A Girl’s Weekend Guide to Isla Verde, Puerto Rico

Sister is probably the most competitive relationship within the family, but once the sisters are grown, it becomes the strongest relationship. – Margaret MeaId 

Sisters, girlfriends, best friends, whatever you may call them, are the most important relationships a girl can have. Creating memories filled with joy and laughter are what makes these memories worthwhile. I have the privilege of calling few people my friends. They are aware of my love for traveling, though they may not always be able to join me. For the first time in our adult lives, my sister and I decided to head to Isla Verde, Puerto Rico for a girl’s getaway. Normally I like to explore new places by my lonesome, but it felt good to be together. Getting some much-needed sister time and giving her a break from her motherly duties back home. This trip definitely taught me a couple of things: 1) I realized the type of traveler that I am and 2) I learned the value of patience. 

Visiting Isla Verde, Puerto Rico

For this trip, we decided to head to Isla Verde, Puerto Rico. We chose this destination because it was right near the coast and close to the capital, San Juan. We had four days to enjoy this beautiful place. Being the explorer that I am, I had our itinerary in place. All of the places that we would visit each day, you know, no time for rest. No relaxation, no fun. My sister had other plans. I believe her words were “Can’t we just sit and drink?!”. After getting over my frustration, I had one of the best trips in my life. For once, I relaxed. Thanks sis! 

I have been wanting to share this trip with you since then, but I felt it was not in good taste to share my good times when the island was devastated not long after by not one, but two hurricanes back to back. I am not even sure some of the places I visited are still operational (mental note to check)! But I wanted to share with you why Puerto Rico is such an awesome place to visit, especially if you do not have a passport and want to just get away. 

Isla Verde is such a popular destination, full of tourists and locals hustling about. The area is pretty commercial, full of national hotel and food chains. Visitors can find plenty options to get around. You can choose from public transportation, cabs, and Uber. We used Uber a lot, it was pretty cheap for us to get around areas that were not in walking distance.

Where to Stay in Isla Verde, Puerto Rico

We stayed at a cute, vibrant boutique hotel right across from the Carolina Beach. If you are looking for a nice clean hotel at an affordable price, TRYP by Wyndham is a very good option. The hotel has a nice modern feel. With plenty of bright colors- hues of blue and orange. 

We stayed in a double with the standard amenities. The bed was super comfortable, which is always a plus. From the room, we could see views of the beach. The room was a little on the small side, but that was perfect because we spent more time outside than in. The bathroom had modern finishes. It had a large stand in shower. Not to mention a huge makeup mirror with built in light. The Tryp contained an outdoor pool, pretty advanced gym, and laundry room. You could also find a pretty spacious lobby area, with a hotel bar/restaurants. 

Where to Eat in Isla Verde, Puerto Rico

Upon arriving into Luiz Munoz Marin International Airport, we headed straight to the hotel. After getting checked in, we checked out our room and dropped off our luggage. Heading straight for Carolina Beach. Since our flight got in pretty late, we only had time to take a stroll on the beach and grab something to eat. 

Faccio’s

For dinner, we ate one of the hotel restaurants – My favorite dish was the Faccio Logs. It contained queso, fried mozzarella, and pepperoni. The service was subpar, and the waiter was impatient, border-line rude. Which we later learned that was a cultural barrier of those who were not comfortable speaking much English.

Cafe Bistro

Brunch is definitely one of my favorite meals. Cafe Bistro is a small brunch restaurant located in Isla Verde. It was super packed and there is always a wait, but it was totally worth it. Our food came pretty quickly. It was pretty pricey, and we had a chance to enjoy 2/1 mimosas. My favorites dishes were the Gaucho and Nobles. 

Hottie’s Bar and Grill 

If you are looking for a place to go for a good happy hour, Hotties Bar and Grill is the place to go. They have a full bar and restaurant. They have really good drinks and cheap specials. My favorite dish there was the mofongo and churrasco o ropa veija. 

Los Chamos Arepas Venezolanas

I love trying street food when I visit new places. It’s just so authentic and delicious. Located right on the main drag in Isla Verde, you can find a small food stand serving different types of arepas. Not sure if you have ever had an arepas, but they are tasty dough filled goodness. It consists of a sliced corn meal pocket, stuffed with meat, cheeses, and a special garlic sauce. It was the cheapest thing we had during our trip, but it was so worth it. 

Blue Burger

Prior to heading out to La Placita one evening, we headed to Blue Burger for quick bite to eat. Quick, was definitely not what the servers had in mind, because it took us forever to order (waiting on the server) and get our food. It had a diner vibe and all burgers were served on a blue bun. It was delicious. The burger was juicy and the sweet potato fries hit the spot. 

JC Bar & Grill

JC Bar & Grill is located Guaynabo, which was a decent car ride from the hotel. 

Okay, let me tell you how we ended up at JC Bar & Grill… smh! My sister decided that she wanted to go someplace to try an authentic taco. We ordered an Uber and this young guy pulled up. As we were heading in the direction of restaurant, our Uber driver starts to tell us that we don’t want to eat there, that he knew a better place. 

So, I changed our course to the restaurant he provided. I quickly took a screen shot of our route and destination and sent it to my family back home. Now normally, I would have not even considered something like this. I am so glad I did. 

JC Bar & Grill was located in the sketchiest part of town. I mean, real sketchy. Burglar bars on windows and garages type sketchy. You had to be buzzed into the restaurant type sketchy. Okay, you get my drift. 

Seriously, I have never gone to a restaurant to eat that you had to be buzzed in and out to eat. The kitchen and cashier were behind a thick bullet proof window! Again…. sketchy remember! We had a quick wait before we were seated upstairs with our Uber driver. 

He suggested that we order the King Churrasco. It was the best skirt steak I have ever tasted. Who would have known a gem could be found in the sketchiest of places. We enjoyed good food, good conversation, and good laughs. It was all worth it. 

What to Do in Isla Verde, Puerto Rico

As I stated, this trip made me realize what type of traveler my sister and I were. Normally, I have a trip itinerary pretty packed with all of the things that I would like to see and do on my trips. I mean, I may not get another chance to visit, right? Anywho, let’s just say I only was able to do one thing on my list. O-N-Ething! My sister wanted to relax. I was ready to explore. It resulted in a disagreement and us not talking for a period of time. 

Relax at Carolina Beach

Located right across the street from our hotel, The Tryp by Wyndham, is Carolina Beach. It was nice and clean. Not too packed. You are able to rent chairs, umbrellas, and jet skis. We spent some time there a couple of times during our trip. It was relaxing to just bask in the sun, soak up some rays, and have some girl time. 

Vibe at La Placita 

If you are looking for nightlife in Isla Verde, La Placita is the way to go. During the day, it is a lively market surrounded by restaurants. At night, once the restaurants are closed, most places turn into a bar or club. 

You can pretty much find anything you are looking for from, country to hip hop or reggaetón to pop. There had to be at least 20+ bars there, with some late-night restaurants. They were packed full of locals and tourists enjoying and dancing the night away. We had such a good time!

Walk the Streets of Old San Juan

I love going to new places and learning about the history of it. Old San Juan streets are full of so much history. From the cobble stone streets to the old architecture, there is so much history to take in. 

Callejon De La Tanca

Callejon de la Tanca is a small bar located in Old San Juan. Outside of the bar, you’ll find a covered area with tables. We stopped here because we were told that they had the best frozen Sangria on the island. For about $4.00, you can have this sweet, but sour drink. It was so good, after two I started feeling pretty tipsy. The bar was filled with locals and tourists hanging about. With a DJ on site, you can enjoy some good music. 

El Morro Fort

There are two forts in Old San Juan, El Morro and Castillo De San Cristobal. El Morro was constructed back in 1539. This national historic site is full of action-packed history dating from 1595 to 1942. It is comprised of a main plaza, a total of six upper and lower levels, and a lighthouse. Admission to the fort is $3.00, $5.00 if you are looking to visit San Cristobal. Children 15 and under are free. Be sure to visit, the views are amazing. 

In addition to enjoying a good drink and some history, we also explored the many souvenir shops, boutiques, art galleries, and unique architecture. A local community event was happening in right across the street from Callejon de la Tanca in La Perla. It was a neat experience because we were able to mix and mingle with locals. (Which is one of my favorite things to do!) There was live music and activities for the kids. It was nice, considering it was stated that we should stay away from the neighborhood. Live life maś! Right?!

I definitely wish I had more time to explore more of Isla Verde and San Juan. Hopefully, I am able to make a solo trip there to enjoy and see more of what Puerto Rico has to offer. This trip was definitely one of my more relaxing trips. If you are looking for an awesome girl’s trip idea that not far and does not require a passport, Puerto Rico is a good option. The island is full of beautiful options to choose from to hang with your bestie(s). 

Happy Travels, 

-Nadia

Have you ever been to Isla Verde, Puerto Rico? Have any tips you want to share? Let me know in the comments.