Become a Local Friend in San Juan
Turn your local knowledge into your own travel profile on Roavi. Get discovered by travelers who want the real San Juan experience — your city, your way.
Free to join · No complicated setup · You stay in control
You — Local Friend
San Juan
Your own profile
What is a Local Friend?
A Local Friend shows travelers their city the real way — the food spots, the nightlife, the hidden gems and the culture that guidebooks miss. You're not a tour company and there are no scripts. You're a trusted local who shares the place you love, right here in San Juan.
What a sanjuanero can show past the cruise terminal
Most visitors to San Juan see the same seven blocks of Old San Juan between a ship docking and a ship leaving, and then go home. It is a genuinely beautiful old city and it is also a funnel. Ten minutes away is Santurce, the beaches locals actually use, the food in Piñones, and a mountain rainforest an hour east. Almost none of that reaches someone working from a cruise itinerary.
What you can show
- 1
Old San Juan at the hours it belongs to the city — early morning, or evening after the ships pull out. Same streets, completely different place.
- 2
Santurce: La Placita on a Thursday, the murals, the restaurants that made the city's food scene. This is where San Juan actually goes out.
- 3
Piñones for fritters on the beach — alcapurrias, bacalaítos — which is the most Puerto Rican afternoon available and takes twenty minutes to reach.
- 4
El Yunque done right, or the bioluminescent bays, including the honest part: which one, on which moon, and when it is not worth the drive.
Worth putting on your profile, because visitors from the mainland often do not know it: no passport is needed for US travellers, the currency is the dollar, and US phone plans work. People arrive with questions about all three, and the ones searching for a local are frequently the ones planning to leave the tourist strip.
Why join Roavi
Roavi gives you the page and the visibility — you bring the local know-how.
Your own profile page
A personal page that's yours — your photo, your story, your city. Share the link anywhere.
Get discovered on Google
Your profile sits on our San Juan pages, which are built to rank — so travelers searching for a local find you.
Show your real self
Add photos and the experiences you love. Travelers choose you because of who you are, not a faceless listing.
Interests & languages
List the languages you speak and the things you're into, so the right travelers connect with you.
No complicated setup
Apply in minutes. No license, no fees to join, no endless forms — just your profile and you're live.
Meet people from everywhere
Connect with travelers from around the world who want the real local experience, not a tourist trap.
How travelers discover you
They search Google
Travelers look for “a local friend in San Juan”. Roavi's pages rank — and your profile is on them.
They browse your city
On the San Juan page they see real locals, filter by interest, and open your profile.
They message you
No middleman. Travelers reach out directly and you plan something real together.
How it works
Apply in minutes
Create your free Roavi account and tell us about yourself.
Build your profile
Add your city, interests, languages and photos — make it yours.
Get discovered
Your page goes live on Roavi and starts showing up for travelers.
Meet travelers
They message you directly and you show them your city, your way.
Travelers are looking for locals in San Juan
Be one of the first Local Friends they meet. Build your profile today and get discovered by travelers heading to San Juan.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need to be a certified tourism guide in Puerto Rico?
The Compañía de Turismo certifies tourism guides, and certification matters for guiding at certain sites and for working with operators. Roavi is not that — you are paid for your time as a local who accompanies a visitor, not for a guided tour product. If a visitor wants a guided visit somewhere that requires a certified guide, point them to one for that part.
Most arrivals are cruise passengers with six hours. Is that useful?
It is a real and underserved slot. Six hours is too little for most operators to bother with and plenty for a good local afternoon — Santurce and lunch, or Piñones and a beach. If you are willing to work around ship schedules, say so; very few people are offering it.
How do I become a Local Friend in San Juan?
Tap “Apply in minutes”, create your free Roavi profile, and add your city (San Juan), languages, interests and a few photos. Once you're approved, your profile page goes live and travelers can discover and message you.
Is it free to join Roavi as a Local Friend?
Yes — creating your Local Friend profile is free. You decide how you connect with travelers and there's no complicated setup.
What is a Local Friend?
A Local Friend is someone who shows travelers their city the real way — favorite food spots, nightlife, hidden gems and culture. You're not a tour company; you're a trusted local who shares what you love.
How do travelers find me?
Roavi gives you your own profile page and lists you on our city pages for San Juan, which are built to rank on Google. Travelers searching for a local guide discover your profile and message you directly.
Do I need experience or a license?
No. If you love your city and enjoy meeting people, you can be a Local Friend. Just be welcoming, reliable and honest about what you offer.
Ready to get your own Roavi page?
Join the locals showing travelers the real San Juan. It's free, it's fast, and it's yours.
Apply in minutes