Day three, we spent our entire day in Condado Beach (where our hotel was located). Condado beach is roughly ten minutes away from the airport and about five miles away from Old San Juan. If you love the beach and enjoy nightlife like casinos, restaurants that are opened late, this is where I would recommend you stay. Our hotel was literally a two minute walk from the beach. Personally, I love beaches and water so staying in Condado Beach fit me perfectly. There are still local restaurants that do have authentic food. In Condado Beach, you will also see places like Starbucks or Burger King. I would say it is slightly more americanized than Old San Juan. Walgreens and CVS are 24 hours, which really came in handy!
This was our view from our hotel balcony! The pool and hot tub were opened 24 hours! That definitely came in handy and our pool was rarely crowded.
I enjoyed the beach; however, the waves were so bad that you cannot swim!!! It is very dangerous. Literally the currents and waves were so strong, that I almost lost my sandals (seriously lol). Most of the sand on the beach is wet because the water is literally surpassing the shore. In the picture below, you can see how wet the sand is.
They have nice restaurants, bars, casinos, and more updated hotels in Condado Beach. Old San Juans hotels are more vintage.
After talking to a few locals, I was told that I must try Mofongo while in Puerto Rico. So I went on Google and looked up reviews to nearby restaurants and decided to try it! I ordered a house drink, along with the Mofongo. Mofongo contains fried plantains and a few other traditional Puerto Rican ingredients.
Honestly, It exceeded my expectations! It was delicious. I was given the option to have it made with original or creole seasoning. I chose the creole seasoning and my choice of meat was chicken. I finished the whole meal and surprisingly, I was full. It kind of soup, except the outside (fried plantain) wasn’t that hard and was very firm and chewy. It kind of had a dough consistency.
Definitely try this if you ever plan on visiting Puerto Rico. After visiting a few countries this year, I realized that you have to be willing to try new foods and cuisines or else the experience may not be the best. Be willing to try new dishes or things you have never heard of! Trust me, I was tempted to get Burger King, but why when its every where in the United States?
This place was a life saver!!! Don’t let the exterior of this establishment fool you! The prices, food, quality, and service was impeccable! Every time my friends and I went, it was the same worker and she put her heart and soul in those drinks that she made us! One of the best Pina Coladas I have ever tasted (There is an uncharge of $2 for alcohol). For the prices, you simply cannot beat it! You can watch her from the other window literally carving the pineapples or blending the fruit! They open early and close late and are near the beach so that was definitely a plus.
So during my stay, I caved in and craved a burger. If you know me, you know I LOVE burgers. Well, I saw the reviews on this place and decided to check it out! So it may not look like traditional Puerto Rican food; however, it is a Puerto Rico based restaurant! I spent about $12 USD for a burger, onion rings, and a soft drink. I don’t have any pictures of it because when I was handed my food, I couldn’t wait. Just take my word for it and visit 🙂
We visited La Placita street at night. That is where all the bars and late food places are. It was about a five minute Uber from our hotel in Condado.From Uber drivers to restaurant employees, and even our hotel receptionist, we were told this was a place we had to check out! I would compare it to the Las Vegas Strip (literally). It is a street full of bars and people walking up and down partying. We went on Thursday and Friday night. This was the BBQ Chicken on a stick and is served with white bread. PLEASE TRY THIS!!!!!! It was $4 USD and worth every penny. The flavor, the taste, and the seasonings were amazing.