Puerto Rico: need San Juan and Ponce recommendations
 

I am going solo on a Road Scholar Puerto Rico trip in early December and will have 3 free afternoons (and several free evenings), two afternoons in San Juan and another in Ponce. I have never been to the Caribbean. Does anyone have recommendations for activities? I especially like nature, birds, history, architecture, art and libraries.

For San Juan, I will be at the Hampton Inn and Suites, 2 miles from the airport. The tour will take me to Fort San Cristobal , for a guided art walk through the murals at La Calle Cerra and to the Museum of Art of Puerto Rico.

I have looked at possibly visiting the botanical gardens in San Juan but it doesn't seem to have positive reviews.

For Ponce, I will be at the Hilton Ponce Golf and Casino Resort. Tour will take me to the Museum of the History of Ponce and a trolley/walking tour through Ponce.

(Also have activities/places to stop outside these 2 cities.)

Any general advice welcome, too. Thank you! I promise a trip report when I return.

Book a tour for El Yunque Rain Forest. You said you like nature and the rainforest is beautiful.
https://www.discoverpuertorico.com/a...ational-forest

In San Juan, you should consider visiting the Museo de las Americas, Casa Blanca, San Felipe del Morro castle, as well as maybe the cathedral, and la Forteleza near the port. These are all in old San Juan, a bit to the west of Fort San Cristobal.

If interested in classical music, ytou might want to visit the Pablo Casals museum which is also in old San Juan at San Jose square (there is a church of the same name there). This is a bit to the east of Museo Casa Blanca.

I'm surprise your tour isn't doing more, both those things are in Santurce. The art museum is wonderful, but there is so much to do in Old San Juan, those are the main things I could think of that I enjoyed. I just walked around. I dont' know how you are getting around, I took the bus to/from Old SJ from my hotel which was at Condado Beach. Your hotel is to the east at Isla Verde I don't think it's as easy to get from there to Old San JUan, maybe you need a taxi.

I haven't been to Ponce.

I will have three free afternoons (and numerous free evenings) when I travel alone to Puerto Rico for a Road Scholar trip in early December. I will have two afternoons in San Juan and one in Ponce.I'll be staying at the Hampton Inn and Suites in San Juan, which is 2 miles from the airport. My itinerary will take me to Fort San Cristobal, the Museum of Art of Puerto Rico, and a guided art walk through the murals at La Calle Cerra. I encourage going to Puerto Rico's top restaurant.