Having a winter birthday can be a drag but I try to use my February birthday as an opportunity to take a trip somewhere less frigid. This year was extra special because I had an actual day to celebrate. I’m one of the lucky few born on February 29th a.k.a. Leap Day. I don’t hate having a leap year birthday and even though my driver’s license looks counterfeit with all the different dates, I don’t feel like I’m missing. If anything, I take it up a notch by declaring all of February as my birth month.

To celebrate this rare occasion, my boyfriend and I booked a week-long trip to Puerto Rico. Per usual, we were ballin’ on a budget and stayed in low-to-mid-range AirBnbs. Our first was in the Ocean Park neighborhood of San Juan. It was a little far from Old San Juan if that’s your primary destination but we liked the quiet, gated-community vibe and being steps from the beach. Plus, it’s super easy to get Ubers in San Juan.

This post could be ten miles long if I try to fit in everything so here are some of the highlights!

It rained most days so we spent a lot of trip slightly damp as we explored from Isla Verde to Old San Juan. Highlights included Castillo San Felipe del Morro, a National Historic Site, cocktails at La Factoria, ranked one of the best bars in the world, and Bistro Café, quite possibly the best brunch spot I’ve ever been to.

We were shocked to see Oceania Cruises’ ship Vista at the port, the same ship we cruised around Italy on last year!

After spending a few days exploring San Juan, we rented a car to drive to Las Croabas, Fajardo. We stopped in Luquillo Beach to check out the kiosks on a recommendation from a bartender. It was a popular spot for tour groups visiting El Yunque and the surrounding areas.

Our Airbnb in Las Croabas was in a quiet residential neighborhood with amazing views, a hot tub, and a rooftop patio. Paradise.

We chose Fajardo for a few reasons. We wanted to be close to El Yunque National Forest so we could hike, try bioluminescent kayaking, and be steps from some of the most beautiful beaches on the island.

We trekked to Seven Seas Beach and Playa Escondido, and once again got caught in a downpour so we waited it out with some cervezas at Cost Mia.

One of my favorite hikes of the trip was out to Las Cabezas. It was a little confusing to access because although it’s technically within a National Park, that National Park is closed. So you have to hike along the beach to reach a trail that takes you to the tip of the peninsula. It was high tide on our way out so we kicked off our shoes and walked in the ocean.

We spent some time taking the picturesque view and rock formations and by the time we made our way back, the tide was low enough for us to walk on dry land.

Bioluminescent kayaking is a popular attraction in Puerto Rico. We weren’t sure if it was a tourist trap but figured we should find our for ourselves so we booked with one of the highest rated companies and hoped for the best. After a safety demonstration, we loaded into our double kayaks and launched into the harbor. Glenn and I have spent some time paddling around in kayaks and canoes so we were confident that our relationship could withstand the stress of navigating a channel through the mangrove forest to Laguna Grande.

We were fortunate that there was nice weather that day because we were able to see the sparkle of the bioluminescence. It wasn’t as bright as I was expecting but it was still a once-in-a-lifetime experience. It’s not something you can capture on camera so you’ll have to take my word for it!

At last, we arrived at the big day. February 29th! And what better way to start the day than with coconut pancakes from Las Vistas Cafe. It is an outdoor rooftop restaurant owned and operated by a local named Gladys Cuadrado. She sources most of her ingredients from her own garden and provides the service of a 5-star restaurant. I could not recommend this place enough! She found us a table for 2 but your best bet is to plan ahead and make a reservation.

El Yunque National Forest was next on the birthday agenda, the only rainforest in the national forest system. On our way into the park, we drove to Angelito Trail to take a short walk to the waterfalls.

There’s really just one two-way road in and out of the forest with a turnaround at the top. We decided to drive to the end of the road stopping at lookouts along the way.

We ultimately parked at Torre Mount Britton Trailhead and hiked to the Los Picachos lookout. It was moderately easy and not too wet and the clouds would part for a few moments at a time to give us great views of the forest. We could even see down to Luquillo Beach.

That rounds out our week in Puerto Rico! We saw such a small part of the island, but I’m so happy with both locations we stayed at. And I didn’t even get into most of the amazing food we ate! Have you been to PR? Leave me a comment with your favorite spots!