Do I need a passport to visit San Juan?

No. Puerto Rico is a U.S. territory, so U.S. citizens and permanent residents travel with the same ID they would use for a domestic flight. Non-U.S. visitors need the same documentation required for entry to the mainland United States.

Do I need to speak Spanish in San Juan?

You'll get by with English in tourist areas, hotels, and most restaurants in Old San Juan, Condado, and Isla Verde. Outside those corridors, Spanish is the dominant language. Signage, menus, and government services are primarily in Spanish. Learning a few basics for ordering food and asking directions goes a long way.

How do I get from the airport to Old San Juan?

Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport (SJU) sits about 14 kilometers east of Old San Juan. Taxis operate on a fixed zone-rate system posted at the airport taxi stand. Ride-hailing apps are also available at the pickup area. There is no direct rail connection between SJU and the old city.

Is San Juan good for families?

San Juan scores 7.8/10 for family friendliness (see /research/family-friendliness/). The calm waters at Isla Verde suit younger children, and the fort tours at El Morro and San Cristóbal tend to hold kids' attention better than most historic sites. The Museo del Niño (Children's Museum) in Old San Juan is geared toward ages 2 through 12. Most hotels in Condado and Isla Verde can arrange cribs and connecting rooms.

What is the currency, and do I need to exchange money?

The U.S. dollar is the official currency. ATMs dispense dollars, credit cards are widely accepted, and there is no exchange needed for visitors from the mainland. Tipping follows mainland U.S. norms at 15% to 20% in restaurants.

When is hurricane season, and should I avoid visiting then?

Hurricane season runs from June 1 through November 30, with September and October historically carrying the highest risk. That said, most days during these months are rain-free. Travel insurance is worth the cost if you book during this window, and refundable hotel rates are widely available for peak-risk months.

Can I drink the tap water in San Juan?

Yes. The municipal water supply is treated to U.S. EPA standards. Ice in restaurants is made from the same treated supply. This is a notable difference from many other Caribbean destinations.

Where can I find more detailed planning information?

Wikivoyage maintains a thorough, open-source guide at https://en.wikivoyage.org/wiki/San_Juan with sections on arrival logistics (https://en.wikivoyage.org/wiki/San_Juan#Get_in), local transit (https://en.wikivoyage.org/wiki/San_Juan#Get_around), attractions (https://en.wikivoyage.org/wiki/San_Juan#See), dining (https://en.wikivoyage.org/wiki/San_Juan#Eat), nightlife (https://en.wikivoyage.org/wiki/San_Juan#Drink), and safety (https://en.wikivoyage.org/wiki/San_Juan#Stay_safe).

Things to Do in San Juan: A Complete Guide

Local 04:37

Weather 27° clear

Feels 32° · 84% · 10 km/h

Air 18 good

PM2.5 5.5 · PM10 8.4

Sun 06:21 → 17:55

San Juan sits on a narrow Atlantic coastline where a natural harbor carved into the island's northern edge made it the oldest European-founded capital city in United States territory. Ponce de León established the settlement in 1521, and the blue cobblestones lining Old San Juan were carried from Spain as ballast in the holds of galleons, paving streets that predate Plymouth Rock by a century. The fortifications tell the story plainly: El Morro's six levels of ramparts and San Cristóbal's tunneled outworks held off the English and the Dutch across three centuries, and today they anchor a neighborhood where colonial townhouses painted in ochre, sea-foam green, and deep coral crowd shoulder to shoulder along streets barely wide enough for a single car. Walk south from the forts through the residential blocks of Old San Juan and you cross into Puerta de Tierra, where the Capitol building faces the water and joggers loop Parque Luis Muñoz Rivera along the bluff. East of that, Condado runs its hotel strip along Ashford Avenue, the beach public and the water warm enough to wade fifty yards out, the restaurant row behind it leaning Puerto Rican rather than resort-generic with mofongo and whole fried snapper served at counters alongside craft cocktail bars. Santurce, one neighborhood inland, is where the city's working creative life still happens: Calle Loíza carries the Afro-Caribbean cultural line that older travel guidebooks underplay, its murals and small restaurants reflecting a community that long predates the art-district branding. The practical rhythm matters too. San Juan runs on Atlantic Standard Time year-round with no daylight saving adjustment, which puts it one hour ahead of New York in winter and level with it in summer, a small detail that catches first-time visitors off guard when their dinner reservation lands an hour earlier than expected.