Blaise

The Scryer Rum Barrelhouse & Rooftop is very near the cruise doc. It's a few roads back and a bit to the west.

Yes, that's the cruise. If we went back to Trinidad, not sure what we'd choose to do. An hour drive for a crowded beach is not appealing (even though the Bake and Shark is tasty), and there were 3 other good beach islands on this itinerary.

Yes. That was our bus. It supposedly had wifi, but the network name presented at the front of the bus never appeared in the list of available ones. We saw numerous other similar network names when at the lot with the other buses, though. If you take this tour and want some food or drinks at Maracas, have somebody in your party line up right away for it while others do something else, like look at the beach or hit the restrooms.

I've heard that, but that's much deeper into town (thus taking longer to drive to/from), opens later (11am), and it seems awkward to drag the luggage through its usually crowded space.

Last cruise we had a late flight out of San Juan and chose not to do a post-cruise hotel (opting instead for more nights pre-cruise ). You can't check your bags at the airport until 4 hours before your flight, so we were interested in options for killing time before the flight. We tried to book RCI's "excursion" that drops you off in OSJ and then takes you to the airport (and to your bags) later. We were concerned about the timing and uncertainty of that, but it got cancelled on us anyway. While we were shopping one morning, pre-cruise, in the Costazul and Almacenes Fernández (which are interconnected), we saw someone wheeling their luggage in for storage. We asked them about this and also talked to the manager about it and saw the two rooms they use. He said that we could either use https://bagsaway.com/luggage-storage/san-juan to pre-book, or simply drop in unscheduled with the bags, as they seldom fill up. They open at 9am except on Sunday, which is 11am. Looks like $1.5 per bag per hour with an all-day max. We didn't end up using this opportunity, as the DW wasn't up for another day in OSJ post-cruise. However, I would not hesitate to do this. The shops are very nice, btw, and I bought a shirt at Costazul.

We have done the CasaBlanca Hotel a couple times now. Very reasonably priced and it's right in the heart of Old San Juan. It's an old eclectic place with a cool vibe and various hidden spaces (e.g., multiple roof-top areas). Rooms are small and quirky but adequate. The first time we got a king and it was darling. This is the kind of place where I can imagine each room has different personality and quirks. Drop your expectations to match the price and location, and you'll fall in love with the place. They do breakfast also, but they are so close to several awesome breakfast places that we've never eaten there. Also, note that they will store your bags after checkout so you can further enjoy the town and get to the ship at your leisure. We just called an Uber about 5 minutes before time to leave. Another note: this is on a one-way, single-lane street, so you'll want to get your bags in and out of transportation quickly.

We recently did the excursion, "See the Pitons by Bus" (4hrs). This travels south of the port and stops at various overlooks and eventually gets you within sight of Soufriere and the Pitons. Most stops are crowded with other buses and vans. Most have vendors, some with food or bar items. Some have restrooms for a dollar. At the end of the line is an overlook that has the most unobstructed view of Soufriere and the Pitons, but then just a bit up the road they stop for longer at The Beacon restaurant. This is a lovely place, but there's not really time for food, if it's even available to you. Bathrooms are free and only a non-alcoholic passion fruit punch is served. I recommend exploring downstairs where the bathrooms are. If you want to shop or get a snack/beverage anywhere on this tour you'll need to be quick. St. Lucia is a lush and beautiful island, so in a way this was a good tour that didn't take all day. However, please note that the roads are often steep, windy, and filled with potholes. The ride back from The Beacon was essentially 1hr non-stop of this. Some may be uncomfortable with the ride, or even the mountainside stops. Personally, I would love to have been in a smaller or private tour, and been able to stay at some of these places longer, or even stop at some of the smaller vendor/overlooks we passed up along the way, or even at some of the places in the valley's we passed through. This could have been much more fun if mixed with some dining and drinking stops.

We did the "Trinidad Highlights & Scenic Drive" excursion last week. It was a decent survey of Trinidad but not very fulfilling. It was mostly a drive by of various places. There were 3 stops. One was at the botanical gardens, where you'll see only a small part of this place (restroom available). Note that the longer you stay here the less time you'll have at the final stop: Maracas Bay. There's a quick stop at an overlook of Maracas Bay w/some vendors. At the bay you'll be dropped off across the beach (east side) at Uncle Sam and Sons Bake & Shark. It is a decent sized place with a separate bar. We had only 20 minutes there. I only had time to use the restroom, cross the street to the beach to take pictures, then order a Bake & Shark to be eaten on the bus (messy but quite good. I recommend adding pineapple and the Tamarind sauce). The ride back to the port from here was an hour or more.

We decided to bypass Pigeon Point and try Store Bay Beach instead. We were a little apprehensive about just grabbing a random cab there but we're glad we did (we've never regretted doing this on any island yet). We simply stepped outside the port building and asked for a cab among those begging for our business. At least one person tried to convince us that we really wanted Pigeon Point. The fellow that took care of us signaled for the actual driver to come in and pick us up. We knew in advance that we wanted drivers with plates beginning with "H", and that's what we got. I doubt that any non-certified persons are allowed directly into this area. The driver was a nice young woman and we talked about the beach. She warned that it might have seaweed, which it didn't. She recommended we try the crab and dumplings, which I did. Tasty, but quite impossible to eat. The ride was $25 US each way. We ended up paying the full fare after she returned us to port. This is a gorgeous little stretch of beach. The water was very calm when we visited and it was not at all crowded - basically one row of chairs with some never occupied. We were there on a Wednesday from 10 - 1pm. 2 chairs w/umbrella was $20. There was a bar right on the beach, and another bar with various food booths just behind the beach. There were quite a few vendor booths back there as well (nothing fancy), along with shower and changing facilities (for a dollar). Within walking distance of this area are other restaurants and shops if you've got plenty of time. A double-decker boat pulled in at one point to take people up toward Pigeon Point. In fact, a section to the north side of the beach was roped off for various watercraft to pull in for paid experiences like this. We went out into the waters for a bit and were surprised at the number of fish continually swimming among the people, some of which were quite large. Things were generally very quiet here and there were several families enjoying the sand and water. We weren't sure how to get back to the port or if the place would be busy, so we only scheduled a few hours before the cab would pick us up again. Wish we'd allotted more time. I did not see cabbies hanging around looking for passengers, so I'm glad we did schedule the return pickup.

Our excursion stopped by this beach (on a recent Tuesday). We were dropped at Uncle Sam and Sons across the street to the East end of the bay. Good bar and food there. We only had 20 minutes so I only had time to take a peek at the beach. Seemed pretty busy to me... 2 and 3 rows of chairs as far as I could see. How was your experience of the crowds? Given that this is one of the only beach options, I'd expect it to get pretty busy.

We went back to Café El Punto again on our recent visit. Food was still exceptional.

They were not there the weekend before last, and the street was blocked off.

We hung out for about 3 hours in the Dutch Blonde Beach Bar. Great ocean view up on the second floor of the place, and few people there in spite of the beaches being packed that day. Good food, which includes both sweet and savory dutch pancakes. The place is sponsored by the largest local distillery and takes it's name from the featured beer.

Philipsburg (apart from Old San Juan) is by far the best port town, for shopping, dining, drinking, and views. Whatever we do, we always reserve time to hang out in town. It is also a good island for beach time, rivaled by Barbados (I think I know your itinerary based upon your posts).

St. Lucia is a gorgeous, lush island. Just note that no matter how good the tour, if you're looking to get deep into the southern part (e.g., close to Soufriere and the Pitons), you're talking about some winding, bumpy, narrow mountain roads. We recently did "See the Pitons by Bus," which takes you only within sight, and it took an hour+ to get back to the ship.

I got a chance to try the 3 star Ron Del Barrilito. Not overly impressed. I seemed more of a mixer than a sipper to me. However, the 4 star is extremely expensive. They don't seem to have an affordable offering for a sipper like Plantation, Mt Gay, El Dorado, Brugal, etc. I also tried the Scryer. It had more of a scotch or whiskey taste to it due to the final aging barrels. Not my thing, but they make some awesome cocktails over there. Great place to have a cigar on the roof, too. They won my wife over with their twist on the Pina Colada.

We visited these new places last week: Scryer Rum Barrelhouse & Rooftop -- Cool hangout with excellent drinks. The La Colada was the winner in our book. Some cigars are sold there and smoking is permitted on the roof. Kaffe Haus -- Had great coffee and breakfast there We returned to Raices. Not as good this time as the last 2 visits. My grouper mofongo in creole sauce was good, but my DW's shrimp mofongo in garlic sauce barely had any sauce. We did Café El Punto again, and it was still very good. Good drinks as well. We also did La Taberna Lúpulo again. Wide range of beers on tap.

Following up... Again, I did the "Stade's Rum Tasting and Beach Experience." Turns out that I could have just taken a cab over and probably paid for chairs and had drinks. A couple strolled up from the beach and just hung out at the bar with us while we were there. We got picked up just outside the gate, at the roundabout. They are working on signage to use. Very short drive from the dock. There were only 3 other people as part of my group besides my DW. We had a guide that gave us some info on the distillery and conducted a rum tasting of 4 rums. All outdoors and no dress requirements, like the distillery tour. Their new coconut rum and the XO 20yr is not to be missed. We then had a free rum punch and beach access available. We were able to name our own time for return to the port. Note that two chairs and umbrella are included in this, so be sure not to pay extra for those in the signup. The beach is a quiet and attractive stretch. It is not quite the powder white of Accra, but it is a nice beach by most standards. We were the only one on the chairs, and saw few other people anywhere nearby. There are showers, changing facilities, and lockers for use. The bar and shop were in operation, but the small food facility was not yet open. They are working out the final details on this. They got us a food delivery in the meantime. I would do this again, but maybe just drop in by cab next time. Great space and the people were great. The rums are, as expected, very good. Good mixers and good sippers. The coconut is unique in that it is aged, unlike most flavored rums. It's good enough to be a sipper. And if you want to become an actual fan of straight rum, try a pour of the Plantation XO. I wouldn't do this venue if you want a party beach and water sports, or if Bacardi drinks are satisfactory. Until this hidden gem get discovered, it's a cool, quiet hangout with great drinks. I've attached some pictures from my phone and camera.

Please tell me you didn't order a burger. LOL Most of the places in OSJ serve straight-up PR food (e.g., mofongo, empanadas, tostones). There are some specifically Mexican places in OSJ, though. Most non-ethnic US restaurants are unlike this in that there's few things that are distinctively "American," and they instead tend to serve a variety of things that are generally popular from whatever culture (e.g., Chili's, Cheese Cake Factory, or the corner pub might serve: spaghetti, pizza, fajitas, stir fry, coconut shrimp, and chicken piccata). Maybe a steakhouse or BBQ joint might be a kind of "American restaurant," and they have stereotypically limited menus from which you wouldn't expect much diversity. Regardless, you are right that they could be nicer about this. The waitress might have simply said, "Sorry. We focus on Puerto Rican food here and that's not on our menu." I love Latin food, but there are distinct regional variations. We're more exposed to the Mexican (and Tex-Mex) stuff in the US. Few places serve PR food. I'd never heard of Mofongo (and other dishes) before my first visit. As I understand it, PR, Cuba, and the Dominican Republic have similarities and overlap in their cuisine. I've learned to love their food and learned to cook several of the dishes. The food is one of the primary reasons I love to visit SJ, and OSJ is filled with excellent restaurants. The sangria is pretty awesome, too.

Yeah, we've done both forts enough to pass on it this trip (great fort, btw). We'll be in town 2 nights pre-cruise, staying in the CasaBlanca. We love OSJ (and the food) so much that we've not yet sought to venture elsewhere, other than an Isla Verde resort we once stayed in. For starters, here's some things we've done before and liked: Stroll throughout the town to shop and see the sights. Visit the Basilica. Stroll over to the SW side of town on the Paseo de la Princessa (south of the wall). Go all the way to the water then north along the outside of the wall (you can re-enter up a ways). You can take this walk as far as you like, and it appears you can go around the fort then come back in somewhere on the north side. We've eaten and/or had drinks in Barrachina's. Cool place, but had better food elsewhere — kind of touristy. We discovered better food (& drinks) right across the street in Café El Punto. We've enjoyed the food at Raices a couple times now. Also touristy, but we like the vibe, and the Mofongo & sangria are good (get a carafe). We'll do this again. Hang out in the various plazas with the pigeons. La Taberna Lúpulo was a bar we found that we liked. Nice open-air venue on a corner. Good beers and rum, and the food was surprisingly good. For breakfast we hit the iconic Cafe Mallorca. Locals like it and the coffee maker was a cool old machine that is a hybrid giant espresso maker. Here are some ideas I have for our upcoming trip: Visit Casa Blanca, which is the house built for Ponce de Leon Go outside the north wall and see the cemetery, then go a bit east to La Garita Yaz for lunch. Eat at the Princesa - Cocina Cultura, below the south wall. Looks like good rum drinks there. Hang out at the Scryer Rum Barrelhouse & Rooftop. Grab some breakfast and/or coffee at one of the following: Kaffe Haus Café Cuatro Sombras Café Manolín Finca Cialitos Mercado la Carreta

It's more of a tourist place, but is very attractive w/good Pina Coladas. I've had better food elsewhere. Raices is a combo of fun/touristy and decent food. If you go, get the Mofongo and Sangria. I'll probably eat here for the 3rd time in Feb. Café El Punto is a good place we discovered, just across the street from Barrachina. We'll definitely eat there again. Keep it in mind of you can't get a table at Barrachina.

Not in San Juan. Just a couple nights in Old San Juan before the cruise. On Barbados I'll be doing this, though, which is at a distillery that makes rums I know I like: In Old San Juan I'll be hitting up various restaurants and bars, some of which will have a good rum selection. La Taberna Lúpulo is a good bar with good bar food. Scryer Rum Barrelhouse & Rooftop looks like a cool place to hang out with decent rum. Hoping to visit this one evening, as it's close to our hotel. There's an interesting kiosk called "It's Rum Time" or "Rums of Puerto Rico" on the SW side of OSJ, just south of the wall, which has an interested restaurant beside it in the trees. I'd like to check that out. Lots of fabulous dining options on OSJ. I'd prefer to hang in the city, maybe see a fort or 2, have a meal and snacks, than spend a lot of time at a rum tour. I'm personally not a fan of the SJ rums so far, but I haven't yet tried Barrilito or the boutique Scryers, though.

And a Friends one:

Is it too late to answer? I can offer some ideas. Been there several times and have done some planning for our trip next week.

Can't answer, but I'm looking forward to trying their rum next week. Apparently it is pretty good. Not sure if I'll be able to sample anything beyond the 3 Star in Old San Juan.