Best Time to Visit Puerto Rico – A 2020 Guide for Tourists

The best time to visit Puerto Rico depends on which type of person you are.

Are you someone who wants to avoid the crowd and travel in shoulder seasons? Or, are you a budget traveler who likes to travel when the tickets are cheaper? Well, being an adventurous and fun-loving person, I’d like to travel for fun and festivals.

Regardless, the best time to visit Puerto Rico is between late spring and just before the rainy summer (mid-April to June). After the busy winter season, the weather stabilizes and becomes pleasant and the travel fares also decrease which is why most travelers plan their trip in these seasons to avail great discounts.

The Best Time to Travel Puerto Rico to Enjoy a Pleasant Weather

The beautiful weather of Puerto Rico is one of the main reasons why the region is a heaven for tourists. It is because of the pleasantly warm weather, it becomes quite easy for tourists to trip year-round.

If you love warm weather, the best time of the year to visit Puerto Rico is from mid-April to June, where the average temperature is from 85 – 88 °F.

Data sourced from the National Climatic Data Center

Puerto Rico’s rainy season lasts from April to November. Therefore, if you are a Pluviophile (rain-lover), May is the ideal month for you to enjoy the weather that gets an average of 5.9 inches of rain every year.

Also, beach lovers would love this news that the sun shines 9 hours a day and the ocean water has mostly a perfect swimming temperature.

Puerto Rico Summer Season

Puerto Rico experience sunny, warm, and humid temperature most of the year with an average temperature of 85 to 90 °F. July is the hottest month in Puerto Rico, experiencing a mean temperature of 88 °F.

Puerto Rico Winter Season

January, February, and March are the driest months of the year, which is why this season is so popular for visitors. Puerto Rico experiences its coldest temperatures in January with an average low temperature of 70 °F (21 °C) and an average high temperature of 83 °F (28 °C).

Puerto Rico Hurricane Season

The hurricane season in Puerto Rico begins in June every year and ends in November. The peak season for hurricanes in Puerto Rico starts from mid-September, but tropical storms can occasionally form in May and January.

On the positive side, the odds of getting hit directly by the hurricane are quite rare; instead, these tornadoes can often skirt across the island. But these hurricanes come with plenty of warning and the last time the island experienced the cyclone was way back in 1931.

“Marissa says, I highly recommend people who are thinking of visiting Puerto Rico to go after the hurricane season which starts during the summer in July and goes until September/October. I was on the island around the time Dorian and Karen were passing through, and even though the island didn’t get hit too hard, it was also a very nervewracking time for everyone. Around November and December the weather cools down and the holiday season invites some fun celebrations such as the San Sebastian parade. It is also nice during the spring season around March-May when the weather is more temperate”

The Best Time to Visit Puerto Rico for Budget Tourists

If you want to remain light on the pocket, the best time to go to Puerto Rico is from September – October or from January – February, when the tickets to Puerto Rico are the cheapest. The tickets may range from $216 (minimum) to $264 (maximum).

Moreover, many US airlines provide direct flights from most of the US cities, and you can find the cheapest flight for as low as $216.

How to Find Cheap Flights to Puerto Rico?

Online price discrimination is a common occurrence. In fact, it is prevalent amongst flight booking websites or flight comparison sites. With a VPN you can find Cheap Flights to Puerto Rico by changing your current location and then performing the same search. As a result, you will find the difference in the price quoted by the website.

 

Data sourced from the Cheapflights.com

On the other hand, you will find significant discounts on the prices of hotel and guest houses from September – October as the price and demand of the hotel drop because of the off-season. The hotels that cost over 350 dollars per room in the peak-season can slump to $80 per room in the off-season.

The Best Time to Travel Puerto Rico for Festivals

Puerto Rico is rich in festivals, and they know how to make the most of their festivals. The best aspect of the festival season is that you get to enjoy the event for free. The festivals mostly start nonstop from late November, when Christmas celebrations are kicked off right after the end of Thanksgiving.

Other than that, there are tremendous other activities you can indulge in when you are in Puerto Rico. It may include scuba diving, snorkeling, hiking, tubing, freediving, and more.

Tara Caguiat says, “When visiting the west coast of PR, you can’t miss snorkeling and freediving in La Parguera. Just one hour south of Rincon, you can rent a small boat for under $50 and head out on the open ocean where untouched reef awaits. This area isn’t very touristy so it’s likely you’ll be the only divers in blue, crystal-clear water. Less than 10 feet below the surface, you’ll find sea fans, sea turtles, exotic fish, and multiple kinds of coral. On the way back to Rincon, you can stop at the famous Cabo Rojo Lighthouse on the edge of oceanfront cliffs”

Puerto Rico Festivals in November:

The famous events and festivals that take place in November are:

• The Festival Nacional Indígena celebrates the Taino culture and Puerto Rico’s indigenous roots at the end of November.
• Puerto Rico Discovery Day commemorates the arrival of Christopher Columbus in 1493 with a public holiday on Nov. 19.
• Puerto Rico Cocktail Week celebrates the island’s local (alcoholic) flavors.

Puerto Rico Festivals in December:

The famous events and festivals that take place in December are:

• There are a number of events that take place in Puerto Rico celebrating Christmas, from the Hatillo Masks Festival to the Lighting of the Town of Bethlehem, and the Old San Juans White Christmas Festival.
• Christmas Eve, known in PR as Nochebuena, is an amazing time for visitors to check in on local celebrations, reserving special Christmas dinners at restaurants on the island.

Jim Fricker says “The best time to go to Puerto Rico is between Fall and winter. There are hundreds of events around the holidays. Puerto Ricans celebrate one of the longest Christmas seasons in the world, starting right after Thanksgiving and finishing at the end of January with the San Sebastian Street Festival. This festival is the largest celebration of Puerto Rican culture.”

Puerto Rico Festivals in January:

The famous events and festivals that take place in January are:

• New Year’s Day is celebrated widely throughout the region and is a great time to visit.
• Three Kings Day occurs on January 6th to commemorate the Wise Men.
• The Festival de la Novilla is held the third week of January, celebrating a Novilla with festivities in the rural town of San Sebastian
• The Birthday of Eugenio María de Hostos is a public holiday that occurs a few days later, on January 8th, in honor of the prominent writer who fought for Puerto Rican Independence.
• The largest festival in Puerto Rico, San Sebastian Street Festival will occur from Jan. 15 to 21 in Old San Juan.

The Best Time to Travel Puerto Rico for Food Lovers:

Puerto Rico is also famous for its mouth-watering food and cuisines. These delicious dishes are made up of beef and usually cooked in olive oil, garlic, and rice. The island’s spicy food depicts the Puerto Rican culture, which makes these yummy foods worth a try.

Elisse says “My chef husband and I were recently in Puerto Rico, and the thing that jumped out for us is the wonderful FOOD! Foodie Puerto Rico, which includes world-class restaurants, amazeballs food trucks, fabulous local coffee, artisan chocolates, and off-the-beaten-path, historic distilleries like Barrilito make the Island truly amazing fun to visit- in all seasons! A great starting point is to take a Foodie Walking Tour – “Flavors of San Juan” is excellent, as it provides not only a variety of fab foodie treats but also an intro to Puerto Rican culture and history”

Pictures courtesy: Elisse Goldstein-Clark

Is it Safe to Visit Puerto Rico?

Safety is the major concern for solo travelers, regardless of wherever they go for an adventure. Some of the locals from the island suggest the travelers to be attentive and conscious around the surroundings, especially around crowded and tourist-attractive places. Some of the cases for petty theft and pickpocketing have come across lately. Other than that, Puerto Rico is safe and one of the most secure destinations for solo female travelers, young couples, and families.