Does San Juan, Puerto Rico, feel like an American city?
November 20, 2025
I heard that Hawaii feels American (I mean, it is, but you get my point). But Puerto Rico isn’t a state despite being unincorporated U.S territory.
26 comments
Not at all.
Both Honolulu and San Juan felt decidedly different than the mainland U.S. to me
No.
Going to Puerto Rico very much *feels* like visiting a foreign country.
Hawaii is exotic, but does not feel *foreign* like Puerto Rico does
It feels pretty foreign to me.
San Juan didn’t feel that different to me but I also live right on the border so I’m used to a heavy Latino influence.
I was only 20 at the time so I did also appreciate the drinking age being 18.
PR is a unique intersection of American, Caribbean, and European culture. There’s not really anywhere else like it IME
Hawaii 70 years ago felt very foreign. 70 years from now of it soon becomes a state San Juan will be like a modern US city.
Puerto Rico feels like Puerto Rico. In Puerto Rico they have European Sized Roads but drive American Sized Vehicles. Towns in Puerto Rico often have a Church in the center of it, a layout that was established by Spaniard Rule. So the layouts for Cities and the Towns in Puerto Rico are going to be much different than the US. There were parts of the US that were part of the Empires of Spain, Mexico, Russia, and France but all those territories while have varying levels of settlement were much less developed than Puerto Rico and Guam (another US Territory that used to be part of Spain). So they are going to feel less like an “American City” in the sense of the design of the city.
No, San Juan feels sort of foreign, and inside the walls of historic old Old San Juan feels very foreign. Overall Puerto Rico feels about as foreign as the Bahamas, Belize or the Caymans
Whenever I’ve visited Puerto Rico on business, San Juan felt like a modern city– but a Spanish-influenced city. Given how many of the people speak Spanish rather than English, and how much of the city reflected Spanish culture, it did not feel like an American city to me. That said, the people were wonderful and I cannot say a bad thing about San Juan, or about Ponce (where I also did business– it was less modern than San Juan, but still filled with friendly people and very good food too).
Sorta but also sorta not. It definitely feels foreign, but then all the road signs and things are familiar and understandable and it doesn’t feel totally foreign. It’s neither part of America nor NOT part of America. It’s hard to totally describe for an outsider. It’s the same as the people, who believe they’re Puerto Rican as an identity, but largely accept their status as involved with the US too. I’ve not been to another place with such an open ambiguity.
No. And don’t rejoice if you see that the price of gasoline is 93 cents — it’s sold by the liter, not by the gallon.
Old Town San Juan feels & looks like Cádiz, Spain
It feels like a foreign country, and depending ont he area it *really* feels like a foreign country, but in general it also feels familiar in that money and customs and amenities are similar and the vast majority of people speak English.
Condado has a very California beach vibe to me, whereas Viejo San Juan really feels like a noth another country and another time.
The buses are shit. The Ubers are cheap! Don’t drink the water. Try to avoid ice for that matter. But in general, not all that different from an old Spanish beach town in Florida to be honest
Not in the slightest. I have visited many times as I am of Puerto Rican heritage (both of my parents are Puerto Rican). It feels distinctly Caribbean/latin American. Culturally, architecturally, economically, it’s its own thing. It’s a beautiful city though, and I highly recommend visiting it.
It’s over 500 years old, and you can tell when you visit. I think that’s also part of what sets it apart from other U.S. cities.
No, but it’s great!
I’ve been there a bunch of times and it feels plenty American to me, but that really just depends on what you mean by American.
Outside of super touristy areas most people speak Spanish first, but they’re also plenty comfortable speaking English. That’s a huge chunk of the Rio Grande Valley and basically Montreal with French.
It’s easy in and out at the airport with a us passport, street signs all look the same, parking is a mess like in any urban center, with maybe a few less garages, and the suburbs aren’t all that different. Everything is in dollars and and the prices are pretty much what you’d expect.
You won’t find a Hardee’s but there’s plenty of McDonalds and crappy to amazing Chinese restaurants just like on the mainland. Grocery stores have most American staples and brands, but also PR ones you don’t see off the island.
It’s definitely not Des Moines or even Houston, but it’s a far cry from CDMX and no more an outlier than parts of Louisiana, Maine, Montana, New Mexico, or any other region that’s definitely America with an (aweome) culture all it’s own.
That’s generally true in San Juan and around the coasts but it gets a little more outlying in the mountainous interior.
Lots of answers that it feels different, which is true. It’s very Spanish in architecture. Most things are written in Spanish. But it also feels like an American city. If you are from the States, it has a lot of hallmarks of home.
Everyone shops at CostCo and Walmart. The road signs and systems are very similar. You use the dollar. You don’t need a passport. In the city, most people speak English.
You’ll see the same shows and movies. The same chain stores and restaurants. Lots of the same brands in the grocery stores. Lots of the same foods (and many unique ones).
Culturally, Puerto Ricans have their own thing going, but they are also very into American culture. They know the same shows and movies. Watch the same cartoons.
So it’s different – but the same.
No, it’s not like the US very much.
San Juan (old town) feels very European. Stayed there twice and it was lovely.
2nd oldest European-settled city in all of the Americas. You definitely feel it in its architecture and streets.
The older parts are more European to me than anything American
Sure, I guess. It’s all relative. If you’re from the Midwest, New York might feel foreign.
Hawaii felt like Los Angeles to me. But I flew into Honolulu so …
Puerto Rico, not really American. But a bit American. It’s full of Spanish history, but you’re handing out American money.
The vibe I got there was that it felt like an American city if America got taken over by Mexico and got a little poorer but not ridiculously so. There’s a lot of poverty and run down areas, which you’ll find in many urban and rural areas. But much more of it. The signs are in Spanish, which gives a foreign feel. But the signage is American. A yield sign is a yield sign, so it doesn’t feel like a different country in that sense. A lot of the same American chains are there — like Best Buy, Panda Express, and Wendy’s and things you can only typically find in the U.S. or Canada.
I think if I moved there, I’d feel like I was in a different country within a country. It’s a lot like going from Anglophone Canada to Quebec. Totally different vibes but you can still tell it’s part of the rest.
Not even a little bit.
Puerto Rico feels like a very unique state, but absolutely American, if the comparison is actual foreign countries to the United States.
Like Australia and Canada feel more close to average America than PR does, but beyond those two there’s nothing else close.
To me PR feels like a less wealthy Miami. Culture, climate, language, food, ethnic groups … very similar.
26 comments
Not at all.
Both Honolulu and San Juan felt decidedly different than the mainland U.S. to me
No.
Going to Puerto Rico very much *feels* like visiting a foreign country.
Hawaii is exotic, but does not feel *foreign* like Puerto Rico does
It feels pretty foreign to me.
San Juan didn’t feel that different to me but I also live right on the border so I’m used to a heavy Latino influence.
I was only 20 at the time so I did also appreciate the drinking age being 18.
PR is a unique intersection of American, Caribbean, and European culture. There’s not really anywhere else like it IME
Hawaii 70 years ago felt very foreign. 70 years from now of it soon becomes a state San Juan will be like a modern US city.
Puerto Rico feels like Puerto Rico. In Puerto Rico they have European Sized Roads but drive American Sized Vehicles. Towns in Puerto Rico often have a Church in the center of it, a layout that was established by Spaniard Rule. So the layouts for Cities and the Towns in Puerto Rico are going to be much different than the US. There were parts of the US that were part of the Empires of Spain, Mexico, Russia, and France but all those territories while have varying levels of settlement were much less developed than Puerto Rico and Guam (another US Territory that used to be part of Spain). So they are going to feel less like an “American City” in the sense of the design of the city.
No, San Juan feels sort of foreign, and inside the walls of historic old Old San Juan feels very foreign. Overall Puerto Rico feels about as foreign as the Bahamas, Belize or the Caymans
Whenever I’ve visited Puerto Rico on business, San Juan felt like a modern city– but a Spanish-influenced city. Given how many of the people speak Spanish rather than English, and how much of the city reflected Spanish culture, it did not feel like an American city to me. That said, the people were wonderful and I cannot say a bad thing about San Juan, or about Ponce (where I also did business– it was less modern than San Juan, but still filled with friendly people and very good food too).
Sorta but also sorta not. It definitely feels foreign, but then all the road signs and things are familiar and understandable and it doesn’t feel totally foreign. It’s neither part of America nor NOT part of America. It’s hard to totally describe for an outsider. It’s the same as the people, who believe they’re Puerto Rican as an identity, but largely accept their status as involved with the US too. I’ve not been to another place with such an open ambiguity.
No. And don’t rejoice if you see that the price of gasoline is 93 cents — it’s sold by the liter, not by the gallon.
Old Town San Juan feels & looks like Cádiz, Spain
It feels like a foreign country, and depending ont he area it *really* feels like a foreign country, but in general it also feels familiar in that money and customs and amenities are similar and the vast majority of people speak English.
Condado has a very California beach vibe to me, whereas Viejo San Juan really feels like a noth another country and another time.
The buses are shit. The Ubers are cheap! Don’t drink the water. Try to avoid ice for that matter. But in general, not all that different from an old Spanish beach town in Florida to be honest
Not in the slightest. I have visited many times as I am of Puerto Rican heritage (both of my parents are Puerto Rican). It feels distinctly Caribbean/latin American. Culturally, architecturally, economically, it’s its own thing. It’s a beautiful city though, and I highly recommend visiting it.
It’s over 500 years old, and you can tell when you visit. I think that’s also part of what sets it apart from other U.S. cities.
No, but it’s great!
I’ve been there a bunch of times and it feels plenty American to me, but that really just depends on what you mean by American.
Outside of super touristy areas most people speak Spanish first, but they’re also plenty comfortable speaking English. That’s a huge chunk of the Rio Grande Valley and basically Montreal with French.
It’s easy in and out at the airport with a us passport, street signs all look the same, parking is a mess like in any urban center, with maybe a few less garages, and the suburbs aren’t all that different. Everything is in dollars and and the prices are pretty much what you’d expect.
You won’t find a Hardee’s but there’s plenty of McDonalds and crappy to amazing Chinese restaurants just like on the mainland. Grocery stores have most American staples and brands, but also PR ones you don’t see off the island.
It’s definitely not Des Moines or even Houston, but it’s a far cry from CDMX and no more an outlier than parts of Louisiana, Maine, Montana, New Mexico, or any other region that’s definitely America with an (aweome) culture all it’s own.
That’s generally true in San Juan and around the coasts but it gets a little more outlying in the mountainous interior.
Lots of answers that it feels different, which is true. It’s very Spanish in architecture. Most things are written in Spanish. But it also feels like an American city. If you are from the States, it has a lot of hallmarks of home.
Everyone shops at CostCo and Walmart. The road signs and systems are very similar. You use the dollar. You don’t need a passport. In the city, most people speak English.
You’ll see the same shows and movies. The same chain stores and restaurants. Lots of the same brands in the grocery stores. Lots of the same foods (and many unique ones).
Culturally, Puerto Ricans have their own thing going, but they are also very into American culture. They know the same shows and movies. Watch the same cartoons.
So it’s different – but the same.
No, it’s not like the US very much.
San Juan (old town) feels very European. Stayed there twice and it was lovely.
2nd oldest European-settled city in all of the Americas. You definitely feel it in its architecture and streets.
The older parts are more European to me than anything American
Sure, I guess. It’s all relative. If you’re from the Midwest, New York might feel foreign.
Hawaii felt like Los Angeles to me. But I flew into Honolulu so …
Puerto Rico, not really American. But a bit American. It’s full of Spanish history, but you’re handing out American money.
The vibe I got there was that it felt like an American city if America got taken over by Mexico and got a little poorer but not ridiculously so. There’s a lot of poverty and run down areas, which you’ll find in many urban and rural areas. But much more of it. The signs are in Spanish, which gives a foreign feel. But the signage is American. A yield sign is a yield sign, so it doesn’t feel like a different country in that sense. A lot of the same American chains are there — like Best Buy, Panda Express, and Wendy’s and things you can only typically find in the U.S. or Canada.
I think if I moved there, I’d feel like I was in a different country within a country. It’s a lot like going from Anglophone Canada to Quebec. Totally different vibes but you can still tell it’s part of the rest.
Not even a little bit.
Puerto Rico feels like a very unique state, but absolutely American, if the comparison is actual foreign countries to the United States.
Like Australia and Canada feel more close to average America than PR does, but beyond those two there’s nothing else close.
To me PR feels like a less wealthy Miami. Culture, climate, language, food, ethnic groups … very similar.