El Yunque - Rio Grande - TravBuddy

If you are basing your Puerto Rican vacation in San Juan and have youngsters, how about an excursion to El Yunque? It is the only tropical rain forest in the U.S. National Forest System. Set in the Luquillo Mountains, which rise to 3,500 feet and catch clouds to fuel the rainfall creating this unique environment, El Yunque is only a forty-five minute drive southeast from San Juan.

Although your children are a bit young for most hikes, they should enjoy El Portal, the magnificent center at the forest entrance (no charge for the visitor’s center or park entrance!). The center is a beautiful building with a lot of great exhibits and educational displays that should hold your children’s attention for a few minutes, anyway. You can proceed uphill from there to a tower which doesn’t have too many steps to get to the top. Since this is a rain forest, after all, I can’t guarantee great views – but if you chance upon a clear day I hear the panorama is spectacular.

We did an easy hike past a waterfalls where you can swim to complete your investigation, but I’m sure if you research El Yunque a little you might find a few more age-appropriate activities to make this a fun destination during your visit!