Jardín Botánico de la UPR — Attraction in San Juan

This is a nice place to take a stroll and is wheelchair or stroller friendly. I must have high expectations of a "Botanical Garden." My friend and I have visited some amazing botanical gardens around the world. This did not have a visitor friendly feel and there was no information about any of the plants or animals. We visited on a Wednesday and there wasn't another living soul except a lady siting at a small table near the closed "visitor center." She had a notebook where we signed in and she pointed in the direction we should go. We started that direction but it was a dark overgrown path covered with limbs and leaves heading into a dense growth of bamboo. We were sure it must be the wrong way, so we went back for a map. There was only one on the wall to photograph, so we took a picture of it. The map was very confusing but did show only one route from the visitor's center. We headed off again...down the over grown path. We came out into a large grassy area that had been recently mowed but we were very confused about which way to go. We wandered around the paths ( mostly roads) for awhile finding nothing spectacular and not a single sign with info until we came to the Monet Garden. There was a bent plaque describing the area, but below it was a sign that read "Peligro" and something about "do not enter." We wandered a little further and saw that what may have been a beautiful area with benches was completely overgrown and dilapidated. Benches were destroyed and debris was covering everything. We moved along one of the roads/paths and saw three sculptures and an area with 3 nice fountains and some walkways. The most maintained structures were a few red bridges that really didn't go anywhere but added some interest and color. Overall the place was pretty but felt more like a walk through a city park. I expected to learn something about the local flora. Finally on our way out we found a tree with a sign telling what it was. Ironically it was a tree that I was interested in knowing about because I see it around the island. It was a huge Ficus Drupacea (Mysore Fig Tree) from India. This was a fortunate find because otherwise I was truly...

Doesn’t look like a Botanical Garden when you pull into the gate. As a matter of fact , the first sign you see says something about a University but as you drive up the winding driveway- the lushness of the property embraces you.

When I think botanical gardens I expect to see a variety of gardens or clusters with specific types of plants and trees- that wasn’t exactly what I saw here. However, I’d be remiss to allow you to think there wasn’t still plenty to see.

I checked in to the information station to grab a map and the agent told me to scan a QR code and take a pic( PR is big on that, love it). I grabbed a bottle of water and set out. I was alone in the garden for a while until I saw another visitor. We quickly engaged each other and walked the rest of the garden together.

Leaving the information area, the first part of the garden you enter is the bamboo walk. A beautiful lush arms of bamboo that makes the most serene sounds. Off to the right, upon a hill you’ll see a cabana. A short walk away to your left is a pond and the next large area ahead is by far one of the most gorgeous in the garden, Palmetto an area of the lushest palm trees. Plan to take your best photos here

Back on the other side of the hill you’ll see another small body of water with a ton of lizards iguanas included. It’s giving rainforest. Next we went to the extreme left of the garden you’ll encounter the fountain and official sign mid garden, you’ll see the Money garden named after the famous painter, you’ll see the signature tropical plants of the Caribbean as well as a red carriage house. Again, there’s plenty to see and appreciate.

Leave your expectations at the gate and just enjoy the natural sounds of nature and allow your senses to take a break.

P.S. the park opens at 6:00 AM, get there as soon as possible because it gets really hot and overwhelming...

I desperately want to give this garden 5 stars, but sadly natural disasters & lack of proper funding have reduced it to a jungle with pockets of beauty. If you like to hike, JB offers paved & dirt trails, hills, stairs, and a few lovely views. Currently, the best things to see are the Palm trees with a nearby pond & the three fountains. On the way, you'll see huge oak & mimosa trees, a lovely bamboo grove, and various Japanese gardens. I was especially interested in seeing Monet's garden, a purported take on the famous one at Giverny. The latest hurricane must have had a direct hit on this spot since it was a disaster. Volunteers are struggling to clean it out for repairs. For history or engineering wonks, consider a hike over to the north side, where an old dam & aqueduct system dates from the mid-1800s. It's gated & guarded, but ask nicely & they might let you in. All self-guided. On the marketing/info side: no paper info was available yet, signs are small, some illegible or damaged, cafe & store closed. BYOW & food. There is a picnic hut but no tables. Staff I talked to were very friendly....