I know that when you see this cute, little church, you assume it is somewhere in Europe. But this lovely place is actually right here in Puerto Rico! The church is a replica of a church in Germany. The grounds are very beautiful, and they welcome all visitors who want to come and enjoy this peaceful place.

La Parguera offers natural beauty above and below the water. Going out in the afternoon and into the evening gives you some of the best of both worlds — clear blue water, green mangrove islands, colorful sunsets, and later, after dark, the sparkling Parguera Biobay lagoon water and thousands of stars above. We recently did a sunset snorkel and biobay tour with Paradise Scuba & Snorkeling and it was an enjoyable end to a great day.

When people come to Puerto Rico, they are often bummed to find that fresh seafood is not all that readily available. It really is kind of shocking, being that we’re on an island surround by vast oceans. But there is one area in Puerto Rico that should be known as the seafood heaven — the seaside community of Joyuda, in Cabo Rojo. We stopped in for lunch recently, and were pleasantly surprised.

Located on the southwest coast of the island, La Parguera boasts about 30 tiny mangrove islands just 1 to 5 miles off the shore. Once you get to those mangrove cays, you can swim, snorkel, and ride the currents in the crystal-clear, warm water. We went kayaking there recently with Excursions Ecoboriken. It was a great experience, that was both fun and educational.

What does a town do when they have a beautiful waterfront area, but no natural beaches there? Enclose the ocean, build decks around it, and make an ocean pool. That’s just what the town of Lajas did to create Playa Rosada — it boasts a nice ocean swimming area without the sandy beach, and without the risk of any "big critters" to bother you while swimming!

If you have always dreamed about riding a horse on a beach on a tropical island, then Tropical Trail Rides in Isabela is just what you are looking for. They have combined a few of my favorite things — beautiful horses, the amazing scenery of the rugged north coast of Puerto Rico, and plenty of sandy beach riding time — into a reasonably-priced, great riding experience.

Many people come to Puerto Rico and are surprised to find that there are not that many good snorkeling spots that you can access directly from the beach on the big island. If you go to the west coast in the summer, Tres Palmas Marine Reserve in Rincon offers great snorkeling at Steps Beach. We went recently and found a healthy forest of Elk Horn coral, along with a bunch of marine critters.

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.

Once you decide to venture away from the San Juan metropolitan area, your best bet (and the cheapest way to get around) is to rent a car. You may have heard horror stories about Puerto Rican drivers, but, in reality, it is not that bad! Here are some tips to make your experience driving in Puerto Rico as painless as possible.

Isabela, the western-most town on the north coast, offers visitors great views and beaches. If you are like me, you will be in heaven watching the beauty of the ocean crashing onto the shore or over rocks. Though best-known for its beaches and surfing, Isabela also has a forest reserve, caves, lakes, rivers and historical sites all waiting to be explored.

What do you get when you cross scavenger hunts with GPS technology? The "sport" called Geocaching. You can grab your GPS unit and try to find one of the 350 treasures hidden around Puerto Rico. You may be pleasantly surprised by what else you discover about the island during your hunt.

Being originally from the north-eastern States, flower shows were always a rite of passage for the beginning of springtime. We’re happy that we can continue that tradition here in Puerto Rico. We spent some time today at the annual Puerto Rico Orchid Society Festival de Orquídeas – Colores de mi Tierra just outside of San Juan.

Nature lovers, avid photographers or anyone who just wants to make a nice pit stop on the way on your way out west, can head to Quebradillas. This little town is on the north coast boasts some beautiful beaches, an old sugarcane train tunnel, and endless photo opportunities.

Añasco, a town just south-east of Rincon, is along the west coast of Puerto Rico and has beaches and forests to explore. We didn’t have a lots of time to spend in this area, but we did visit two points of interest. Unfortunately, I was left saddened by the state of disrepair of the places we visited.

The Cabo Rojo area, in the south-west part of Puerto Rico, offers many opportunities for nature and beach-lovers. Combate Beach and Balneario Boquerón are two of the beaches in the area that provide the backdrop for a great day at the beach.