San Juan- what can we walk to from ship?

[KatielovesKruzes]

We are going on the Jewel next week. Someone who works with my DH told us that we can walk to several sights from the ship, including a Coach outlet, from the ship. Has anyone gone out on thier own in San Juan? We willbe with 3 kiddies. 7,7 and 5.

 

Thanks!

Kathy:o

[newtocruising18]

I'm sorry, you want to go to a Coach outlet while on vacation outside of the country?? If you've never been to San Juan before, why would you make a beeline for shopping when you can explore the island?

[steve1era]

Kathy,

 

Been to San Juan twice. DW loves the shopping (although I don't remember a Coach outlet, not that I was paying that much attention), and there was enough time to explore as well as shop. To each their own as they say. BTW, we were in Old San Juan both times. A word of advice, know your prices before you go. Some things are good deals, others are not.

 

You can walk to the shopping areas & restaurants easily but with 3 young kids in tow, that complicates matters. IMO, the kids will probably get bored quickly. At least, my kids would have at that age.

[Jim B]

Remember. Puerto Rico is not going out of the country.

They are part of the United States.

In fact every year they seem to get closer to becoming our 51st state.

[amapola]

The Coach outlet is right in Old San Juan, so you can catch all the historical sites and sights AND get your purse fix at the same time!!! :D

 

My recommendation to you is to read as many of the posts on this board as you can, because they have lots of suggestions of things to do in OSJ. There are several threads about the Coach outlet too. If you're interested, within a block or two of the Coach store you can find Dooney & Bourke, Polo, Nautica, and several other interesting outlets & factory stores. Don't forget to visit the local handcrafts stores too, of course :)

[amapola]

IMO, the kids will probably get bored quickly. At least, my kids would have at that age.

 

If you go to the Cathedral (just up the street from Coach :D ), right across from it you will see a small park and at the other end, El Museo del Niño. It's a really cute hands-on children's museum. They have a website in Spanish if you can read it http://www.museodelninopr.org/ or you can Google it for more info.

[Oaktree]

The kids might enjoy the free trolley ride from the waterfront. Get off at

Plaza de Armas and walk one block to best shopping.

http://www.travelmaps.com/OldSanJuan.html

[Fancy_Goods]

Make sure you wear good walking shoes as almost all of old San Juan is coblestone streets and sidewalks are very narrow. You don't want to go busting up your feet at the beginning of your vacation!

 

PS The Coach Outlet in San Juan carries the same products at the same prices are any Coach Outlet stateside.

[texancruzer]

Old San Juan is only about 15 square blocks...... very doable with kids in tow.

 

7 - 7 and 5 WOULD LOVE TO VISIT EITHER ONE OF THE FORTS !!!! I would not try to do both at that age but El Morro is pretty neat :D

 

The streets are cobble and the sidewalks are narrow and it is also hilly.....

 

my suggestion is to take a taxi UP to the El Morro fort and walk back down to the pier area zig zagging to take in whatever sites and stores you wish to visit....

 

Frommers Caribbean Ports of Call (14.95) at your local bookstore has a huge section on San Juan with maps, locations of special sites, stores, restaurants etc... also a walking tour (2 hrs. worth) with where to start, where to turn right walk 2 blocks etc.. etc. Very detailed. Also a little history on each site. This book has now helped me plan 3 cruises.... as each chapter is a different port in the Caribbean and is written from the cruisers perspective....meaning getting off the ship for one day.

 

We were there 3 days/2 nights precruise last Nov. and LOVED IT.

[lovemylab]

What pier does the Jewel dock at? If it is the Pan Am Pier than you won't be withing walking distance. There are plenty of taxi's available - the fare was about $4pp each way.

 

As others have said, wear comfortable shoes as the streets are cobblestones (and there are lots of hills). You should be fine with children though - I saw several people with children (some were in strollers) and they all seemed to be managing just fine.

 

The Couch outlet is in Old San Juan although I didn't find the prices to be that great.

[orquidia]

Remember. Puerto Rico is not going out of the country.

They are part of the United States.

In fact every year they seem to get closer to becoming our 51st state.

 

actually, Puerto Rico is a country but it is not a sovereign one, they have their own olympic team which competes like any other country against the US and are recognized as a country by the UN since 1953, that is why Puerto Rico does not vote in american elections and does not pay federal taxes, because they are not part of the US (imagine, being part of the US and not voting in the congressional and general elections, that would be the most anti-democratic scenario, can't imagine it), They are a self governing protectorate, that means that foreign affairs (inmigration, defense,international trades are conducted by the US) but internal affairs are conducted by the PR government, some say this is a neo-colonial situation (most who favor annexation or the republic think this way), others see it as a "pre-european union" type of treaty were many things are shared, between these two nations (most who favor the present status think this way, including their top leaders who keep talking about the ''el pacto entre PR y USA (the compact or treaty between Puerto Rico and USA)").

I do disagree that they are becoming closer to a 51 state, the opposite is happening ( us military bases have closed and are leaving, the united nations closer to a general assembly discussion on PR's political status and sovereignty (more info http://www.un.org/News/Press/docs//2006/gacol3138.doc.htm, and a solid anti us-statehood voting bloc that has won all the referendums in the past 50 years, a bloc that is divided between those who want the present status as an Estado libre asociado, that's the official name, which in english translates into...Free Associated State of Puerto Rico...:p ...good trivia, and those who want the republic..ok, enough of puerto rico 101 lessons for today..

[wrp96]

What pier does the Jewel dock at? If it is the Pan Am Pier than you won't be withing walking distance. There are plenty of taxi's available - the fare was about $4pp each way.

 

As others have said, wear comfortable shoes as the streets are cobblestones (and there are lots of hills). You should be fine with children though - I saw several people with children (some were in strollers) and they all seemed to be managing just fine.

 

The Couch outlet is in Old San Juan although I didn't find the prices to be that great.

 

Jewel usually docks in Old San Juan since she's only in San Juan for the day.

[orquidia]

The Coach outlet is right in Old San Juan, so you can catch all the historical sites and sights AND get your purse fix at the same time!!! :D

 

My recommendation to you is to read as many of the posts on this board as you can, because they have lots of suggestions of things to do in OSJ. There are several threads about the Coach outlet too. If you're interested, within a block or two of the Coach store you can find Dooney & Bourke, Polo, Nautica, and several other interesting outlets & factory stores. Don't forget to visit the local handcrafts stores too, of course :)

 

there is also a Puma and a Ralph Lauren Polo outlet-boutique stores

[AspiringCindy]

Coach, Dooney & Bourke, London Fog and Polo are all located on the same street. Calle Cristo to be exact...well within walking distance of the ship!...and the prices are better in PR for Coach and Polo! Been there many times even though we have a Coach outlet 20 minutes from our house in NJ!!

[tcpa]

We will be in San Juan at night. Any suggestions? I'm thinking about just hanging out at Senor Frogs unless I hear of something more exciting.

[Capt_BJ]

You mention kiddies so I feel I should warn you that the piers are at the bottom of the hill on the south side of town and the forts are at the top of the hill on the north side. Old SJ is in between. When you leave the ship and walk to a fort it will feel like you are climbing a mountain.

 

You may want to take a cab to one of the forts which will put you at the top of the hill, and explore down hill heading back to the ship.....

 

http://www.google.com/maps?ie=UTF8&oe=UTF-8&hl=en&q=san+juan,+puerto+rico&z=15&ll=18.466767,-66.11598&spn=0.019091,0.0424&t=h&om=1

[klflote]

(imagine, being part of the US and not voting in the congressional and general elections, that would be the most anti-democratic scenario, can't imagine it),

 

Umm...not to go to far astray from the topic, but that's exactly what the almost 300,000 residents of Washington DC face. An anti-democratic feature of the US Constitution...

 

To return to the topic, having done San Juan on our own a couple of times, you can certainly do the things you suggest. But the outlets aren't really special; I'd second the walking tour suggestion (in fact, in a few weeks we'll be taking a guided tour our 4th visit to San Juan -- typically, we find that a guide can offer a lot more interesting information than a guide book, and I'm quite looking forward to it).

[countryside]

Check out the Botanical gardens, a 300 acre park like setting located in the heart of Río Piedras, near San Juan. Winding, scenic roads and trails are available for walking, photography and plant observation. There is a good palm collection, as well as many large specimens of different tropical tree species, but not much is labeled. Worth a visit if you have the time.

find out more at www.***** click on sightseeing and then on expert.

The Botanical Garden of the University was built in 1971, which serves as a educational and culture center. There are many unique gardens inside the Garden. One special garden is called Monet Garden. In 1883, Claude Monet builts his residence in Giverny, about 40 miles from Paris. He also planted his own garden where he made many his paintings. The design of the Garden here follows the same style and the landscape of the real Monet Garden but implemented by the local tropical plants. This garden also provides a place for University art students and local artists to work.

[andnickali]

You mention kiddies so I feel I should warn you that the piers are at the bottom of the hill on the south side of town and the forts are at the top of the hill on the north side. Old SJ is in between. When you leave the ship and walk to a fort it will feel like you are climbing a mountain.

 

 

There is a free shuttle bus that runs throughout the area. Just look for the signs and get off/on where you want. SJ is a great walking stop- with or without kids. We are going in August with our three (who will be 6, 10 and 12) and can not wait to see the forts and show them the city. I also liked that the food prices were similar to the US- we actually found a Coke machine that sold 20 ounce bottles for $1- we joked that we should stock up for the ship!