1. San Juan

San Juan, Puerto Rico's capital and largest city, sits on the island's Atlantic coast. Its widest beach fronts the Isla Verde resort strip, known for its bars, nightclubs and casinos. Cobblestoned Old San Juan features colorful Spanish colonial buildings and 16th-century landmarks including El Morro and La Fortaleza, massive fortresses with sweeping ocean views, as well as the Paseo de la Princesa bayside promenade.

2. El Yunque National Forest

Tropical rainforest with walking trails. The climate here is wet and considerably cooler than along the coast. From El Portal Visitor Center, a walkway winds through the surrounding treetops. Trails run to La Mina waterfall and Mount Britton, then up to the high-altitude dwarf forest. In the south are ancient petroglyphs, made by the area’s indigenous Taíno people. The forest comes alive with the nightly calls of coquí tree frogs.

3. Culebra Island

Culebra is a small, sparsely populated island and surrounding group of cays off the east coast of Puerto Rico. In the northwest, Flamenco Beach is a long crescent of white sand and turquoise water backed by tree-covered hills. Nearby Tamarindo Beach offers clear waters full of fish, sea turtles and rays. In the southwest, Punta Melones beach is known as a viewpoint for dramatic sunsets. The area's coral reefs are among the best in the Caribbean.

4. Cavernas de Camuy

Huge cave system, thought to be the third largest in the world. It is located between the municipalities of Camuy, Hatillo, and Lares in northwestern Puerto Rico, but the main entrance to the park is located in Quebrada, Camuy

5. Vieques

Vieques is a Caribbean island off Puerto Rico's eastern coast. It's known for boat tours of Bioluminescent Bay (or Mosquito Bay), where microorganisms give the water a blue-green glow. It also offers secluded beaches and snorkeling. Wild horses roam the countryside, much of which is preserved as the Vieques National Wildlife Refuge. The Fuerte de Vieques is a mid-19th-century Spanish fort and museum.

6. Rincón

Rincón is a town on Puerto Rico’s west coast, known for its beaches, surfing and whale watching. Punta Higuero Lighthouse overlooks Domes Beach, with its pounding surf. Central Sandy Beach is lively. Steps Beach is the site of Tres Palmas Marine Reserve, home to parrotfish and hawksbill turtles. South along the coast are quiet Caribbean beaches like Corcega. Offshore, coral reefs surround tiny Desecheo Island.

7. San Germán

Charming colonial town, with ornate mansions. San Germán, is in western Puerto Rico, in the semiarid foothills of the Cordillera Central.

8. Ponce

Ponce is a large city on Puerto Rico’s southern coast. Its well-preserved old town features grand mansions built in the unique Ponce Creole architectural style, such as the Centro Cultural de Ponce Carmen Solá de Pereira. Nearby, the Museo de Arte de Ponce is famed for its huge European and Puerto Rican art collections. South, the seafront boardwalk of Paseo Tablado La Guancha is lined with restaurants and bars.

9. El Morro

El Morro Fort, or officially Castillo de San Felipe del Morro, stands guard at the entrance to San Juan harbor as a reminder of a by-gone era when invading countries would attempt sea attacks to take this prized city and harbor.

This beautiful 6-level fort was named in honor of Spain’s King Philip II.

10. Luquillo Beach

Calm beach with golden sands and palm trees. Luquillo is known as "La Capital del Sol" (sun capital) and "La Riviera de Puerto Rico" (Puerto Rico's riviera). Luquillo was founded in 1797 by Cristóbal Guzmán.

11. Arecibo Observatory

The world’s largest radio telescope. . As of 2018, the observatory is operated by University of Central Florida, Yang Enterprises and UMET, under cooperative agreement with the US National Science Foundation.