{STYLIST TIP}: Take a large lightweight scarf like this one on your travels. You can use it as a blanket on the plane, a shawl/scarf on chilly evenings, and as an easy cover-up. Take two of the far corners in each hand and hold behind you, wrap around in an “x” in front and tie around your neck. Voila! You have an insta-beach-cover-up.
ASOS swim top and swim bottom // Chloe + Isabel necklace set (c/o) // Helen Kaminski packable hat (c/o) // Desigual scarf worn as a cover-up (c/o, similar online) // E.Kammeyer bracelet // ICU sunglasses (c/o) // Bare Minerals lip color (c/o) // Lucy Activewear Yogawear (c/o)
Okay, I know this is somewhat cruel to post during this never-ending cold season we’ve been having on the East Coast, but I can’t stop dreaming about my recent quick getaway to Puerto Rico about a month ago; probably because of how miserable this weather in NYC has been this winter. The short trip I booked via JetBlue Getaways, was just enough to get me through the rest of the season.
I booked this quick trip specifically to San Juan, Puerto Rico because it was warm, affordable, quick, easy—no passport required, no currency exchange and no language barriers. Every time I tried to speak Spanish to a local, I even received a response in English. Either my years of high school Spanish was getting rusty or they’re happy to speak English.
We decided a resort vacation was what we needed after months of cold and hard work: sun, beach, relaxation, and best of all, 2 Starbucks on the grounds of the resort!
We booked a lagoon villa at the Hotel Caribe right in San Juan. It was lovely to wake up over-looking the lagoon, and then a walk to the beach on the resort, where we took a yoga class in the morning and followed by a pool side grande iced coffee, and then an afternoon nap on the many hammocks under the palm trees on the beach. It truly was paradise.
In reality, I don’t really know how to relax, so we ended up spending most of our trip exploring Old San Juan, eating a lot, hiking El Yunque National Forest, walking one of the most beautiful beaches (Luquillo Beach, as seen in last picture).
I would highly recommend renting a car and exploring on your own throughout the area. Our day trip to the rainforest was beautiful, but no one told us that the trail doesn’t loop after we jumped into the waterfalls, so our hike doubled in length as we continued onto another trail and then back up a mountain to our car. On the bright side, it made us work off all of the monfongo (mashed plantains) we ate after our hike at nearby Luquillo Beach’s kiosks.
**Stay tuned for more of The Brooklyn Stylist travels to Puerto Rico.**