Bad Bunny’s groundbreaking Super Bowl, er…his halftime performance was a love letter to his homeland of Puerto Rico. Football fans or not, a record number of people around the world tuned in: Bad Bunny’s Super Bowl LX halftime show is the most-watched in history, reaching over 135 to 142 million viewers.
The six-time Grammy-winning superstar shone a spotlight on the Caribbean island’s nuanced history and culture with lots of easter eggs for us to dive into, and ultimately left us all asking: Who else wants to go to Puerto Rico?
Puerto Rico had its fifth consecutive year of record-breaking tourism in 2025, with more than 6.8 million air passenger arrivals. This influx of tourists and global attention is in part due to Bad Bunny’s decision to skip a world tour and set up a residency on the island, bringing in a record number of visitors. While Bad Bunny’s spectacular half-time show countered misconceptions of his homeland—for one, reinforcing that Puerto Ricans are American—it nodded to a unified Latin identity and broader American one.
“Bad Bunny has been intentional about using his platform to highlight Puerto Rico and, by extension, other Latin American countries during a time when discrimination and misunderstanding are very present,” says Luis Peña Crescioni, aka Backpacking Luis, a Puerto Rican content creator based in San Juan. “Puerto Ricans are deeply proud of who we are, our culture, and our resilience, and that pride comes from remembering where we’ve been and honoring what we’ve endured.”
In honor of Puerto Rico’s moment in the spotlight, we talk to Crescioni and other Puerto Rican travel experts to find out what they love about their island and what travelers often overlook. There’s more to do here than bask on the beautiful beaches, although that’s reason enough to hop on a plane. Puerto Rico is an adventure paradise, complete with glow-in-the-dark bays to paddle and one of the largest cave systems in the world to explore.
In addition to jungles and mountains to trek through, there are new outdoor adventures in 2026, from a reopened cave park to a new zipline. Even more reason to visit Puerto Rico? Since it’s a U.S. territory, no passport is required.
Mountain Hiking
There’s more to Puerto Rico than its postcard beaches, says Crescioni, aka Backpacking Luis. The former NASA engineer and founder of Bori Local Tours showcases local culture and adventures, as well as a more sustainable “Green Path” in Puerto Rico.
“Hiking through the interior of Puerto Rico, especially in towns like Jayuya, allows you to explore breathtaking landscapes that are often overlooked.” He also recommends Para La Naturaleza, a non-profit which offers many nature guided tours all around Puerto Rico.
“The island is incredibly diverse—geographically and culturally—and the interior of Puerto Rico reflects a slower, more rooted way of life. Places like the inner side of PR (like Utuado, Orocovis, Jayuya, etc.) showcase a side of Puerto Rico that many visitors never experience. Recognizing our history and identity is key to truly understanding who we are as a people,” adds Crescioni.
Mangrove-Lined Bioluminescent Bays
“Puerto Rico is more than just San Juan,” says Jessica van Dop DeJesus, travel and food writer, content creator, and the author of The Dining Traveler Guide to Puerto Rico. “Puerto Ricans love their island, and there’s so much to see and do beyond the metropolitan area.”
One of the author’s favorite outdoor spots is La Parguera, a fishing village on the southwestern coast of Puerto Rico, known for its bioluminescent bay and mangrove-lined crystal blue cays. “Go on a boat ride and snorkel around the mangroves, which are an essential part of the ecology of the southern coast.” (It is also the only bioluminescent bay in Puerto Rico where swimming is permitted.)
Puerto Rico is home to three of the brightest bioluminescent bays in the world. Paddling through glowing waves is a must-do, says Jen Ruiz, aka “Jen on a Jet Plane,” a Puerto Rican-born lawyer turned travel author. Ruiz recommends going to Mosquito Bay on the island of Vieques, a 20-mile-long island off Puerto Rico’s main island, during a new moon. This bay is considered the brightest in the world, and you can take nighttime kayaking tours, frequently in clear-bottom kayaks.
Third-Largest Cavern System in the World
Ruiz says to appreciate one of Puerto Rico’s most incredible natural wonders, you also should take a walking tour of Parque Nacional de las Cavernas de Camuy, or the Río Camuy Cave Park. This extensive network of limestone caverns and underground waterways carved by the Río Camuy will reopen to the public in 2026, after being closed due to Hurricane Maria and then closed again after Hurricane Fiona. You can explore the world’s third-largest underground rivers and cave systems at Rio Camuy Cave park, which features more than 10 miles of mapped passages, 220 caves, 16 bat species, stalagmites, stalactites, and sinkholes.
Also, new this year: Toro Verde Zipline, a new zip line connecting the iconic Cruceta del Vigía with the historic Castillo Serrallés is slated to open in 2026, reaching speeds of up to 95mph as you ride Superman-style over the rainforest.
The post Bad Bunny Inspired? Why Puerto Rico Should Be on Your Adventure List for 2026. appeared first on Outside Online.
