San Juan is the the capital of Puerto Rico and the main population center of the unincorporated island territory of the United States. The city is a thriving historic and cultural center, rich with colonial Spanish architecture and gorgeous palm-lined beaches. There is some wonderful running in San Juan, with several waterfront paths leading to historic sites, some great parks, and some small but pretty beaches. We’ve also a guide to the best places to run on other parts of the island of Puerto Rico.
The central part of San Juan is compact. A run around the narrow streets of the 2.5 mile island of Old San Juan is best done at uncrowded times. The best runs in San Juan are along the historic Passeo del Morro out to the Fort, some wonderful waterfront park and path running along Ashford Ave. and over the causeway to the Condado Peninsula, and the 6+ mile linear path and beaches around Isla Verde. Several of our routes can be combined into some longer runs.
Public transportation in San Juan consists of a public bus system, which is extensive and basically reliable. The train system is faster, though offers less coverage. If you are traveling primarily around Old San Juan, the hop on hop off trolley can come in handy.
Note: Puerto Rico suffered a series of devastating hurricanes in the fall of 2017. Many areas of the island are still rebuilding, and some routes may be affected.
