Destination: Puerto Rico
By LINKS Magazine
The commonwealth of the United States is one of the most popular destinations in the Caribbean. With beaches, natural scenery and plenty of activities, the island has something for everyone.
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WHERE TO PLAY
Bahia Beach Resort & Golf Club:: Water comes into play on 15 holes of Robert Trent Jones Jr.'s design, and the final three holes play along the coast. There are several lodging choices for the course, including multi-bedroom villas and the St. Regis resort.
Dorado Beach Resort & Club:: Founded in 1958 by Laurance Rockefeller with a pair of nine-hole courses designed by Robert Trent Jones Sr., the property has expanded to include 72 holes. Despite the growth, the low-key charm has remained unchanged.
Golf Links at Royal Isabela: Developed by tennis great Charlie Pasarell and his brother Stanley, the new clifftop layout designed by Pete Dye protégé David Pfaff may be the most dramatic on the island. For now, you can play the course for free by contacting the brothers through their Web site.
Trump International: Host of the Puerto Rico Open presented by seepuertorico.com since 2008, when the event made its debut on the island. The resort features two 18-hole courses. Both were designed by Tom Kite.
WHERE TO STAY
El Conquistador Resort: Perched on a 300-foot-high cliff the sprawling resort is divided into five villages with a variety of accommodation choices. Among the amenities are a spa, a "fantasy island" with caverns, water sports and an Arthur Hills-designed layout.
Gran Melia Golf Resort: One of the key amenities of this all-suite resort is access to the 36 holes at Trump International Golf Club. The Championship course hosts the PGA Tour's Puerto Rican Open, but many consider the International layout to be more spectacular and a better test of golf.
Ritz-Carlton, San Juan: Just minutes from Old San Juan and set along unspoiled beachfront, this deluxe hotel has perhaps the most plush hotel rooms in the city, along with diverse dining options (five restaurants, three bars) and a large, stylish casino.
ACTIVITIES
Arecibo Observatory: Puerto Rico is home to the world's largest single-dish radio telescope, run by the National Astronomy and Ionosphere Center and Cornell University. Among its many jobs is to accurately predict when and where an asteroid might hit the Earth. So far, the telescope has done well enough to avoid an action-movie scenario.
Old San Juan: Take an entertaining walking tour of the fortress city and hear tales of rum runners and real-life pirates of the Caribbean. Founded in 1521, San Juan is the oldest city in the United States and was once inhabited by Spanish conquistadors who left behind the cobblestone streets and brick walls of the San Felipe del Morro Fort.
Bio Bay: Puerto Rico is full of many natural wonders like the bioluminescent displays in the water off the coast of Vieques, a small island located east of Puerto Rico. The nocturnal spectacle is created by microorganisms that glow when agitated by paddles or bodies moving through the water.
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