Need Recommendations & Suggestions for Traveling to Puerto Rico W/ 4 Young Kids

Check out the condos on a site called VRBO.com. (Vacation Rentals By Owner). My SIL is from Puerto Rico, so we've travelled there a number of times as an extended family and have had very good experiences with the condo rentals we've gotten through VRBO. You should be able to find a 3-4 bedroom place that holds your family with beach/pool access at a very resonable price. (We've even got a deal once that was the same price as 1 hotel room!)

Definitely rent a car (just like driving in the US, but there is a lot of traffic in San Juan itself), since it's also a great way to see the whole island. With 10 days, you'll have plenty of time to explore the whole area. Most airlines let you check a car/booster seat for little or no additional charge (it's not considered normal baggage), so look into bringing at least 1 or 2 of yours instead of renting them. You may also be able to carry the booster seats onto the plane if they're the small ones.

A car will also allow save quite a bit on accomodations if you follow the coastline towards Carolina. It's much cheaper if you go a little ways outside of the city. From there, you'll be about 20-30 min from Old San Juan (a must see), and about 45 min away from El Yunque Rainforest (another must see). Other good road trips (no more than 2-3 hrs drive) are Arecibo (where the observatory is from the movie Contact), Camuy (really neat caves), and Ponce (incredible beaches). There's also a little island called Vieques that you can get to by passenger ferry from Fajardo. That place is like being on Gilligan's island.

Enjoy your trip!

There are tons of condos in the Condado area. Check out VRBO.com (vacation rentals by owner) and I think you will find something to fit your needs. I would recommend a rental car IF you want to go all over the island. Driving in PR isn't that much different than driving in any big city.

While you are in Puerto Rico, go to El Morro (it's in San Juan) and stroll through old San Juan as a family. Also, if you can handle the road trip, check out the water park at the El Conquistador resort (it's in Fajardo, about an hour-ish away), but you may be able to combine a trip to the rainforest and the water park into one day. If you go to Fajardo, stop by the beach and watch the surfers - it's very entertaining and a nice break in the day to veg on the beach for awhile.

I lived in Puerto Rico for two years and went back for a vacation a few years ago. It's a beautiful island and the people are so wonderful. Have some rice and beans for me - yum!

I highly recommend Frommer's Puerto Rico. It's a travel guide and your library may have it. If not, buy it! It's a good investment as it differentiates what is kid/family friendly and what isn't.

Have happy and safe travels!

i loved my eco carrier that holds up to like 60 lbs for carrying your baby on your back or in front of you thru the rain forest.
I also found that if you take some yarn and string cereal through them to make edible necklaces and braclets, it kept them busy while traveling and they got to have a snack. It was just something fun and different.
have fun

I visited the island of Culebra, I stayed at these nice villas, forgot the name but if you need the name, just contact me. I love it, the island was absolutely beautiful, and the villa has 2 bedrooms overlooking the torquoise water. The ferry ride ride to get to the island in Fajardo was a bit long and cold (temp. in the vessel was maintained extremely cold you will need a sweatshirt and jeans while on the vessel), anyway try it for a few days, I think you will enjoy it!

M.
http://proudtots.com/

I live in Phx and LOVED the PR. We stayed at a resort on the NE side of the island, close to that rainforest reserve you mentioned. Totally worth going there, and you just go in as far as you can with the kids. We hiked in the dark and it was great!!!! I did the biobay tour at night, which you won't be able to that w your kids, but if you ever get back make sure you do. Unless you are staying in San Juan, which I really don't know how the hotels are there, you need a rental car. The city itself was majestic, and the streets and the fort are nothing like you have seen in the US.

Most hotels now have crib or pack and plays available to their guests, so I don't know why you can't stay in a hotel. I went to a destination wedding in the Dominican Republic, and we all stayed in the same hotel. I really recommend you stay in the hotel where everyone else is. I think you will really miss out on the experience if you don't. (but if you are there for 10 days, maybe you can stay with them for 5 days and book a place somewhere else.) Good luck!