San Jose Travelers Recommend

With three days in San Jose, you can relax into the city’s natural rhythm, which blends the sounds of tropical birdsong, bustling markets, and salsa beats. You’ll have plenty of time to take in the key sights, including Costa Rica’s lush rain forest, volcanic peaks, and coffee farms. Here’s how to spend three days in San Jose.

Day 1: Check Out San Jose Highlights

A chorus of tropical birds is the first sign that morning’s arrived in San Jose, and it’s the perfect prelude to a cup of locally grown and roasted coffee. Next, hit the city streets for a day of exploring. Highlights include the lively Central Market, elegant architecture at the Teatro Nacional, and precious treasures in the Precolumbian Gold Museum and Jade Museum; many tours of San Jose combine one or more of these stops with an introduction to city landmarks.

After pausing for lunch—which could range from street food at the Central Market to a high-end meal at a top restaurant—pick one of the city’s top museums for an in-depth visit. Wrap up the day by sipping craft beers as the sun sets over the city, or if you’re looking for San Jose’s most happening breweries and stylish pubs, join a pub crawl for a shortcut into the local scene.

Day 2: See Costa Rica’s Wild Side

With one day to get out of the city, you can soar above rain forest trees, paddle through white-water rapids, hike Arenal Volcano, or ride a bike through historic Cartago. Because these destinations are anywhere from one to several hours from the city, it’s worth choosing carefully to make the most of your time on the road.

Whatever you pick, keep an eye out for wildlife as you explore the mountains, forests, or coast, because this biodiversity hot spot is home to everything from slow-moving sloths to speedy hummingbirds. When you get back to your San Jose accommodations, reward yourself with a well-earned treat; favorite desserts in Costa Rica include ultra-moist tres leches (three milks) cake, flan, and a sweetened preparation of squash called miel de chiverre.

Day 3: Taste, and Toast, Your Way Through San Jose

Now that you’ve explored culture and nature, check out local flavors, whether you’re browsing a neighborhood market or dining with the season’s hottest chef. For a delicious dive into Costa Rica coffee culture, tour a coffee plantation near San Jose to explore how coffee is grown, harvested, and processed right at the source.

Next, plan a special dinner to celebrate your final day in Costa Rica’s capital, with options that include prebooking a table at a beloved restaurant or an evening of traditional song, dance, and cuisine. To sample a bit of San Jose’s vibrant nightlife before packing your bags, hit the town for a bar or club crawl that’s designed to find the most happening places, where you can tip back shots and meet a friendly mix of travelers and locals.

With two days in San Jose, you can sample the best of the city’s vibrant culture, food, and nightlife. Get beyond the city limits, though, and you can explore smoking volcanoes, coffee plantations, rainforest ziplines, and magnificent national parks that are just a day trip away. Here’s how to make the most of two days in San Jose.

Day 1: Wake Up and Explore San Jose

Morning: Start by catching a buzz on Costa Rica’s freshest coffee. San Jose’s packed with stylish coffee shops, but for the real deal head to one of the coffee plantations outside the city. Coffee tours include tastings: a great way to learn what makes Costa Rican coffee distinctive.

Afternoon: Now that you’re energized, check out the history, culture, and cuisine that make San Jose tick. A walking tour is a great way to soak up neighborhood vibes, while opting for a vehicle tour lets you cover the main landmarks in an afternoon.

Night: You’ll see a whole different side of San Jose if you venture out after sunset. Join a guide who knows where to sip craft beer, chat with locals, or tip back shots. Your guide can give you an insider’s view of San Jose nightlife, whether your prefer a night that’s laid-back or wild.

Day 2: Costa Rica’s Wild, Wonderful Nature

Morning: Get out of the city to soar down a zipline, explore the lush canopy of Braulio Carrillo National Park, walk through a cloud forest, or hike through La Paz Waterfall Gardens. Whatever you do, watch for bright tropical birds, butterflies, and other wildlife. Costa Rica is a biodiversity hot spot.

Afternoon: When you get back to the city, head to Mercado Central for a well-earned lunch; you’ll join a crowd of locals for an inexpensive meal that’s a world away from the menus in tourist restaurants.

Night: With one last night in San Jose, make it last with a leisurely dinner; find a restaurant on your own, or book an evening excursion that includes door-to-door transport from your hotel. At the end of the evening, toast your adventure with a shot of guaro, Costa Rica’s national liquor.

With almost a quarter of the country covered in lush rain forest, and with a reputation as Central America’s adventure capital, Costa Rica is the perfect place for a rainforest canopy tour. Here are your options for canopy tours from the capital city of San Jose.

Highlights

• Enjoy spectacular views of Arenal Volcano National Park and La Fortuna on a walking tour of the Arenal Hanging Bridges.

• Ride the aerial tram, walk the suspension bridges, and fly across the 2,297-foot-long (700-meter-long) Adrena-Line at the Rainforest Adventures Costa Rica Atlantic private reserve.

• Soar through the Monteverde Cloud Forest on Costa Rica’s only Superman Zipline.

• Spot howler monkeys from the treetop walkways, admire colorful wild orchids, and visit the hummingbird and butterfly gardens at San Luis Adventure Park.

• Cruise along the Sarapiqui River, then take a canopy zipline tour in the Braulio Carrillo National Park.

Though many travelers rush through San Jose on their way to Costa Rica’s coast and mountains, spending a day in the city opens the gateway to Costa Rican culture. You’ll enjoy vivid artwork, historic architecture, colorful markets, and exciting nightlife. Here’s how to make the most of one day in San Jose.

Morning: Discover the City

Wake to the sound of tropical birds, then head out for a morning of exploring Costa Rica’s capital city. Vehicle tours cover more ground, while checking out San Jose on a walking tour is a great way to take in the vibe: Meeting the famously friendly locals is a highlight of many travelers’ time in the country. To get right to the things that interest you most, consider a themed tour that features street art, traditional handicrafts, history, or the lively markets where many residents shop for food.

Afternoon: Taste Costa Rica’s Finest

Pause for a simple lunch—San Jose is known for having some of Costa Rica’s best street food—then perk back up with a coffee tour. With coffee plantations just a short drive from downtown San Jose, you can take your cup straight to the source to see how coffee is grown, harvested, processed, and brewed. In season, you might have the chance to get into the fields to do a bit of picking yourself. Once you’ve got the basics, enjoy what may be the freshest coffee of your life.

Night: Check out San Jose Nightlife

Join a guide who knows the scene for a night out in San Jose. You can choose a laid-back craft beer crawl, pub tour, or club tour with perks such as skip-the-line admission and free shots. A night out in San Jose doesn’t have to be all about partying, though; Costa Rica has fabulous cuisine, and evening is the time for special meals out, dinner shows, or food tours, which range from the traditional to the contemporary.