Things to do in Costa Rica

The 18 best things to do in Costa Rica

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1. 1La Fortuna

   Walk the lava trails of Arenal Volcano National Park

   Arenal Volcano rises above La Fortuna, and it has been active since July 29, 1968, though its activity has dropped sharply since 2011. The national park around it was created in 1991 and covers 12,124 hectares. Its trails are short and mostly flat: Heliconias runs 610 m under thick cover, Coladas crosses 1.7 km of old lava with views of the cone, Lake Arenal and the Tilarán range, and El Ceibo leads 2.3 km to a ceiba tree more than 400 years old. You also walk past lava flows from 1992. Climbing the cone is forbidden. The park is about 15 km from La Fortuna; a bus from the town's terminal stops on the main road, about 2 km from the entrance.

   Tip: Go in the morning, when the cone is most often clear of cloud, and bring a credit or debit card, since the entrance does not take cash.

   Adult non-resident, VAT included: $16.95 · Pay at the entrance by cardFee changed?

   Last verified Nov 7, 2026

   Search tickets and tours on TiqetsSources: SINAC, National System of Conservation Areas (sinac.go.cr); Costa Rica Tourism Board (visitcostarica.com); Costa Rica Tourism Board (visitcostarica.com); Costa Rica Tourism Board (visitcostarica.com)
2. 2Manuel AntonioBook ahead

   Spot sloths and monkeys in Manuel Antonio National Park

   Manuel Antonio is Costa Rica's most visited protected area, and it began with local people: they pushed for public access to the beaches, and in 1972 a law created the park. In just 683 hectares you get very wet tropical forest, mangroves, a lagoon, beaches and 12 offshore islands. About 352 bird species and 109 mammal species have been recorded, including capuchin, howler and squirrel monkeys and two- and three-toed sloths. The short Perezoso trail, named for the sloths, runs beside the main path, and the Mirador trail climbs 1.3 km to a lookout over the sawtooth rocks of Punta Serrucho. The main entrance is about 7 km from Quepos, at the end of Manuel Antonio village.

   Tip: Buy your ticket online before you go, since the park sells entry only through the national park system's website, and bring your passport or ID to show with your booking number.

   Adult non-resident, VAT included: $18.08 · Tickets online onlyFee changed?

   Last verified Nov 7, 2026

   Search tickets and tours on TiqetsSources: SINAC, National System of Conservation Areas (sinac.go.cr); Costa Rica Tourism Board (visitcostarica.com); Costa Rica Tourism Board (visitcostarica.com); Costa Rica Tourism Board (visitcostarica.com)
3. 3La Fortuna

   Climb down to La Fortuna Waterfall for a swim

   The Fortuna River drops 70 m into a clear pool inside a 210-acre reserve of wet forest that is part of the Arenal Volcano National Park area. A path of about 530 steps, mostly cement with railings and rest spots along the way, leads down to the pool, and the descent takes 20 to 30 minutes; the climb back depends on your legs. At the bottom you can swim in the river. The site is run by ADIFORT, La Fortuna's community development association, founded in 1969, and ticket money pays for local schools, roads and other projects. Visitors who cannot manage the steps can see the falls from a viewpoint about 200 m away. A taxi from town takes you to the entrance.

   Tip: Arrive early in the day, since the site is open 7 AM to 5 PM with 4 PM the last recommended entry, and bring closed shoes for the steps and a swimsuit.

   Pay at the entrance, $[fee]Know the fee?
   Search tickets and tours on TiqetsSources: Catarata Río Fortuna, run by ADIFORT (official); Catarata Río Fortuna (ADIFORT); Catarata Río Fortuna (ADIFORT)
4. 4La Fortuna

   Cross the Mistico hanging bridges above the rainforest

   Mistico Park puts you at canopy height in the rainforest on the slopes near Lake Arenal. The main loop runs 3.2 km and crosses six hanging bridges and ten fixed bridges, with a stair-free surface and railings, and on clear days several points look straight across to Arenal Volcano. Along the way are a hummingbird garden and a small waterfall. Most people take 1.5 to 2 hours on their own; a 1.5 km shorter route and a 250 m accessible trail are there too. Toucans, monkeys and sloths are possible but never certain, so guided walks with a naturalist, plus sunset and night walks, are offered. The entrance is off Route 142 next to the Lake Arenal dam.

   Tip: Book an early entry time, from 6 AM, when wildlife is most active and the air is cooler, and wear closed shoes with good grip because the trail is often damp.

   Book ahead, $[fee]Know the fee?
   Search tickets and tours on TiqetsSources: Mistico Arenal Hanging Bridges Park; Mistico Arenal Hanging Bridges Park
5. 5Manuel Antonio

   Snorkel and swim at Manuel Antonio Beach

   Inside the national park, Playa Manuel Antonio has white sand and turquoise water, and it is known as one of the best beaches in the country. Snorkelers head for its edges, where there are fish and some coral. On the right-hand side, next to Punta Catedral, low tide uncovers La Trampa, a ring of stones that, as the story goes, Indigenous people used to trap turtles and fish. Punta Catedral itself was once an island, now joined to the shore by a sandbar. There are showers and changing rooms, but no soap is allowed, and the manzanillo trees on the beach are toxic, so do not sit under them.

   Tip: Leave snacks behind, since food is allowed only in the park's food concession area and not on the beaches or trails, and know that umbrellas, balls and hammocks are not permitted either.

   With a park ticket
   Search tickets and tours on TiqetsSources: SINAC, National System of Conservation Areas (sinac.go.cr); Costa Rica Tourism Board (visitcostarica.com)
6. 6La Fortuna

   Soak in the volcano-heated river at Tabacón

   At Tabacón, naturally hot springs heated by Arenal's volcanic activity flow through rainforest gardens on the resort grounds. The River Tabacón springs average about 37 degrees Celsius, warm enough to make a soak after a day of hiking feel like a treat. There is a swim-up bar in the warm water and a restaurant for lunch or dinner. It is a resort, so plan on a few relaxed hours rather than a quick dip, and children under 16 must stay with an adult at all times.

   Tip: Reserve your day pass in advance because availability is limited, and bring water shoes for the rocky riverbed.

   Book a day pass, $[fee]Know the fee?
   Search tickets and tours on TiqetsSources: Tabacón Thermal Resort and Spa; Costa Rica Tourism Board (visitcostarica.com)
7. 7La FortunaBook ahead

   Look for frogs and snakes on a night walk

   After dark the rainforest around La Fortuna changes cast, and a guided night walk is the best way to see it. Ecocentro Danaus is a private biological reserve in La Fortuna, with a circular trail of about 1 km that is mostly flat gravel, so it suits all ages. Its frogs and reptiles night tour lasts about 2 hours, with departures in the early evening, and a guide helps you find animals you would miss alone. Animal activity peaks in the early morning and around sunset, so a day tour or a birdwatching walk also works well. All animals are wild, so no sighting is guaranteed.

   Tip: Reserve your night tour ahead, since every guided tour needs an advance booking, and bring a light rain jacket and insect repellent.

   Day pass or guided tour, $[fee]Know the fee?
   Search tickets and tours on TiqetsSources: Ecocentro Danaus; Costa Rica Tourism Board (visitcostarica.com)
8. 8Poás Volcano

   Look into the crater of Poás Volcano

   Poás makes an easy day trip from San José: an active volcano 2,708 m high with one of the largest craters in the world. The main crater measures about 1,320 m across and 320 m deep, and holds a hot, acidic lagoon of 20 to 50 degrees Celsius that steams from fumaroles. Nearby, the cold Botos lagoon fills an older crater in cloud forest. The park dates from 1955, and Poás is known for its 1910 eruption, which sent an ash cloud about 8,000 m up. Expect cold air and light drizzle much of the year. The road climbs from Alajuela through Fraijanes to Poasito, and the villages near the park are known for strawberries and dairy products.

   Tip: Book your entry time online, since the park admits visitors only by reservation with last entry at 2 PM, and check the live crater camera before you leave because cloud often hides the view.

   Search tickets and tours on TiqetsSources: SINAC, National System of Conservation Areas (official); Visit Costa Rica (Costa Rica Tourism Board, official)
9. 9Manuel AntonioBook ahead

   Glide through the Damas Island mangroves by boat

   A few kilometers from Quepos, the Palo Seco River meets the Damas estuary, and between them lies Damas Island, a river and sea island of about 600 hectares wrapped in mangrove forest. Boat tours leave from Quepos and Manuel Antonio and wind through the channels, where the estuary shelters a wide variety of plants and animals. These mangroves are also where piangua grows, the black-shelled mollusk that local cooks turn into ceviche. It is a calm, easy outing for families or for a rest day between hikes.

   Tip: Wear a cap, sunscreen and light clothes on the boat, and try piangua ceviche in Quepos afterward.

   Book a boat tour, $[fee]Know the fee?
   Search tickets and tours on TiqetsSources: Costa Rica Tourism Board (visitcostarica.com); Costa Rica Tourism Board (visitcostarica.com); Costa Rica Tourism Board (visitcostarica.com)
10. 10San José

    Tour the 1890s National Theater in San José

    The National Theater is San José's grandest building, paid for with public funds and built between 1890 and 1897, a sign of the ambitions of the coffee-growing elite of the time. The facade carries allegories of Dance, Music and Fame (today's figures are replicas), with sculptures by Italian artists, and the interior holds valuable paintings by Italian and other painters. Guided visits run in Spanish and English during the day, and the theater faces the Plaza de la Cultura, above the Gold Museum. Come back at night for a concert if you can.

    Tip: Check the theater's program for a midday show or a National Symphony Orchestra concert, a fine way to see the hall in use.

    Guided tours, [fee]Know the fee?
    Search tickets and tours on TiqetsSources: Costa Rica Tourism Board (visitcostarica.com); Teatro Nacional de Costa Rica (Ministry of Culture and Youth); Teatro Nacional de Costa Rica (official)
11. 11San José

    See pre-Columbian gold and jade in San José

    Two museums in central San José show the craft of the peoples who lived here long before the Spanish arrived. Under the Plaza de la Cultura, opened in 1982, three underground levels hold the Pre-Columbian Gold Museum and the Central Bank's coin museum, open daily. A short walk away, the Jade Museum moved into a new building in 2014 and holds what it calls the largest collection of pre-Columbian jade pieces in the world, set out in five rooms that trace social, religious and daily life through objects of jade, ceramic, stone, bone and shell. Pair them with the National Theater next door.

    Tip: Do the two museums on the same day, since both open every day and are a short walk apart.

    Pay at the door, [fee]Know the fee?
    Search tickets and tours on TiqetsSources: Costa Rica Tourism Board (visitcostarica.com); Museo del Jade, INS (official)
12. 12La Fortuna

    Spend an evening in the pools at Baldi

    Baldi Hot Springs is the big, lively counterpart to Tabacón: a resort of 25 thermal pools surrounded by tropical plants, with water slides, a jacuzzi for 60 people and a large sauna. It stays open late, from 9 AM to 10 PM every day, which makes it the easy choice for an evening soak after a day at the volcano or the waterfall. You do not need to book ahead; buy a day pass at reception when you arrive. Families like the slides, and children under 5 enter free.

    Tip: Bring some cash for the refundable towel deposit, which is taken in cash only.

    Buy a day pass at reception, $[fee]Know the fee?
    Search tickets and tours on TiqetsSources: Baldi Hot Springs; Costa Rica Tourism Board (visitcostarica.com)
13. 13La Fortuna

    Paddle or cruise on Lake Arenal

    A few kilometers from La Fortuna, Lake Arenal is the country's largest artificial lake, 87.8 square kilometers of water at 546 m above sea level, held behind a dam among forests and mountains. You see it from the Coladas trail in the national park, and Mistico's entrance sits beside the dam. Out on the water you can join a boat tour, kayak or stand-up paddle, and anglers fish here too. The lake is also a shortcut: the jeep-boat-jeep transfer between La Fortuna and Monteverde includes a ride across it.

    Tip: Go out in the morning, when the sky is most often clear for views of the volcano.

    Search tickets and tours on TiqetsSources: Costa Rica Tourism Board (visitcostarica.com); SINAC, National System of Conservation Areas (sinac.go.cr); Mistico Arenal Hanging Bridges Park; Costa Rica Tourism Board (visitcostarica.com)
14. 14San José

    Eat at a soda counter in the Central Market

    San José's Mercado Central is the city's daily meeting place, a maze of narrow alleys on the site once known as the New Plaza, chosen as the market when the old main square became Central Park. Stalls sell fresh produce, traditional clothing and much more, and food counters serve home-style dishes to workers and shoppers. One ice cream shop has served a single flavor of vanilla, cinnamon and secret spices for more than 100 years. The market is open Monday to Saturday from 8 AM to 5 PM.

    Tip: Pick the busiest counter with a fired-up kitchen, order a café con leche with a chorreada, a corn pancake with sour cream, and keep your bag in front of you in the crowd.

    Pay as you go
    Sources: Costa Rica Tourism Board (visitcostarica.com); Costa Rica Tourism Board (visitcostarica.com); Costa Rica Tourism Board (visitcostarica.com)
15. 15La FortunaBook ahead

    Meet butterflies and frogs at Arenal Natura

    Arenal Natura is a conservation park near La Fortuna where you see the small creatures of the rainforest up close. Trails lead through different habitats, past a butterfly garden and a frog garden, with crocodiles and snakes among the animals the park looks after. Guided tours take about 2 hours and run several times a day, from the morning into mid-afternoon, and guides point out what most people would walk past. After dark the park also runs a guided night walk. It is a good choice for families with young children.

    Tip: Pick the first tour of the day, at 8 AM, when animals are more active and the trails are quiet.

    Book a guided tour, $[fee]Know the fee?
    Search tickets and tours on TiqetsSources: Arenal Natura Ecological Park; Ecocentro Danaus
16. 16Manuel Antonio

    Catch the sunset at Marina Pez Vela in Quepos

    Quepos, the town next to Manuel Antonio, is where the area comes together at the end of the day. The plaza at Marina Pez Vela is a meeting place for anglers, boat crews and visitors for sunset and happy hour, with restaurants open for breakfast, lunch and dinner, a gelato shop and a deli. Boat, catamaran and sport fishing operators are based here too, since Quepos is known for marlin, tuna and roosterfish. Nearby, the Malecón, a 450 m seafront walk with a giant Quepos sign, gives classic photos with the Pacific and the marina behind you. From July to November, humpback whales visit these waters.

    Tip: Arrive about an hour before sunset to walk the Malecón first, then settle at the marina for dinner.

    Pay as you go
    Sources: Marina Pez Vela; Costa Rica Tourism Board (visitcostarica.com)
17. 17San José

    Learn the country's story at the National Museum

    The National Museum fills the old Bellavista Barracks in central San José, and the building is part of the story: when Costa Rica abolished its army in 1949, the fortress was handed over to the museum. Inside, two main halls cover pre-Columbian history and the history of Costa Rica, and there is a butterfly garden too. You enter from the Plaza de la Democracia, opened in 1989 in front of the museum's west side. It opens Tuesday to Saturday from 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM and Sunday from 9 AM to 4:30 PM, so it is closed on Mondays.

    Tip: Enter from the Plaza de la Democracia, where the ticket office is, and pair the visit with the nearby Jade Museum.

    Pay at the door, [fee]Know the fee?
    Search tickets and tours on TiqetsSources: Museo Nacional de Costa Rica (Ministry of Culture and Youth); Costa Rica Tourism Board (visitcostarica.com)
18. 18San José

    Wander Barrio Amón and eat in Barrio Escalante

    Two neighborhoods show a different side of San José. Barrio Amón, founded in 1892, grew into one of the city's most prestigious districts, and its streets still hold grand houses: one of the first, built of brick and Belgian iron in 1895, is now the Alliance Française, and the Castillo del Moro, a 1920s Moorish-style mansion with a tower and copper dome, now houses a restaurant. Barrio Escalante is where San José eats and drinks now, with cafés, small galleries, inventive restaurants and craft beer that are reshaping the country's food scene. Walk Amón in the afternoon, then head to Escalante for dinner.

    Tip: Check maps inside a café or shop rather than on a quiet corner, and use ATMs in busy, well-lit places.

    Pay as you go
    Sources: Costa Rica Tourism Board (visitcostarica.com); Costa Rica Tourism Board (visitcostarica.com); Costa Rica Tourism Board (visitcostarica.com)

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