Puerto Rico Nightlife

Three factors contribute to the popularity of Puerto Rico's bars. The first is the presence (you could say omnipresence) of the national drink, rum. The two chief brands of rum here are the internationally known Bacardi and the localley beloved Don Q. Second, the legal drinking age here is 18. And finally, people on this island love to drink. Mix all that together, shake once, and you have yourself a roaring bar scene. Here are some of my favorites.

What is a tropical island without a roaring nightlife? Thankfully, Puerto Rico will never need to answer that question. Clubs, pubs, casinos, discos, lounges and live entertainment make the night air pulse until dawn. When it comes to lounges, the six on this list will help you chill out all night long.

Trance. House. Techno. And plenty of reggaetón (the super-charged blend of American and Latin hip hop and rap). If you love to dance, these words are music to your ears, and this is the music you'll hear at these four San Juan nightclubs.

Did you know that in Puerto Rico, all the casinos are in hotels? Ah, but which hotels have the best gaming? In San Juan, these ones stand out.

Reggaeton is sweeping the Latin music world with its irrepressible blend of tropical Latin and reggae rhythms. Today many of the most popular reggaeton artists come from Puerto Rico, but you can't keep this music from sailing out to the rest of the world.

The history of Puerto Rico parallels that of Cuba in many ways until we reach the 20th century. When Columbus landed in Puerto Rico (1493), the island was the home of the Taino Indians who called it “Borinquen” (Island of the Brave Lord). The Taino Indians were wiped out fairly quickly and today there are no remaining Tainos, although their influence can still be felt on the island’s music. In fact, Puerto Rico’s national anthem is called 'La Borinquena’ (Listen), after the Taino place name.

Beginning in March 2007, smoking will be banned in all restaurants, bars, and casinos in Puerto Rico.

The Legends of Puerto Rico tour company conducts a San Juan Nights walking tour of Old San Juan that includes food and rum tastings.