Top Costa Rica Day Trips

Discover the natural beauty of the La Fortuna region on an action-packed full-day tour that is ideal for people who enjoy outdoors activities. Go on hikes through lush rain forest; visit a butterfly garden and Maleku Indian village; take a dip at La Fortuna waterfall; look for wildlife; and view the Arenal Volcano. Top off the day with a cocktail and a relaxing soak in a natural hot water river.

Enjoy the thrill of this all-day adventure that includes some of the best outdoor fun. Get your adrenaline pumping on an exciting zipline tour, horseback riding through epic landscapes, and tubing along a flowing river. This memorable tour includes a visit to natural hot springs, a volcanic mud bath, and a full buffet lunch. It's the best way to experience the natural wonder of Costa Rica!

Get an up-close look at Costa Rica's hidden natural wonders on this Rio Celeste and Llanos de Cortes waterfall tour. Follow an expert local guide through breathtaking scenery, rugged trails, and truly beautiful attractions. This is the perfect way to explore outside the city and see what makes Costa Rica a top attraction for nature lovers.

Grab your passport and head over the border for a whistle-stop tour of Nicaragua’s best bits from Costa Rica. Take in the views from Catarina Volcano, haggle over handicrafts at the Masaya Artisan Market and visit the active Masaya Volcano. After a delicious lunch of typical Nicaraguan cuisine, explore the colonial town of Granada, where you can marvel over the historic architecture and admire views of Mombacho Volcano. Finally, set sail across Lake Nicaragua for a 1-hour sunset cruise, stopping to meet the friendly monkeys of Monkey Island along the way.

Enjoy a special day surrounded by nature, seeing dolphins, islands, birds and many more species during the journey until you reach Isla Tortuga, our destination where we will give you approximately 5 hours of beach time to relax under the shade of the beautiful palm trees and enjoy its refreshing sea.

Combine three adventurous activities in a single tour: a hike to Arental Volcano, visit to the Hanging Bridges, and exploration of La Fortuna Waterfall. This full-day tour from La Fortuna, perfect for nature lovers, includes hiking and swimming amidst Costa Rica's beautiful natural scenery. Hotel pickup and drop-off included.

Head to La Fortuna, home to the Arenal Volcano, on this guided all-day tour from San Jose. Sit back and relax as you travel through diverse plantations and cattle ranches on the roughly 3.5-hour drive. After arriving, enjoy lunch with a view of the volcano. Then, take a dip in the area’s thermal waters and indulge in an optional massage or other treatment.

Spend a day exploring nature and learning about coffee production with this group tour from San Jose, which includes breakfast, lunch, and hotel transfers. You'll start at the Doka Coffee Estate, where you'll learn about the lifecycle of coffee, from bean to cup. You'll then visit Poas Volcano National Park for some hiking, wrapping your tour up with a stop to observe flora and fauna at La Paz Waterfall Gardens.

See more of the Arenal Volcano region with the convenience of a full-day tour from San Jose. Take a scenic route to Arenal with views of farms, rain forest, and small towns, and stop at a coffee plantation where you can sample coffee and traditional snacks. Stop at a waterfall, look for wildlife, then have the afternoon to soak in hot springs set in a lush garden near the Arenal Volcano.

Lace up your hiking boots for this full-day immersion in the wild beauty of Tenorio Volcano National Park. Look for wildlife on the drive from La Fortuna, and feel like a jungle explorer on the trek to Rio Celeste, known for its mystical aquamarine waters. Take a dip in warm volcanic river pools, admire a cascading waterfall, and reward your efforts with a typical Costa Rican lunch.

In just one day, it’s possible to visit top Costa Rica attractions like Arenal Volcano, La Paz Waterfall, and Arenal Hot Springs when you book this guided tour from San Jose. All-inclusive private transport smooths over otherwise tricky transportation logistics, and your guide keeps you well entertained and informed as you explore. This tour includes all entrance fees plus two meals, adding up to a great value.

Exchange the sun and surf for for a high-flying adventure in the misty Monteverde Cloud Forest on this full-day combo tour. Fly through the forest canopy on a 15-cable zipline course featuring a gravity-defying Superman cable and a Tarzan swing, and slow down for a closer look at Monteverde's rich biodiversity while walking through the tree tops along a series of hanging bridges. In between adventures, replenish your energy with a typical Costa Rican lunch.

On this Jaco off-road ATV tour, it’s all about the journey—and the destinations. Take a thrilling ride through rugged mountain terrain en route to a vista point and two waterfalls, one of which has a 15-foot (4.5-meter) jump to try (if you dare). Be sure to bring a swimsuit to refresh yourself in the natural pool either way.

Our meeting will take you to 3 magical places that will leave you in love with Costa Rica. We will visit the Poás Volcano at only 2,574 meters above sea level, a natural wonder that will impress you. Then The Coffee Tour at the Doka Estate; where you will learn more than you imagine. And finally The wonderful La Paz Waterfalls, without a doubt an experience that you cannot miss. For this and much more we invite you to this magical adventure!

Get ready for 3 hours of nonstop thrills with this inclusive combo tour at the 100% Aventura park in Monteverde. Test your adrenaline threshold as you complete all of the park’s most popular adventures, including a 10-cable zipline course, rope bridge, rappel, and ATV buggy ride. Channel two famously fast heroes on the Mega Tarzan Swing and the forward-facing Superman zipline — the longest and highest in all of Latin America.

This sampler adventure tour from San Jose fits the best of Costa Rica's beaches, rivers, and rain forests into one action-packed day. Catch some sun at popular Jaco Beach, one of the closest to the capital, and go croc-spotting at a famous overlook on the Tarcoles River. Then head into the lush jungle for a thrilling zipline canopy tour plus your choice of a horseback ride to tropical waterfalls or an ATV safari.

As one of the most popular parks in Costa Rica, Manuel Antonio National Park is a must for visitors. This guided tour from San Jose makes visiting on a time crunch a cinch—your guide takes the guesswork out of deciding which trails are worth the effort, plus helps you spot wildlife along the way. This tour is specifically timed to avoid the crowds, too, helping you have the best possible experience exploring.

Just outside the crowded beaches of Tamarindo, Las Baulas National Park offers an often-overlooked natural getaway. This tour takes you through the park’s vast network of mangrove forests on a relaxing boat trip. As you float down the river, your guide points out wildlife like howler monkeys, crocodiles, and tropical birds that you might not see on your own.

Get out and explore the rainforest with this full-day excursion. You’ll see sloths in their natural habitat, take a hike up to hanging bridges high above the rainforest canopy, and wade under the beautiful Llanos de Cortez Waterfalls. Best of all, lunch, bottled water, and round-trip transportation from your Guanacaste hotel are included.

Visit one of the top beaches in Costa Rica even if you have limited time with the convenience of a full-day tour from San Jose. Manuel Antonio National Park encompasses a rain forest that is home to monkeys, sloths, and other wildlife, and white-sand beaches on the Pacific Ocean. Get an early start to make the most of the day on a tour that includes two meals and transportation.

Immerse yourself in the wild volcanic landscapes of the Rincon de la Vieja National Park on this full-day trekking tour. Set out on a moderate 3-hour hike through the jungle and keep a lookout for Howler monkeys, Capuchin monkeys, Toucans, and Coatis along the way. Pass hissing fumaroles, volcanic craters, and bubbling mud pools, then cool off with a swim beneath the Oropendola Waterfall. After re-fuelling with a delicious lunch of Costa Rican cuisine, enjoy a soothing soak in the hot springs and volcanic mud baths of Rio Negro.

Experience some of Costa Rica’s most beautiful natural attractions on this full-day group tour around Arenal. Enjoy the rainforest and volcano views from the Mistico Hanging Bridges, swim in La Fortuna Waterfall, and get closer to the mountain on a Volcan Arenal walk. While some travelers visit these places separately, this tour combines them in one easy day tour.

Part of what makes Costa Rica the world's premier destination for ecotourism is its extensive coastlines. Explore the waters off Guanacaste aboard the Blue Dolphin, a 40-foot catamaran that slices through the surf and offers a fully stocked bar, paddle boards and kayaks for your enjoyment. Breathe in the salt spray and keep a lookout for dolphins, turtles, whales, and spectacular coastal views.

The lush rainforest and white-sand beaches of Isla Tortuga are part of the Islas Negritos Biological Reserve, and are located along the eastern coast of the Nicoya Peninsula. With this tour, you'll set sail aboard a large cruise ship, admire views of Isla San Lucas and Isla Tortuga from the water, and enjoy time on the island to swim, snorkel, or relax on the beach.