Help help help. I just don't know what to do.
I will be in PR for business and then my husband and I will have just a few days after to tour. Here's my dilemma:
I finish with "work" on Wed by 3pm. I have reservations in Rio Grande at Rainforest Inn starting THURSDAY night. We will fly back out on Sunday.
Should we leave SJ and drive to Ponce on Wednesday afternoon, then take a short look at Ponce on Th morning and then make our way back to Rio Grande on Th? (Check-in is after 4pm and I'd like to do the BioBay in Fajardo on Th night)
IF SO, which way should we go? Back through the center of the island, or take the
long way around the east coast) How long is the drive?

OR
Should we drive to Camuy Caves on Wed night and do the caves, and drive back to Rio Grande the next day? If so, are there places to stay near there?

My friend from PR said that going to Ponce seemed to be a lot of driving. I thought it would be a nice drive (esp if we take the route along the east coast) and a nice way to see a lot of the island in a short amount of time.

Both alternative are really good, but the caves tour is really nice, and the Arecibo observatory will be in your way, if you schedule your trip maybe you can do both. In other hand if you go to Ponce make sure you have museums and park working hours. If you are staying in San Juan traveling time will be similar to both towns to Camuy through Highway 22 west and to Ponce by 52 west around 1.5. I recommend you to check in internet the places you want to visit and decide according to your preference. There are plenty of places to stay in your way to any of the two options. To Camuy I recommend " El Buen Cafe" in Hatillo.
These sites may help you:

www.gotopuertorico.com
www.gotoparadores.com
and map quest.

Good luck and have a nice trip.

I read somewhere (and may very well have been here) that Ponce was really not particularly impressive, especially when put up against OSJ. I think it depends on what you want you and your husband like to do though- nature or city.

If you choose to go to the caves of Camuy plan on arriving in the morning. They present a video and then tour the caves. If you arrive late in the day, it is possible that they will have taken their maximum and you will not get to go. Also, if you go in the morning allow 1/2 day to see the caves, then travel from there to the Aricebo Observatory for the remaining part of the day. Both sites charge a reasonable entrance fee. I went last year with 4 children and we easily got both done in one day. As to traveling by car, PR is not known for the ease of driving or the quality of roads. Center island roads are winding and narrow. Take the coastal road. Road #2 is the road that travels east to west and is a toll road. Expect to pay $5 in tolls. For great tourist information, I recommend www.qpsm.com. It is PR official tourism website and will give you a listing of fiestas, approved accomodations and tour operators.

We went to Ponce and the architecture was beautiful but it seemed like an area that was down on its luck. The drive there was amazing.