A Family Vacation in Puerto Rico

My family and I journeyed to Puerto Rico for our February vacation. With eight adults, three kids and over twenty pieces of luggage, we made our way to the island of Vieques for the first portion of our trip. As we waited for the A.M ferry out of Fajardo, we watched the sunrise over the water... 82 degrees and sunny was the forecast for the week and the first order of business on the island was fresh coconut water, fruit smoothies and splashing around in the crystal clear water. 

Much of our time was spent beach hopping starting at Playa Grande to Pata Prieta, Playa Negra, and more. We explored the waters by snorkeling, scuba diving, and playing by the waters edge. One night we did a tour of the Bioluminescent Bay, also known as Mosquito Bay. Seeing the water and fish illuminate by bioluminescent's can only be fully appreciated in person. 

From Vieques, we traveled back to Fajardo to stay at El Hotelito for one night on the edge of the rainforest. It is quite a hidden treasure; located at the top of a steep dirt road. This peaceful oasis uses solar and wind, catches rainwater for pluming and is completely open to the air. It was a perfect place to sit, relax and play dominos, checkers and chess. We spent the next morning in the El Yunque rainforest and swam at a waterfall, which was incredibly refreshing.

Our journey ended in Old San Juan, where the houses are painted like the rainbow and the cobble stone is a beautiful blue color. The Castle San Cristobal brings an additional uniqueness to the area, with its massive walls along the coast. The view of the city from above is absolutely breathtaking and the structure itself is simply remarkable. 

We were able to see so much of Puerto Rico and Vieques in such a short time. We stayed on the island, in the rainforest and in the city; it was quite the adventure. The best part was that we were all able to share in the experience together and it is a vacation I will never forget. 

-D