Known as the “Island of Enchantment,”' Puerto Rico is a beautiful Caribbean destination with spectacular natural wonders, cultural sites, local cuisine, popular attractions, and plenty of family-friendly activities for kids and adults alike to enjoy.
Here’s what you should know when planning your perfect family holiday to this beautiful, majestic island:
When & How Long Should You Book Your Stay?
One of the first things you'll want to consider is when to book your stay, and for how long. The best time to book will depend on your preferences regarding weather, crowds, and travel costs.
Weather
Puerto Rico boasts a relatively warm, tropical climate a majority of the year, with temperatures generally ranging between 70 to 90 degrees Fahrenheit, but conditions can vary depending on the season you visit.
Visitors can usually expect ideal conditions, with comfortable humidity and dry weather, between January and March.
Crowds & Pricing
Puerto Rico is an incredibly popular tourist destination, and when you visit will impact variables such as crowd sizes, accommodations and reservations availability, and overall costs.
The low season from August to November features fewer crowds and reduced prices, but has hotter weather and more rain. The high season from December to April is an extremely popular window for holiday travelers and spring breakers—and as a result, you can expect more crowds, higher prices, and less availability.
Families can check out the shoulder seasons, extending from mid-April to June, and mid-November to early December, before the holiday rush, for the perfect balance of affordability and availability. Booking your stay in June will also give you the opportunity to take advantage of this travel window and surprise your kids with an early summer getaway.
Length of Your Stay
The duration of your stay will also play a big role in how much of the island you can comfortably see and experience.
Puerto Rico has a wide variety of incredible attractions and activities perfect for a family vacation. When deciding how many days to spend, consider your other travel preferences, such as what areas of the island you plan on visiting, and how you plan to get around.
Generally, families should expect to book anywhere between one to two weeks for their Puerto Rico vacations, to ensure they have every opportunity to appreciate the island’s myriad wonders.
What Are the Best Family-Friendly Attractions?
Puerto Rico is known for its diverse array of tourist attractions. These include historical sites, breathtaking natural wonders—including lush jungles, tropical palm trees, and cascading waterfalls—and more than 270 miles of pristine beaches.
The island is also home to the only tropical rainforest in the U.S. National Forest System, El Yunque National Forest, which is fantastic for family nature hikes and sightseeing adventures.
Lucky visitors can be treated to an extraordinary spectacle at Mosquito Bioluminescent Bay, famed for its unique species of plankton that radiate stunning blue light along the coastline.
More intrepid travelers can explore the extensive network of caverns and subterranean waterways of Rio Camuy Cave Park, which stretch underground for more than 10 miles.
Kids can have a wet and wild time at one of more than a dozen water parks scattered throughout the island, including Coqui Water Park and Surf 'N Fun Water Park, where kids can swim and splash around in a safe, fun environment.
Families can visit several of Puerto Rico’s hundreds of beaches for even more fun in the sun—with activities ranging from scuba diving and surfing to parasailing, jet skiing, and more. Children can build sandcastles, fly kites, or simply sit with their parents on a blanket and gaze out at the gorgeous, blue ocean. Families can visit Cayo Icacos—a small, uninhabited island just off the coast of the nation’s Fajardo region—to enjoy all the peace and relaxation offered by a private island.
There are also plenty of educational opportunities to explore Puerto Rico’s many cities and towns and learn about the island’s unique history and culture.
Old San Juan Historic District in the capital city features magnificent architecture, world-class food, scenic panoramas, and cultural events for the whole family!
What Are the Best Accommodations for Families?
Puerto Rico has no shortage of family-friendly hotels and resorts renowned for their comfort, luxurious accommodations, amenities, entertainment options, and more.
DoubleTree by Hilton in San Juan is one of the leading family resorts in Puerto Rico, conveniently located in close proximity to many of the famous tourist attractions and sightseeing opportunities such as Old San Juan, Puerto Rico Museum of Art, and the bustling Condado area. Rooms are spacious and comfortable enough for even large families, and guests of all ages can enjoy access to exclusive facilities to make their stay better, from outdoor pools to an on-site spa, and more.
San Juan Marriott Resort & Stellaris Casino is a luxurious oceanfront resort with direct access to Condado Beach, boasting rooms with scenic balconies, large flatscreen TVs, an onsite casino, pool, assortment of exotic cuisines, and more. The resort hosts child-friendly events and activities such as kite flying on the front lawn of El Morro fortress in Old San Juan, and movie screenings at state-of-the-art theater Caribbean Cinemas Plaza Las Americas.
On the scenic northern coast of the island in Dorado, Embassy Suites by Hilton Dorado Del Mar Beach Resort provides private beachfront access and premium amenities for families to enjoy, such as a large lagoon-style pool, wide selection of spacious comfortable rooms, complimentary made-to-order breakfasts, and evening receptions.
El Conquistador Resort offers a wide variety of fun activities and facilities for every member of the family to enjoy, including four pools, a golf course, tennis court—and even exclusive trips to the private island of Palomino! It’s also the site of Coqui Water Park, where kids can zoom along a 40-foot speed slide, El Gigante Dormido, while parents float along its lazy river for a calm and relaxing time. The resort features nearly 300 spacious guest rooms with deep-soaking tubs, free Wi-Fi, flatscreen TVs, and more to further enhance your family’s stay.
How Much Should You Budget for Your Trip?
Figuring out your travel budget ahead of time will help you plot out and maximize every moment of your family excursion to the glorious island of Puerto Rico, and conducting research into anticipated costs once there is an important part of your travel planning.
According to BudgetYourTrip.com, expect to spend about $174 per person, per day. While this number can fluctuate depending on specific travel preferences and itinerary selections, that’s about $1,218 per person for a week-long family vacation.
Work With InteleTravel for the Perfect Puerto Rico Vacation for Your Family!
Puerto Rico is a tropical paradise that’s the ideal destination for a fun, family getaway, and the best way to experience everything you’re looking forward to is by working with a qualified travel professional such as InteleTravel to help plan your trip.
Our InteleTravel Advisors have the experience, knowledge, and expertise to help you arrange the perfect itinerary and book the myriad aspects of your dream family vacation on this mesmerizing Caribbean island. We also provide additional support along your journey, as needed, and can even secure valuable upgrades to further enhance your vacation experience!
