San Juan has long held appeal for gay travelers. Combine the beauty of the Caribbean, the laissez-faire friendliness of the tropics, and the absolute in-the-blood disposition to party and have a good time, it's not hard to see why. There are plenty of gay-friendly hotels, bars, restaurants and other tourist businesses around the island, and this guide should help you find the best of them. With candid reviews and user feedback, it's a helpful resource to plan your trip to the island.

I mentioned this before, but it bears repeating, especially as we are down to the last 3 days of the promotion. The 3rd Annual Puerto Rico Tip-Off Prize Giveaway is down to its final weekend, and you have to register before November 9 for a chance to win a 6 day, 5 night vacation for two people at the Conrad Condado Plaza from November 18 through November 23.

The prize package includes:

1. Roundtrip airfare for two to Puerto Rico
2. Tickets for all 6 sessions of the college basketball games that will be featured on the island (a total of 12 games)
3. A room at the Conrad Condado Plaza
4. Five days' car rental with Hertz
5. A day trip to El Yunque National Rainforest

So get your registration in now! Winners will be selected on November 9.

You can't spell wow without W. And my first glimpse at the spanking new luxury hotel on Vieques Island produced a wow. If the W, slated to open in early 2010, lives up to this standard shown in this preview of one of their guestrooms, you can bet the hotel is going to do wonders for the island's already bustling tourist industry; quite simply, there's nothing like it currently in Vieques.

The first W Retreat and Spa in North America, the hotel will have 157 rooms, a restaurant by superstar chef Alain Ducasse, and top class spa and gym facilities. Will it crack my top 5 places to stay on Vieques? Time will tell, but it sure looks promising.

November is packed, and that too with events, festivals and activities to suit just about any type of tourist. Are you the active type? You can try kiteboarding for free this month. Have an ear for a wide range of music? There are no less than three major artists coming to San Juan, ranging from Kenny G to AC/DC. How about sports? You can watch college basketball or sailfishing tournaments.

And that's not even covering the biggest reason to love November in Puerto Rico: Thanksgiving. Check out the full list of events and activities.

From scary fires, we gratefully move on to a much more entertaining type of fright: Halloween. I covered the upcoming horrorfest, which is looking like a blast this weekend, but what's Halloween without a party? And this year, the host is the Caribe Hilton and Heineken, which is throwing its eigth annual Monster's Ball in the main hotel's ballroom.

A lineup of DJs, infernal decor, and a horrifically good time await at you this Saturday night. Tickets cost $20 and are available from Ticket Pop. And if that's not enough ghoulish fun for you, check out the Yellow Halloween party at the Hiram Bithorn Stadium in the Hato Rey suburb of San Juan.

First protests, now fire. It's hasn't the best week for Puerto Rico, has it? If you're in San Juan this weekend, you've obviously seen the black clouds swirling over the city, the result of a fire at an oil storage facility in Bayamon that began on Friday. I didn't expect the blaze to last this long, but authorities are saying there is no immediate danger from the fire or the smoke. For the latest news, check out this report from CNN.

Naturally, this is a freak occurrence that should have no impact on any trips you've planned to the island. The situation is apparently under control, after a scary weekend for many in and around the capital, but the worst seems to be over.

Ok, I'm getting my Christmas list together early. In this case, it's my list of Christmas items, souvenirs and gifts you can find that will remind you of Puerto Rico. These include one of the island's most iconic artistic traditions; local interpretations of a classic Christmas decoration; and the drink that Puerto Ricans share during the holiday season (it's not egg nog, but rather a variation of it). Of course, rounding out the list are those items that every loved one will appreciate this holiday season. It's never too early to get your lists made, checked twice, and checked off!

For anyone who loves costumes, candy and scary movies, here it is: About.com's Halloween Blog Carnival, brought to you by Charlyn Keating Chisholm, your guide to Hotels, Resorts and Inns. From the famous (check out what's going on at the London Dudgeon) to the infamous (you know Salem is going to represent) to the hard-to-find (Halloween in Scandinavia? Who knew?), she and our fellow guides have taken care of your ghoulish needs.

The Caribbean in general isn't a typical Halloween destination, but even Puerto Rico has a few tricks and treats up its sleeve. And a very exciting one is the 2nd Annual Puerto Rico Horror Filmfest. I first wrote about this special event in my September Calendar of Events, but at the time the full details had not been published. That's all been taken care of now; check out the full schedule of film entries from Germany to Argentina.

NFL season is in full swing and even if you've taken some time off to escape to the Caribbean, I'm sure fans of the fame won't want to miss game-day Sundays (I'm firmly planted in front of my TV as we speak). So without further ado, here are my favorite places to watch the game:

• Dunbars: in Ocean Park, this casual institution has enough TV screens, cheering room and even great food to occupy you for the day. Between the games, play some pool, enjoy the ambience, and check out the wall of happy (in many cases, quite sexy) customers. Located at 1854 McLeary Avenue in Ocean Park, call 787-728-2920.
• The Brick House: Come for "Super Sports Sunday," stay for mouthwatering chicken wings available in roughly 60 saucy variations, and enjoy the down-home atmosphere at this conveniently located sports bar and home of "Gringo-Rican" cuisine. Located at 359 Tetuan Street in Old San Juan, call 787-559-5022.
• Señor Frog's: Anyone familiar with bars in Mexico and the Caribbean has probably heard of Señor Frog's. This is a raucous place where the drinks flow continuously, the young crowds flock consistently, and the party tries never to stop. On Sundays, it's also a good place to catch your favorite NFL games.
• Lupi's: On Isla Verde, Lupi's is a classic marriage of large portions of Tex-Mex foods, massive margaritas, and a sports bar atmosphere. It's a casual, relaxed place to be that stays open late and has plenty of room to show the big games. Located on 6369 Isla Verde Avenue in Isla Verde, call 787-253-2198.

Ok, so if you're in Puerto Rico these days you've obviously heard about, witnessed or stayed in your hotel room to avoid mass demonstrations that took place yesterday. If you were anywhere near the Plaza Las Americas Mall (which was closed for the day) you were in the thick of things. But the good news is that this was a largely peaceful event, with the most serious threats being dehydration and high blood pressure.

What was it all about? Puerto Rico's economic slide and the resulting unemployment. How does it affect you, the tourist? Well, start with this statement from the Puerto Rico Tourism Company. The island is fully committed to business-as-usual for the tourism industry, and travelers to the island should not feel threatened by the strike. If anything, exepct a warmer reception than ever when you come to Puerto Rico. The island, and its people, will be happy to see you.