Three Things Thursday (8) – Puerto Rico

I thought a Three Things Thursday post would be the best way to share more about my trip to Puerto Rico.

Here we go…

1. Where we stayed – We stayed at the La Concha Resort which seemed to be located in a central part of San Juan. Everything about the outdoor part of the resort was perfect – multiple pools, beach access, great bars, etc. The guest rooms were pretty spacious as well. We stayed in a suite for two of the nights, and it was the perfect size for four people. The only negative thing about our stay at La Concha was the front desk staff. They weren’t super responsive and made multiple errors with our rooms. Other than that, I would highly recommend this hotel!

2. Where we ate – I would say we had a good food experience in San Juan. The service was hit or miss, but the food was pretty decent.

• Sofia Italian Kitchen & Bar – We ate here on night one, and I will be the first to admit that I was skeptical about trying Italian food in Puerto Rico. But to my surprise, the food was delicious. A few of the dishes were standouts, including the gnocchi, spaghetti alfredo, and mushroom tagliatelle.
• Orale Guey Mexican Bar & Grill – We went to this little hole in the wall Mexican joint twice. We fell in love with the nachos and queso on the first night, convinced everyone that we should eat a proper dinner there the next night, and ended up receiving so-so food. There is likely much better Mexican food in San Juan, but this place was located across the street from our hotel and was the perfect late-night-I-just-want-to-eat kind of restaurant.
• KOCO (in the San Juan Hotel) – We ate here on Saturday night for a more dressed up/fancy dinner. Not only was the food excellent (I shared lo mein and gnocchi with Roshni) but the ambiance was beautiful and very elegant.
• Solera (in La Concha) – We had a poolside lunch here one of the afternoons, and I think everyone really enjoyed their food. My veggie burger, while not the best I’ve ever had, was surprising delicious. And the fries were perfectly seasoned and crisp.
• Punk Burger Bar Bistro – I wish we had found this place earlier during our stay. I wanted to try everything on the menu! We ended up going on Sunday before our flights home, and because I wasn’t super hungry I decided to get an acai bowl with berries, banana, and peanut butter (my first ever!). Monica got a burger and fries and raved about the food as well. A must visit restaurant for sure!

3. What we did – All of our days were spent poolside/beachside, and our evenings were filled with fun nighttime adventures!

• Bioluminescent Bay kayak tour – So here’s the thing. I’m a pretty adventurous person. I like being outdoors and trying new activities. But put me in a small kayak and tell me to row around in the dark and I just can’t! While we did survive (thanks in large part to my kayak buddy Monica), I would say that this activity just wasn’t for me. Luckily, the bioluminescence and star-filled sky made up for the scariness of kayaking in the dark. And honestly, looking back, I find myself cracking up at the craziness of the whole experience. Makes for a fun story if nothing else!
• La Placita – La Placita is basically one big block party occupied by both bars and clubs. We ventured over on Thursday night and spent the majority of our time dancing in one of the less crowded bars. A few people told us that the best time to go to La Placita is on Friday and Saturday nights. That’s when it’s supposedly bumpin’!
• The Bar/Lounge at La Concha – We were lucky enough to stay at a place that had decent DJ and a big bar that came alive at night. Instead of leaving the comfort of our hotel, we opted to hang out by the bar on Friday night. Apparently, the La Concha bar/lounge is a popular hotspot for celebrities – too bad we didn’t see anyone famous!
• Club Brava – Club Brava was our final destination, and it was a lot of fun. The club itself was fairly large with multiple levels, and thankfully the DJ on Saturday night was excellent. We truly danced the night away!

Well, there you have it – Puerto Rico in a nutshell! I had so much fun celebrating Sweeti and can’t wait for all the wedding fun in May!

Your turn to share – what are three things you’ve been thinking about/doing this week! If you’re a blogger, write a post and link back to one or all of the hostesses: Raj from Pink Chai Living, Nisha from Love Laugh Mirch, or Salma from The Write Balance.  Then share a link to your post (not your blog’s home page).