Reminiscing on Rincon: Your next travel destination
So I’m a year late (and then some) …aren’t we all….
But hey, that doesn’t mean we can’t still talk about my 30th birthday in Rincon, Puerto Rico!!
Rincon has held a special place in my heart since the first time I visited in 2020. It was the first place I travelled during such a scary and unnerving time that was Covid-19. However, it turned out to be the perfect escape and reset. (So special, I even got a tattoo there … woops!)
Think low key beach town. No stress, just good vibes.
A short flight from NYC. And authentically charming, not totally filled with “tourist.”
My birthday falls on Memorial Day weekend… the perfect time to take a trip. I somehow convinced 10 of my best friends AND my parents to join me to celebrate “Rini Rincon” style.
Flights are booked… so, now what?
If you’re looking for the perfect escape, a long weekend getaway, or a birthday party destination yourself – Here is how we spent our weekend. Copy, paste, book the flight.
Transportation:
Long stay: Worth renting a car. There is plenty to see in the neighboring towns and always makes things easier. (If there was one thing I wish we had time for, it would have been Crash Boat Beach located in Aguadilla. Bring your snorkel!)
Large groups or a short stay: Pre-book shuttle services to and from the airport. We used Welas Transportation who was very professional, on-time, and provided great communication.
Uber is available however make friends with the taxi drivers – we had them on speed dial! If they weren’t available, they’d refer you to a colleague. Ahh it brought me back to my college days pre-Uber/Lyft (2010s … well…I am over 30)
JUST JAC TIP: Fly into Aguadilla – It’s about a 45-minute ride compared to the 3 hour ride from San Juan. Who doesn’t love a tiny airport that’s super convenient.
Your Stay:
Highly recommend an Airbnb! There are tons of options for large or small groups. We rented a gorgeous 4-bedroom house with a pool. In that May heat (humidity), a pool was a must. My parents were able to book an Airbnb just down the road, walking distance to ours.
Be in the heart of Rincon. Everything is fairly close – the town, restaurants, the beach. Some nicer restaurants are only 15-20 minutes away and easy to get to.
Things to do – Here is a glimpse of what we did, but there is SO SO MUCH MORE:
I am a sucker for a boat day – We rented a catamaran through Katarina Sailing Charter which leaves out of Black Eagle Beach. It’s $95/person for 3.5 hours on the water (We did the 9:30am sail). The trip includes lunch, time for swimming.. and of course rum punch. The captain and team even let me get on the aux, which .. you guessed it led to a dance party.
Enjoy the beach! After the boat, we cooled off (and sobered up) swimming in the ocean at the beach. There’s also a surf shop nearby for surfboard rentals.
There are a few restaurants near the beach, like Shipwreck Grill and La Copa llena. If you’re looking for something a little different the Aqua Marina Beach Club was SO fun. Swim up pool bar, frozen drinks, cabanas to relax and a DJ - what else do you need?
Book a private chef! There is nothing more authentic than a local cooking your food in the comfort of your home. Chef Jason (@travelerscuisine) was AWESOME! There was so much food and everything was DELICIOUS. Him and I worked to create a menu everyone would enjoy, and he brought all the food with him.
Private in-house massages – After a long weekend of celebration, I worked with Vivienne from Centro La Paz, to bring the massages to us. She was lovely and had 4 techs come to the house, set up their equipment and did 1 hour massages for the group.
Where we went:
The English Rose Café – Our first stop on the trip while we waited for check-in. A boutique hotel with delicious brunch and a pool with a view.
Harbour Restaurant – A personal favorite. This outside bar is right on the water and the perfect spot for the sunset and pre-dinner drink.
Beach House – Stunning views and typically has live music or a DJ.
Belo Horizonte Brazilian Restaurant and Bar – Funny enough, after the singer at Beach House (shoutout @babylonsmostwanted) was the same singer we met at The English Rose the day before, he let us know he was heading to Belo Horizonte to play his next gig. Call us groupies if you will. We took his advice, showed up and had the best time. He even made up a “happy birthday Jaci” song just for me! Started a belt limbo and took shots at midnight to ring in the big 3-0.
Nacho Libre – Ended the trip with Karaoke and tacos! My dad getting up there to sing Dean Martin’s “That’s Amore” shouting “boats and hoes” (step brothers reference) was for sure a highlight of the trip.
Kahuna Burger Bar and Grill – Most places close fairly early in Rincon, but this place was open late on a Monday. Of course we had to meet up with our vacation friends for one last hoorah!
Chef Jason @travelerscusisine private lunch!
As I write this, aside from the laughs, amazing memories, and being surrounded by my favorite people, I am remembering why I love Rincon so much – the people, the places and all the things.
Like I said, there is so so much more to explore and but that’s a snapshot of how we spent our weekend. You simply can’t go wrong.
Download my itinerary to start planning yours xo