San Jose
A busy, bustling city that directly contrasts its lush forests and vast beaches.
I’m hardly giving San Jose a fair start here, but San Jose used to be one of my least favourite cities to visit. It was loud and busy and dirty. Just an overload to the senses, and not in a good way. But I think a lot of those feelings come from San Jose being the first place I had ever travelled to, and that whole experience turned out to be very different from the romanticised picture I was expecting.
Nevertheless, I have been back to San Jose a handful of times, mostly as a city to transit through. But each time I get to know San Jose a little better, and I explore San Jose a little further, and I’ve found that there are actually quite a few things here that I like.
Below is a list of recommendations of things to do in San Jose, Costa Rica. And since I often use San Jose as a transit hub, I’ve also included some onward travel information on where you can go from San Jose.
Compared to its neighbouring countries, Costa Rica is more expensive - you’ll notice it. So just remember to take that into account when budgeting.
Things to do in San Jose, Costa Rica
Get lost among the stalls and sodas of the largest market in San Jose, Central Market / Mercado Central
Find some handcrafted souvenirs and the outdoor Municipal Crafts Market / Mercado Municipal de Artesanias
Get caught up in the hustle and bustle of Avenida Central, a mile-long pedestrian street full of shops and restaurants
Tour the National Theatre / Teatro Nacional, or reserve tickets for a show or concert
Observe the largest collection of American jade in the world at the Jade Museum / Museo del Jade
Visit the National Museum of Costa Rica / Museo Nacional de Costa Rica to view pre-Columbian artefacts, old army headquarters, and learn about the abolition of the military.
Get a dose of green in a largely built-up city by visiting the centrally located, well-kept National Park / Parque Nacional
Can’t wait to hit jungle? Catch some wildlife at the Simon Bolivar Zoo and Botanical Garden
Spend a day in the large, leafy, green La Sabana Park with plenty of trails, sports fields and lakes to keep you entertained
View fine art from international artists and traditional art from Costa Rica at the Museum of Costa Rican Art
Look at pre-Columbian gold and historical currency in this bank vault-esque Pre-Columbian Gold Museum / Museo de Oro Precolombino y Numismatica
Visit the largest cultural complex in Costa Rica, Centro Nacional de la Cultura, which contains the Museum of Contemporary Art and Design, the Video Library Museum, an amphitheatre, a dance theatre, and hosts events.
Walk through the streets of Barrio Escalante, reminiscent of East London, you’ll find hip cafes, craft beer and Instagramablemable food.
Avenida Central
Day Trips
Poas Volcano - 2 hr hike. pre-book
Coffee tours - Doka, Hacienda La Chimba, Britt Coffee
La paz waterfall gardens nature park
Parque Nacional Volcan Barva cloud forest trails
Adventure Park Costa Rica
Volcan Irazu - tallest volcano. well mainmtained roads and path
It is possible to make day trips out of destinations farther a field than the ones I’ve listed above. But I’d recommend saving those destinations for when you are based closer to them, or making them a destination in their own right where you stay that night at. However, if you are short on time and want to maximise all you can from being based in San Jose, then here are some places you can visit at a push. Just be prepared for long days.
Arenal Volcano
La Fortuna Waterfall
Manuel Antonio
Jaco - surfing beach. Best for experienced sufers, but there are beginner-friendly areas too
Rio Celeste
Tortuga Island
White water rafting
Boat tours
Onward travel from San Jose
Panama: The most common way as a backpacker to travel down to Panama is through Puerto Viejo and on to Bocas del Toro. Both these beach-based towns are popular tourist stops and a good place to party. Travelling by public transport can’t be completed in one day, and if this is something you are trying to do, then you should book a shuttle service. I used Caribe Shuttle. However, if you don’t need to make this journey in a rush, then spending a couple of days in Puerto Viejo is a definite recommendation. Take a public bus from San Jose to Puerto Viejo with MEPE bus. From Puerto Viejo you can take a bus to Sixaola and walk to the border crossing. Once you’ve crossed the border, it is a similar story of walking or taking a taxi to the nearest bus stop and going on from there to Changuinola and Almirante if making your way to Bocas. For more on this route, check-out my Bocas del Toro page.
There is another border crossing into Panama at Paso Canoas and most cross-country coaches will take this route between San Jose and Panama City. Check out Tica Bus.
Nicaragua: Cross-country buses between San Jose and Managua are the best option for travel. These buses will make some stops along the way, not really stopping off at other towns, with the possibility of being picked up from the roadside. We hedged our bets as using this as a way of getting to Managua and hd about 5 buses drive straight past us. We waited about 4 hours before a bus stopped to pick us up, so if you want to be sure about your transport, I’d recommend going straight to the main city bus stations and catching them from there. These buses will pass through the border at Penas Blancas and then make their way to Managua, usually stopping through Rivas, Granada and Masaya. Check out Tica Bus, Nica Bus, TransNica and Central Line.
Need to knows
Special Recommendations
Food:
Attractions: Barrio Escalante
Accommodation: Selina
R’s take
In general, everything felt safe. However, some streets can be quiet and look a little run-down, which can feel unsafe - although I’ve had no bad experiences. Listen to what locals say, about the area.
