Christmas in Puerto Rico - suggestions please!

Family vacation to Puerto Rico from 12/24 to 12/31.  Flying in and out of San Juan.  Renting a car for the duration.  Have searched the archives and know many have loved Vieques, but we're taking our 19 and 22-year-old sons with us and are looking for something livelier.  Thought we'd do 2 nights in San Juan for Christmas Eve and night and then drive west to Rincon for the beach and surf.  Son #2 is a budding surfer.  We know that the bio bays are not to be missed and thought that Laguna Grande which is closer to San Juan would work, rather than making the time investment to ferry to Vieques.

Open to other suggestions, specific restaurants, hotels/rentals (preferably under/around $200-225/night). Laid back, casual, and outdoorsy all welcome suggestions. Museums not so much...

Thanks all in advance!

Two favorite restaurants in San Juan are Marmalade (upscale) and El Jibarito (very casual).  El Jibarito came recommended to me by a Puerto Rican colleague I've known for years.  We usually stay at the Marriott Stellaris hotel in Condado.  Within walking distance of good restaurants (there's a good Middle Eastern place right across the street), and a short taxi ride to Old San Juan.   We don't mind the $ for the taxis, some people do, it's usually about $20 each way.  Have fun!

Thank you!

Hotels: I've stayed La Concha in Condado(all suites) and El Convento in Old San Juan and they could not be more different.  

La Concha was huge, super modern and had a nice little beach and several IMHO mediocre restaurants.  That said the location was great and it was right across from a great breakfast place that I can't remember the name of, and within a 10min walk to several other great places to eat.

El Convento on the other hand is small and low key.  It's a converted 17th century convent with a courtyard garden/excellent restaurant,  and lovely rooms.  Only drawback for me was the pool is tiny, but they have a beach club partnership with La Concha which lets you use their pool 

Restaurants:.

 Go to Deaverdura in old San Juan on Calle Sol. Very casual, get the tour of Puerto Rico and some pastilles.  Also check out Verde Mesa for some seriously excellent vegetarian food.

Coffee shops:. 

Cuatro Sombras has the best coffee I've ever had.  The Poet's Passage has the best coffee my wife has ever had and excellent sandwiches/lunch food.

Places in Old San Juan: 

Go to El Morro and San Cristobal, interesting history and great views. Casa Blanca is also fun to explore. Walking around old San Juan is a lot of fun as well and you can pretty much be anywhere with a 20 min walk.  Also

Places to go on the rest of the island:. 

The Arecibo radio telescope is about an hour/hour and a half drive from San Juan and is an sight to behold and there's a nice little museum attached as well. 

El Yunque is about an hour and a half to 2 hour drive and has a lot of great hikes.  The rainforest is beautiful you can drive right up to the trailheads in most cases.

Thanks Komarovsky!!

Had never heard of the radio telescope - interesting.  Anyone ever been to a ball (beisbol ;-)) game down there?

Also, got a really good rate from Enterprise in Condado when we went last November, $20 a day or something.  FYI they'll charge you a fee for the Puerto Rican version of EZ Pass in addition to any tolls you pay.

OK will look into Enterprise.  I reserved at 250ish/week with Dollar (I think) but it's not prepaid.

we loved this food tour so much that we did it twice! http://www.sanjuanfoodtours.com/

El Convento in Old San Juan.  Amazing location right in the middle of everything.  

Haven't been to San Juan in 20 years but have been in Rincon for the past 25.

There is a large Anglo presence during the winter and it is a surfing, snorkeling, scuba diving area at that time.

For a first timer, unless you know someone there, you might try staying at Villa Cofresi. It's on the beach and has an active aquatic program and a Gringo night on Mondays. It also has a pretty good restaurant. Try the pork chops and the shrimp mofungo.

BCC said:

Haven't been to San Juan in 20 years but have been in Rincon for the past 25.

There is a large Anglo presence during the winter and it is a surfing, snorkeling, scuba diving area at that time.

For a first timer, unless you know someone there, you might try staying at Villa Cofresi. It's on the beach and has an active aquatic program and a Gringo night on Mondays. It also has a pretty good restaurant. Try the pork chops and the shrimp mofungo.

Perfect BCC. Thank you!

UMCanes said:

El Convento in Old San Juan.  Amazing location right in the middle of everything.  

This place is absolutely gorgeous, but doesn't hit the budget point.  Best rate is in the 400s.  Thanks though!  Maybe if we go back as a couple.

sac said:

we loved this food tour so much that we did it twice! http://www.sanjuanfoodtours.com/

Cool - thank you! Right up our alley. 

Of course do El Yunque but also do not miss the food trucks of Luquillo.  If you can, take a snorkel and lunch cruise to Culebra.  Its not to be missed, right from Fajardo.  A little known family-owned gem of a hotel (no frills, but clean as a whistle and all rooms have amazing ocean views) is called Luquillo Sunrise Beach Inn.   Jazz club in San Juan that is fantastic and the name escapes me now.  And do not forget to try a delicious Gaby Mini Donas from several locations throughout the Fajardo area, often at Kmarts and Wal Marts.   SO DELISH and my future brother in law's operation..   http://www.gabyminidonas.com/

Excellent Boomie - thank you!

Eat at Santaella in San Juan. One of the best meals (including specialty cocktails) I've had. 

Will do thanks!

I was looking at Rincon Surf School & Resort. Has anybody been there?

Jim, please be aware that NYE in San Juan can be a scary thing if you are out and about on the streets.   There is a lot of crime and violence on that night for some reason.  Try to be indoors.

Thanks Boomie. We leave on the 31st in the morning. Home by 4pm. As long as they don't start *too* early, we should be good.