road trip is complete without a visit to El Yunque.\u00a0 I\u2019ve traveled to over forty countries and discovered plenty of places, but El Yunque will always hold the number one place in my heart.\u00a0 I recommend arriving extremely early or late in the afternoon on a weekday to avoid the crowds.\u00a0 You can hike to the top of El Yunque Mountain and literally touch the clouds.\u00a0 On a clear day, you can see the whole east coast of the island.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_1593\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-1593\" style=\"width: 800px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a href=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.diningtraveler.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/luquillo.jpg?ssl=1\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" data-attachment-id=\"1593\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/diningtraveler.com\/2015\/05\/puerto-rico-road-trip.html\/luquillo\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/diningtraveler.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/luquillo.jpg?fit=800%2C537&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"800,537\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;7.1&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;NIKON D3200&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;1431104719&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;7.05032704&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;100&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0.005&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"Luquillo\" data-image-description=\"&lt;p&gt;Puerto Rico Road Trip Food &lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt;Frituras (Fried snacks) at Don Faustino in Luquillo &lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/diningtraveler.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/luquillo.jpg?fit=300%2C201&amp;ssl=1\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/diningtraveler.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/luquillo.jpg?fit=696%2C467&amp;ssl=1\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1593\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.diningtraveler.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/luquillo.jpg?resize=696%2C467&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"Puerto Rico Road Trip Food \" width=\"696\" height=\"467\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/diningtraveler.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/luquillo.jpg?w=800&amp;ssl=1 800w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/diningtraveler.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/luquillo.jpg?resize=300%2C201&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/diningtraveler.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/luquillo.jpg?resize=768%2C516&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/diningtraveler.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/luquillo.jpg?resize=696%2C467&amp;ssl=1 696w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/diningtraveler.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/luquillo.jpg?resize=626%2C420&amp;ssl=1 626w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 696px) 100vw, 696px\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-1593\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Frituras (Fried snacks) at Don Faustino in Luquillo<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Replenish the calories lost in Luquillo beach which has a long line of kiosks with everything from traditional Puerto Rican food to ceviche and Italian cuisine.\u00a0 This place has long been a favorite among locals and tourists.\u00a0 On our latest trip, we indulged on a fritter sampler at Don Faustino (Puerto Ricans love fried food).\u00a0 I always enjoy the mix in Luquillo on a Friday afternoon:\u00a0 a mix of locals coming home from work in their suits, college kids having drinks after a day on the beach, and a few adventurous tourists.<\/p>\n<p><strong><em>Pinones and Loiza:<\/em><\/strong>\u00a0 These places may have a bad reputation because of some violence in the area but during the day, it is a place where locals and their families come together for good street food and lovely views of the beach.\u00a0 I had my 30<sup>th<\/sup> birthday at Soleil Beach Club which has a gorgeous view of the beach and Chef Juan Carlos makes a mean lechon (roasted pork).\u00a0 I was delighted that six years after my birthday party he was still making the lechon, this time for my dear friend Vilmaris\u2019 wedding.\u00a0 Looking for a destination wedding with a simple beach setting, good food, and easy access to San Juan hotels? This may be the place for you.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_1597\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-1597\" style=\"width: 800px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a href=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.diningtraveler.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/oldsanjuan.jpg?ssl=1\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" data-attachment-id=\"1597\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/diningtraveler.com\/2015\/05\/puerto-rico-road-trip.html\/oldsanjuan\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/diningtraveler.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/oldsanjuan.jpg?fit=800%2C532&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"800,532\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;3.8&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;NIKON D3200&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;1431351876&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;-18.94967296&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;200&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0.001&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"OldSanJuan\" data-image-description=\"&lt;p&gt;Puerto Rico Road Trip Old San Juan &lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt;Buildings in Old San Juan &lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/diningtraveler.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/oldsanjuan.jpg?fit=300%2C200&amp;ssl=1\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/diningtraveler.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/oldsanjuan.jpg?fit=696%2C463&amp;ssl=1\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1597\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.diningtraveler.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/oldsanjuan.jpg?resize=696%2C463&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"Puerto Rico Road Trip Old San Juan \" width=\"696\" height=\"463\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/diningtraveler.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/oldsanjuan.jpg?w=800&amp;ssl=1 800w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/diningtraveler.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/oldsanjuan.jpg?resize=300%2C200&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/diningtraveler.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/oldsanjuan.jpg?resize=768%2C511&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/diningtraveler.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/oldsanjuan.jpg?resize=696%2C463&amp;ssl=1 696w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/diningtraveler.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/oldsanjuan.jpg?resize=632%2C420&amp;ssl=1 632w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 696px) 100vw, 696px\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-1597\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Buildings in Old San Juan<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p><em><strong>Ocean Park:\u00a0<\/strong><\/em> On your way back to the airport there are a few places you cannot miss in San Juan.\u00a0 For a traditional lunch, head to my all-time favorite: Kasalta.\u00a0 President Obama spent only four hours in Puerto Rico and one of them was spent having lunch there.\u00a0 This is an unassuming Spanish style bakery with grilled sandwiches, Puerto Rican classic dishes, and pastries.\u00a0 Work off the calories with a swim at a local favorite, Ocean Park Beach.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_1596\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-1596\" style=\"width: 800px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a href=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.diningtraveler.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/pastelon.jpg?ssl=1\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" data-attachment-id=\"1596\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/diningtraveler.com\/2015\/05\/puerto-rico-road-trip.html\/pastelon\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/diningtraveler.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/pastelon.jpg?fit=800%2C533&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"800,533\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;2.8&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;NIKON D3200&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;1431348000&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;7.05032704&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;200&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0.06666667&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"Pastelon\" data-image-description=\"&lt;p&gt;Puerto Rico Road Trip Old San Juan&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt;Pastelon at Cafe Mallorca Viejo San Juan&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/diningtraveler.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/pastelon.jpg?fit=300%2C200&amp;ssl=1\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/diningtraveler.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/pastelon.jpg?fit=696%2C464&amp;ssl=1\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1596\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.diningtraveler.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/pastelon.jpg?resize=696%2C464&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"Puerto Rico Road Trip Old San Juan\" width=\"696\" height=\"464\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/diningtraveler.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/pastelon.jpg?w=800&amp;ssl=1 800w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/diningtraveler.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/pastelon.jpg?resize=300%2C200&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/diningtraveler.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/pastelon.jpg?resize=768%2C512&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/diningtraveler.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/pastelon.jpg?resize=696%2C464&amp;ssl=1 696w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/diningtraveler.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/pastelon.jpg?resize=630%2C420&amp;ssl=1 630w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 696px) 100vw, 696px\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-1596\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Pastelon at Cafe Mallorca Viejo San Juan<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p><strong><em>Old San Juan:\u00a0<\/em><\/strong> A place that never gets old for me is Old San Juan.\u00a0 It seems that in my hundreds of visits, I always discover something new.\u00a0 For an insight in Puerto Rican culture, head to El Instituto de Cultura Puertoriqueno which has a vast collection of books, small pieces of art you can take home, and children items. \u00a0For food, you cannot miss breakfast or lunch at Caf\u00e9 Mallorca.\u00a0 Have a grilled Mallorca (sweet bread) with ham and cheese or try one of their pastelones, layers of sliced ripe plantains filled with cheese and ground meat.\u00a0 For cocktails, don\u2019t miss the bar at Hotel El Convento.\u00a0 It\u2019s a quiet space in the middle of the vibrant old city.\u00a0 If it\u2019s your first time on the island, don\u2019t miss a visit to El Morro, the old fort built by the Spanish to protect the island from invaders. It is now a UNESCO world heritage site and part of the US National Park System.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_1599\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-1599\" style=\"width: 800px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a href=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.diningtraveler.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/martinjess.jpg?ssl=1\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" data-attachment-id=\"1599\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/diningtraveler.com\/2015\/05\/puerto-rico-road-trip.html\/martinjess\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/diningtraveler.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/martinjess.jpg?fit=800%2C534&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"800,534\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;5&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;NIKON D3200&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;1431279635&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;-8.94967296&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;400&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0.0008&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"MartinJess\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt;We love destination weddings! Especially if they are in Puerto Rico &lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/diningtraveler.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/martinjess.jpg?fit=300%2C200&amp;ssl=1\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/diningtraveler.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/martinjess.jpg?fit=696%2C465&amp;ssl=1\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1599\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.diningtraveler.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/martinjess.jpg?resize=696%2C465&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"We love destination weddings! Especially if they are in Puerto Rico \" width=\"696\" height=\"465\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/diningtraveler.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/martinjess.jpg?w=800&amp;ssl=1 800w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/diningtraveler.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/martinjess.jpg?resize=300%2C200&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/diningtraveler.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/martinjess.jpg?resize=768%2C513&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/diningtraveler.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/martinjess.jpg?resize=696%2C465&amp;ssl=1 696w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/diningtraveler.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/martinjess.jpg?resize=629%2C420&amp;ssl=1 629w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 696px) 100vw, 696px\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-1599\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">We love destination weddings! Especially if they are in Puerto Rico<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p><em><strong>Santurce:<\/strong><\/em>\u00a0 There\u2019s no better place to learn about a culture than through its food.\u00a0 The placita de Santurce has been a gathering place for decades.\u00a0 A place where people come together for after work drinks, cooks pick up their fresh plantains from the food stalls, and young people come together. It truly show the fabric of Puerto Rico, where many cultures and races are woven together to make it the vibrant place that it is.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_1586\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-1586\" style=\"width: 800px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a href=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.diningtraveler.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/cpatillas.jpg?ssl=1\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" data-attachment-id=\"1586\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/diningtraveler.com\/2015\/05\/puerto-rico-road-trip.html\/cpatillas\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/diningtraveler.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/cpatillas.jpg?fit=800%2C532&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"800,532\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;11&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;NIKON D3200&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;1431006290&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;7.05032704&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;140&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0.002&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"CPatillas\" data-image-description=\"&lt;p&gt;Puerto Rico Road Trip Patillas&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt;View from Patillas&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/diningtraveler.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/cpatillas.jpg?fit=300%2C200&amp;ssl=1\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/diningtraveler.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/cpatillas.jpg?fit=696%2C463&amp;ssl=1\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1586\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.diningtraveler.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/cpatillas.jpg?resize=696%2C463&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"Puerto Rico Road Trip Patillas\" width=\"696\" height=\"463\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/diningtraveler.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/cpatillas.jpg?w=800&amp;ssl=1 800w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/diningtraveler.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/cpatillas.jpg?resize=300%2C200&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/diningtraveler.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/cpatillas.jpg?resize=768%2C511&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/diningtraveler.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/cpatillas.jpg?resize=696%2C463&amp;ssl=1 696w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/diningtraveler.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/cpatillas.jpg?resize=632%2C420&amp;ssl=1 632w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 696px) 100vw, 696px\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-1586\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">View from Patillas<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p><em><strong>Practical tips:<\/strong><\/em>\u00a0 As any place, be vigilant of where you park your car.\u00a0 Parking garages are abundant and moderately priced. Be careful at night when driving.\u00a0 Try to stay off the road late at night, if you need to, treat stop lights like stop signs after 11pm.\u00a0 Always make sure to remove your valuables from your car.\u00a0 I\u2019ve lived and been traveling to Puerto Rico my whole life and never been robbed (knock on wood). However, it is always beneficial to have precautions.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_1598\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-1598\" style=\"width: 800px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><a href=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.diningtraveler.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/family.jpg?ssl=1\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" data-attachment-id=\"1598\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/diningtraveler.com\/2015\/05\/puerto-rico-road-trip.html\/family\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/diningtraveler.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/family.jpg?fit=800%2C532&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"800,532\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;3.5&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;NIKON D3200&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;1430998526&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;18&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;800&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0.0004&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"Family\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt;No Puerto Rico Road Trip would be complete without visiting my family! &lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/diningtraveler.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/family.jpg?fit=300%2C200&amp;ssl=1\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/diningtraveler.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/family.jpg?fit=696%2C463&amp;ssl=1\" class=\"size-full wp-image-1598\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.diningtraveler.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/family.jpg?resize=696%2C463&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"No Puerto Rico Road Trip would be complete without visiting my family! \" width=\"696\" height=\"463\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/diningtraveler.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/family.jpg?w=800&amp;ssl=1 800w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/diningtraveler.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/family.jpg?resize=300%2C200&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/diningtraveler.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/family.jpg?resize=768%2C511&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/diningtraveler.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/family.jpg?resize=696%2C463&amp;ssl=1 696w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/diningtraveler.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/family.jpg?resize=632%2C420&amp;ssl=1 632w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 696px) 100vw, 696px\" \/><\/a><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-1598\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">No Puerto Rico Road Trip would be complete without visiting my family!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>There is so much to see of Puerto Rico and too little time! However, a Puerto Rico road trip can give you an insight into the local life of the island.\u00a0 Puerto Ricans love to discover their island on their weekends and their time off.\u00a0 Many of the spots I mentioned I discovered as a kid on road trips with my dad.\u00a0 In these road trips, you can savor the food, capture the smile of an animated bartender or listen to stories of the Puerto Rican diaspora from a retiree playing dominos in a sunny plaza in the heart of Puerto Rico.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>When people ask me \u201cHow about a Puerto Rico road trip?\u201d\u00a0 I scream yes very loudly! One of the first things I recommend for those visiting the island is to rent a car and discover beyond the tourist spots of San Juan.\u00a0 My book, Dining Traveler Guide to Puerto Rico is inspired by many road [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":27,"featured_media":1575,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[7,95,2,56],"tags":[288,267,289],"class_list":{"0":"post-1584","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-food","8":"category-puerto-rico","9":"category-travel","10":"category-travel-tip","11":"tag-dining-traveler-guide-to-puerto-rico","12":"tag-puerto-rico","13":"tag-puerto-rico-road-triip"},"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v24.7 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>How to Plan Your Perfect Puerto Rico Road Trip &#8902; The Dining Traveler<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Puerto Rico Road Trip on the southeastern part of the island. Head south through Guavate and stopping in key spots on the coast. Practical tips on driving.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/diningtraveler.com\/2015\/05\/puerto-rico-road-trip.html\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"How to Plan Your Perfect Puerto Rico Road Trip &#8902; The Dining Traveler\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Puerto Rico Road Trip on the southeastern part of the island. Head south through Guavate and stopping in key spots on the coast. Practical tips on driving.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/diningtraveler.com\/2015\/05\/puerto-rico-road-trip.html\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"The Dining Traveler\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"http:\/\/facebook.com\/diningtraveler\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:author\" content=\"http:\/\/facebook.com\/diningtraveler\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2015-05-29T03:50:00+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2019-12-06T17:29:41+00:00\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Jessica van Dop DeJesus\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:image\" content=\"https:\/\/www.diningtraveler.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/elcon-yunque.jpg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@diningtraveler\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@diningtraveler\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Jessica van Dop DeJesus\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"8 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/diningtraveler.com\/2015\/05\/puerto-rico-road-trip.html#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/diningtraveler.com\/2015\/05\/puerto-rico-road-trip.html\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Jessica van Dop DeJesus\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/diningtraveler.com\/#\/schema\/person\/d2f265219cd93b6a1d4e264e8c8690d8\"},\"headline\":\"How to Plan Your Perfect Puerto Rico Road Trip\",\"datePublished\":\"2015-05-29T03:50:00+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2019-12-06T17:29:41+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/diningtraveler.com\/2015\/05\/puerto-rico-road-trip.html\"},\"wordCount\":1690,\"commentCount\":0,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/diningtraveler.com\/#organization\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/diningtraveler.com\/2015\/05\/puerto-rico-road-trip.html#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/diningtraveler.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/elcon-yunque.jpg?fit=800%2C532&ssl=1\",\"keywords\":[\"Dining Traveler Guide to Puerto Rico\",\"Puerto Rico\",\"Puerto Rico Road Triip\"],\"articleSection\":[\"food\",\"puerto rico\",\"travel\",\"Travel Tip\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"CommentAction\",\"name\":\"Comment\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/diningtraveler.com\/2015\/05\/puerto-rico-road-trip.html#respond\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/diningtraveler.com\/2015\/05\/puerto-rico-road-trip.html\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/diningtraveler.com\/2015\/05\/puerto-rico-road-trip.html\",\"name\":\"How to Plan Your Perfect Puerto Rico Road Trip &#8902; The Dining Traveler\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/diningtraveler.com\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/diningtraveler.com\/2015\/05\/puerto-rico-road-trip.html#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/diningtraveler.com\/2015\/05\/puerto-rico-road-trip.html#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/diningtraveler.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/elcon-yunque.jpg?fit=800%2C532&ssl=1\",\"datePublished\":\"2015-05-29T03:50:00+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2019-12-06T17:29:41+00:00\",\"description\":\"Puerto Rico Road Trip on the southeastern part of the island. Head south through Guavate and stopping in key spots on the coast. Practical tips on driving.\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/diningtraveler.com\/2015\/05\/puerto-rico-road-trip.html#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/diningtraveler.com\/2015\/05\/puerto-rico-road-trip.html\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/diningtraveler.com\/2015\/05\/puerto-rico-road-trip.html#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/diningtraveler.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/elcon-yunque.jpg?fit=800%2C532&ssl=1\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/diningtraveler.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/elcon-yunque.jpg?fit=800%2C532&ssl=1\",\"width\":800,\"height\":532,\"caption\":\"El Yunque Rainforest\"},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/diningtraveler.com\/2015\/05\/puerto-rico-road-trip.html#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/diningtraveler.com\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"How to Plan Your Perfect Puerto Rico Road Trip\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/diningtraveler.com\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/diningtraveler.com\/\",\"name\":\"The Dining Traveler\",\"description\":\"Travel Tips, Recipes, and Culinary Travel Website\",\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/diningtraveler.com\/#organization\"},\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/diningtraveler.com\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/diningtraveler.com\/#organization\",\"name\":\"Dining Traveler\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/diningtraveler.com\/\",\"logo\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/diningtraveler.com\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/i2.wp.com\/diningtraveler.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/09\/logo.jpg?fit=600%2C420&ssl=1\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/i2.wp.com\/diningtraveler.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/09\/logo.jpg?fit=600%2C420&ssl=1\",\"width\":600,\"height\":420,\"caption\":\"Dining Traveler\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/diningtraveler.com\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/\"},\"sameAs\":[\"http:\/\/facebook.com\/diningtraveler\",\"https:\/\/x.com\/diningtraveler\",\"http:\/\/www.instagram.com\/diningtraveler\",\"http:\/\/pinterest.com\/diningtraveler\",\"http:\/\/www.youtube.com\/channel\/UCMjgccFK_8NrUmIHr_UT_WQ\"]},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/diningtraveler.com\/#\/schema\/person\/d2f265219cd93b6a1d4e264e8c8690d8\",\"name\":\"Jessica van Dop DeJesus\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/diningtraveler.com\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/e047543b12ed201eddf12179e4bba91a?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/e047543b12ed201eddf12179e4bba91a?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"caption\":\"Jessica van Dop DeJesus\"},\"description\":\"Founder and editor of The Dining Traveler. International traveler, cook, and eater.\",\"sameAs\":[\"https:\/\/www.diningtraveler.com\",\"http:\/\/facebook.com\/diningtraveler\",\"instagram.com\/diningtraveler\"],\"url\":\"https:\/\/diningtraveler.com\/author\/jessica-dejesusgmail-com\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"How to Plan Your Perfect Puerto Rico Road Trip &#8902; The Dining Traveler","description":"Puerto Rico Road Trip on the southeastern part of the island. Head south through Guavate and stopping in key spots on the coast. Practical tips on driving.","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/diningtraveler.com\/2015\/05\/puerto-rico-road-trip.html","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"How to Plan Your Perfect Puerto Rico Road Trip &#8902; The Dining Traveler","og_description":"Puerto Rico Road Trip on the southeastern part of the island. Head south through Guavate and stopping in key spots on the coast. Practical tips on driving.","og_url":"https:\/\/diningtraveler.com\/2015\/05\/puerto-rico-road-trip.html","og_site_name":"The Dining Traveler","article_publisher":"http:\/\/facebook.com\/diningtraveler","article_author":"http:\/\/facebook.com\/diningtraveler","article_published_time":"2015-05-29T03:50:00+00:00","article_modified_time":"2019-12-06T17:29:41+00:00","author":"Jessica van Dop DeJesus","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_image":"https:\/\/www.diningtraveler.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/elcon-yunque.jpg","twitter_creator":"@diningtraveler","twitter_site":"@diningtraveler","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"Jessica van Dop DeJesus","Est. reading time":"8 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/diningtraveler.com\/2015\/05\/puerto-rico-road-trip.html#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/diningtraveler.com\/2015\/05\/puerto-rico-road-trip.html"},"author":{"name":"Jessica van Dop DeJesus","@id":"https:\/\/diningtraveler.com\/#\/schema\/person\/d2f265219cd93b6a1d4e264e8c8690d8"},"headline":"How to Plan Your Perfect Puerto Rico Road Trip","datePublished":"2015-05-29T03:50:00+00:00","dateModified":"2019-12-06T17:29:41+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/diningtraveler.com\/2015\/05\/puerto-rico-road-trip.html"},"wordCount":1690,"commentCount":0,"publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/diningtraveler.com\/#organization"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/diningtraveler.com\/2015\/05\/puerto-rico-road-trip.html#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/diningtraveler.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/elcon-yunque.jpg?fit=800%2C532&ssl=1","keywords":["Dining Traveler Guide to Puerto Rico","Puerto Rico","Puerto Rico Road Triip"],"articleSection":["food","puerto rico","travel","Travel Tip"],"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"CommentAction","name":"Comment","target":["https:\/\/diningtraveler.com\/2015\/05\/puerto-rico-road-trip.html#respond"]}]},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/diningtraveler.com\/2015\/05\/puerto-rico-road-trip.html","url":"https:\/\/diningtraveler.com\/2015\/05\/puerto-rico-road-trip.html","name":"How to Plan Your Perfect Puerto Rico Road Trip &#8902; The Dining Traveler","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/diningtraveler.com\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/diningtraveler.com\/2015\/05\/puerto-rico-road-trip.html#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/diningtraveler.com\/2015\/05\/puerto-rico-road-trip.html#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/diningtraveler.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/elcon-yunque.jpg?fit=800%2C532&ssl=1","datePublished":"2015-05-29T03:50:00+00:00","dateModified":"2019-12-06T17:29:41+00:00","description":"Puerto Rico Road Trip on the southeastern part of the island. Head south through Guavate and stopping in key spots on the coast. Practical tips on driving.","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/diningtraveler.com\/2015\/05\/puerto-rico-road-trip.html#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/diningtraveler.com\/2015\/05\/puerto-rico-road-trip.html"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/diningtraveler.com\/2015\/05\/puerto-rico-road-trip.html#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/diningtraveler.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/elcon-yunque.jpg?fit=800%2C532&ssl=1","contentUrl":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/diningtraveler.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/elcon-yunque.jpg?fit=800%2C532&ssl=1","width":800,"height":532,"caption":"El Yunque Rainforest"},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/diningtraveler.com\/2015\/05\/puerto-rico-road-trip.html#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/diningtraveler.com\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"How to Plan Your Perfect Puerto Rico Road Trip"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/diningtraveler.com\/#website","url":"https:\/\/diningtraveler.com\/","name":"The Dining Traveler","description":"Travel Tips, Recipes, and Culinary Travel Website","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/diningtraveler.com\/#organization"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/diningtraveler.com\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/diningtraveler.com\/#organization","name":"Dining Traveler","url":"https:\/\/diningtraveler.com\/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/diningtraveler.com\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/i2.wp.com\/diningtraveler.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/09\/logo.jpg?fit=600%2C420&ssl=1","contentUrl":"https:\/\/i2.wp.com\/diningtraveler.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/09\/logo.jpg?fit=600%2C420&ssl=1","width":600,"height":420,"caption":"Dining Traveler"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/diningtraveler.com\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/"},"sameAs":["http:\/\/facebook.com\/diningtraveler","https:\/\/x.com\/diningtraveler","http:\/\/www.instagram.com\/diningtraveler","http:\/\/pinterest.com\/diningtraveler","http:\/\/www.youtube.com\/channel\/UCMjgccFK_8NrUmIHr_UT_WQ"]},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/diningtraveler.com\/#\/schema\/person\/d2f265219cd93b6a1d4e264e8c8690d8","name":"Jessica van Dop DeJesus","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/diningtraveler.com\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/e047543b12ed201eddf12179e4bba91a?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/e047543b12ed201eddf12179e4bba91a?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"Jessica van Dop DeJesus"},"description":"Founder and editor of The Dining Traveler. International traveler, cook, and eater.","sameAs":["https:\/\/www.diningtraveler.com","http:\/\/facebook.com\/diningtraveler","instagram.com\/diningtraveler"],"url":"https:\/\/diningtraveler.com\/author\/jessica-dejesusgmail-com"}]}},"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/diningtraveler.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/05\/elcon-yunque.jpg?fit=800%2C532&ssl=1","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p5YkcL-py","jetpack-related-posts":[],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/diningtraveler.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1584","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/diningtraveler.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/diningtraveler.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/diningtraveler.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/27"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/diningtraveler.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1584"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/diningtraveler.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1584\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/diningtraveler.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1575"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/diningtraveler.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1584"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/diningtraveler.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1584"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/diningtraveler.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1584"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}