On any given night, you can see everyone from hotshots betting big bucks to novices trying out the nickel and quarter slots. But you invariably see the regulars - old women who sit, armed with buckets of change, and work two or three machines at a time. For tobaccophiles, the casinos usually have an area where cigars of different sizes are hand rolled and sold. Although they don't seem to be of the same quality as Cubans, they're not bad - and they're less expensive. You must be at least 18 years old to enter casinos, and the dress ranges from casual to formal, depending on the casino.
Many hotels also have nightclubs that shimmer well into the evening with salsa and merengue music.
The lobbies tend to fill up quickly with beautiful people who gather to see and be seen. Even outside the clubs, the music of Puerto Rico infuses the air as the young and old stroll along the beaches and the streets. Puerto Rico is home to musical legends like the late timbalero Tito Puente, and contemporary pop stars like Ricky Martin, whose Livin' la Vida Loca has shot off the charts in this country and around the world. So bring your dancing shoes. Salsa and merengue are standard fare at local discos, and watching the action can be just as much fun as taking part.