GO AHEAD, TAP THAT CLASS
GO AHEAD, TAP THAT CLASS
Change is often challenging and stressful; one of our favorite ways to embrace change is to travel. We know that doesn’t make much sense, but travel is how we at BEING BOUJEE recharge our batteries and, in this case, prepare for change. Before heading to Puerto Rico, we moved our office (and personal home) to Denver, Colorado, and accepted a new career opportunity. No need to worry – BEING BOUJEE will still exist and grow during this change.
We knew this change would be HUGE, so it was essential to celebrate before things became crazy, so we decided to book a vacation. We convinced two friends to join the adventure, and since one of our friends didn’t have a passport, we knew we needed to stay domestic. Hmmmm…how could we travel domestically but still feel like we were on an exotic island? I KNOW! Travel to Puerto Rico!
Accommodations: We rented a two-bedroom, two-bathroom condo on the beach via VRBO. We looked at a few options but ultimately landed on this option because it was directly on the beach and part of a condo community. As a group of three women – only one of us had been to the island previously on a one-day cruise stop – we weren’t sure how safe the island would be for us to rent a single-family home. Upon reflection, we would have been completely safe renting a single-family home.
The condo we selected was on the west part of the island in a little town called Rincon. We didn’t set out to rent a place two hours from San Juan, but our limited research told us the sunsets were excellent in the area, and the condo we found appeared to be clean, modern, and on a well-known beach, so we took the chance and it ended up being amazing! The town has excellent restaurants and a large grocery store, and the beach is truly memorable. Plus, the locals were so friendly and approachable.
Just to let you know, we are not sharing any pictures of the condo, unfortunately. That said, you can look on VRBO for condos on Sandy Beach and assume pretty quickly which condo building we stayed at. We would highly recommend it!
Transportation: Since we were staying two hours from the San Juan airport, renting a car was almost required. Plus, based on the location of the condo we selected, there were very few restaurant options within walking distance, so we highly suggest renting a car if staying in the Rincon area. A car rental would probably not be needed if staying in San Juan.
TIP: When selecting a rental car, we highly suggest renting a Jeep or something with four-wheel drive. The roads in Rincon are very windy and narrow. Plus, one of the roads to a restaurant we visited felt like we were off-roading. A Toyota Corolla would have never made it. We loved removing part of the roof and basking in the sunshine as we drove around.
This is an area we will need your input to fill in. This trip was indeed a relaxing trip for us. Therefore, we spent every day at the pool/beach. Every. Single. Day. Have you visited Rincon previously? Could you give us your recommendations to build out this section? Send your recommendations to LeAnn@beingboujee.com
Sandy beach was located directly outside the backdoor of our condo and was a perfect, almost-private, beach to enjoy the rays, rum, and relaxation. Our condo owners provided beach chairs but we brought our own natural air filled loungers, which were a hit on the beach. Check out our packing list below to learn more about these loungers.
Sandy Beach was almost a hidden gem as it wasn’t very populated with tourists or locals. On average, there would be 20-ish people on the beach at a time and there was so much space that you never felt like you were sitting on top of one another. Sandy Beach is home to a small surf rental shack in case you wanted to try surfing, which we didn’t do.
We traveled with our own pool floats (like always) which we used in the pool and in the ocean. This was the first time we used a pool float in the ocean and we would highly recommend it! You just have to swim out past where the waves break and the waters become much more calm to relax and float.
Tamboo is located directly on Sandy Beach, and you can walk the beach from the condo to the restaurant. It is easy, convenient, and tasty!
We love Tamboo’s tagline, “We are on the beach, where you should be!” We agree and highly recommend Tamboo if you are in the area.
Tamboo has a two-story oceanfront terrace. However, the second story was closed for remodeling when we were there, so we have to go back and check out the remodeling results!
The menu at Tamboo offers a combination of American-Caribbean cuisine. Some of their featured menu items include Fish ‘n Fries, Grilled Mahi Mahi, and a Stuffed Red Pepper. Check out their full menu and preview what you eat while visiting Rincon and Sandy Beach.
Breakfast at The English Rose was so good – it is a MUST when visiting the Rincon area. The food is delicious! The presentation of it is impressive, the taste is memorable, and the view while you enjoy it is breathtaking.
The English Rose is home to a restaurant, a beautiful pool, and a guest house with five distinctive guest rooms. Obviously, we didn’t stay at the hotel, but they looked remarkable. It is important to note that this place is not directly on the ocean. You can see the ocean from the pool and rooms, but you would need a car to get to the ocean.
The drive to the hotel and restaurant is on a narrow, windy road. It is well worth the drive; just know what you are getting into before you turn down the road. Parking around the hotel and restaurant can also be challenging. Please be patient, and a spot will open for you.
*TIP* You must call The English Rose for reservations. Reservations will allow you to reserve a table outside. If you show up without a reservation, you will only be offered a table inside the restaurant.
The English Rose restaurant is only open for breakfast and lunch. Check out their menus online.
Are you looking for an excellent spot just for the day? The English Rose offers a daily pool pass from noon to 4:00 p.m. Pool passes are only available via phone.
The Beach House is THE place to watch the sunset in Rincón. Directly across the street from the restaurant is a row of Anorak chairs available on a first-come, first-serve basis. We didn’t sit in the chairs as we were having dinner and drinks at the restaurant, watching the sunset. It was a gorgeous view! We should have gone there nightly to watch the sunset.
The food at the restaurant was good, and they served breakfast, lunch, and dinner. In addition, there tends to be live music often in the evenings. There was a great singer/guitar player when we were there.
Have you noticed a pattern in our pictures? Rum Punch is served everywhere, and it is delicious! I have started making it back in the states as a summer drink since it is so refreshing!
Have you noticed a pattern in our pictures? Rum Punch is served everywhere, and it is delicious! I have started making it back in the states as a summer drink since it is so refreshing!
Tip Top Ice Cream and Acai Bowl shop were about a block from our beachfront condo. I didn’t try it, but my cousin did, and she loved it.
You would think since they served homemade ice cream, we would have gone there once for ice cream – but we have yet to do so. I’m not sure what we were thinking, but that means we have to go back and visit again to try the ice cream!
Casa Verde is a hotel and a bar with food. The food is genuinely that – bar food. It isn’t fantastic, but they have a fun wall of hot sauce, so bring a bottle of hot sauce to add!
While in Rincón, Casa Verde is a great place to check out live music. One night, we enjoyed the music from the front of our condo. Don’t go there for the food; go there for the live music.
*TIP* There is a little souvenir shop on the ground floor of Casa Verda where you can buy locally-made rum – it is delicious, and we highly recommend it. You can also buy it at the airport, but we encourage you to support a local business and buy it in Rincón.
Red Flamboyan is close to the condo we stayed at on Shady Beach. The restaurant is named after the red flowering tree on the hillside of the restaurant. Unfortunately, it wasn’t flowering when we were there. We were told to come back in the fall to see it blooming.
Red Flamboyan serves authentic Criollo cuisine, and it is tasty! Check out the menu in advance because there are so many options.
Here at BEING BOUJEE, we want to ensure you are prepared for your trip, so we have created the ultimate Puerto Rico packing list for you. Many items aren’t BOUJEE, but you can definitely BOUJEE them up with your spin on them.
LeAnn is a mentor and the ultimate BOUJEE glamour gal. When she left daily drudgery behind in favor of following her own personal path to joy, she made a promise to herself that she would help others do the same. All she’s ever wanted is to do is stay healthy, live her best life and give back to others by introducing them to their inner BOUJEE.
