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.

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!

The Cadencia Andaluza: Espectáculo de Flamenco Puertorriqueño show at the Tablao de Paulette is a traditional Flamenco music and dance show with a Puerto Rican flair. It’s an enjoyable way to spend a couple hours on a Saturday night and to experience a slice of real Puerto Rican life.

Join a community in their celebration of their African heritage every second and fourth Friday at the COPI Center in Piñones. Enjoy the Bomba & Plena music & dance that invigorates this culture.

Enjoy a free Flamenco dance show while eating dinner at Barrachina Restaurant on Friday and Saturday nights in Old San Juan.

We attended another performance of the Le Lo Lai Festival and were delighted to find that they update the show from time to time. The latest installment contains Salsa, Bomba and some "country" music & dances that make for an enjoyable hour of free entertainment.

Twice a year the restaurant community in Old San Juan pulls together for their SoFo Culinary Festival. These festivals, typically in June and October, feature lots of great food & drinks, live music, outdoor dining and artisans selling their wares. This fall the festival is being held from October 29 – November 2, 2008.

For the horse lovers in our audience, have we got a show for you. The Puerto Rican Equestrian Art School (Escuela Puertorriqueña del Arte Ecuestre) puts on a beautiful Paso Fino horse show on the first Friday of every month.