San Jose is the capital of Costa Rica, therefore, is often the first landing place for anyone planning to visit the country’s serene beaches and tropical landscapes.
Unfortunately, while the city itself is full of historical, cultural, and traditional attributes, it usually gets ignored by tourists rushing towards their pre-planned outdoor excursions.
Being that San Jose is a bit of a busy area, you should definitely consider getting travel insurance or a family travel insurance plan to ensure you stay protected against any mishaps along the way.
Honestly, that’s probably because the city is a bustling metropolitan that intimidates most foreigners at first sight. However, the city has terrific educational and recreational getaways that should definitely be a part of your Costa Rica itinerary.
If you have a day or two to spare exploring the capital, check out this list of things to do in San Jose to ensure an illustrious trip.
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Where To Stay In San Jose, Costa Rica
As the capital of a significant tourist hub usually flocked by visitors from the US and Canada, San Jose has all kinds of accommodation options for you. However, if this is your first time planning a trip to San Jose, it’s easy to get confused.
Besides that, the best hotels and lodgings usually get booked during the peak holiday season, which is from December to April, during the dry season. So, it’s better to pre-book your options and decide where to stay in San Jose beforehand to avoid any inconvenience.
Whether you’re looking for modest lodgings at a budget or luxury location, you can find anything that fits your needs within the city. To help you out, we’ve provided popular options for every comfort and budget level so you can choose the right one for yourself.
Budget Options
If you’re a backpacker looking to spend a minimal amount on living expenses, you can find multiple backpackers’ hostels and motels in San Jose. Some of the most popular options include Selina and Costa Rica Backpackers.
Selina
The former is located at a mere 700m distance from the National Theatre. Here, you can book anything from shared dorm rooms to modest private rooms according to your budget.
Costa Rica Backpackers
Similarly, the latter option is located in the heart of the city. Famous for its large dorm rooms, the hostel also has a free pool and complimentary breakfast for its visitors.
Moderate Options
We know what you’re thinking. If you’re planning a trip with your family, living in a hostel or dorm is not the ideal option, even if you’re short on budget.
In this case, you can go for the mid-range accommodations available in the city. These include the Autentico Hotel or the Hotel Colonial.
These hotels offer private rooms with multiple beds, basic amenities and additional paid features perfect for families. This means you can book affordable rooms without compromising on your comfort.
However, most of these mid-range options are overbooked during the peak season, so make sure to pre-book your rooms at least 2-3 months ahead of your visit.
Luxury Options
Who’re you kidding? It’s totally alright if you don’t want to compromise on your comfort while you’re on vacation. If that’s the case with you, there are plenty of accommodation options for you in San Jose.
Luxury accommodations like the Hotel Presidente or the Gran Hotel are go-to options for those willing to spend a few bucks for extra comfort. The Gran Hotel especially holds the reputation for being the most prestigious hotel in the city.
It’s a colonial-style building converted into a hotel with stunning architectural aspects and hospitable amenities. These include a heavenly buffet breakfast spread every morning with beautiful gardens for long walks and all-inclusive rooms.
Best Things To Do In San Jose, Costa Rica – Bookmark these 11!
Now that you have ample choices regarding your accommodation in San Jose, you’re probably wondering what to include in your San Jose itinerary. There are numerous places to visit in San Jose which you can’t possibly fit into a one or two-day stay.
That’s why you’ll need to choose what to do in San Jose according to your interests, the time you have at hand, and the distance of each option from your accommodation.
In this list, we’ve included the most exciting SJ activities we found with their basic details. Go through these options to figure out which ones fit your needs before you plan your day.
1. Visit the National Theater
The National Theater, locally known as the Teatro Nacional Costa Rica, is a quintessential masterpiece of San Jose. If you’re wondering what to see in San Jose, your trip is not complete without visiting this prestigious building.
The building’s main halls are a sight to behold, filled with colonial-style traditional furnishing and outstanding marble statues. Interestingly, the National Theatre was initially used to attract wealthy patrons and businessmen to the country.
Today, tourists can book tickets to breathtaking stage shows to indulge in the country’s cultural art. If you don’t have enough time to visit a show, you can simply look around the theatre and take memorable photos with your family.
The theatre is located in central San Jose, close to most of the tourist hotels and accommodations in the city which is generally a safe area of Costa Rica.
2. Explore the National Museum
If you wish to know more about the history and heritage of the country you’re visiting, you should stop by the National Museum in San Jose. The museum has interesting and educational exhibits about Costa Rica’s archaeology, anthropology, and natural history.
Besides that, it also boasts the ancient fort of Bella Vista Barracks in its vicinity, where you can see the reminiscents of historical wars and political conflicts. If you’re accompanied by children interested in world history, this visit can become a fun learning experience for them.
The ideal way is to book a paid tour so that you’ll have an educated guide with you while you tour the museum. Remember to check the opening and closing times of the museum during your stay and plan your trip accordingly to avoid inconvenience.
3. Attend The Ultimate Holiday Festival
If you want your trip to be a combination of exciting and educational events, you should include a visit to the Fiestas De Zapote in your itinerary. This is one of the most popular festivals held in Costa Rica during the peak holiday season.
From early December to February, those visiting the city can participate in the holiday festivities with the locals at this immersive festival. You can indulge in everything from thrilling rides and games to countless food stalls serving regional delicacies.
The best part is, you can enter the festival for free and explore the holiday merriment with the Josefinos. However, you’ll have to pay for the games, food, and rides you participate in during your visit.
Make sure not to miss the brave Ticos tackling humongous bulls in front of awestruck spectators, a signature event at the Fiestas De Zapote.
4. Visit The Jade Museum
Did you know that San Jose houses one of the largest jade collections in the world? With more than 7000 pieces of jade on display, the Jade Museum in San Jose is a must-visit for jade lovers.
Along with witnessing numerous precious stones, the museum beautifully showcases their importance to the Costa Rican people. Besides that, you can witness the splendid jade artefacts and appreciate the impeccable artistry of the natives.
Although the visit can cost anywhere from USD 15 to USD 20 for foreign visitors, the museum offers free student cards for children under 12. This is one of the perks of travelling as a student! This makes it an ideal option for those looking for a pocket-friendly family outing.
5. Check Out the Pre-Columbian Gold Museum
If you love art and history, you shouldn’t leave San Jose without checking out the Pre-Columbian Gold Museum. It has one of the largest collections of pre-Columbian gold in Latin America, with more than 1600 impressive artefacts on exhibit.
Believe it or not, some of the gold pieces in this museum date back thousands of years and display the country’s traditional heritage and its people.
Today, the dioramas or the life-size art displays make up a significant part of modern exhibits. These art displays show breathtaking scenes from pre-Columbian times that provide amazing insight into the era.
Similarly, you can visit its underground section for stone and ceramic exhibitions and educate your young ones.
6. Discover Costa Rican Science and Technology
If you don’t have enough time to visit multiple museums during your stay, this all-encompassing tourist attraction is the ultimate option for you. An amalgamation of 3 different museums, the Costa Rican Center of Science and Culture is a treat for history buffs.
If you’re travelling with your family, you can start your tour by visiting the Children’s Museum with your little ones. After that, you can enjoy witnessing the exciting exhibits at the National Gallery and National Auditorium. These exhibits range across multiple topics from science to technology, culture, and architecture.
7. Indulge In Local Delicacies
One of the best things you can do in San Jose is trying out the country’s delicious native cuisine and regional delicacies. But, of course, being a metropolitan city, it has a massive selection of restaurants ranging from modest inns to luxurious five-star locations.
Furthermore, if you need to cater for picky eaters during your trip, you can find many locations serving staple food from all over the world. These dishes include burgers, pizzas, and french fries.
If you’re looking to replenish your palette with some local flavours, you should visit the La Terrasse or Café de Los Deseos. Both of these restaurants boast a cosy ambience combined with delicious cuisine and impeccable hospitality. Moreover, you can pair your dinner with luxurious Costa Rican wines to make your dinner memorable.
8. Shop at the Central Market
Apart from enjoying San Jose sightseeing and visiting museums, there’s a lot more you can incorporate into your itinerary. One of the most attractive prospects for tourists visiting San Jose is its lively central market.
Even if you’ve no intention of buying something from the city, you can spend hours touring the plethora of unique merchandise available at the location.
Furthermore, many vendors sell delicious local food on the streets. So, you can indulge in some cheap treats without burning a hole in your pocket.
Moreover, Costa Ricans have a unique way of preparing their ice cream, so make sure you try some flavours even if they look a little unappetising at first glance.
Similarly, you can shop for memorable souvenirs to share with your loved ones back at home.
Additionally, if you enjoy shopping, check out other markets in the location. Mainly the San Pedro Square, where you’ll find cheap and high-quality merchandise.
9. Sample Some Craft Beer
One of the most interesting things to do in San Jose during a short stay is to sample the authentic craft beer produced in the area. Costa Rica boasts a budding craft beer industry in their capital city, with local restaurants all offering samples of the local brew.
However, if you’re a beer enthusiast and want to try some unique varieties, visit the Costa Rica Beer Factory.
Apart from free and reasonably-priced beer samples, the factory has a ‘beer school’. In this section, you can learn interesting facts about the brewing process and beer packaging.
Similarly, you can have lunch at Wilk Craft Beer. Here, they let you sample rustic local beer and international beers with delicious food options.
Moreover, numerous food and drink tours are operating within the city. You can book them beforehand to enjoy your stay in the capital, or simply go with a knowledgeable private tour guide who can take you around the best of San Jose.
10. Take a Coffee Tour
Coffee enthusiasts looking for things to do in San Jose need to look no further. It’s one of Costa Rica’s biggest agricultural exports, encapsulated perfectly through this coffee tour.
You see, San Jose is home to one of the largest coffee-producing companies in the world, the Britt Coffee Plantation. The factory has organised this paid tour that lets visitors explore every aspect of coffee production.
The tour encompasses the essence of coffee production in Costa Rica. This includes details about how it became one of its biggest agricultural exports. Throughout the tour, you’ll learn about the multiple stages of the coffee-making process.
The fun part is, your tour guide will have you try different kinds of coffee along the way. Additionally, you can taste various types of locally-made chocolate during the tour as well. Towards the end, you can take as many samples as you like back home with you.
11. Experience the Nightlife in San Jose
For those travelling with a group of friends (or alone!), experiencing the lively nightlife is one of the best things to do in San Jose.
There are various local pubs and restaurant bars you can explore throughout the city. However, El Pueblo is a significant attraction for nightlife lovers.
Mainly, the EL Pueblo is a mall decorated with the architectural features of a rustic villa. When it lights up with disco lights and flares up with loud music, the place is a sight to behold.
Here, you can enjoy dancing, drinking, and partying all night with your friends after the surrounding shops close at dusk.
Most importantly, the drinks and food are not overpriced, and the management charges a nominal amount as an entry fee. Meaning, even if you’re travelling on a budget, you can enjoy the night with your friends without breaking the bank.
Kyle Kroeger is a travel blogger for his site ViaTravelers.com. ViaTravelers is a modern travel blog providing the best tips, hacks, and itineraries to ensure you have an amazing adventure. Follow us on Instagram, Pinterest, Facebook, and YouTube to get our latest travel updates in real-time.
