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Puerto Rico is a U.S. territory in the Caribbean with a practical mix of Old San Juan history, beaches, rainforests, bioluminescent bays, music, rum, coffee, and island food culture. Discover Puerto Rico highlights Old San Juan and the metro area, northern caves and beaches, southern art towns, eastern rainforest and beaches, western surf and sunsets, central mountain coffee country, and the smaller islands of Vieques and Culebra. For mainland U.S. travelers it is a domestic trip with U.S. dollars, U.S. phone plans, no passport control between the mainland and Puerto Rico, and many nonstop flights into San Juan.

The most important historic stop is San Juan National Historic Site, where the National Park Service preserves the fortress system built because European powers fought for control of the strategic island for centuries. Castillo San Felipe del Morro and Castillo San Cristobal are the signature sights, and they pair naturally with the blue cobblestones, plazas, museums, restaurants, and harbor views of Old San Juan. Nature-focused visitors should consider El Yunque National Forest, one of the best-known tropical rainforest experiences under the U.S. federal system, plus the bioluminescent bays at Vieques, Fajardo, or La Parguera, the beaches of Culebra, and surf towns such as Rincon.

Three to five days works for San Juan, El Yunque, and a beach or bio bay; a week allows Vieques, Culebra, the west coast, or the central mountains. Hurricane season runs June through November, and heavy rain can affect roads, ferries, and rainforest trails; winter and spring are generally the busiest and driest periods. Renting a car is useful outside San Juan, but parking in Old San Juan is limited and roads can be narrow, potholed, or congested. U.S. mainland travelers should still expect USDA agricultural inspection when flying home, and ferry or small-plane reservations for Vieques and Culebra should be made early in peak periods.

Visitor Tip: Stay at least one night in Vieques if Mosquito Bay is a priority; moon phase, weather, and boat or kayak availability can decide whether the bioluminescence is worth the trip.

• Puerto Rico is a U.S. territory rather than a separate State Department country-information destination; travelers from outside the United States should verify U.S. entry rules for their nationality.