The Caribbean's family destination

There's no need to travel to this historical wonderland. If you stay in the Sheraton Old San Juan Hotel, you'll be steps away from all this and more. In total, 52 restaurants, 12 museums, 33 art galleries and 79 shops are within walking distance -- and the airport is only six miles away. Contemporary rooms, an outdoor pool and parking facilities provide all you'll need for an urban Caribbean family getaway.

Unexpectedly stylish, the 222-room Holiday Inn San Juan offers contemporary amenities only minutes from Old San Juan. Its free-form pool delights families, and the beach is a cinch to reach. Those planning family reunions or parties can use all or part of the hotel's 15,000 square feet of meeting space. The tour-and-travel staff is quick to help guests book diving trips, cave exploration excursions and more, while the concierges will handle dinner reservations, theater tickets and event reservations. In addition to its proximity to Old San Juan and the beach, the Holiday Inn San Juan is only one mile from the airport.

Have the best of both worlds at the InterContinental San Juan Resort & Casino. Located minutes from Old San Juan on Isla Verde, this AAA 4-Diamond resort is located right on a two-mile stretch of white-sand beach. Deep-sea fishing and snorkeling are ideal for together-time. After a day building sandcastles and swimming in the sprawling lagoon-style pool, children can relax with a babysitter while Mom and Dad play some blackjack and dine in any of six restaurants.

Outings for Everyone

Glowing lakes? Rainforest treks? That's just the beginning. Puerto Rico's day trips will awe even the most jaded 'tween. After-dark boat trips can be had on two glowing lakes. They're really phosphorescent bays: Thousands of microscopic organisms swim around in the water, making it look as if the bays are lit up. The bay at La Paragua and Fajardo is the easiest to reach from most resorts, and the one on Vieques, an out island only recently opened to tourism, is especially spectacular. While families with preschoolers or grandparents along may prefer boat rides, those with older offspring can experience this otherworldly sight while snorkeling or scuba diving or kayaking at night.

Zach Stovall/Caribbean Travel & Life

Who wouldn't be awed by entering a cave? At Río Camuy Cave Park, families can take a trolley through caves and craterlike sinkholes filled with vegetation. The Cathedral Cave even has Native American drawings.

Known as El Yunque, the Caribbean National Forest is the only rainforest in the United States -- and it's family-friendly. Filled with 240 types of trees, this lush destination wows with waterfalls, hiking trails (some of them quite easy) and el coquí, Puerto Rico's adorable, noisy tree frog.

Puerto Rico 's rainforest may be magnificent, but it's not the only national park worth a jaunt. Guánica's Dry Forest is known for its 10,000 acres of wilderness with 600 unusual plants and animals, including 48 endangered species, 16 of them unique to Puerto Rico. How does that compare to your hometown zoo? Campers will enjoy hiking one of five trails in Toro Negro Forest, which boasts Puerto Rico's highest point -- and the spectacular views provided by the peak. Hand out binoculars for an expedition to the Culebra Wildlife Refuge, home to 120 seabird nesting colonies. While visiting Piñones Natural Reserve, view the stunning mangroves and then snorkel to spot up to 36 types of fish.

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