Whether you fly or float into Vieques, you'll want to start by securing your hotel and rental car. The car, and the type of car, is important. Because many of the island's roads are unpaved and can get squelchy with mud, a jeep is highly advisable. (Many people also love to rent scooters.) Once you're settled in, hit the beach.
Itinerary
- From the airport or dock, take a público (a public transport van) to your hotel. Don't know where you're staying? Check out these top-rated hotels. Budget travelers should try the Sea Gate Guest House or the Crow's Nest Inn, two more affordable options. Check in and change into your bathing suit and summer clothes.
- Get your transportation: call well ahead to reserve your jeep, car, or scooter. Three reliable agencies are Vieques Car Rental, Maritza's Car Rental, and Extreme Scooter Rental & Watersports (787-741-8141) for scooters.
- Head to Esperanza, the smaller of Vieques' two towns, for lunch. Tradewinds (787-741-8666) and Bananas are among Vieques' most popular restaurants, and both are off the Esperanza malecón, or boardwalk.
- Spend an hour browsing the shops along the malecón. Diva's Closet and Kim's Cabin are good bets for island clothing.
- Time to hit the beach. Steps away is Esperanza Beach, and nearby is Sun Bay, but there are many more. To help you figure out where to go, check out this handy guide to the island's beaches.
- Sunbathe and swim until it's time for dinner. Two worthy options away from town are Carambola Restaurant, for fine dining, at the Inn on the Blue Horizon and the Island Steakhouse, for succulent steaks, at the Crow's Nest Inn.
- Your nightlife options are slim, but the Blue Moon Bar & Grill at the Inn on the Blue Horizon is a nice spot to wind down the evening. For a more boisterous party, head to Bananas, where the second floor is devoted to revelry on weekend nights.
