Old San Juan: Free trolley to forts

[BigJon]

Last week I was in San Juan on the Disney Fantasy, for my first trip to San Juan. If you want to visit the 2 main forts (Castillo de San Cristobal & El Morro), they have a free trolley, with pick-ups very close to the pier. There are 3 piers, and we docked at the one in the center. As we were walking down the pier, I took this picture....

At the end of the pier (if you dock at the center pier, or the pier on the far right), turn left and walk down the sidewalk.....

It's a very short walk to stop #14. Notice the CVS sign across the street (under the #14 sign).....

I stepped on the left side of the sign, and took another picture looking back toward the ship....

Once I got back on the ship, I took this picture looking toward stop #14. When I took this picture, the "open air" trolley was picking up some passengers....

The reason I'm showing the way to trolley stop #14 is, most people were going to stop #1, which is down this street. If you took a right, and walked down the sidewalk, and then crossed the street, you would be at this stop. Stop #1 is close to where the guy (white shirt) is standing on the far sidewalk, near the center of this photo....

Once we were picked up at trolley stop #14, we then went to stop #1, and our trolley was full once we left that stop. So head to #14 instead of #1..........more to follow....

 

[DnA2010]

Heading out on the next sailing of the fantasy, this is very helpful, thanks!

 

[bumbershoot]

Terrific pictures and idea. Thank you!!!

 

[poison ivy]

Great pics! I highly recommend this for those wanting to tour the Forts.
We used Stop #14 to board as well. Here's a few more details and photos I posted in an older thread.
http://www.disboards.com/threads/taking-parents-on-their-first-cruise.3337524/#post-52401033

 

[BigJon]

If stop #14 has a lot of people, you can walk to the La Casita (small building behind the flags), and it's just a short stroll down the sidewalk, past stop #14...

If you walk behind the La Casita, to the left, you will see stop #13....

The first fort that you go to on the free trolley is Castillo de San Cristobal. Stop #18-B. This is where we got off at.

Or you can get off at the next stop for the same fort. Stop #18

 

[BigJon]

The "open air" trolley shown below, goes directly in front of the entrance to El Morro. There is another free trolley that goes to the forts, and it's green, and it's enclosed, not open like the one below. But that trolley does not go all the way up to the entrance at El Morro.....($5 per person for both forts. Make sure you save your receipt)

The views from El Morro were awesome....

The Sentry Boxes were so cool.....

 

[bumbershoot]

You can just SEE the heat in those pix. We were there in January last year and it was so so so HOT. We loved it, absolutely. But SO hot. OH and we walked to the forts and back.

 

[BigJon]

When we left El Morro, we walked down the long drive back to town....

We crossed the street, and there was a park, with a fountain, and some benches. Before we sat down, there were 2 street vendors, one selling ice cream, and another selling piragua (shaved ice). We bought a pineapple ice for $3. It was okay, nothing special, but since it was so hot, it tasted pretty good...

 

[IAMASTITCHER]

Those pic's are great. If you do a search on touring San Juan, the tourism board also posts maps of the trolly stops and associated walking tours - all free.

 

[genki3]

I think I was on the same cruise. Too bad I didn't research more about these trolleys before going because I ended up not knowing where to go to get on a trolley and ended up pushing my toddler in her stroller UPHILL on those stinking difficult cobblestone streets. And to top that off, I asked a local policia how to get to the Fort and he directed me to the side entrance... I had wanted to take a picture of me with that famous lawn and long walkway, like you did. By the time I got to the side entrance, it was too hot and humid and I was ready to go downhill back to the ship!

So good on you for helping others!!

 

[jpeppers]

I think I was also on the same cruise, too bad I went to Senor Frogs 1st and not sure what happened but I suddenly had no time to see the forts when I came out. The view is so beautiful even from the ship over looking the fort in front. We re-booked for next, just disappointed San Juan is not one of the stops. If it was, I would avoid Senor Frogs because time gets away from you there!

 

[ptcbass]

I was on that cruise too and didn't notice the free service. Thanks for sharing. It did end up getting hot. Maybe I will get to go back and try it out. We ended up shopping, getting hot and going back to the ship for lunch, then went back for something we forgot to purchase. We ended up not having time for the fort but still loved the city. The police were nice but I don't know if I should feel good because there were so many of them or worried that they felt they needed that many (with bullet proof vest on). They were everywhere!