What should I pack for San Juan?

Your most important packing decision for San Juan is shoes. Old San Juan's streets are paved with adoquín, blue-tinted cobblestones cast from furnace slag in the 1800s. The surface turns slick after rain, and the 1.5-km uphill walk from Plaza de Armas to Castillo San Felipe del Morro has sections steep enough that flip-flops become dangerous. Pack one pair of rubber-soled shoes with tread that grips on wet stone. Sandals work for Condado Beach and Ocean Park, but Calle del Cristo and Calle Fortaleza need real soles. Mind you, those cobblestones are rough enough to shred cheap foam sandals in 3-4 hours of walking, and the final uphill stretch to El Morro's gate is the steepest in the old city.

San Juan holds at 28-33°C year-round with humidity that rarely drops below 75%. In September, the heat index pushes past 32°C by 10 a.m. Pack 3-4 quick-dry synthetic shirts. Cotton absorbs moisture and stays heavy against your skin for hours in San Juan's humidity. One light long-sleeve layer handles the air-conditioned restaurants along Ashford Avenue in Condado, where interiors drop to 20°C and the 12°C swing from the street hits like a walk-in cooler. For dinner in Condado or Santurce, linen pants or a maxi skirt fit the smart-casual norm at spots like 1919 Restaurant in the Condado Vanderbilt Hotel. Bring two swimsuits. Between Balneario El Escambrón's protected cove and the open surf at Ocean Park, you will use both.

Puerto Rico banned sunscreens containing oxybenzone and octinoxate in 2024 to protect its coral reefs. Pack mineral zinc-oxide sunscreen rated SPF 50 or higher. The UV index in San Juan reaches 11-12 through September, strong enough to burn fair skin in 15 minutes at midday on the Paseo del Morro coastal walk. A wide-brim hat and polarized sunglasses justify their weight on the exposed upper galleries of Castillo San Cristóbal alone. For San Juan's rain, leave the umbrella at home. September averages 15-17 rain days, but showers roll in around 2-4 p.m., pound the pavement for 10-20 minutes, then clear. A packable rain shell weighing under 200 grams handles every one of them from your daypack. The air after a squall over Old San Juan smells of wet stone and sea salt.

If you are traveling from the US mainland, leave the voltage adapter and passport at home. Puerto Rico runs on 120V Type A/B outlets and US dollars. European and Australian visitors need a US plug adapter, about $5 at Pueblo supermarkets in Santurce. Buy insect repellent at any San Juan pharmacy on arrival. OFF! Deep Woods costs $4-6 at Walgreens on Ashford Avenue. That said, San Juan's mosquitoes in the urban core are mild compared to El Yunque rainforest 45 minutes east. Casa Bacardí in Cataño sits a $1 ferry ride from Old San Juan and sells rum at distillery prices after a free tasting. Aloe vera gel runs $3-5 at CVS, and you will want a bottle after a few hours on Condado Beach.

Pack a portable charger rated at 10,000 mAh or higher. Google Maps navigation in Old San Juan's tight grid drains batteries fast, and GPS signal bounces between the old city's 40-foot fortress walls. A waterproof phone pouch earns its cost if you plan to kayak the Condado Lagoon or snorkel at Balneario de Carolina. Travel insurance runs $30-60 for a week-long policy and is worth carrying during hurricane season, June through November. Flight cancellations peak in August and September, and Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport fills up fast when storms reroute traffic across the Caribbean.