Tips on Traveling Around Puerto Rico
While the beach is without a doubt the primary reason people choose Puerto Rico as their vacation destination, there's plenty more of Puerto Rico that can be enjoyed if you simply travel inland. Cities like San Juan are full of the heritage that makes Puerto Rico so special and if you discover the easiest ways to travel around Puerto Rico, you can greatly enhance your already memorable vacation.Take a day to visit the Puerto Rico Arts Museum, the largest collection of contemporary art in Puerto Rico. See how one of the world's most popular rums is made at what the locals call the "Rum Cathedral," better known to visitors as the Bacardi Distillery in Catano. Or, take in the National Gallery where historical items are displayed along with contemporary art. As the birthplace to many famous artists, you'll notice that art plays a tremendous part in the culture and history of this magical land.
So, you expected your only traveling was going to be walking from your Puerto Rico hotel to the beach and back, did you? If you need some tips on traveling around Puerto Rico, then here you go.
Puerto Rico Travel Tips - Car Rentals
If Puerto Rico travel has one downfall, it’s their public transportation system. Unless you're traveling in San Juan, it's non-existent. By far, the most common source of traveling around Puerto Rico is by rental car. Visitors can get a rental car in Puerto Rico at the airport or through their hotel. If you're driving through one of Puerto Rico's larger cities, expect a normal rush hour experience. It's best to plan your excursions around the busier traffic times of 8-10 a.m. and 4-6 p.m.
If you're driving and see a police car with its blue light swirling, don't panic, the police in Puerto Rico are required to have their lights lit whenever their car is in motion. The traffic signs are pretty easy to distinguish, although they are in Spanish. Keep a map on you at all times and when traveling on the mountain roads, beep before driving into blind curves. The mountain roads are terribly narrow and only a lane and a half wide.
Puerto Rico Travel Tips - Publico
In Puerto Rico, there are two types of taxis - your single rider taxis and publicos, or shared taxis. Publicos can also be called colectivos or pisicorres. Publicos are much cheaper than standard taxis and can easily be spotted by their yellow license plates that read "PUBLICO." You can get a ride on a publico through one of two ways - showing up at a publico terminal or calling the publico station and arranging a pick up for the following day of your Puerto Rico vacation. Publicos do make frequent stops, but that's the price of saving a few bucks over a regular taxi.
Although you're more than welcome to sit and warm yourself on the white sands of Puerto Rico beaches all day, you may get the urge to hike through the rainforest to see the indigenous plants and animals. Knowing how to maneuver around this picturesque paradise will be more important than you originally believed.
