San Juan excursions will be your best friend if you’re short on time when visiting Puerto Rico.
Whether you’re looking for a more extensive tour from San Juan, or are looking for something quick and breezy while your cruise ship is in port, there is an excursion for you!
I’m a Puerto Rico local who loves exploring the archipelago. In addition to this list, I’ve written many San Juan guides, including a list of the best things to do in San Juan you may want to check out.
But, first, here are 9 of the best San Juan excursions and guided tours to try:
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19 Best San Juan Excursions
🚢 Note for Cruise Ship Passengers: While most of the San Juan excursions listed below will fit into a port call, I do recommend double-checking the times to make sure they fit into your itinerary. If you find you have a longer time on the island, then check out my picks for the best Puerto Rico tours and excursions as well.
Old San Juan Walking Tour
Learn how about San Juan’s history and culture directly from a local history expert.
- ⌚Length: 2 Hours
- 📍 Departs from: Old San Juan
- 🌟 Guest Reviews: 5 /5 Stars
- 🗺️ Highlights: La Fortaleza, Chapel of Christ, San Juan Gate, San Juan Cathedral
- ✅ Includes: Local guide, bottled water
- 👉 Check prices & availability here
Although a relatively young city, Old San Juan is rich in history and culture. If you take a San Juan walking tour, you’ll get a fun and interactive crash course on it.
History buffs and photographers will love the views of the city while learning about the little hidden gems inside it.
This walking tour includes stops at famous San Juan sights like La Fortaleza, the Chapel of Christ, and the San Juan Gate – three of my favorite San Juan landmarks.
Flavors of Old San Juan Food Tour
Sample the best of local food while learning about San Juan’s history.
- ⌚Length: 3 Hours
- 📍 Departs from: Old San Juan
- 🌟 Guest Reviews: 5/5 Stars
- 🗺️ Highlights: Christ Chapel, Fortaleza Street, mofongo making
- ✅ Includes: Meals, rum cocktail, local guide
- 👉 Check prices & availability here
Instead of taking a regular walking tour, foodies can discover the best of Old San Juan while enjoying some of the local Puerto Rican delicacies.
This food tour goes through Old San Juan’s highlights while making stops in popular restaurants like Triana Tapas & Flamenco, and El Patio.
You get to learn about Puerto Rico’s top dishes and how they became staples on the island. As a foodie myself, I’d recommend the making mofongo experience at Triana Tapas & Flamenco.
San Juan Guided Snorkeling Tour
Discover the underwater world on San Juan’s coast.
- ⌚Length: 1.5 hours
- 📍 Departs from: Escambrón Beach, San Juan
- 🌟 Guest Reviews: 4.5/5 Stars
- 🗺️ Highlights: Escambron Beach, snorkeling, underwater photography
- ✅ Includes: Snorkeling gear, GoPro Video, local guide
- 👉 Check prices & availability here
While most San Juan tours take place around the city’s streets, this one is special as it takes you underwater. San Juan’s coasts and bays hide an underwater world full of coral reefs and marine life.
This tour allows you to snorkel in the famous San Juan beach, Escambron Beach, where you’ll get to see an underwater museum. You might even get to see sea turtles!
This is a guaranteed day of fun for your family, which is why it’s one of the most popular San Juan excursions.
You don’t need any previous experience to participate and equipment is included in the tour price.
Night Kayak Excursion in Condado Lagoon
Admire Condado’s night skyline while drifting calmly in a lagoon.
- ⌚Length: 1 Hour
- 📍 Departs from: Ashford Avenue, Condado
- 🌟 Guest Reviews: 5/5 Stars
- 🗺️ Highlights: Condado Lagoon, night kayaking, clear kayaks
- ✅ Includes: Life jackets, kayaks, lockers, glow paint, glow sticks
- 👉 Check prices & availability here
The Condado Lagoon is a famous kayaking spot in Puerto Rico.
With this tour, you’ll kayak in the lagoon at night to admire the city in a whole different light. The kayaks have clear windows on the bottoms and LED lights that light up your surroundings as you paddle.
You kids will love putting on the glow-in-the-dark paint on their faces and the glow stick bracelets.
Casa Bacardi Distillery
Tour the largest rum distillery in the world from a worldwide renowned rum brand.
- ⌚Length: 45-75 minutes
- 📍 Departs from: Cataño
- 🌟 Guest Reviews: 5/5 Stars
- 🗺️ Highlights: Rum tasting, mixology class, guided tour
- ✅ Includes: Welcome cocktail, trolley ride, rum tasting
- 👉 Check prices & availability here
The Casa Bacardi Distillery is considered the largest rum distillery in the world, and it’s one of the most popular San Juan excursions.
Connoisseurs can enjoy a guided rum tour through the facilities and learn about Bacardi’s history in Cuba and Puerto Rico.
If you’re looking for an interactive experience, you can book a mixology class or a tasting tour.
The distillery’s gardens are a great spot to relax and spend the afternoon looking at one of my favorite views of Puerto Rico, the San Juan Bay.
El Yunque Rainforest, Waterslide, Beach, Dine, and Shop
Explore the only tropical rainforest in the United States .
- ⌚Length: 6-8 Hours
- 📍 Departs from: San Juan
- 🌟 Guest Reviews: 4.5/5 Stars
- 🗺️ Highlights: El Yunque Rainforest, beach, food kiosks
- ✅ Includes: Hotel pickup, local guide
- 👉 Check prices & availability here
If you’re short on time but want to visit multiple destinations in one trip, then this is one of the best San Juan tours you can take.
This tour offers pick-up from your San Juan hotel and takes you directly to one of the hidden gems in El Yunque Rainforest, Las Paylas.
This natural waterslide in El Yunque and Luquillo Beach, one of the top beaches in Puerto Rico, will mesmerize nature fans .
But, if you’re a foodie, your favorite stop of this El Yunque excursion will be the food kiosks in Luquillo, where I’d recommend trying the alcapurrias.
San Juan ATV Tour
Ride an ATV through Carolina’s countryside.
- ⌚Length: 3.5 Hours
- 📍 Departs from: San Juan with pick-up
- 🌟 Guest Reviews: 4.5/5 Stars
- 🗺️ Highlights: ATV running, mangroves, wetlands, sugarcane plantation
- ✅ Includes: ATV, local guide, hotel pickup
- 👉 Check prices & availability here
Adventurers visiting Puerto Rico can’t miss this ATV excursion in the countryside of Carolina.
One of the best things to do in Carolina, you will tour wetlands, mangroves, and 2,200 acres of green fields with a crew that will tell you everything about the local wildlife.
You’ll also get to visit Mi Casa, a sugar cane plantation, and the horse stables at the hacienda.
Rookies don’t need any experience for this tour, as they’ll receive basic training and guidance.
👉 Pro Tip: Always book tours with free cancellation in case your travel plans change.
Scenic Horseback Riding Tour from San Juan
Discover the charming sites of the countryside from the back of a horse.
- ⌚Length: 3.5 Hours
- 📍 Departs from: San Juan with pick-up
- 🌟 Guest Reviews: 4.5/5 Stars
- 🗺️ Highlights: Horseback riding, plantations, countryside
- ✅ Includes: Hotel pickup, local guide, basic lessons
- 👉 Check prices & availability here
One of the best San Juan excursions to do in Puerto Rico is to go horseback riding with your friends and family.
Guests will relax while slowly galloping through one of the most popular haciendas in the country, Hacienda Campo Rico.
As you explore the 2,200 acres of land in the hacienda, your tour guide will give you information about the wildlife in Puerto Rico.
Your excursion will end at a Mojito Bar, where you and your group can grab some of the most popular Caribbean drinks.
Icacos Catamaran Day Sail
Snorkel off the east coast of Puerto Rico.
- ⌚Length: 6 Hours
- 📍 Departs from: Fajardo
- 🌟 Guest Reviews: 4.5/5 Stars
- 🗺️ Highlights: Icacos Island, snorkeling
- ✅ Includes: Snorkeling gear, lunch, rum cocktails
- 👉 Check prices & availability here
Icacos is an offshore island on the east coast of Puerto Rico that you should definitely visit if you are staying in the country for enough time.
A tour to Icacos comes with incredible views of El Yunque, possible dolphin sightings, tasty food, and lots of swimming.
During this trip, the whole family will love to snorkel close to the coral reefs that surround Icacos, where you can spot tropical fish and sea turtles.
👉 Local Tip: This trip doesn’t include pick-up from San Juan hotels. You can browse Puerto Rico shuttles to Fajardo on Viator. If you’re staying in Puerto Rico for a longer period, you can use Discover Cars to find special offers for rental cars.
Kids and Family Old San Juan Science and History Fun Tour
Hunt for clues and learn fun facts on this San Juan interactive tour.
- ⌚Length: 2.5 Hours
- 📍 Departs from: San Juan
- 🌟 Guest Reviews: 5/5 Stars
- 🗺️ Highlights: Old San Juan, El Morro, Plaza de Armas, Paseo de la Princesa
- ✅ Includes: Educational material for kids, printouts, ice cream, guide, tastings, coffee, water
- 👉 Check prices & availability here
Families with smaller children shouldn’t shy away from historical walking tours.
This Profe Nat tour through Old San Juan will keep you and your kids engaged in an interactive experience filled with activities, scavenger hunts, and experiments.
You will learn about San Juan’s history as well as surrounding ecosystems for over two hours, and you will end your tour in Parque de Palomas, where you can feed the pigeons.
Water Bike Experience in the Condado Lagoon
Have fun cycling at the Condado Lagoon.
- ⌚Length: 45 minutes
- 📍 Departs from: Condado, San Juan
- 🌟 Guest Reviews: 5/5 Stars
- 🗺️ Highlights: Chili boats, Condado Lagoon
- ✅ Includes: Life jackets, water bicycles, basic training
- 👉 Check prices & availability here
Have a fun family day in the Condado Lagoon while pedaling waterbikes.
Ideal for kids and adults, this tour promises a fun way to tour the Condado Lagoon where you can see local marine life including turtles and manatees.
The water bikes are lightweight and easy to manage, so you’ll be ready to go after a quick briefing on what to do and where to go in the lagoon to see its best stops.
Bioluminescent Bay with Transportation from San Juan
Kayak in one of the world’s five bio bays.
- ⌚Length: 2 Hours
- 📍 Departs from: San Juan with pick-up
- 🌟 Guest Reviews: 4.5/5 Stars
- 🗺️ Highlights: Laguna Grande Bio Bay, kayaking, eco-tourism
- ✅ Includes: Life jackets, hotel pickup from San Juan
- 👉 Check prices & availability here
If you’re wondering how to visit Puerto Rico’s bio bays, you’ll be glad to know that a quick one-hour trip can get you to one of them.
Laguna Grande is a bioluminescent lagoon located in Cabezas de San Juan Nature Reserve in Fajardo. This tour will pick you up from San Juan and drop you at the Kayak Village where you’ll start your kayaking trip.
You will kayak through mangrove channels and navigate the lagoon while your guide explains how bioluminescent bays and lagoons work.
If you’re a nature lover, you’ll rave about the landscape and the rare phenomenon.
San Juan Bay Day Sail with Drinks Included
Soak in the Caribbean sun as you sail through San Juan’s bay.
- ⌚Length: 1.5 Hours
- 📍 Departs from: San Juan
- 🌟 Guest Reviews: 5/5 Stars
- 🗺️ Highlights: Morning sail, San Juan Bay, El Morro
- ✅ Includes: Beverages, mimosas
- 👉 Check prices & availability here
Enjoy San Juan’s landmarks with a unique point of view with this San Juan boat tour.
You’ll navigate past Paseo de la Princesa, El Morro, and San Juan Gate while soaking in the morning sun and sipping on your complimentary drinks.
You’ll also have the chance to spot marine species such as manatees, sea turtles, and dolphins! The tour is ideal for all ages.
The Barrilito Rum Factory Experience with Transportation Included
Taste Puerto Rico’s oldest rum.
- ⌚Length: 1.5 Hours
- 📍 Departs from: San Juan with pick-up
- 🌟 Guest Reviews: 5/5 Stars
- 🗺️ Highlights: Rum tasting, Hacienda Santa Ana, Ron del Barrilito
- ✅ Includes: Complimentary drink, pick-up in San Juan
- 👉 Check prices & availability here
For those who love a good rum, an excursion to Hacienda Santa Ana in Bayamón is not to be missed.
After enjoying a welcoming complimentary drink, connoisseurs will learn everything behind the production of Ron del Barrilito, the oldest Puerto Rican rum.
You’ll visit the aging room, the distillery room, and the hacienda’s grounds. After finishing your tour, visit the shop to take home a Ron del Barrilito bottle.
Cave and Waterfall Exploration: Charco Azul Canyon
Trek through the river to a cave in Vega Baja.
- ⌚Length: 5 Hours
- 📍 Departs from: Ashford Avenue, Condado
- 🌟 Guest Reviews: 5/5 Stars
- 🗺️ Highlights: Cueva Arenales, Charco Azul, waterfall, river, hiking
- ✅ Includes: Water, snacks, life vests, transportation from San Juan, guided tour
- 👉 Check prices & availability here
Puerto Rico’s outdoors have a lot to offer for adventurers and this Charco Azul and Arenales Cave tour is one of the highlights.
Guided by local adventurers, you will trek through Charco Azul in Toa Baja until reaching the unique-looking Arenales Cave.
If you’re an outdoor enthusiast, you’ll love the route through the canyon, going through caves and hidden waterfalls, and climbing over boulders.
Rum Runners Craft Cocktails Tour
Enjoy the happy hour at San Juan’s best bars.
- ⌚Length: 2 Hours
- 📍 Departs from: Old San Juan
- 🌟 Guest Reviews: 5/5 Stars
- 🗺️ Highlights: Rum tour, rum tasting, Old San Juan tour
- ✅ Includes: Rum cocktails, tastings of small-batch artisan rum distillery, guided tour
- 👉 Check prices & availability here
Old San Juan is known for its nightlife and bars and this San Juan excursion allows you to visit some of the best.
Your guide will take you through San Juan telling you all about the rum and drinking history in Puerto Rico. You’ll also visit a boutique rum artisan factory to do a rum tasting and enjoy two cocktails.
Finally, you’ll learn about the best places to have a drink in San Juan.
Full Day Rainforest Mega Tour
Cover Puerto Rico’s most important landmarks on this full-day tour.
- ⌚Length: 8 Hours
- 📍 Departs from: Panadería España, Carolina
- 🌟 Guest Reviews: 5/5 Stars
- 🗺️ Highlights: Piñones, El Yunque, Luquillo, natural waterslide, beach
- ✅ Includes: Complimentary drink, snorkeling gear, transportation, entrance to attractions
- 👉 Check prices & availability here
If you’re spending a full day in Puerto Rico and want to cover a lot of it, then take this Full Day Rainforest Mega Tour from Profe Nat Tours.
Starting at 8 am, you’ll visit Piñones, Loíza, Luquillo, and Río Grande. Foodies will find the best Puerto Rico delicacies in Piñones while beach fans will love swimming in Luquillo’s beaches.
Regardless of your taste or age, this family-friendly tour has something for everyone and will help you see, taste, and hear the best of Puerto Rico even if you only have a few hours on the archipelago.
Hidden Waterfall Hike Adventure
Hike to a 130-foot waterfall in Bayamón.
- ⌚Length: 6 Hours
- 📍 Departs from: San Juan with pick-up
- 🌟 Guest Reviews: 5/5 Stars
- 🗺️ Highlights: Charco Prieto, waterfalls, hiking, forest
- ✅ Includes: Water bottles, pick up and drop off
- 👉 Check prices & availability here
You don’t have to visit El Yunque to enjoy the best of Puerto Rico’s waterfalls. With this Jerry’s Adventures tour, you’ll visit a hidden waterfall in Bayamón, just 45 minutes from San Juan.
On this adventure, you’ll hike for 40 minutes upriver in the mountainous part of Bayamón, crossing the river multiple times, going over boulders, and under fallen trees.
At the end, you’ll spend a few hours swimming in the mesmerizing Charco Prieto, a 130-foot waterfall with two waterholes.
This trip is ideal for avoiding the crows of the other popular waterfalls, but keep in mind the hike is strenuous and not ideal if you aren’t in shape.
Full-Day Tour of Guavate and Charco Azul in Puerto Rico
Experience Puerto Rico’s Pork Highway and eat everything you can.
- ⌚Length: 6 Hours
- 📍 Departs from: Ashford Avenue, San Juan
- 🌟 Guest Reviews: 5/5 Stars
- 🗺️ Highlights: Guavate, Pork Highway, lechoneras, Charco Azul
- ✅ Includes: Water bottles, snacks, alcoholic beverages, transportation
- 👉 Check prices & availability here
As a Puerto Rico local, I can’t imagine experiencing something more local than the Pork Highway.
This gastronomic route between Cidra, Cayey, and Patillas houses dozens of lechoneras where you can try Puerto Rico’s most traditional dishes including roasted pork.
This tour will stop at multiple lechoneras where you’ll indulge in the best local delicacies and eat to your heart’s content.
After you’re done eating, you’ll also visit Charco Azul, one of the most famous swimming holes in Puerto Rico.
FAQs
Which places provide the best tours in San Juan for groups?
The best places for group tours in San Juan include Escambron Beach, El Morro, the San Cristobal Castle, and Paseo La Princesa. Other San Juan nearby attractions that offer fun trips and excursions for friends include El Yunque National Rainforest, Laguna Grande Bio Bay, and Toro Verde Adventure Park.
Which experiences are best for tours in San Juan?
The best experiences for San Juan tours include food tours and walking tours in Old San Juan, snorkeling in Escambron, and kayaking in Condado Lagoon. Other San Juan experiences worth trying are horseback riding, ATV running, taking a salsa class, and a cooking class. For visitors that have time, the most popular tours from San Juan include tours to El Yunque National Forest and Laguna Grande Bio Bay.
How many days do you need to visit San Juan?
Between 1 and 5 days are enough to visit the main attractions in San Juan. For visitors on cruise excursions, a day in San Juan is enough to visit the beautiful Old San Juan and its highlights like El Morro, Paseo La Princesa, and La Fortaleza.
Travelers that have more days can explore other San Juan popular areas like Condado, Santurce, and Miramar.
How many days are enough in Puerto Rico?
7 to 10 days are enough to explore the main highlights of Puerto Rico. You can follow my 7 day Puerto Rico itinerary and see the island’s main sites during a week.
But, travelers who want to visit Puerto Rico’s offshore islands and explore the mountainous central region can spend up to three weeks touring the archipelago. Seven days are enough to explore Old San Juan, Isla Verde, Ponce, Cabo Rojo, Fajardo, El Yunque, and Vieques.
📚 Continue Reading: 7-Day Puerto Rico Itinerary
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Those were the 19 best San Juan excursions! Do you know which one you’ll be taking during your next trip? If you’re curious about more things to do in Puerto Rico, check out our guide to the top things to do in Puerto Rico.
Have fun in San Juan!
