While trying to enter Ocean Lab Brewing Company from the beach at Carolina, Puerto Rico, we were stopped by a burly security guard. He told us we couldn’t walk through this private club named Vivo, and pointed us around the building to the street side to enter the restaurant from the parking lot with the rest of the lowly non-members.
Well, exc-u-u-u-u-se me! (Fellow Boomers will recognize that reference.)
Our table on the third-floor balcony at Ocean Lab gave us a bird’s eye view of the Vivo Beach Club, so we googled it. It calls itself “the hottest private beach club in town.” You can join, or pay $40 for a day pass. This video shows you what you get.
After lunch, Bob tried to sneak through the club again to get out to the beach. Despite putting on his very best I-belong-here-don’t-mess-with-me act, he was stopped by the alert security guards and rerouted to the pedestrian exit. Foiled again!
When we took a Thames River Cruise from London to Greenwich last fall to see the Royal Meridien, we discovered the National Maritime Museum, one of a quartet of the Royal Museums in Greenwich. The others are the Royal Observatory Greenwich, where the Meridien resides, and two others that will have to wait till next time: the historic ship Cutty Sark and the Queen’s House.
The National Maritime Museum takes you on an exploration of British naval history and Imperial arrogance, with a ship simulator, nautical oddities, and interactive games. We loved the giant message in a bottle and the colorful exhibit of ship figureheads. Admission was free.
Ship figureheadsSome rich earl’s ostentatious boatCutty SarkMessage in a bottle
What a fun discovery! Greenwich deserves more than a day.
As Messy Suitcase makes the rounds of rum distilleries across Puerto Rico, we discovered a new boutique one in Old San Juan and decided to pay a visit. Scryer Rum Barrelhouse & Rooftop is a small-batch, pot-distilled sipping rum distillery in a gorgeous historic building.
Sipping
“Sipping” is industry-speak for expensive – the good stuff you drink on its own, as opposed to the cheap stuff you pour into a cocktail.
Scryer was founded by a couple of buddies shortly before the pandemic. Garrett, who led our tour, started his alcohol education in whiskey and brought that expertise to rum distilling. But while the partners have created a delicious sipping rum, a lovely bar and a delightful rooftop, they have a lot to learn about running a good tour! They missed out on a lot of opportunities. Find out why in this video.
(Sorry in advance for the loud music in the background – they conduct the tour right next to the noisy bar.)
No visit to St. Croix is complete without a trip to its crown jewel of underwater glory: Buck Island.
What lies beneath this turquoise water? We’ll soon find out!
Located one and a half miles from the dock at Christiansted across the turquoise sea, Buck Island Reef National Monument offers over 19,000 acres of both submerged and dry lands that are pristine and perfect for nature exploration. The only way to get there is on a National Park Service-approved boat tour. We chose to take a half-day catamaran trip with Big Beard Adventures.
Leaving Christiansted BoardwalkEnjoying the boat First view of Buck Island
There are hiking trails on Buck Island will take you through a tropical dry forest to the hilltop; we didn’t have time to do this. (Take the full-day tour if you want to hike.)
Beaching
But we did have time to visit the beach, where we watched gray pelicans and magnificent frigatebirds fish while novices were back at the boat learning how to snorkel. Then the Big Beard crew honked the horn for us the re-board the catamaran, and took us around to the other side of the island.
Snorkeling
We pulled on our masks and fins and jumped in with the first group and snorkeled for an hour and a half above an outstanding reef teeming with colorful fish and majestic elkhorn coral. Enjoy Bob’s YouTube video!
Drinking
On the way back to Christiansted, we enjoyed punch made with St. Croix’s own Mutiny Vodka (we will visit their distillery on our next visit to the island) while visiting with our new friends, Jane and Rick from St. Louis! (Jane originally hails from Adelaide, Australia, and both are scuba divers.)
We saw these creatures on the relaxing trip back
Messy Suitcase heartily recommends Big Beard’s Adventure Tours. Four thumbs up! The captain made the safety instructions hilarious; his crew did a great job of getting to know every participant’s needs and aspirations for the trip; and they were all extremely capable – and fun! (And yes, all the men did indeed sport big beards, though the new guy’s was still a bit scraggly.)
We spent a morning flying across the rainforest canopy at JungleQui Zipline Park in El Yunque National Forest. I don’t know which was more spectacular – the adrenaline rush of the ziplines as we flew from tree to tree like Tarzan, the incredible views of the lush flora and the river far below, or the sparkling personalities of our tour guides.
There was a little bit of hiking involved, some on a steep trail, so if you do this, you need to be in reasonable physical condition. Make sure to wear good shoes. We wished we had realized we could carry water bottles, because it took 2 ½ hours long to navigate 11 ziplines and one exhilarating rappel. And it got hot!
We drove to Junglequi, but they also operate a service that will pick you up at your hotel, if you don’t rent a car or prefer not to drive.
Across from the parking lot at the entrance of Junglequi, our local friend Julio, who operates Rosario Tours, took us down a trail to a locals spot by the river, where you can jump off a rock into the water or even swing out on a rope! If you’re ever looking for a personalized tour of any part of Puerto Rico from someone who has a true passion for discovery and a contagious joy, Julio Flores is your man!
No trip to Puerto Rico is complete without going deep underground to explore Camuy Caverns, officially known as Rio Camuy Cave Park. It’s located in the karst mountains of northwestern Puerto Rico, where the towns of Camuy, Hatillo, and Lares come together. It was fascinating to see what nature wrought over millions of years, as well as the huge impact of Hurricane Maria.
Make sure you stay till the end: There is surprise bonus material you won’t want to miss!
When we returned to Puerto Rico last fall, it immediately felt like home. We lived here in the 90s for a while when I was a foreign correspondent for The Associated Press, and have been back to visit four times with our kids. The island gave us a warm hug the moment we stepped off the plane. Then we started exploring in ways we were never able to do while living and working here, or with our kids. We discovered why it is called the Isla del Encanto. Such amazing nature and variety! Such inspiring cultural attractions! Such rich history! Such warm people!
A Perfectly Flawed Place
We acknowledge that the island has its drawbacks. It’s not paradise, it is a real place, with much to love but also much to endure. It’s very hot in the summer. The rainstorms can be dramatically violent. There are sometimes hurricanes and earthquakes. It can be loud. The fried food can be downright horrible. The potholes are huge. People drive like maniacs around the capital. Bathrooms are often dirty and lacking paper. People litter. The Puerto Rican accent is difficult to comprehend – very fast, dropping ‘s’es left and right. But we take it in stride, with a sense of humor, and accept Puerto Rico for what it is. We always carry trash bags, toilet paper, and earplugs, to protect our own ears and butts and perhaps leave things a little better than we find them.
Discovering Cabo Rojo
Anyway … we have been exploring the island, a month at a time in various areas, the usual Messy Suitcase traveling scheme. So we spent a month earlier this year in Cabo Rojo, on the southwestern tip of Puerto Rico.
Cabo Rojo is in the blue region on the left. San Juan is at the top.
But this time was different. We fell in love. Why? The hiking was unbelievable, whether near the ocean with cliffs and caves, or in the mountains with 180-degree ocean views, or in a dry forest that felt like Colorado. The beaches on the Caribbean Sea and the Mona Passage were gentle, with clear water perfect for swimming, kayaking, and snorkeling. On the way to the mountains to hike or the beaches to swim, we passed nature reserves with mountain bike trails, and I yearned to climb on a bike and explore. But I couldn’t, as I was living out of a messy suitcase with no room for a bike!
Hiking GuanaquillaJoyuda SunsetHiking near the Cabo Rojo Lighthouse
The beach closest to our place in town was a tiny neighborhood one called Ostiones. We found a favorite spot there where we would set our beach chairs under the mangroves, listen to the gentle surf, and watch nature happen. A school of fish. A sea turtle. The occasional kayaker passing.
Sea turtle peeking outCrab swimming byOstiones BeachImages of Ostiones Beach
We left for our next stop, Isabela. It was lovely, but we kept comparing it to Cabo Rojo. The beaches were rough. The hiking was limited. There was one bike trail. We enjoyed ourselves, but everything was lacking compared to Cabo Rojo.
Then, while casually browsing Zillow on the beach, I saw a real estate listing for a house in a neighborhood up the road from Ostiones. I watched it for a month, as we left Isabela and returned to San Juan. Bob and I finally decided to go see it. While we were there, we scheduled to see a couple of condos up the road.
The House
Our first view of our house
We walked inside and fell in love. The house was handcrafted for us, it seemed, from the beautiful custom woodworking the owner had done on the living room wall and around all the doors and windows, to the large open kitchen, to the balconies off of the bedrooms and office, to the cozy covered patio where I will sit and read, to the roof garden.
Cozy covered patioBalcony
We went to see another condo because it was already scheduled, but it paled in comparison to the Cabo Rojo house and validated our feelings. So we went to lunch in Joyuda, a little fishing village, to discuss it. While we sat with our drinks gazing out at the turquoise sea, we emailed an offer to the realtor.
As we sat on Ostiones an hour later watching a sea turtle swim, our offer was accepted! The owners, who are moving to Florida, also offered us the furniture, much of which we will keep, rugs and huge pieces excepted. And they offered the kayak! We do plan to build a deck off the back for dining, and Bob has always dreamed of having an outdoor kitchen and pizza oven.
At this point, we have a signed contract in hand, an inspection scheduled for later this week, and an April 30 closing. The owners will rent from us for another month before heading to their new home. Then it is ours!
Our Perfect Anchor
The house will be the perfect anchor for our life. Great running, swimming, kayaking, and bike riding right out the door. A tennis club five minutes away. Only ten minutes up the road, there is a grocery store, Walgreens, and the pueblo of Cabo Rojo, with its Plaza that hosts events like the annual Three Kings Parade. A fishing village, Puerto Reale, is a mile around the bend; it holds an annual Boat Parade in December. The city of Mayaguez (Puerto Rico’s third-largest) is just 15 minutes away.
The only downside is that San Juan International Airport is more than two hours away. But it’s an easy drive, almost all highway, and it’s worth it for the destination. We have made friends in San Juan whom we plan to visit regularly, and return the favor by hosting. There are also two closer airports, in Aguadilla and Ponce.
We drove west from Isabela to explore the Cara del Indio (Face of the Indian), Cueva del Indio (Cave of the Indian), and anything else we stumbled upon, including Taino and Spanish ruins, ocean arches, and one disgraced explorer.
Cara Del Indio
The Cara del Indo, a giant face carved into a hillside rock at the entrance to the coastal town of Isabela, represents Cacique (chief) Mabodamaca, a Taino leader who tried to protect his people from the Spanish trying to take the land. The chief’s giant visage welcomes visitors to Porta del Sol (Gateway of the Sun), the west coast region of Puerto Rico.
Cueva del Indio
Located farther east in the northcoast town of Arecibo, the Cueva del Indio is an impressive cave surrounded by dramatic cliffs that face the Atlantic Ocean. The cave gets its name from the pre-Columbian indigenous petroglyphs that are found in the walls of the cave.
However, the climb into the cave is a young person’s activity; we peered down into the yawning chasm, and saw a couple of petroglyphs carved outside.
Perhaps we’ll return with better climbing shoes (since we can’t bring younger bodies) and try to get in another time.
There are also seven dramatic arches you can hike to. The hike is short but difficult, on jagged rocks under hot sun with no shade. Wear good shoes and carry water.
We paid $5 each at the entrance, got a short talk with photos from the park staff person, and then we were on our own.
Ermita (Hermitage) San Antonio de Padua de la Tuna
We spotted a road sign and turned out of curiosity toward Ermita San Antonio de Padua de la Tuna, the remains of the first Spanish settlement in the northwest region of Puerto Rico. The Spanish lved here until they decided to move their community to Isabela, on the coast, but the original church remains here. Alas, the visitors center is only open on weekends, and the remains were locked up. (Ermita means Hermitage)
I did learn that the ruins of the original church have been preserved with help from the Mabodamaca Corporation, named was in honor of great Taino chieftain, and it is listed on the US National Register of Historic Places.
Arecibo Lighthouse
The less said about this lighthouse, the better. It’s a lovely building, but we didn’t get close. The cost was $12 apiece to get in, and the area around the lighthouse has been turned into a kids’ amusement park – even the lighthouse sign has a pirate in it.
If I had brought my great-niece Audrey, I would have happily paid for half a day’s family amusement. But for a geezer and her young husband just wanting to see a lighthouse? Not worth $24.
Here’s the view from the back, from the parking lot of the next beach over. Stilll not worth $24.
Christopher Columbus Statue
Why is there a statue of Cristóbal Colón (Christopher Columbus) plunked down on a hill near the ocean in Arecibo? Inquiring minds wanted to know after we saw it looming from the Lighthouse.
It’s a circuitous story involving a Georgian sculptor who created a gigantic statue in 1991 and then spent decades trying to find a community in the Americas to host it. During that time, Columbus’s stock plummeted as the world transitioned from calling him a conquering hero to a genocidal murderer. The artist’s options dwindled, the statue deteriorated, and he finally settled on Arecibo, given that all the other candidates had dropped out of the running. Sort of like Beijing hosting the Winter Olympics.
The name of the statue is Birth of the New World. Here is its history, according to Wikipedia:
Originally designed by Georgian sculptor Zurab Tsereteli as a monument to commemorate the 500th anniversary of Christopher Columbus‘ first voyage Birth of the New World was constructed in 1991. The statue prominently depicts Columbus controlling an anachronistic depiction of a steering wheel, with a backdrop featuring the Niña, Pinta and Santa María traversing the Atlantic Ocean.[2] Made of 2,750 bronze and steel pieces and weighting more than 1,300,000 pounds (590 tons), the monument’s 360 ft (110 m) height made it the tallest in the Western Hemisphere during the last decade of the 20th century, dwarfing the Statue of Liberty[3] and the Monumento a la Virgen de la Paz.
New York, Miami, Fort Lauderdale, Columbus, OH, Baltimore, and other cities rejected Tsereteli’s offer of the statue. In the end, a consulting firm estimated that the statue would attract at least 300,000 tourists per year. Given that we couldn’t even find parking or an entrance, and had to take shots through a fence by a narrow beach road, I would say that estimate might have been on the high side.
Finding good pizza is a top priority no matter where we stay. We lived for almost two decades in and around New York City, and consequently are VERY picky about our pie.
Fortunately, we have found that the New York-Puerto Rican connection means that the island has more than its share of excellent pizza.
You can choose from Brazilian or NY Style pizza. This was our favorite when we lived in Ocean Park in the 1990s, and we were thrilled to discover when we returned in 2021 that is still here and still excellent. Info: No website Map: 3038 Av. Isla Verde, Carolina, 00979
UPDATE: This pizza shop closed on early 2022, sadly.
Isabela: Junior’s Pizza at Jobos Beach
Outdoor dining. Good cocktails. A great variety of ingredients and personal pizzas are available, so you don’t have to agree on toppings or sauces. It’s not on the beach, but a block up, with its own parking lot, which is convenient. they even made us a pizza once when they were officially closed, but the pizza guy was still hanging out after a private event. That is customer service! Info: No website. Map: goo.gl/maps/wSZMjRhDZJYxxPKZ8
Cabo Rojo: Papa’s Pizza
Because of COVID, we only ever had carry-out, but it was only three blocks from our apartment. It was consistently excellent. Info: facebook.com/papaspizzacaborojo Map: #49 Calle Rios Rivera, Cabo Rojo, 00623
Island Pizza Chains
Marco’s Pizza is good. Williams Pizza sucks. You can find the US chains like Papa John’s if that’s your thing.
I hope you enjoyed our guide to Puerto Rican food! Please add your recommendations and thoughts in the comments!
Although we have encouraged a sense of adventure and experimentation with cuisine, we also understand that your time on the island of Puerto Rico is limited, and you might want to be pointed toward some proven winners. So here are Messy Suitcase’s recommendations for the best places we have eaten on the island. But remember, everyone has different taste!
Food trucks set up shop on weekend nights across from the beach at La Pared in Luquillo. There are only two or three, including the taco truck Mi Parcela, but they are excellent. Info: No website Map: Calle Herminio Diaz Navarro, Luquillo, Puerto Rico
La Pared food trucks
Rio Grande: Pa’l Yunque Food Park
We found this on the way home from hiking El Yunque. I enjoyed a falafel while Bob had a burger. The food park was small, accessible, cheap, and delicious. Nice shelter from a rainstorm, too. Perfect end of a hiking day. Info: facebook.com/palyunquefoodpark/ Map: 40 PR-955 00721 Rio Grande, Puerto Rico
Vieques: Rincon del Sabor
We only ate at the coffee place here, which serves up a good breakfast and the best shakes I have ever had. There are other food trucks with traditional Puerto Rican food, but they were closed due to COVID. Info: facebook.com/rincondelsaborvqs Map: Carretera 200 km 0.6, Florida, Vieques, Puerto Rico, 00765
Luquillo: The Kioskos
The Luquillo Kioskos (food kiosks) aren’t a food truck park, but a long row of around 60 family-owned kiosks selling food, drinks, and souvenirs, located on a service road just north of Route 3, near the Luquillo Public Beach. Right behind them is a slightly rundown beach that locals love to hang out in, blasting music and jet skiing. Tourists often get it confused with Balneario (Pubic Beach) Luquillo, which is just east but still walking distance to the kioskos for lunch.
A kiosko
The kioskos themselves are pretty rundown and some are closed, but don’t let their appearance discourage you from having a truly Puerto Rican dining experience. Most have outdoor dining in the rear with views of the Atlantic Ocean. Avoid overrated La Parrilla Restaurant on the west end, which attracts diners with its large parking lot and aggressive advertising, but provides nothing special in service, ambiance, or food quality. Our favorite restaurant here is Revolution Pizza. Info: puertoricodaytrips.com/luquillo-kiosks Map: goo.gl/maps/4rkEoCWX2h22zduJ9
Restaurants
Here are some favorites from around the island.
Aguadilla: Cinco
Creative Caribbean Cuisine, served up in a stylish atmosphere. Pricy and elegant, with excellent cocktails. The menu is unique and the food is delicious. You would find a place like this on New York’s Upper East Side. Info: facebook.com/cincorestaurant/ Map: KM. 9.2 PR-110, Aguadilla Pueblo, Aguadilla 00603
Fajardo: Las VistasCafe at Las Croabas
This restaurant served up the best meal I had in eastern Puerto Rico. Get reservations, as it’s very popular and COVID careful, even though you are dining on a rooftop with 360° views of Las Croabas Bay, Seven Seas Beach, and the islands of Vieques and Culebra. The owner, Gladys, treats every customer like her best friend. The food is exquisite. Breakfast, lunch,nd brunch only. Info: lasvistascafepr.com/ Map: goo.gl/maps/uVZ2jgMv7EFj7a138
Las Vistas Cafe and its Food
Condado: Pinky’s This is a lovely little breakfast discovery but forget about getting in on a weekend day. There’s also one on Calle Loiza. Info: facebook.com/Pinkys-112452892183010 Map: 1351 1351 Ashford Ave., Condado, Puerto Rico
Manatí: Pollo Costero BBQ
Another roadside discovery. The friendly, English-fluent proprietor let us pick a la carte whatever looked interesting in the food case, and charged hardly anything. The rotisserie chicken was mouthwatering; we speculated it could be as fresh as the chicken roadkill we had seen on the way there. (Just kidding.) Info: facebook.com/pollocosterobbq Map: Carretera 685 00674 Manati, Puerto Rico
Cabo Rojo: Annie’s Place
Who cares if the food is any good? Which it is, but that’s not the point. The location right next to glorious Combate Beach is the bomb, and the sunsets are not to be believed. The menu is seafood, seafood, and more seafood, with the choice of the same sauces we saw at every other seafood restaurant. The drinks are great. Did I mention the spectacular sunsets? Info: facebook.com/Annies-Place-Combate-Beach-Cabo-Rojo-1552167661708533/ Map: Playa El Combate Beach, PR-3301, Boquerón, 00622
View of Annie’s fromCombate Beach
Cabo Rojo: Coco Loco BBQ Smokehouse
Great BBQ in an unassuming outdoor setting. One-woman show. Info: No website. Map: Carr 102 km 15.9, Cabo Rojo, 00623
Cabo Rojo: El Bohio, Joyuda
Joyuda is a fisherman’s village with a bunch of excellent seafood restaurants to choose from. We chose El Bohio because of its large back deck. Which faces the ocean and provides the best sunset views. A gang of enormous gray fish hangs out in the shallow water right by the ready to jump on food craps the staff throws, which provides excellent entertainment. Families love this place. Probably any restaurant in this town would be excellent. Info: facebook.com/elbohio.restaurant, puertoricodaytrips.com/joyuda-seafood/ Map: Carretera 102 km.14.1, Cabo Rojo, 00623
Sunset View from El Bohio
Luquillo: Boardriders Surf Bar and Grill
This was our favorite restaurant while living in Luquillo. It provides two levels of outdoor seating, all with views of the crashing surf at La Pared Beach. Expect excellent passion fruit mojitos, healthy vegetarian options, and really friendly staff. Live entertainment on the weekends features sounds of roots, reggae, jazz, rumba, and more. Info: boardriderssurfbar.com/ Map: US, 25 Calle Miguel Veve Calzada, Luquillo, 00773
