On our own or w/tour guide?

[khm1]

My family fo five (me, DH, DS11, DS13, DD1) will be in SJ on 07/27/08. We arrive in port at 2PM and depart at 11PM. We had booked the El Yunque excursion through RCCL. It was later cancelled due to "late arrival". I have been to SJ several times, but never to El Yunque. We would very much like to go! This is the dilema: Should we rent a car and drive there on our own? There is a Hertz office at the Sheraton Old SJ. Or, should I book a tour through Countryside tours? I got a quote from them for $350 for a four or five hour tour. The car rental is $55. I am fairly adventurous. I have driven in England and St. Thomas and have done well there. However, I have wittnessed the driving in PR and it can be SCAREY!:eek: People often don't follow traffic laws. I am also concerned about driving up the mountains. I have driven in mountainous areas before, but I am a little nervous, especially with a baby in the car. Also, i am concerned with arriving back in OSJ in the dark with all of the one-way, narrow streets. We plan on taking DD's car seat either way. I just want to enjoy our trip. I wil spend the $ if it will make our visit more enjoyable. Anyone have any opinions? I would be glad for any advise! Sorry so long!

[RayInPR]

Rent the car and do the drive!

 

Getting from/to the Sheraton in OSJ is easy. You don't need to deal with the little cobblestone one-way streets at all. Just follow the bay along the south side of OSJ.

 

The drive to El Yunque is also easy .... Route. 26 east out of OSJ, past the SJU airport, then pick up Route 66 east ($1.50 toll each way) and take that until it ends on Route 3 in Canovanas (right at the Belz Factory Outlet mall). Turn right onto Route 3 and go about another 20 minutes until you see the sign for the rainforest (big sign ... says turn left for Rio Mar and turn right for rainforest). Then just follow Road 191 up into El Yunque, stopping for photo ops along the way and then maybe take Big Tree trail or La Mina trail to La Mina falls where your kids can swim in the waterfall.

 

If you get an early enough start, you can spend the morning in the rainforest and the still have plenty of time to go to Luquillo for the beach in the afternoon.

 

Options for eating ... pack a lunch and have a picnic in the rainforest. Or hit up the kiosks in Luquillo.

 

Either way, you'll have a better day, with more freedom to do what you want, than if you had paid for a tour.

 

Some links that may help from our travel guide ...

 

* Rain Forest - http://www.puertoricodaytrips.com/2007/02/19/el-yunque-rain-forest-an-overview-of-the-carribean-national-forest/

 

* Luquillo Balneario - http://www.puertoricodaytrips.com/2007/02/21/a-day-at-the-beach-in-luquillo-monserrate-balneario/

[khm1]

Rent the car and do the drive!

 

If you get an early enough start, you can spend the morning in the rainforest and the still have plenty of time to go to Luquillo for the beach in the afternoon.

 

 

Thanks! We won't be arriving in PR until 2 in the afternoon. Therefore, a trip to the beach is probably out of the question. Do you think that we will have enough daylight to see the rainforest if we arrive at about 3:30 PM? I know that the park closes before dark. We really just want to see some highlights.

[rainforestgirl]

Yeah, getting to El Yunque by 3:30 will let you see some of the highlights.

The gate on the road closes at 6pm. So you have 2.5 hrs to explore. Along the drive up (and down) there is waterfall and a look out tower.

If you are in decent walking shape, you can get down to La Mina waterfall , take a swim and be back up in about 1.25 hr.

 

You won't be able to see it all, but you will still get the feel for it and see some pretty areas.