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.

If you take a trip to the Caguana Indigenous Ceremonial Park, you can learn about the people who lived in Puerto Rico (or Boriken as they called it) prior to the arrival of the Spanish. In this a small area, archaeologists have uncovered many artifacts, petroglyphs and a number of stone-lined areas. Many years later, after further excavations, research and preservation, this area is said to be one of the most important Taino-culture archaeological sites in the Antilles today.

For 3 short days in October 1950, Puerto Rico was declared an independent nation called La Republica de Puerto Rico by Blanca Canales and a band of Independentistas. Today, the Canales Museum houses a collection of memorabilia that provides a glimpse of the revolution of that time.

The Tibes Indian Ceremonial Center is a window into the history of Puerto Rico. At this site, archaeologists have uncovered ball fields, burial sites and ceremonial plazas associated with the pre-Taino and Taino Indian cultures. You can spend an afternoon visiting and learning about one of the most important archaeological sites in the Caribbean.

A French coffee hacienda in Puerto Rico – what a surprise! The Old Labadie House (aka the Palacete los Moreau) is located in the town of Moca, in the north-west part of Puerto Rico. This lovely, old house has been turned into a museum, and they offer great, informative tours about the house and the people who lived there. What a wonderful piece of Puerto Rican history and a local treasure. I really thought it was worth a visit.

El Portal Rain Forest Center is the main visitor center in El Yunque National Forest. It features an elevated walkway through the tree tops, educational displays, a short interpretive walking trail, a deli/restaurant and a small gift shop. Though completely optional, the Forest Center is an informative stop for first-time visitors to El Yunque.

The Cemi Museum (Museo El Cemi, in Spanish) in Jayuya is a visitor center for the area and a showcase of Taino artifacts. The leaders of Jayuya wanted to preserve and educate about the Taino culture, so they opened this odd-shaped museum in 1989.

If you can tear yourself away from the beautiful beaches on Vieques, and want to explore, you can make a quick stop at the wonderfully restored Count Mirasol Fort (or Fortin Conde de Mirasol in Spanish) high above the town of Isabel II. In addition to the view, it offers art exhibits and a nice museum of Vieques artifacts. The view alone is well worth the admission price!

The Luis A. Ferré Science Park in Bayamón houses an eclectic collection of attractions — a Planetarium, a Zoo, an Observation Tower and museums ranging from Natural History, to Transportation, to Telecommunication, to Archeology, among others. It’s an enjoyable way to spend a few hours of vacation.

Fort San Cristobal is often considered the other fort in Old San Juan. For reasons that I can’t fathom, people flock to El Morro and rarely visit Fort San Cristobal. But they don’t know what they’re missing – it is a definitely worth a visit!

The Arecibo Lighthouse & Historical Park is a cultural theme park based on the history of Puerto Rico. Within the park, you’ll find the lighthouse, the Pirates’ Hideout cave, Taino village recreation, aquarium, mini-zoo, replica sailing ships, and kids’ playground.

El Morro Fort, or officially Castillo de San Felipe del Morro, stands guard at the entrance to San Juan harbor as a reminder of a by-gone era when invading countries would attempt sea attacks to take this prized city and harbor. No trip to Old San Juan is complete without a visit to this UN World Heritage Site.

I enjoy visiting Ponce because it is an old city that has a lot to offer. But the city of Ponce is spread out over a large area, so walking around the city to see everything can be overwhelming for a first-time visitor. Luckily, Ponce offers a trolley tour that takes you around the city [...]

If you are in Ponce and like antiques, gardens, hand-crafted furniture and stunning views, then a visit to the Serralles Castle (Castillo Serralles) should probably get on your "must do" list. Located on the hill above the City of Ponce, Serralles Castle was the "summer home" of the Serralles family. The Serralles made their money [...]

The typical visitor to Old San Juan visits the major "touristy" historical sites in the old city, including the forts (El Morro and San Cristobal), La Princesa, La Forteleza, and the Cathedral, to name a few. In fact, our 3-part walking tour will guide you past all of these places. But there are a number [...]