The $2,500 Honeymoon: Puerto Rico

Speaking of vacation: let’s talk honeymoons.  hon·ey·moon – even the word is charming. 

But as the big day nears, and budgets balloon, you may be tempted to put off the escape-for-just-the-two-of-you.  While we here at BNB are penny pinchers too, don’t discount the honeymoon.  After months of dizzying preparation and weeks of family celebrations, it will likely be the first chance you and your new husband get an hour alone.  You’ve survived the test of planning a wedding together and you’ll want to relax and recuperate – away from it all. 

It's the vacation you’ll be asked about for a lifetime, but it doesn’t need to cost your life savings.  Rather than skip such a rewarding experience all together, consider whipping up a simple-yet-spectacular vacation based on what defines “relaxation” for you.  Whether a beach, cabin or ski slope, you can turn any vision into a budget-friendly reality with a little compromise and research. 

Consider this island getaway: Puerto Rico.  A US territory (with the US $ as the official currency), English is an official language and you don't need a passport to visit. 

As an agriculture-based economy in the early 20th century, Puerto Rico has more recently begun shifting its resources to tourism.  With cruise ship visitors making up one-third of tourists, destinations outside of San Juan can feel like private sanctuaries.

The 100-mile long island boasts 300 beaches, a number of which top travel magazines’ lists for best beaches in the world (including Flamenco Beach).  Although the west side of the island is the ultimate destination for surfers (Rincón earned PR the title “the Hawaii of the Atlantic"), the north and east beaches include inlets with calmer waters, great views and easy access. 

Here’s one way to enjoy a beach honeymoon for less than $2,500 (2 guests, 6 days, 5 nights, including food and flights):

Sunday

Don’t rush out at the expense of enjoying your first day as husband and wife.  Take the day after the wedding to relax, sleep and pack.  Some OOT guests may be lingering – catch up with friends over lunch (you probably only spoke two words with them on the big day) and enjoy an intimate dinner with close family before hitting the sack for a day of travel. 

Monday

Roundtrip flights on US Airways from Memphis, TN to San Juan, Puerto Rico can go for $350 per person with advance purchase (including a stop in Charlotte – which is a-ok because there’s a Pinkberry at CLT.)  The trip takes about 9 hours with layover, but direct flights are 3x as much. 

Once in PR, honeymooners should enjoy a taste of the city and then head to the beach for a week of peaceful one-on-one time.  Spend the first night and second full day in San Juan.  Hotel La Playa is a cheap option near the airport that’s clean but not overly appointed, should your flight arrive late the first night.  The San Juan Doubletree has posher accommodations in a good location (in the middle of San Juan) but very small rooms

You’ll need a rental car if you’re leaving San Juan (and note: you cannot take rental cars on the ferry, i.e. to Vieques.)  Call your insurance company to confirm that rental cars are covered under your policy; it will save you $200+.  Though risky, we waited until we arrived and ending up getting a compact car for just $20 a day.

Should you have a little daylight, head to Ocean Beach to take in some salt air.  Enjoy the bustling city life of San Juan.  In the Conado neighborhood on Ashford street (across from La Concha) there are high-end boutiques and stores such as Gucci – great for window shopping and people watching.

Enjoy an easy dinner at Punto De Vista, a cheap, casual spot across from the cruise ship docks.  Mofongo is the signature dish of the island (green plantains are mashed together then fried and filled with grilled meat); our favorite version was Punto De Vista’s with a tomato-mango sauce and shrimp.   

Tuesday

For the second day in the city, Old San Juan and the Fort are romantic morning expeditions – beautiful buildings, a sprawling lawn and a misty view of the ocean. 

For the afternoon a fun and nearly free option is the Bacardi Rum Distillery Tour.  Take the ferry from the #2 pier for $.50; vans will be waiting and drop you off at the factory door for $3 per person (you need 4 people for the taxi, but it’s easy to make likeminded friends on the ferry).  Long on history and short on science, it ends with two free drinks.  Alternatively consider the Museum of Art (MAPR) for classic works, or the Museum of Contemporary Art (MCA), both in the Santurce neighborhood.  

Dining at Jose Enrique is a must, so plan around it (the restaurant is closed Sun./Mon. and Sat. lunch).  Go early to beat the crowd.  Winner of the prestigious Food & WineBest New Chefs honor in 2013, the Chef’s namesake restaurant looks like a plain house in a residential neighborhood.  However the simple chalkboard menu hides sublime fish preparations and melt-in-your-mouth short ribs, among other sure bets.  Plus it’s a steal with entrees under $30.  

By then you may be ready to head outside the city.  Your destination for the rest of the week is Luquillo – a quaint beachside town with quiet streets, stunning beaches and warm hospitality. 

Wednesday

In Luquillo the place to stay is the Sunrise Beach Inn.  The ocean-view rooms are basic but large, with roomy balconies.  Very affordable with rates beginning at $108 a night, the stay includes a full breakfast with a homemade main course each morning on the terrace.  We were able to get wifi in our room and the local Walgreens has a Redbox for cheap entertainment, though Sunrise Beach Inn is expert in local activities and will keep you as busy as you want to be. 

For dining, Pasta Y Pueblo is a little shack next door to the hotel that offers tasty pasta with housemade sauces.  Highlights include the steak, scallops and roasted tomatoes.  Though nothing mind-blowing, you may find yourself here more than once in the little town.

Thursday

Visit the El Yunque Rain Forest.  Your personal car + a free map is plenty for touring (our compact car was fine on the inclines).  There are a number of medium-level hikes once you find a good place to park; we particularly enjoyed waterfall #2 (wear non-slip shoes or boots!).  Entry is free, so don’t be deceived by the Visitor's Center (with a cover charge of $3 per person). 

For cheap and easy dining there is a row of shacks across from the beach, just a 5-minute drive from the rainforest, known as the Luquillo Kiosks.  Here you’ll find everything from pizza to Peruvian to hamburgers.  Souvenir shops mingle with pina colada stands in the 60+ storefronts along Route 3.  We weren’t crazy about the ceviche spot, but there’s a wide variety of options and you can walk to the beach afterward. 

Friday

Snokeling, surf lessons, sailing and deep sea finishing are all options. A 2-hour drive takes you to Camuy Caverns, the world's 3rd largest cave system.  For the James Bond or Big Bang Theory fans, Arecibo (also a 2-hour drive) is home to the largest single-dish radio telescope, which spans 20 acres, was featured in GoldenEye and is the only machine able to accurately predict astroid collisions.

Phosphorescent Bays: We really wanted to see the bio bay but ran out of time; some people complain that the trip back (in kayaks, in the dark, bumping up against a cluster of other inexperienced kayakers) isn’t worth the experience (that water doesn’t light up much), while others are crazy about it.  Fajardo's bay is how to avoid the ferry ride to Vieques for a bio bay tour.  Sunrise Inn also recommends a company that has a speed boat in lieu of ferry to Vieques.

Saturday

Pack up and clean the car.  Enjoy Luquillo Beach for a few hours, pick up souvenirs at the Special Artisans Fair if it's the first Saturday of the month or head into San Juan for one last meal before your flight.     

When next in Puerto Rico, we’ll spend the entire week exploring Vieques.  It doesn’t make sense to trek out to the little island on the east coast unless you have 2+ days to spend (the 2-hour ferry ride from Fajardo is very rocky), but it would be the ideal beach bum vacation.  The Bravo Beach Hotel is highly recommended and there are a number of small houses to rent for families or groups.  Sun Bay was a beautiful but deceiving cove beach – the ground was rocky until you walked further into the water, where it was a white sand beach.  Red and Blue Beach both are highly recommended.   As for restaurants, Bili in Esperanza was tasty, though a little pricey.  El Quenepo and Next Course are both supposed to be good as well.  We didn’t spend more than a few hours here on our honeymoon, but the beaches are stunning and there is plenty to do to fill a week. 

Tips: Call your phone company before you arrive in San Juan.  On Verizon there should be no additional charges for voice, text or data but we recommend confirming and making sure that they note this on your account.