A day of museums in San José, the road to La Fortuna and its waterfall, Arenal and the hot springs, then three days on the Pacific at Manuel Antonio.
7 days, 38 stopsBalanced paceJan to AprApproved by TravPa Editors, Nov 7, 2026
Trip at a glance
Add your first day to see each day's date, weather, sunset and closing days.
Day 1: National Museum, Central Market and the National Theater
Pre-Columbian jade and gold, a market lunch, the 1890s National Theater, old Barrio Amón and dinner in Barrio Escalante.
Check the weekday. National Museum of Costa Rica is closed on Mondays. Central Market is closed on Sundays.
1
9:00 AMNational Museum of Costa RicaClosed Mondays; opens at 8:30 AM Tuesday to Saturday and 9 AM on Sunday. Enter from the Plaza de la Democracia.About 1 hour 45 min here
Pay at the door, [fee]
Walk about 2 min
2
10:45 AMOptionalJade MuseumSee the largest collection of pre-Columbian jade in the Americas, in a building opened in 2014.About 1 hour 15 min here
Pay at the door, [fee]
Walk along Avenida Central, about 15 min
3
12:15 PMCentral MarketEat a traditional lunch at one of the market counters. The market opens Monday to Saturday and closes at 5 PM.About 1 hour 15 min here
Pay as you go
Walk about 8 min
4
1:45 PMNational TheaterJoin a guided tour of the 1890s theater; tours run through the day except at noon. Check the evening concert listings.About 1 hour 15 min here
Guided tours, [fee]
Walk about 2 min
5
3:00 PMPre-Columbian Gold MuseumAllow about 90 min for the pre-Columbian gold rooms at the Plaza de la Cultura; the museums close at 5 PM.About 1 hour 30 min here
Pay at the door, [fee]
Walk about 10 min
6
4:45 PMOptionalBarrio AmónWalk the old streets of the 1892 district and look for the Castillo del Moro on Avenida 13.About 1 hour 30 min here
Free to visit
Taxi about 10 min
7
6:30 PMBarrio EscalantePick a restaurant or craft beer bar in the district; book ahead on weekend nights.
Pay as you go
Before you go
Book these aheadArenal Natura Ecological Park (day 2), Manuel Antonio National Park (day 5), Damas Island mangroves (day 6): timed tickets, or tickets that often sell out.
Plan around closing daysThe National Museum closes on Mondays, the Central Market and National Theater on Sundays, and Manuel Antonio National Park on Tuesdays.
Book transfers aheadShared shuttles between La Fortuna, Manuel Antonio and San José run once or twice a day, so reserve seats early.
Book park tickets onlineManuel Antonio tickets are sold only online. Arenal Volcano National Park takes cards only at the entrance.
Drink the tap waterTap water is safe to drink in most of Costa Rica, so carry a reusable bottle; buy bottled water only in some rural areas.
Pay in colones or dollarsUS dollars and major cards are widely accepted. Change money only at banks or approved exchange offices.
Swim with careAsk locals or surfers about rip currents before swimming on the Pacific beaches.
Where to stay for this plan
Stay in central San José for day 1, in La Fortuna for days 2 and 3, and in Manuel Antonio village or Quepos for days 4 to 6.
Map and live prices from Stay22 and its booking partners. TravPa earns a commission if you book; your price stays the same.
Plan last checked Nov 7, 2026. Check individual fee sources before you go. TravPa earns a commission when you book through a partner; your price stays the same.
