I love art. I am in awe of people that can take a blank canvas and make something so beautiful. I always wanted to do it, but I really don’t have an artistic bone in my body. Our friend, Monica Linville, is a fantastic artist, and she has recently started some workshops designed for the beginner, with fun in mind. She invited us to her studio one morning to take of the workshops … and here’s what happened.

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.

Whether you have just a couple of hours or a couple of days, there are plenty of things to keep you busy and entertained in the northeast part of Puerto Rico. From the rain forest to beaches to biobays, we’ve put together a list of activities sorted by the amount of time you need to do each.

Enjoy a 1 or 2 hour horseback riding tour in the foothills of El Yunque at Hacienda Carabali in Luquillo. They have over 70 horses ready to take you through the trails that criss-cross their 600-acre property. These tours are good for beginners and less experienced riders.

What do you do once you’ve hiked on all of the official trails in El Yunque National Forest? You start looking for unofficial trails … which is exactly what we did. We found a new trail (currently under construction by the Forest Service) that leads from the north side of El Yunque down to the south side. Though it’s not for the casual hiker, it does provide some nice views and an exhilarating workout.

For reasons that I can’t figure out, of the trails right along Road 191 in El Yunque National Forest, La Coca Trail is seemingly unknown. It is as if someone found out how beautiful it is and decided to keep it a secret! But if you invest some time and effort in hiking this trail, you will be handsomely rewarded with rivers, waterfalls and swimming pools galore!

Rocaliza’s Half-Day El Salto Adventure in the Carite rain forest crams a whole-day of hiking, waterfall climbing and ziplining into a half-day excursion. It’s perfect for cruise ship visitors or other people who don’t want to spend a full day on an adventure excursion.

What is vacation for if not to try different things and experience something new? If you are the adventurous type, Rocaliza offers an excursion along El Salto river in the Carite rain forest that includes hiking, rappelling & ziplines.

In the past, if you wanted to go ziplining here in Puerto Rico you had to go to the Río Abajo Forest, Toro Negro Forest or La Marquesa Forest. In March 2009, Yunke Zipline Adventure opened for business in the foothills of El Yunque National Forest close to many areas that are on most visitors’ must do list.

At 4.6 miles, Trade Winds Trail is the longest single trail in El Yunque National Forest. It starts at KM 13.5 on Road 191 and climbs about 1100 feet to El Toro Peak, the highest peak in the rain forest. This hike is both challenging and enjoyable as you walk along one of the least-used trails in the forest.