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Things You Should Not Miss
1. Start out with a ranger orientation talk.
These 20 minute gabs will get you off to the right start with the
history you're about to wander through. Perfect way to get going
at San Juan NHS. After this start, you might want to explore on
your own, watch a film, or go deeper into the history with a longer
ranger walk. There's a Tunnel Tour, Lighthouse Talk, and Outer
Defenses tour. Check the day's schedule to see what's on tap for
the day you want to visit.
2. Take a break at San Cristobal to fly a kite and eat a picnic lunch. The views from the area are great and you'll just love the moment of relaxation among so much history.
3. Take a walk on the Paseo del Morro (picture below, NPS). What used to be a maintenance road till 1998 is now a trail that lets you walk along the water outside the fort walls and the old San Juan wall, too. They're planning future expansion of this trail to connect both forts.
El Morro- This fort sits at the entrance to San Juan Bay. Built from 1539 to 1787, it saw action during the Spanish-American war. There are exhibits, a film, ranger guided or self-guided walks, too.
Castillo San Cristobal - Located near the location of the eastern walls of Old San Juan, it was built to protect San Juan from forces by land. The first shots of the Spanish-American War were shot here.
Camping - There's no camping in the park either. Check the Puerto Rico Tourism office for information on the possibilities on the island.
Caribbean National Forest
San Juan Tourism Center
Puerto Rico Convention Bureau
2. Take a break at San Cristobal to fly a kite and eat a picnic lunch. The views from the area are great and you'll just love the moment of relaxation among so much history.
3. Take a walk on the Paseo del Morro (picture below, NPS). What used to be a maintenance road till 1998 is now a trail that lets you walk along the water outside the fort walls and the old San Juan wall, too. They're planning future expansion of this trail to connect both forts.
What is There Now
The FortsEl Morro- This fort sits at the entrance to San Juan Bay. Built from 1539 to 1787, it saw action during the Spanish-American war. There are exhibits, a film, ranger guided or self-guided walks, too.
Castillo San Cristobal - Located near the location of the eastern walls of Old San Juan, it was built to protect San Juan from forces by land. The first shots of the Spanish-American War were shot here.
Lodging and Camping
Lodging - There is no lodging or camping within the park itself, but plenty nearby. See your favorite online site such as Expedia or the local tourism websites for the type that might meet your needs.Camping - There's no camping in the park either. Check the Puerto Rico Tourism office for information on the possibilities on the island.
San Juan Links
San Juan National Historic SiteCaribbean National Forest
San Juan Tourism Center
Nearby Attractions
Puerto Rico TourismPuerto Rico Convention Bureau
San Juan Then and Now
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San Juan Then |
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Imagine
Sir Francis Drake firing into the fort of El Morro in 1595, and
the Dutch again in 1625. Wait a century and you even had the
United States packing punch into those walls in 1898. Imagine the
New World from both sets of eyes, the Europeans who settled the area
beginning in 1508 and the islanders who met the, okay, let's get this about
right, the invasion of new folks. (Photo above of San Cristobal
Fortress, 1908. Photo Courtesy LOC)
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San Juan Now |
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Inside the Forts - Take a walk, view a film, listen to a ranger describe the history of each fort as if you were back in the days of Spanish gallions and shots fired from sea or land. (Photo above of the 4th Level at El Morro, NPS) Outside the Forts - There's so much to see and do in the city of San Juan, including recreation, the history of Old San Juan itself, plus all those vacation shopping escursions, too. And not too far away is an actual rain forest at the Caribbean National Forest.
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