I’m heading to Puerto Rico next week for a few days. Thank Og for vacations. I’ll be staying in San Juan, and am planning on some time on the beach just reading and drinking. I’ve never been to Puerto Rico before. Any suggestions on what I should or shouldn’t see? Anything I should try to eat, or things to shy away from? I’d be interested in most anything - cool historical sites, good restaurants or beaches, nice places to hike. Share your experiences. Thanks!
Did a couple hour layover in San Juan. We did make it over to the old town (fort), and that was pretty cool.
Had I had more time, I would have gone to see Arecibo (radio astronomy dish - seen in “Contact”).
Seconding this recommendation, absolutely go see the old fort el Morro. The excellent engineering (and slave labor) that went into constructing that massive building really gave me something to think about.
My husband’s favorite place in the whole world (truly) is the bioluminescent bay in Fajardo. It’s a ‘lake’ among the trees (connected to the ocean) in which there are microscopic bioluminescent single-celled organisms in the water. When they’re disturbed (by, say, your kayak paddle), they spark, leaving trails of light behind you. If you’re going to be there on a dark night (around the time of the new moon), rent a car for the evening and make the hourlong drive. I’ve only been there at a bad time (too much moon) and it was still pretty cool, because we could see the effects at the very edge of the water, in the shadows of the trees, but I’m sure it’d be much better in darker conditions.
El Yunque rain forest is a pretty short drive from San Juan. We parked at one of the scenic overlooks and walked through the forest to the next one along a relatively easy trail. It was a beautiful walk.
Wow. That sounds… magical. That description probably sounds kind of corny, but it’s the first that came to mind. I will be checking that out. I had heard about the old fort already, and will also be seeing that. The dish from Contact? 
Just how big a geek do you think I am?
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Well you were right. I will go see it. 
Thanks for the suggestions so far!
Get out of the metro area. Seriously. My island is much more pretty and amazing than Metro. And I say this as an urbanite that cannot imagine living in the country. Get out of Metro.
One recent thread about Puerto Rico
They offer different suggestions and links. Double check that the amenities will be open, some are seasonal, some are under construction right now, some may have closed.