Best Things to Do in San Juan, Puerto Rico with Kids
San Juan, Puerto Rico is one of the best places to travel with the whole family.
Since it's a territory of the United States, U.S. citizens do not need a passport to travel there.
In addition, it has a tropical climate so the weather is warm year-round. It's the perfect getaway for families that want to escape the cold weather!
We also found that English is widely spoken, and it's very easy to rent a car and drive around the San Juan area.
There is so much to do in Puerto Rico, and you can find our family's 1-week Puerto Rico itinerary here!
But today's blog post will be focusing specifically on fun things to do in San Juan with kids of all ages.
Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. That means if you click on a link and make a purchase I may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you.
Where to Stay
I've been to San Juan twice in the last 2 years, so I have 2 recommendations for places to stay.
Hyatt Place San Juan
On our most recent trip to San Juan, we visited in mid-March as a family of 6.
It can be difficult to find accommodations for a large family, so we booked a room at the Hyatt Place San Juan because their standard rooms can fit a family of 6 with 2 queen beds plus a pull-out sofa bed.
I do want to note that if you are trying to book this online, the website will not let you book a room with 6 people. I emailed the customer service email address to ask if we could put 6 people in a room, and they replied that we could. She had me book as a family of 4, and then she manually added the other 2 children to the reservation. Send an email if you're trying to book for a larger family!
The other reason we booked the Hyatt Place was because I wanted to save money by booking on points. I had Chase Ultimate Rewards points to use, so I transferred them to my Hyatt Account in order to book the Hyatt Place.
The room only cost us 12,000 points per night, so for 3 nights we only needed 36,000 points.
There is a nice pool with a small waterslide area for kids with a zero-entry shallow area. This is a great place to hang out if you have babies, toddlers, or preschoolers!
Caribe Hilton San Juan
I stayed at the Caribe Hilton San Juan by myself when I was in Puerto Rico for a travel blogging conference. This is a slightly more upscale option than the Hyatt Place if you're looking for a place to stay with kids in San Juan.
There are 4 pools: the Infinity Pool, the Bagua Pool (which has a swim up pool bar), the Tropical Pool, and the Kids' Fountain Pool. There is so much space to spread out and enjoy the sunshine and warm weather.
Another big draw of the Caribe Hilton San Juan is that they have their own private beach. It's not huge, but it's nice to not have to leave the hotel to experience the sand and sea.
There's also a hammock garden, a Tropical Garden & Bird Sanctuary, a spa, tennis courts, and plenty of activities to enjoy on the property.
I think this is an excellent option for families who want a mix of that tropical resort vibe that's also close enough to Old San Juan to get off the resort to do some exploring.
When to Visit
Spring Break was a great time to visit Puerto Rico! The weather is hot, and you can enjoy some of the best beaches in the U.S. while the majority of the country is still enduring cold winter weather.
Keep in mind that hurricane season runs from early June through late November, so if you plan a trip to the island during those months, make sure you have a good cancelation or rescheduling policy in place!
Best Things to Do in San Juan with Kids
Castillo San Felipe del Morro
Castillo San Felipe del Morro, also known as El Morro, is one of the iconic landmarks in San Juan and is designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It's located on a cliff above the Bay of San Juan and dates back to the 1500s. It's a National Historic Site, so if you love history, this is a must-visit spot in Puerto Rico!
There is an entrance fee of around $10 per person unless you already have a National Parks pass.
You can attend ranger-led talks for free, or you can just wander around and explore the fort on your own like we did. Kids can also participate in the junior ranger program here.
I loved getting photos of our family in the fort's turrets, or sentry boxes, that overlook the water.
Another popular activity with kids is to fly a kite on the grass in front of the fort!
Parque de Las Palomas
Parque de las Palomas, otherwise known as Pigeon Park, is a place you can visit to feed the pigeons of San Juan.
You can buy food to feed the pigeons at a small stand if you dare, and let the pigeons land on your hands, shoulders, and even your head!
A few of my kids loved this and thought it was a blast, while a few other kids waited outside the fence in terror. I fell somewhere in the middle, not daring to feed the pigeons, but brave enough to wander into the flock to get pictures and videos of the bolder family members.
Paseo de la Princesa
Paseo de la Princesa is a promenade located in Old San Juan with street vendors selling food and handicrafts, live music and dancing, and the impressive Raices fountain set against the background of San Juan Bay.
This is a beautiful spot to wander around, shop for souvenirs, and just enjoy the vibe and culture of San Juan.
El Yunque National Forest
El Yunque Rainforest is the only tropical rainforest in the US Forest System, making it a great option for a day trip from San Juan.
We rented a car while we were in Puerto Rico, and the drive to El Yunque from our hotel in San Juan was only around 45 minutes. The freeways are very easy to navigate and are very similar to freeways on the mainland US if you're worried about driving there.
There are several easy hikes or spots you can just pull over and enjoy right from the parking lot. There are waterfalls, lookout towers, and forest trails. The park is just one road, and you really need a car to see it. You wouldn't want to take an Uber or cab that just drops you off and picks you up.
The park is free to enter, but if you want to stop by El Portal Visitor Center, it's $8 per adult, while kids ages 15 and under are free. Even though you'll have to spend a little money to visit, I think El Portal is worth it!
You can get the Junior Ranger program for the kids to fill out, ask for trail recommendations, watch an informative video, visit the gift shop, and enjoy the towering open-air design of the visitor center itself.
There are even walking trails you can visit that start at the visitor center.
Old San Juan
Old San Juan is the historic district in San Juan characterized by colorful buildings, colonial architecture, and cobblestone streets.
There are several world heritage sites in San Juan including El Morro, Castillo San Cristobal, and La Fortaleza, the Governor of Puerto Rico's official residence which used to serve as a fortress, prison, and arsenal. And Calle Fortaleza, the street in front of this state building, is also known as the umbrella street where you'll see colorful umbrellas hanging between the buildings.
Beyond historic buildings, you'll find souvenir shops catering to tourists and cruise passengers visiting for the day, restaurants, coffee shops, plazas, parks, historic forts, and scenic promenades.
Old San Juan is very walkable, and you can easily see the entire thing in one day. However, my recommendation would be to visit early in the morning before it gets too hot, and get back to the hotel to swim by the early afternoon!
Drink plenty of water, and be sure to stop for ice cream to cool off.
My last tip: check the cruise ship schedule. I would highly recommend avoiding old San Juan when a cruise ship is in port. It will be MUCH more crowded, and everyone will be trying to visit the same few popular spots.
Paletas
Speaking of ice cream, one of our favorite places to stop in Old San Juan was Señor Paleta. Paletas are fresh fruit-based ice pops, and Señor Paleta has some of the most delicious ones I've ever tasted!
It's located not too far from Parque de las Palomas, and there's a small park nearby where we found a shady, quiet spot to eat our sweet treats.
DO NOT forget to bring hand wipes (or baby wipes in a pinch) if you're going to get paletas. Even the adults had sticky fruit juice running down their fingers as the popsicles melted at record speed in the Puerto Rican heat.
Calle de La Fortaleza
As I mentioned earlier, Calle De La Fortaleza is the street in front of the historic La Fortaleza building, the governor's home.
This street is so photogenic, and the perfect spot to capture that quintessential Old San Juan Instagram family photo.
Sometimes the street is lined with umbrellas, but other times you'll see themed decor such as kites, a Puerto Rican flag, or even butterflies.
Visit Condado Beach
Condado Beach is one of the most popular beaches to visit in San Juan and is known for the numerous resorts and restaurants that line the beach.
It's not a great place to swim due to powerful riptides, but it is a fun spot to play in the sand if you have younger kids, or participate in water sports if you have older kids.
Try a Piña Colada
Did you know the piña colada was invented in San Juan? There's some debate as to whether it was invented at Barrachina Restaurant in Old San Juan or at the Caribe Hilton where a bartender at the Beachcomber Bar came up with the refreshing cocktail. The piña colada, if you've never had one, is a mix of coconut cream, pineapple juice, white rum, and ice. I can hardly think of a more tropical drink!
Just to be safe I tried the piña colada in both locations.
There's usually a wait to eat at Barrachina, but it is kid-friendly AND they serve kid-friendly alcohol-free piña coladas, too! We just put in our names and did some souvenir shopping nearby while we waited for a table to become available.
I also tried a piña colada at the Caribe Hilton when I stayed there while at a travel blogging conference, so though I don't have personal experience with whether they serve a virgin version for kids, I would imagine they do.
Visit the Luquillo Kiosks
We stopped at the Luquillo Kiosks on the way back from El Yunque, thinking it would be a great way to try some local dishes. The Kiosks are a series of family-owned kiosks that sell food, drinks, and souvenirs.
I'm unsure if it was due to Hurricane Maria or post-covid effects, but we found that many of the kiosks weren't even open when we visited (at lunchtime). We had a tough time finding a spot that didn't have a bar/party atmosphere.
Maybe it's better to visit later in the day? We did find that around Puerto Rico things really didn't wake up until the afternoon.
Despite the reason, we weren't that impressed by the selection of kid-friendly spots to get authentic Puerto Rican food. I'm willing to chalk this up to "user error" and not knowing when to go, but walking along the kiosks in the hot sun trying place after place to get food while the kids were whining and hungry tested our patience, so we certainly could have missed something.
Distrito T Mobile
We didn't visit Distrito T Mobile on our family trip to Puerto Rico, but I did get to go when I visited for my travel blogging conference. It's a very lively indoor area with shops, entertainment, attractions, and restaurants.
There's a cinema and an urban park with zip lines, rock walls, and an arcade.
Distrito T Mobile would be a great option for adventure and activity on a rainy day!
Things We Didn't Get To
Castillo San Cristóbal
Castillo San Critóbal is another historic fort in San Juan, so if your family loves history, this might be a great place to visit! Our kids had their fill after our visit to El Morro, so we skipped San Critóbal this time.
I would certainly add it to our list of places to visit if we ever find our way back to San Juan!
Flamenco Beach
Flamenco Beach is considered one of the most beautiful beaches in the world thanks to its white sand and crystal blue waters, calm enough for even young kids to go swimming, but the catch is that it's located on the island of Culebra.
You can take a ferry or a flight to get to Culebra, and we simply didn't prioritize this during our short visit. If you skipped the west coast of Puerto Rico, I think Culebra or the nearby island of Vieques would be a great overnight trip from San Juan.
Bioluminescent Bay
Another quintessential Puerto Rican experience that we missed out on this time around was a chance to kayak in a bioluminescent bay.
A bioluminescent bay is a place where tiny plankton have a glowing effect triggered by a chemical reaction. You can see the light when there is movement in the water.
Puerto Rico has several bioluminescent bays where you can kayak, but the closest option near San Juan is Laguna Grande in Fajardo. It's an hour and 15 minute drive from San Juan, so I think this would be more fun to do with older kids since it must be done at night in the dark.
This tour includes transportation to and from San Juan and a guided kayak tour through Laguna Grande in Fajardo.
If you're already staying near Fajardo, this tour might be a better option for you.
Guided Tour
Finally, there are several great options for walking tours if you're eager to learn more about San Juan.
This tour is a foodie walking tour for those who want to eat and drink their way through Old Town.
However, if you have history buffs in your family, this History Walking Tour with A Guide might be a better option.
San Juan, Puerto Rico is an amazing place for your next family vacation!
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Emily Krause is a Wisconsin-based travel content creator who writes about exploring the world with kids.
On A Mom Explores you’ll find the best family travel destinations, Disney World tips, and how to make travel with babies and toddlers a little easier.
Emily believes that exploring starts in our own backyards, and adventure can happen anywhere with the right mindset.
