An Outdoor Discovery of Puerto Rico’s History & Heritage

When you check in at the hotel and get your room assignment, ask the front desk for the location of the Road Scholar meeting room where we will have our Orientation session. Program Registration & Orientation: 5:00 p.m. As you register with the program staff, you will receive your welcome packet containing your name-tag, up-to-date schedule that reflects any last-minute changes, and other important information. If your arrival is delayed, please ask for your packet when you check in. The Group Leader will greet everyone with a warm welcome and lead introductions. We will review the up-to-date program schedule and any changes, discuss roles and responsibilities, logistics, safety guidelines, emergency procedures, and answer any questions you may have. Unless specified otherwise, transportation will be provided primarily by motorcoach and will require going up and down a few steps. Meals at local restaurants will be plated and include choices from select menus with standard beverages of coffee, tea and water with other beverages available for purchase. Free time is reserved for your personal independent exploration. Please note that program activities, schedules, and personnel may need to change due to local circumstances. In the event of changes, we will alert you as quickly as possible. Thank you for your understanding.

At a restaurant within walking distance of the hotel.

At leisure. Continue getting to know your fellow Road Scholars, settle in, and get a good night’s rest for the day ahead.

At the hotel, the breakfast buffet includes choices such as eggs, breakfast meats and breads, cereals, milk, juice coffee, tea, water.

We’ll board our motorcoach and transfer to Old San Juan where a local expert will provide an overview of Puerto Rico’s history from the Spanish colonial period to the present. Columbus made landfall here on his second voyage in 1493, claiming it for Spain — which might have come as a surprise to the inhabitants, indigenous Taíno Indians. The first Spanish settlers arrived on the island in 1508. Moving on with our local expert, we’ll learn about the history and explore Fort San Cristóbal, also known as Castillo San Cristóbal, the largest colonial Spanish fortress in the Western Hemisphere. Construction began in 1634 and it was not completed until 1790. European powers fought for hundreds of years to control the island due to its strategic location. San Cristóbal guarded the land entrance to Old San Juan. It is a magnificent and impressive structure covering 27 acres, now part of the San Juan National Historic Site.

At a local restaurant, we’ll have sandwiches and/or salads from a select menu and standard beverages.

Our next field trip will be to Saturce for a Guided art walk through the murals at La Calle Cerra (Cerra Street). Santurce has world-class street art Explore the murals in Calle Cerra, striking large-scale work by local and international artists like D’Face ( London), Fintan Magee (Australia) Bik Ismo (Puerto Rico), David Zayas (Puerto Rico), Ana Marietta (Puerto Rico) Evaristo Angurria (Dom. Rep), Danae Brissonet (Canada) among others.

At a local restaurant, we’ll have a plated meal with standard beverages.

At leisure. Prepare for check out and transfer in the morning.

Hotel buffet.

After checking out of the hotel, we’ll board the motorcoach and begin our transfer via the Luis A. Ferre Highway over La Cordillera Central — the island's main mountain range — into the southern part of Puerto Rico. In our way we'll venture first to the Hacienda Don Manuel located in Santa Isabel. Embark on a hayride experience inside the pineapple, papaya, and plantain fields. Get a close up look at the wind turbines on the farm . Learn about Puerto Rico sustainability efforts. Pick your own pineapple, and learn the best techniques for cutting open these tropical fruits. Fruit, snacks, and cold water are included.

At Hacienda Don Manuel

Riding on, we’ll reach the city of Ponce and embark on a field trip via trolley and walking through Ponce to admire its stunning architecture including the beautiful and unique historic Ponce Firehouse, Ponce Cathedral, and Delicias Square. We’ll then go on an expert-led field trip to the Museo de la Historia de Ponce — Museum of the History of Ponce. Inaugurated in 1992, it is now one of the city’s most active cultural centers, preserving and presenting important aspects of Puerto Rican and Ponceño history and culture. The majority of its artifacts have been donated by local citizens. Permanent exhibits include Ecology, Human Panorama, Politics, Economic Activity, Architecture and Urban Development, Health and Medicine. The museum is housed in the beautiful Casa Salazar that combines Moorish, neoclassical, and Ponceño architectural elements. We’ll ride on to the hotel for a mid-afternoon check-in.

At a local restaurant, we’ll enjoy an interactive dinner, learning about the foods we’re eating from one of the chefs and specialties such as Mofongo (pickled plantains) and other local fare.

At leisure.

Hotel buffet.

Our first field trip today will be to the Coffee Hacienda , a 19th century coffee plantation turned museum. Restored to its former glory by a team of Smithsonian specialists and island artisans, its location is indeed a buena vista (beautiful view), with just under 500 acres in the Rio Canas Valley. We may be able to see hummingbirds as the Hacienda's trails take us past cascading waterfalls. With our local expert, we will explore some of the plantation’s grounds and visit the on-site museum while learning about the development of the coffee industry in the area.

Local restaurant plated meal.

At leisure

At a local restaurant , we’ll enjoy a plated meal with standard beverages.

At leisure. Prepare for check out and transfer in the morning.

Hotel buffet.

We will check out of the hotel, we’ll board our motorcoach and depart for San Juan. En route, we will stop at Castillo Serralles Museum.This castle is the family home of the best selling rum brand in Puerto Rico, Don Q. This incredible castle and much of the entire city of Ponce, was build as part of the vast Serrallés family fortune. Built in 1930, this four story concrete castle sits on top of a hill overlooking downtown Ponce, Puerto Rico. The former family mansion turned museum is Spanish Revival or Spanish Moroccan architecture designed in the 1920’s.

Local restaurant plated meal.

We will continue towards San Juan, taking the Luis A. Ferre Highway back over La Cordillera Central. Upon arrival in the city, we will visit the Museo de Arte de Puerto Rico (MAPR), the Museum of Art of Puerto Rico. Inaugurated in July 2000, the museum has managed to develop quite a large permanent collection of Puerto Rican art ranging from the 16th century to the present. The works are thoroughly researched and documented, with the exhibits often including an interpretation of the masterpieces on display. Our local expert will lead us through the exhibits of carefully selected artworks helping to give us insight into Puerto Rican art. As a popular museum, it also provides local artists with access to visual art from other parts of the world thereby encouraging artistic expansion. We’ll then go to the hotel for check-in.

This meal has been excluded from the program cost and is on your own to enjoy what you like. The Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions.

At leisure.

At the hotel, the breakfast buffet includes choices such as eggs, breakfast meats and breads, cereals, milk, juice coffee, tea, water.

After boarding our motorcoach, we’ll transfer to El Yunque National Forest for a field trip including a short hike with our Group Leader and a local expert. This is the only tropical rain forest in the U.S. National Forest system. Located on the eastern end of the Island, El Yunque features a variety of unique plant and animal species with many well-marked trails, making it easy to explore.

At a pleasant spot in the El Yunque Rainforest, we’ll have a tasty and healthy picnic buffet lunch including salads, sandwiches, and fruit.

Our next field trip will be to Pinones in the town of Loiza at the north of the island. Driving into Pinones you are instantly transported back in time to another era.It is the home to many modest families making a living selling typical local food from kiosks along the beach. Their traditions span back 400 years and beyond that to the time when the Spanish conquered the land and brought in the first roots of African people to the island.

On your own to enjoy what you like in San Juan.

At leisure.

Hotel buffet.

We will board our motor coach to transfer to Hacienda La Esperanza in Manati City. Revive the history of sugar in Puerto Rico visiting one of the most important haciendas from the 19th century, visit a sugar cane plantation, explore the ruins of the historic site and visit the house of the Marquis of La Esperanza.

On your own to enjoy what you like.

Free time. Take this opportunity for personal independent exploration to see and do what interests you most at your own pace in Old San Juan. The Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions. The cobblestone streets are rich in architectural delights and the tree-shaded squares more reminiscent of Europe than America. We will regroup and a designated time and place and return to the hotel.

At a local restaurant, we’ll enjoy a farewell dinner. Share your favorite experiences with new Road Scholar friends.

At leisure. Say farewells and prepare for departure in the morning.

Hotel buffet. This concludes our program. If you are returning home, safe travels. If you are staying on independently, have a wonderful time. If you are transferring to another Road Scholar program, detailed instructions are included in your Information Packet for that program. We hope you enjoy Road Scholar learning adventures and look forward to having you on rewarding programs in the future. Please join our Facebook page and share photos of your program. Visit us at www.facebook.com/rsadventures. Best wishes for all your journeys!