411 on Puerto Rico.........

[Guest RushNY]

Thinking about taking a trip later in the year with my BF who is Nuyorican as a surprise (just hoping he dont read this )can anyone Jizz,Trilingual or anyone else tell me the best places to go,best time how gay friendly etc or can anyone direct me to any web-sites that might give info.I dont wanna speak to his family about it at this time cos they will blab and give the game away i want it to be a big a surprise as possiblw ehen the time comes.Thanks for any info in advance .

[trilingual]

Haven't been to PR in a long time, but I know the Atlantic Beach hotel, on calle Vendig in Condado, is more than gay-friendly. If you don't get any other updates, I'm sure that if you stay there (or go to their bar) you'll be able to connect to whatever else is currently happening in terms of bars, clubs, etc. There's a Steamworks bathhouse in Old San Juan, but I haven't been there.

 

It sounds like you guys have never been to PR. San Juan is a big city, but Old San Juan is really gorgeous; plan on spending a few days wandering around to explore it thoroughly. You also might want to think about renting a car and driving out on the island for a couple of days. The interior is lush and gorgeous. There are some government owned hotels called paradores in old coffee plantations and such, and they're not that expensive. You oughta be able to find the details on the net.

 

Another idea would be to make your arrangements through a gay travel agency. You certainly won't have trouble finding one of those in NY and they should be able to steer you to the kind of places you and the BF would enjoy. I hope you guys actually go and have a great time!

[Guest jizzdepapi]

hi rush. PR is lots of fun but i went with a straight older woman so we didn't do any clubbing or such (though she is very gay friendly and we do galavant from time to time in the U.S.A.)

 

confirm tri's comments about paradores. we stayed in one in Rincon, which is a city on the shore (amazing surf; it's where the Atlantic and Caribbean converge). double with a kitchen, sliders to a private balcony big enough for a dining table and lounge runs around $100-$125 night. lots of restaurants (local cooking and American style) and convenient shopping.

 

next year will check out old San Juan. Have heard from many friends that it is very nice but i generally don't like touristy places. do want to check out El Yunque, a national forest which is near there and where a friend works and has invited me and my friend.

 

PR men, of course, are gorgeous, but except for San Juan, seem to lose that thuggish look.

 

good luck,

jizz

[trilingual]

I don't like "touristy" places, either, but Old San Juan isn't touristy in that sense, even though it's been restored. San Juan is one of the oldest cities in the Western Hemisphere, nearly 500 years old, and the original colonial part is a beautiful old walled city. It isn't Disneyland; people live there. There are also good restaurants and cafes, and you certainly want to see the ancient forts, the old walls, and the governor's palace, which is the oldest in the New World.

 

If I recall correctly, some friends stayed at a parador called the Hacienda Gripiñas which is on the "Skyline Drive" that follows the mountain spine in the interior of the island. Gorgeous tropical scenery! Keep us posted on the travel planning. . .

[Guest RushNY]

Thanks for the information guys managed to do a bit of digging myself yesterday thanks to being off ill found a place in Condado called At Wind Chimes Inn which looked pretty good ,also the info on Old San Juan sounds good what i am looking to do is hire a car to explore the whole of the island ,i am looking to be there about 2 weeks is that long enough,too long ? ,anyway thanks again

[trilingual]

Two weeks should be plenty. It's not such a big island. I'd suggest doing San Juan first (5 - 7 days so you don't feel rushed) and not getting a car at that point. Traffic is bad, parking is nerve-wracking, and most of what you want to see is either in Old San Juan or Condado. You can get around using buses or cabs, when you aren't walking. But give yourselves time at the beach, or hanging at a cafe, and not just rushing around sightseeing. Pick up the car when you're ready to go out on the island and just drop it off at the airport when you're flying home.

 

Also, check the net or a guidebook to figure out when the dry season is, and try scheduling your trip for then, if you're able to. You don't want to waste your vacation time watching the rain (or having to drive in tropical downpours). Of course, at night, when you're snuggled up with the BF, the sound of rain and the coquís (tree frogs) can be pretty romantic!

 

BTW, even though PR is part of the U.S., you'd be surprised at the degree to which English isn't spoken, especially out on the island. So brush up on the Spanish. A pocket dictionary and phrase book aren't bad ideas. I assume your BF speaks Spanish, so that'll make things easier. To ease the culture shock, there's American TV, ATMs everywhere, and the currency is the dollar, so that makes it an easy trip. Not to mention you don't need a passport or anything to go there.

 

Oughta be fun!