San Juan When To Go and Weather

Peak Season November - April

November through April is typically party time and the best time to visit San Juan. Christmas goes on much longer in San Juan than in the mainland US, and San Juaneros absolutely adore this festive season. From mid-December through Jan. 6, el dia de los Reyes Magos (Three Kings Day), the island has Christmas fever, which means late-night drinking and serenading in the streets (Christmas Carols) and lots of dancing. The beaches are also at their sandy best and San Juan weather is moderate with temperatures averaging in the upper 70s, and the air a balmy 85 degrees.

Off-Season July - October

Two words sum this up: hurricane season. You do not want to be on the island when those late summer storms come rolling through. It’s hard to precisely pinpoint when the weather gets iffy, but generally speaking the fecund months of July through October are to be avoided. The island is hot, sleepy and humid and ominous rain storms often lash San Juan.

Shoulder Season May and June

May and June are transition months in San Juan. The pace of the city slows from its hurly-burly winter craziness and starts to take on the lazy, somnolent feel of hot summer. It’s not quite hurricane season yet, but early storms have been known to come ashore as early as June. Crowds thin out, but they never entirely disappear from San Juan; the big cruise ships continue to stream into the docks and disgorge hundreds of passengers daily.