Puerto Rico’s best-kept secret is its early summer shoulder season

With its palm-fronted beaches, dramatic natural wonders and colonial-era cities, Puerto Rico calls out like a beacon during winter. Snowbirds are drawn down to the tropics in droves, marking a high season from December through April, with higher airfare and nightly hotel rates to match.

Low season, on the other hand, is synonymous with the hurricane months (June 1 to Nov. 30) — but there’s an underrated sweet spot in May and June when the weather is still pleasant, tourists have started to return home, and culture flourishes in the capital. Best of all, no passports are necessary — meaning you won’t have to deal with the increasing hassles of border controls that have been making the news this year. 

And clearly, Puerto Rico is on the mind: San Juan ranks number one on Google Flights Trending Domestic Destinations list for trips departing June 1 through Aug. 31 from U.S. airports. 

Here’s why you shouldn’t be afraid of traveling to Puerto Rico when the heat is on.

Related: TPG’s beginners guide to Puerto Rico

The weather

Because of its location below the Tropic of Cancer, Puerto Rico enjoys relatively consistent temperatures throughout the year — except when hurricanes and tropical storms come barreling through. May and June see average highs of 88 and 90 degrees Fahrenheit, respectively, which are only a few degrees warmer than the winter months (85 degrees Fahrenheit in December through February).

While May kicks off the wet season, patterns are predictable and can be planned around. Northeast trade winds mean that the north coast tends to experience morning showers, while the island’s south side sits under a rain shadow. As mentioned earlier, hurricane season officially runs from June 1 through Nov. 30, but June has historically remained a quiet month for the region. (The most devastating storms in recent history — including Hurricanes Maria and Fiona — have all made landfall in September.)

Flight deals 

You often find impressive flight deals during May and June because of reduced demand. Katy Nastro, spokesperson for the Going flight deal app, says average deals range from $170 to $400 to San Juan’s Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport (SJU), $196 to $395 to Aguadilla’s Rafael Hernández International Airport (BQN), and $246 to $397 to Ponce’s Mercedita International Airport (PSE), from other U.S. airports during these months. 

A recent shoulder season deal Going sent its subscribers included $176 round-trip flights to SJU from New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) on Delta Airlines.

As a point of reference, Nastro says that high-season averages can often climb as high as $450 to $650 round trip, with winter holidays and school breaks pushing prices another 20% to 30% higher. 

Hotel deals 

According to data from Discover Puerto Rico, over the past two years, average daily rates for hotels in May have been about $275 for hotels and $205 for rentals, compared to the 2024 average rate of $330 for hotels and $225 for rentals. You’ll have a much easier time finding availability: hotel occupancy this season hovers around 72%, with the rental market operating at only 58% full. 

Among our favorite Puerto Rico points hotels, Dorado Beach, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve still has nights bookable in June for as low as 180,500 Marriott Bonvoy points and in May starting at 184,000 points. (Nightly cash rates start at $1,570 in June and $1,770 in May.) Compare that to the peak-season month of March 2026, when the lowest available points rate is 257,500 per night — an increase of nearly 43% over June lows — or $2,870 cash.

The Caribe Hilton, meanwhile, has wide availability for rooms in May and June, starting at $246 or 70,000 Hilton Honors points per night. Though you can also find points redemptions for 70,000 points next March, nightly cash rates start at $459 and all weekends are already sold out.

Culture 

With fewer travelers crowding restaurants, bars and museums, the shoulder season is a particularly appealing time to explore the island’s cities and towns. And though Bad Bunny’s sold-out residency at San Juan’s Coliseo de Puerto Rico José Miguel Agrelot doesn’t kick off until July, there are still plenty of cultural events to catch in May and June.

Discover Puerto Rico public relations director Davelyn Tardi recommends, for instance, the Festival Casals. Founded in 1956 by cellist, composer and conductor Pablo Casals, the festival runs this year from May 24 to June 7, during which time orchestras, quartets and piano recitals will take over San Juan’s Centro de Bellas Artes Luis A. Ferre and the Conservatorio de Musica de Puerto Rico.  

While in town, you can also catch a play during the Festival de Teatro Puertorriqueno (March 27–June 1) or party on the beach for Noche de San Juan (June 23). Timed to the eve of the birth of St. John the Baptist, the festival culminates with a midnight ritual that involves jumping backward into the sea three, seven or 12 times, depending on whom you ask.

As one of the most LGBTQ-friendly islands in the Caribbean, Puerto Rico celebrates Pride on June 22 with a parade and festival at Parque del Indio in San Juan’s Condado neighborhood.

Nature 

Beyond its music- and art-filled culture, Puerto Rico has many natural wonders that change throughout the seasons. Sea turtle nesting season runs from about February through August, when the aquatic reptiles haul themselves onto sandy beaches to lay eggs. The St. Regis Bahia Beach even collaborates with the Alma de Bahia Foundation to monitor nests during this time and help vulnerable hatchlings reach the sea. 

If the heat and humidity of early summer get to you, cool off with a dip in a swimming hole underneath a waterfall, such as the ones you can find in El Yunque National Forest or at Canon Blanco in Utuado. Rainy season means rivers are often at their fullest, but watch weather forecasts because heavy downpours can lead to slippery trails and flash floods. 

Bottom line

With fewer crowds and better deals, traveling to Puerto Rico during its early summer shoulder season is worth it despite slightly higher temperatures and rain showers. Plus with multiple cultural festivals and the chance to observe the sea turtle nesting season, there is plenty to do on the island in May and June.