Things to Do

The best things to do in Old San Juan on a cruise day — ranked specifically by how well each activity fits a port-day window. Forts, plazas, photo stops, museums, beaches, and short walks that you can realistically complete and still make it back to the ship before all-aboard.Top of the list: walking the cobblestone streets of the historic district, visiting Castillo San Felipe del Morro (El Morro) and Castillo San Cristóbal, browsing Calle Fortaleza’s umbrella street, sampling local rum at Casa Bacardí or one of the smaller distillery tasting rooms, photographing the colorful colonial facades, and grabbing authentic Puerto Rican mofongo for lunch.For each activity we cover the realistic time required, walking distance from each cruise pier, cost, accessibility, and whether it’s worth doing on a 4-hour port call or only on a longer day. We also flag a few overrated stops that consume more time than they’re worth on a cruise schedule, and a few hidden corners of Old San Juan that most cruise passengers never see.