Why You Should Travel to Puerto Rico This Summer!

Photo by MaxPixel

You should travel to the island of Puerto Rico this summer for its unending beauty and need for tourism. This summer, the American territory of Puerto Rico offers a great opportunity to support many who are in great need. Puerto Rico is the land of rainforests and

Courtesy of CIA

Puerto Rico, an archipelago by geography, consists of its mainland and five other inhabitable, smaller land areas. The main island, home to the capital city of San Juan, is the most densely populated and offers the best in tourism. Traveling to Puerto Rico in 2018 brings options for less expensive rates with less populated tourist areas. In addition to the standard vacation options, volunteering experiences in Puerto Rico are highly engaging travel alternatives.

Puerto Rico in June

June offers some of the best weather on the island of Puerto Rico. You’ll find warm, breezy weather to accompany your beach adventures and citywide escapades. The crowds of tourists from the winter months begin to head back home and the hotels lower their rates for the month.

June 2018 Events

Some of the events kicking off this summer in Puerto Rico are listed below. There are many enjoyable events across the island and this list only highlights a few selected gems.

Puerto Rican Restaurant Week

This week long event is a showcase of Puerto Rican cuisine across the island. Over 20 premier restaurants participate in offering diners prix-fixe menu options at discounted rates. Check out participating restaurants on the Puerto Rican Restaurant Week website for information and reservations.

Photo by DOD

Festival de la Piña

Festival de la Piña is a three day event highlighting and celebrating the island’s pineapples. Farms offer tours of the land and fruit tree orchards. The festivities include delicious foods and live music for dancing. Located at La Parquera, visitors can find much to do throughout the day and night over this festival weekend.

Photo by Smabs

FÜd & Beer Fest

With over 50 types of beer for the tasting, this fest is ready to please all with food and beverages. Going beyond the historical pizza and beer festivities, this year’s celebrations will open up the food offerings from burgers to pizza and all the tastes that work well with refreshing brews. Purchase tickets through the Fud & Beer Fest website.

Aibonito Flower Festival

This yearly festival is the largest flower and plant sale on the island. Beginning at the very end of June, the festival features plants and flowers from all across the island, beautiful displays of color and vibrancy. For more information regarding exact location and daily openings check out the Aibonito Events page.

Puerto Rico in July

July in Puerto Rico means high temperatures and incredible beach adventures. Although there is a slight chance of hurricanes as the season begins to open, the percentages are low and the levels are minimal. You’ll find even fewer crowds and cheaper prices on your travel excursions. This is the ‘off-season’ for hotels and travel companies, so take advantage of the easily accessible tours and treats. This may be even more true in 2018 as tourism rates are low and companies are eager to bring activities your way.

July 2018 Events

Below are just a few of the events you can look forward to in July. Take a look at what is offered regularly then search around as you travel for hidden gems throughout your Puerto Rican neighborhood tours.

Photo by Kowarski

Luis Muñoz Rivera's Birthday

This national holiday is a celebration dedicated to the journalist, poet and statesman of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Rivera’s birthday celebration takes place on the third Monday in July and bring parties, dances and remembrance of a man who strongly advocated for Puerto Rican independence from both Spain and the United States.

El Gigante Marathon

This 5-15 kilometer race brings swells of crowds to the streets of San Juan. Racers and joggers of all types take to the streets to run their length of a ‘marathon’. Fit with joyous celebrations throughout much of the day, race day is an excellent way to take part in authentic Puerto Rican livelihood.

Loíza Carnival

Loiza, a small town in northern Puerto Rico, hosts a celebration of St. James the Apostle every July. Honoring ceremonies are tied together with bomba dancing, costumes and a great deal of flair. History and culture come together through the barrios of Loiza for a popular, carnival style celebration.

Volunteer in Puerto Rico

Photo by Fish & Wildlife

Volunteering in Puerto Rico this summer is a fantastic way to spend your vacation. As a United States territory, many Americans find reward in supporting those on the island to regain normalcy after 2017’s Hurricane Maria.

Even at the current stage of recovery, there are many options for helping those living on the island. The suggestions below are based on needs outlined by those living in Puerto Rico. Use the information as a resource guide for creating a meaningful summer vacation.

All Hands and Hearts

All Hands Volunteers is currently assisting Puerto Ricans in and around the areas of Yabucoa and Barranquitas. Their goal is for continued support throughout this recovery phase as individuals and families clean up after the natural disaster of Hurricane Maria. They offer free flights for those volunteer for two or more weeks this summer. Apply for volunteer approval directly through their Puerto Rican Response webpage.

1 Planet

Photo by DOD

1 Planet is an organization that creates volunteer opportunities around the globe based on local needs. They have a specialized volunteer option for Puerto Rico that focusing on community project management opportunities. Some of the options currently available include rescuing and socializing street dogs, water monitoring, beach cleaning and senior center supports. With 1 Planet, volunteers receive free meals and housing for the duration of their work. More information for 1 Planet’s Puerto Rican volunteer efforts can be found here with a link to their application page as well.

Volunteer Match

Volunteer Match offers a collection of volunteer opportunities in a search engine format. Plug in the details of your trip, such as ‘Puerto Rico’ and receive a listing of organizations with volunteer options to choose from. This list has options from hosting families in your own USA home to cleaning up and supporting reinstallation processes in Puerto Rico. This site is good for ongoing volunteer searches as well.