Ruta tips the good life travel

the good life
travel
Ruta Tips
Rent a car from a
reliable, recognized agency.
If you blow a tire or have any
other mechanical troubles, a
nationally owned and operated
rental agency, such as Hertz,
will be more likely to have the
resources to dispatch someone
to service or replace the car
within a reasonable time frame.
Highlights of the Trip
(Clockwise from left)
Hacienda El Jibarito is Puerto Rico’s
first agritourism resort; a view
from the Ruta; a yoga class at the
Casa Grande Mountain Retreat.
Signage, both for
the Ruta itself and for the
attractions mentioned here, is
not consistent, so it’s a good
idea to map out your route
and stops beforehand. A useful
planning tool is the interactive
map of Puerto Rico, which
is available for free at all hotels
on the island. It’s also available
online at travelmaps.com.
Don’t drive at night.
The Ruta Panorámica is not lit,
and variable road conditions
make driving after dark unsafe.
Gas up whenever you
can. Don’t make the mistake of
thinking you can make it to the
next gas station. Trust me.
Grab a guide. Fodor’s
Puerto Rico, 6th Edition ($20)
has just been released
and includes a special section
on the Ruta. —J.S.
Accommodations are in private cabins,
each with its own porch and hammock
or rocking chairs.
It took us two days to get to El Jibarito,
but we weren’t in a rush. Every so often
we’d pull over and dip our toes into natural pools along the road. And we made
a point of stopping for photos at every
panoramic pull-off.
It was while replacing that shredded tire with a spare when an elderly
man stopped to chat, offering his recommendations for the best roast pork
along the Ruta. Of course, we had to stop
and try it—and of course, he was right.
The meat was both simple and exquisite,
intended to be slowly savored. Which,
come to think of it, is exactly how the
Ruta remains in my memory.
P hoto
HOTOg
C Rraph
E D I Ts : F ranci s co C olla zo.
Jájome Terrace the largest—in fact, We also loved going on the guided tour
one of the only—“big” businesses on at Hacienda Buena Vista. This is a prethe drive. It’s on the Ruta where Puerto served coffee plantation just south of the
Rico’s constant tug-of-war between the Ruta, where coffee and cacao are still
urban and the rural, the modern and the grown. Guided walks are offered daily,
traditional, seems simply to be a non­ and chocolate demonstrations are a fun
issue. The choice isn’t between a burger experience during the fall and winter
or a sub; you’ll have whatever’s on the harvest season.
menu of whichever roadside stop is open
Apart from these stops, the availwhen you drive through.
able lodgings along the Ruta also offer
Technically, you could drive the whole activities. The Casa Grande Mountain
Ruta in a day; in terms of miles, doing so Retreat (hotelcasagrande.com) may have
sounds easy enough. To really enjoy the basic-bordering-on-rustic accommodadrive, though, it’s best to set aside two or tions (no air conditioning or television),
three days at a slower pace. Besides, the but you probably wouldn’t spend much
Ruta seems to punish those who want to time in your room anyway between the
hurry through: If a flat tire doesn’t
pool, on-site yoga classes, walking
slow you down, then the
trails, bird-watching and
the inevitable snooze in
occasional patch of poorly
For five more hidden
maintained road, the faila hammock.
treasures in PR
plus a travel deal, go
ing light of evening or the
Take a slight detour
to Latina.com/
occasional horse headed
at the western end of the
lifestyle/puertorico.
for the greener side of the
Ruta to experience Hacienda
roadway will.
El Jibarito (haciendaeljibarito
Highlights of the drive include stop.com), Puerto Rico’s first agritourping at Mirador Villalba in Orocovis, an ism resort, enfolded in the hills of San
overlook perched high in the mountains Sebastian. In addition to greenhouse
with views all the way to the sea; it’s the tours, horse rides and demonstrations
perfect place to stop for a picnic. Or hik- of picking and roasting coffee, El Jibarito
ing in the Toro Negro National Forest, also features two pools—one indoor,
home to the highest peak in Puerto Rico. one out—and luxurious spa services.
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