Take this quiz, then get ready to pack your bags for the beach vacation of a lifetime at the island best suited for you.
Mostly Ds: Pack for Puerto Rico
Although technically part of the United States, this spicy island has a personality and culture all it’s own. It’s also diverse, with strikingly different aspects depending on where you go across the island. We love historic Old San Juan, where cobblestone streets date to the 17th century, and the narrow alleyways hold treasures like courtyard restaurants, small shops selling cigars and Panama hats, and locals playing dominoes under shady tables in public plazas. Just seven miles away are the thoroughly modern resort strips of Condado and Isla Verde, where beachfront hotels come with casinos, landscaped pool decks and late-night lounges that recall South Beach. This isn’t a place where locals stay on one side and tourists on the other; everyone mingles and dances, usually to live salsa or merengue. Outside of the capital, you’ll find more surprises, from the westernmost surfer paradise of Rincón, where thatched-roof beach bars serve up fresh fish and mofongo (a fried plantain-dish) to the sexy offshore island of Vieques, where hip boutique hotels draw style seekers looking to get away from it all.
Where to Stay: For a little bit city and a little bit beach, you can’t beat the San Juan Marriott Resort and Stellaris Casino. This 525-room hotel sits on a gorgeous stretch of Condado Beach, perfect for swimming or just strolling if you’d rather hang by the pool. The property is also a happening nightlife destination, with a multi-piece salsa band taking center stage in Bar Rouge from Wednesday through Sunday nights, drawing partiers from other hotels and a loyal set of locals who come to show off their moves on the floor. You’re also just a quick taxi ride to Old San Juan, and easily positioned for day trips hiking in El Yunque rainforest, beach horseback riding in Isabella and nighttime snorkeling in Puerto Rico’s bioluminescent bay (room rates start at $185 a night; marriott.com).
Photo courtesy of San Juan Marriott & Stellaris Casino
