In port 3:30-11, Enough time to walk to ports?

[JB333]

Hello, 

Our cruise is in San Juan from 3:30-11pm. Is this enough time to walk to the ports before they close? Is there any map or anything available as a guide? Trying to refrain from spending the money on the ship excursion tours.

 

Thanks!

[crewsweeper]

I assume you mean walk to the FORTS not ports.

 

The answer is a qualified yes.  Depends on how fast you walk and currently if forts are open or not, due to government shutdown.  The forts are open until 6PM San Juan time.

[Loonbeam]

And you will only get one fort in that time (they are in opposite directions)

 

[JB333]

Oops, yeah I meant forts not ports!

 

Okay thank you! Do you know where I'd be able to find a map showing exactly where to walk? Or is there a lot of signs? We've never been there and don't want to get lost lol

[crewsweeper]

Try this interactive map

 

https://sanjuanpuertorico.com/attractions-map/

 

My fav walking tour information (a bit dated now)

 

https://faculty.salisbury.edu/~msscott/Walking Tour of Old San Juan.pdf

 

And there are free trolley's too with a good printable map at the end of this site

 

https://sanjuanpuertorico.com/trolley-old-san-juan/

[JB333]

Great thanks! Those will help a lot! Is it generally pretty safe to walk around at night here? Any areas to avoid that you know of? 

[Fred&Lily]

Old San Juan is very easy to walk around even after dark.   We like to stroll west along the Paseo de la Princesa to the fountain at the west end then stroll back.   You have to do it Spanish style, arm-in-arm and dressed up a little with long pants and clean button shirt for DH, dress for DW while the teen girls wear heels and mini-skirts - it's basically an old tradition of the evening promenade. 

The old ladies walk with their families too and often people are singing and dancing at a bandstand near the water.

[hapster85]

Definitely recommend the free trolley. Go left to board at Stop 14, between Piers 1 & 2. Stop 1 is around the corner to the right, but may be more crowded if there are multiple ships in port.

All of the routes stop there, but only certain ones go to the forts. Be sure to board the right one. We took the open air tram. Was a breezy, partly sunny day when we were there, so it was a very pleasant ride.