Condado might have the swish casinos and the happening shopping strips, but it's Old San Juan just down the road that packs in the culture. You can easily get there by car or bus, to delve into a medley of tight-knit alleys where beautiful churches shoulder overhead and formidable fortress walls herald the Spanish influence on the city. The world-class Museo de Las Americas makes its home in those parts, brimming with Carib folk art, colonial relics and sobering tales of the Atlantic Slave Trade.
Chill and unwind in Condado _ that's what this fun-loving patchwork of glistening sands and chic Condado vacation rentals is really for. That could mean retail therapy in the chichi fashion boutiques that adorn the boulevards. It could mean relaxing strolls to watch the sunset along the salt-sprayed promenade. It could mean bouts of Carib fine-dining in the acclaimed bistros. Spas and massage parlors abound, too, while the call of Condado Beach and its palm-topped, wave-washed sunbathing spots is unceasing.
Like the rest of Puerto Rico, Condado gets wet, rainy summers that are filled with scorching tropical temperatures. They don't stop the visitors coming between June and September, though _ the stylish shopping and the swanky gaming halls are still there, after all. To be certain of dodging the Caribbean storms, you'll need to book your Condado vacation rentals for the drier months. They start in December and go all the way to March, bringing the bulk of the sun seekers to the island's shores.
Condado caps off the barrio of Santurce, one of the largest in the capital of Puerto Rico. That means there's little in the way of wild Caribbean nature, despite _ of course _ the famous stretches of yellow-hued sand, spotted with regimented rows of palm trees for shade and lapped by the enticing waters of the Atlantic Ocean. You'll also be able to find some grassy green spaces and shaded picnic places above the rocky coast at the La Ventana al Mar Park.
Fly into San Juan (SJU-Luis Munoz Marin Intl.), the closest airport, located 4.5 mi (7.2 km) from the city center. If you're unable to find a flight that fits your schedule, you could book a flight to Ponce (PSE-Mercedita), which is 44.6 mi (71.8 km) away.