Must-See Places in Puerto Rico | Part 2: Art, Mountains, Rivers and Waterfalls

In life the best way to find new and exciting places is just to go out and explore. Sometimes you even have to let yourself get a little lost as we do on this journey. Stay tuned for part two of the ultimate Puerto Rico road trip where we'll show you two of the most beautiful waterfalls on the island. Last night we had a really relaxing time in this beautiful cabin in El Tuaro and today we're going to continue our mountain road trip to the towns of Adjuntas and Yalco where we're going to see a beautiful river with waterfalls and a spectacular mountain vista. But first let's go get breakfast because I'm hungry. We start off our day in a cozy mountain Airbnb cabin with classy cowboy chic decor and a breathtaking view of the mountains. Cabaña La Carriona is a great place to spend a few nights in El Tuaro. It's located in a very quiet area but close enough to town that you can easily grab dinner or breakfast after a short drive. Imagine falling asleep to the sounds of frogs and tropical birds and waking up to this magnificent sunrise above the mountains. Now we're driving 40 minutes to the town of Adjuntas for a nice breakfast in Restaurante Las Garzas in Parador Sotomayor. On the way we find a super cute stand selling arts and crafts and succulents so we stopped to get some gifts for the family. The drive from El Tuaro to Adjuntas is full of incredible mountain scenery and is quite relaxing as it's not too difficult. Parador via Sotomayor is a fun place to visit with a very relaxed family-friendly vibe. The Parador has 35 bungalows of different sizes that include a small front porch with a hammock. The hotel has many amenities including horseback riding, several swimming pools and a great restaurant. We just had a huge breakfast in Restaurante Las Garzas in the Parador via Sotomayor. This looks like a really fun place to stay. They have a beautiful super clean pool and there are birds and horses. It's a really fun place to visit. Now we're fully fueled and ready to go hiking. Just five minutes from Parador Sotomayor we find Charco a la Taur in Adjuntas. There are many beautiful places in Adjuntas but one of the most incredible is Charco a la Taur. This waterfall is part of the Garzas river and it has multiple swimming holes that you can enjoy. Getting to Charco a la Taur is pretty easy since it's just a few minutes from the road but be advised that you will have to climb down some boulders in order to get to the natural pools. The word a taur means coffin and while we aren't sure why the place got that name it's probably best not to hike this in flip-flops. This is Rio a la Taur in Adjuntas. It has some beautiful waterfalls and these swimming holes look really clean and wonderful to take a dip. We would totally jump in if we weren't going to some more swimming holes later. So if you can come here with your family I'm sure they will all love it. It's gorgeous. When you arrive at the Ataúd waterfall it exceeds your expectations of beauty. It would be an amazing place to spend the whole day exploring since there are multiple waterfalls and pools below. The water is sparkling clear and clean. It seems like a great place to bring kids since the water isn't very deep and there are lots of rocks to climb on. After our exploration of Charco a la Taur we enter Cerro El Rodadero a trail famous for its mountain views into the GPS and prepare for an easy drive. However in life sometimes you have to be willing to get a little lost in order to arrive at the most magical destinations. So apparently getting from Adjuntas to Yauco is not that easy because the only road that connects them looks like this. If you're going to brave the drive from Adjuntas to Yauco probably you want to get a jeep. We had to abort mission on going to Yauco because the road was a disaster and we weren't even sure if it was going to actually connect even though google maps kept telling us time and time again to go down that road. So we're just gonna go down the hill and see what town we come to and find something to do there. Then amazingly we actually end up on the right road not for Cerro El Rodadero but for Salto Santa Clara. When you get to Santa Clara you can smell something mystical in the fresh crisp air. You may even hear drum beats emanating from the woods as we did. The trail begins under a large welcoming banner. So after getting lost a bunch of times going down some very scary roads and then doing some creative navigating we did finally make it to Salto Santa Clara in Yauco. So we're super excited to do this hike. It's supposed to be a little intense but have a really beautiful waterfall at the end. Which is great because I'm hungry! As you advance along the path you cross the river several times. At the biggest river crossing the trail continues on the opposite shore to your left. This hike is a grand adventure that you will never forget. At one part of the trail there's a steep muddy incline. A long metal cable runs from a tree at the top of the hill to the very bottom and you definitely need to use it if you don't want to end up rolling down the hill. It's a good idea to bring gloves so you can grip the cable without hurting your hands. This hike is an excellent full body workout with a great reward at the end. This is Salto Santa Clara and I have to say that honestly this is the most magical place I've ever been in Puerto Rico. This waterfall is huge and breathtaking and the trail to hike here is such an adventure. If you're adventurous and you love nature and you're gonna do a road trip in Puerto Rico I would say this is the one place you should definitely go. Salto Santa Clara is one of those places you really have to experience in person to appreciate its majesty. The impressive main waterfall is surrounded above and below by other glorious falls. The sheer beauty and remoteness of this place make it a true paradise. The best part is that you feel at one with nature as it's totally pristine and uncrowded. It seems that the people who make the effort to visit this place truly understand how special it is and are responsible enough to take care of it. If you get the opportunity to visit this place just wade into the water and let the cold erase all your worries. Float and feel at peace. After this wonderful experience we travel to our next stop, the charming mountain town of Yalco. In the middle of the town you'll find Yalcromático. This urban art initiative features brightly colored houses covered in geometric shapes transforming a quiet neighborhood into a huge art gallery. The area also frequently hosts concerts and features stalls where you can buy art jewelry and food from local artisans. If you're in Yalco on the weekend you shouldn't pass up the opportunity to have a fun afternoon at Yalcromático. You can enjoy an ice cream, have lunch or dinner, pick up some unique gifts, and best of all support the local economy. We decide to end our incredible trip with a lovely meal in Dolce Salau. This beautiful restaurant is located in front of the catholic church on the plaza and its building has a long and interesting history as it was the home of first mayor of Yalco. The classic outdoor courtyard has a wonderfully relaxed and romantic feel. Yeah this place is adorable and you said it's in the home of one of the first mayors of Yalco? Yes. Or the first mayor. The first mayor of Yalco. In the home of the first mayor of Yalco. It is a nice experience because across the street the church is having their service so we're hearing them sing so it's really nice and the food looks yummy so I'm so excited to eat because we didn't have lunch and we hiked a lot. The menu has a great selection and the food and cocktails are full of bright flavors. This trip through the mountains of Puerto Rico reminds us that the best things in life are often the ones you don't completely plan out. We're constantly surprised by how many amazing places are hidden away on this small island. Please hit that subscribe button right now so you can experience all these fantastic places with us. Thanks so much for watching and remember to go out live and explore.