Top 5 Things to Do and See Around San Juan, Puerto Rico

1. Explore Old San Juan

From sightseeing to shopping, Old San Juan has so much to offer.  If you're a history buff, check out the forts that border the city.  At both locations you can tour dungeons, chapels, and the famous sentry boxes.  If you're more into modern day shopping and exploring, give yourself a few days to wander the streets which have everything from local boutiques to beautiful plazas filled with interesting people.

2. See the Arecibo Observatory

Featured in textbooks around the world and even in the James Bond movie, GoldenEye, the Arecibo Observatory is a great place to get a little educational sightseeing in.  In addition to seeing the world's largest reflector, you can also check out the accompanying museum and visitor center.  A little over an hour outside of San Juan, driving is your best bet for transportation (we rented a car for the week).  The drive through rural Puerto Rico was one of my favorite parts though.

Click through to see the the rest of my Top Five list!

Exploring Historic San Juan

Since I started writing about my trip to Puerto Rico in yesterday's post, I figured that I would go ahead and turn it into a mini-series since there is so much to talk about.  Be sure to stick around to hear a little more about Puerto Rico's sights and tastes, because let's be honest, food is definitely one of the best parts of travel.  

The island has got some of the coolest history, as it's an eclectic mix of Spanish, American, and Caribbean.  If you've read some of my previous posts, you probably know I'm not a huge history buff or museum lover, as I prefer to really experience history by being there and actually walking where they walked, seeing what they saw, etc.  Two great places for exploring like this are the forts that once guarded the capital of San Juan. 

Fort San Felipe del Morro and Fort San Cristóbal are both open to the public with minimal entrance fees.  While there, you can see various historical exhibits and explore most of the forts (including the dungeon and various underground passageways).  After you see one, you can catch a trolley or walk to the other.  Though they're pretty similar, you'll receive a pretty nice discount on your second admission, and both have several unique aspects.  

If forts aren't really your forte, pun intended, all you need to do to experience a little history is just wander through Old San Juan.  The neighborhood is full of beautiful old buildings and courtyards, delicious eateries, and plenty of entertainment.  Just beware of the tourist trap shops which fill some streets.  For shopping and souvenirs, you're better off looking for a local market or festival. 

Tune in tomorrow when I'll be sharing photos of the brightly colored architecture, some of my favorite in all of my travels thus far! 

Exploring Gettysburg

One of my favorite things about college is the ability to take advantage of frequent (and cheap) student trips.  This past weekend I joined two campus clubs in their trek to Gettysburg, PA.  Seeing as though the town is home to some one of the most important battles in our nation's history, and my college is only a few hours away, it's pretty surprising I hadn't made time for the trip yet. 

The dreariness of the day only added to the sadness that you feel as you think about immesity of the battle that was fought here.  While I love visiting almost anywhere, knowing the history of a location really adds to your experience as a travel, whether that be to the collesuem in Rome or the battlefields of Gettysburg.

Like many other popular destinations, some parts of the town are overrun by tourist traps; However, if you go to the right places, Gettysburg can be a really great day trip.  If you visit, make sure to visit the National Military Park Museum and Visitor Center.  For about $10, you gain access to a really great museum featuring all aspects of the Civil War and the Battle of Gettysburg.  Coming from a non-museum fan, it actually is worth your time.  After that, take a self guided (driving) tour of important places from the battle.  Not only are these locations specified by signage and audio tours, but there are tons of statues and monuments that, in my opinion, really bring things to life.  

For dinner, we ate at the Dobbin House Tavern, which I highly reccommend.  The tavern is styled to be exactly like a tavern in the 1700s, and not in a cheesy way.  Regarding entertainment, a word to those in search of one of the many ghost tours that happen nightly- do a little research beforehand to make sure you really get what you're looking for.  Our group purchased tickets from the first vendor we came across and honestly wasted our time that evening.  

Lastly, if you do visit Gettysburg anytime soon, be sure to visit the National Cemetary and the town center- the two places I regretfully didn't make it to.  

Do you like traveling to historic places?  I need some good cities to put on my travel list!