Puerto Rico has lots of wonderful things to do, see, eat and listen to. One thing it is lacking is any form of "exciting" wildlife. I know that when you hear El Yunque rain forest you think of all sorts of colorful and exotic animals — like monkeys, jaguars, and macaws. You are not going to see those here, but we do have some critters that are worth being on the lookout for.

Do you want to get away from the concrete jungle of San Juan or Old San Juan for a while without traveling too far? Or have a nice place to bike, run or walk that is away from traffic? Then the Parque Lineal Martí Coll or Paseo Lineal (Martí Coll Linear Park, in English) might be just what you need. This "park" is actually an elevated, 8-foot wide concrete walkway that runs along the bank of the Maria Pena canal. It is 1.2 miles long, and a nice place to exercise or just enjoy the day.

Are you looking for a little quiet culture in the heart of San Juan? Maybe something to do on a rainy or super hot day? The Museum of Art of Puerto Rico and the Museum of Contemporary Art of Puerto Rico are just a few blocks apart, and they are full of interesting objects of art.

Caguas is a wonderful small city, just 20 minutes south of San Juan, that offers many things to do for visitors. One of those things is La Ruta del Corazón Criollo (the Route to the Heart of Creole). It is a self-guided walking tour to 12 museums and places of interest, all within a few blocks around the town square. These museums provide visitors some insight into the history of Caguas and Creole.

The Central American and Caribbean Games have been held every 4 years since 1926. This year, the 21st Central American and Caribbean games will be held in Puerto Rico, officially in the town of Mayaguez. Opening ceremonies are July 17 and closing ceremonies are August 1, 2010. Athletes representing 31 countries from around the Caribbean and Central American region will be participating. Many events have free admission.

Save a Gato is a volunteer organization that manages the care and feeding of the colonial cats of Old San Juan. Through an agreement with the National Park Service, Save a Gato provides food, water and medical assistance for these cats. They do what they can, as a completely volunteer organization, run on donations. But every trap-neuter-release costs money. Find out how you can help.

In the summertime, many locals and visitors flock to El Yunque National Forest to get away from the heat and enjoy the cool refreshment of the rain forest. Over the last few years, during July holidays and weekends, Road 191 North has become a zoo, overflowing with people and cars. During July 2010, on certain weekends and holidays, the National Forest Department is going to be changing forest access a bit to help limit the congestion.

SoFo is the Old San Juan Culinary Festival semi-annual food festival. It’s typically held in the early summer & again in the fall, and it is all about enjoying food & having fun. In the evening, the Old City closes a number of streets to traffic. Then the restaurants start setting up serving tables and bars, tables and chairs, and stages are set up for the bands. This summer, the festival is being held from July 8 through July 11, 2010.

Carnival — the word itself conjures up images of festivals and fun from around the world! And Puerto Rico is no exception. Almost every town holds a carnival — some big, some small. No matter what the size, you can always count on finding music, dancing and food. Carnival will be held in Rio Grande from June 30 – July 4. Stop by and take part in the fun!

Every year, the town of Aibonito hosts the largest plant show & sale on the island. It features flower & plant displays, a large section for plant sales, live local music shows, and food kiosks. My favorite part is the rows and rows of booths selling all kinds of plants — orchids, fruit trees, vegetable plants, heliconias, gingers, hibiscus … just to name a few. I look forward to this event all year and it is now that time of year again!