Suggested Itineraries

San José in 3 Days

While most tourists seek to almost immediately get out of San José for greener pastures, there's still plenty to see and do in Costa Rica's vibrant capital. If you have even more days, take a white-water rafting trip on the Pacuare River, or head out to the Irazú Volcano, Orosi Valley, and Cartago area.

Day 1: Getting to Know the City

Start your day on the Plaza de la Cultura. Visit the Museos del Banco Central de Costa Rica, and see if you can get tickets for a performance that night at the Teatro Nacional. From the Plaza de la Cultura, stroll up Avenida Central to the Museo Nacional de Costa Rica (National Museum). After touring the museum, have lunch at one of the neighborhood restaurants. Then, head over to the neighboring Centro Nacional de Arte y Cultura (National Center of Art and Culture). After you're finished taking in all this culture, some shopping at the open-air stalls at the Plaza de la Democracia is in order.

Café Mundo -- Try dinner at the popular local hangout Café Mundo, at Calle 15 and Avenida 9, 200m (656 ft.) east and 100m (328 ft.) north of the INS building.

After dinner, head to the Teatro Nacional for the night's performance.

Day 2: Enjoying Some Nearby Attractions

Get an early start for the Poás Volcano, before the clouds sock the main crater in. After visiting the volcano, head to the La Paz Waterfall Gardens. Take a walk on the waterfall trail, and also enjoy the immense butterfly garden and lively hummingbird garden. This is a good place to have lunch. On your way back to San José, you'll be making a loop through the hills of Heredia, with a stop at INBio Park. In addition to being a fascinating natural-history museum, INBio Park also has a wonderful collection of intriguing animal sculptures by Costa Rican artist José Sancho.

Day 3: More City Sights & Shopping

Spend your third day further exploring the capital. Start by heading out on Paseo Colón to the Museo de Arte Costarricense (Costa Rican Art Museum) and Parque La Sabana. Tour the museum and its growing sculpture garden, but also take a stroll around the beautiful and expansive downtown park. If you've brought kids along, you'll definitely want to visit the Spirogyra Butterfly Garden. Intrepid travelers can also do some shopping at the Mercado Central.

La Cocina de Leña -- For a final taste of local culture, head to the El Pueblo entertainment center for dinner at La Cocina de Leña, Centro Comercial El Pueblo.