Alright, so I went down to San Juan not too long ago. Heard a lot about it, you know? But my wallet wasn’t exactly overflowing. I figured, there’s gotta be stuff to do that doesn’t cost an arm and a leg, right? So, I made it my mission to find the free fun.
First thing I did was just lace up my shoes and hit the streets in Old San Juan. Man, that place is something else. Didn’t cost me a single penny to just wander around. Those blue cobblestone streets? Yeah, they’re real. I spent hours just walking, looking at the colorful buildings, soaking it all in. It felt like stepping back in time, seriously.
I saw the big forts, El Morro and Castillo San Cristobal, from the outside mostly. You gotta pay to go inside the main parts, but just walking the grounds around them, seeing how massive they are against the ocean? That was impressive enough for me, and totally free. The views of the water were just incredible from up there.
Hitting the Sand
Naturally, you can’t go to Puerto Rico without hitting the beach. Found out that plenty of the nice beaches are public access. I spent a good chunk of time at Ocean Park beach. It was less crowded than some others, felt more local.
Here’s what I did, basically:
- Found a spot on the sand.
- Put down my towel.
- Jumped in the water (it was perfect).
- Watched people play beach tennis or just chill.
- Got some sun.
Didn’t spend a dime, just enjoyed the Caribbean vibe. Condado Beach was nearby too, a bit more bustling, also free to just walk along and enjoy the scene.
Another cool free thing? Walking the Paseo de la Princesa. It’s this really beautiful walkway in Old San Juan, right along the old city walls. It’s got trees, statues, old-timey street lamps. I went near sunset, and man, the view looking out over the harbor was something special. Cost? Zero.
I also just enjoyed hanging out in the plazas. Like Plaza de Armas. Grabbed a cheap snack from a nearby spot sometimes, but mostly just sat on a bench, watched families, listened to the city sounds. It’s a good way to feel the local pulse without needing cash.
Oh, and window shopping! Old San Juan has tons of little shops and galleries. Obviously, buying stuff costs money, but just looking around, seeing the local crafts, the art, the souvenirs? That’s free. I poked my head into quite a few places just to see what they had.
So yeah, my whole trip wasn’t free, obviously gotta eat and sleep somewhere. But finding things to do for free in San Juan? Way easier than I thought. Just walking around Old San Juan and hitting the beaches filled up a lot of my time and honestly, those were some of the best parts. You really can experience a lot of its beauty and atmosphere without constantly reaching for your wallet.
