San José, Costa Rica

Day Trips

Our most recommended San José, Costa Rica Day Trips

• 

  1. San José: Arenal Volcano, Hot Springs, & Zip Lining w/ Meals

  Admire the beauties of Costa Rica in one single day while doing multiple stops in interesting places across your journey. Travel on the most scenic route to the Arenal Volcano area. While stumbling upon a coffee plantation, you will receive a brief introduction into the world of Costa Rican coffee and you will enjoy a degustation of one of the best coffees in the world. Moving forward, you will get the chance to admire two natural wonders: the waterfalls called "La Paz" and "San Fernando". Have a look at the exotic tropical birds of Costa Rica, including many species of hummingbirds and rare emerald toucanets, while you reach the San Fernando Waterfall observation point. Around the area of "Iguana Bridge", where you will have the chance to see plenty of iguanas but also sloths, monkeys, toucans, etc. Enjoy an authentic Costa Rican lunch in a restaurant located in "La Fortuna". After a ...

  Fernando Moss was an excellent guide, who gave us terrific detail on our trip, sights. He was patient and he clearly loves what he does. I can't recommend this tour enough!

  Reviewed by Anonymous, 8/28/2021
• 

  2. Manuel Antonio National Park Combo Tour from San Jose

  On your way to Manuel Antonio, stop to have breakfast in a local restaurant located next to the biggest fruit market in the country where you'll be able to observe the large variety of tropical fruits in Costa Rica. Continue your journey with a stop at the popular crocodile bridge where you will have the chance to observe one of Costa Rica’s biggest crocodile’s populations.    Search for scarlet macaws in their natural habitat on Tarcoles Beach, a common sight in the area. Then, stop at the Jaco Bay lookout point and take pictures of Costa Rica’s most popular coastal town. Once in Manuel Antonio, hike the rainforest trails of the national park with your guide for about 1 hour and search for local wild animals commonly observed here, including monkeys, sloths, toucans, agoutis, and more.   After hiking, enjoy free time to relax on the pristine beaches of the Manuel Antonio National Park...

  Amazing tour!! Fernando Moss was great a great guide, very knowledgeable about the area and animals. Would highly recommend!

  Reviewed by Gabriela, 7/13/2021
• 

  3. San Jose: Tortuguero Park Day Tour with Breakfast & Lunch

  The day begins with pickup from your accommodation in San Jose, Heredia, or Alajuela at 6:00 AM. On your way to breakfast, drive past rolling coffee plantations and admire the mountains of Braulio Carrillo National Park. At around 7:15 AM, stop for a traditional Costa Rican breakfast to set you up for the day's adventure. Enjoy fresh fruit juice, coffee, eggs, and the popular gallo pinto (a typical Central American rice and bean dish.) After breakfast visit a local banana plantation and learn about the process of growing and exporting fruit. At around 10:00 AM, leave the bus behind and hop onboard a boat as you cruise into the jungle of Tortuguero National Park. Surrounded by tropical rainforest, which covers over 29,000 hectares, soak up the magic of this luscious green landscape. As you sail along the jungle canals, see native green sea turtles, as well as other endangered a...

• 

  4. San Jose: Monteverde Sky Tram & Hanging Bridges Day Tour

  Discover the lush Cloud Forests of Monteverde on this Sky Tram and Hanging Bridges trip from San Jose. Travel to the Northern Highlands of Costa Rica on a very scenic ride where you will get great views of mountains, farms, local towns and the Coast of the Puntarenas Province. See the largest fruit stand of the country, where you will see a large variety of tropical fruits. Visit the “Monkey Lady House” and several white-faced monkeys at very close range. Once in Monteverde, savor a delicious lunch and then proceed to ride on the Sky Tram, with great views of the whole Monteverde-Santa Elena area. Spend about 15-20 minutes at the highest look-out point, and then ride the Tram down for about 15 minutes.  Then, walk on the amazing Sky Walk Hanging Bridges in the Cloud Forest, where you will hike with your expert naturalist guide for about 2-3 hours, learning interesting aspects of the fl...

  Karina was the hanging bridges guide, and she was great. She went out of her way to spot bugs, monkeys, butterflies, humming birds, etc. What we didn't know was our tour bus was split between activities, and our driver seemed put-out that this causes confusion.

  Reviewed by Sherry, United States, 2/24/2020
• 

  5. From San José: Monteverde Hanging Bridges Day Trip

  Your tour begins in the morning with pickup in the San José area. Then travel towards the northern part of the country on a very scenic drive, with great views of beautiful mountain ranges, local towns and farms, and the Pacific coast. On the way to Monteverde, enjoy multiple stops. Learn about local fruits at the largest fruit stand of the country. Explore a place where several monkeys are normally observed in the wild at a very close range. Photograph amazing landscapes from a lookout point. Once in Monteverde, savor a delicious lunch and then proceed to do the amazing hanging bridges tour in the cloud forest. Hike with your guide for two to three hours, admiring the beauties of this rare ecosystem and searching for the local wildlife, including monkeys, emerald toucans, coatimundis, and the rare resplendent quetzal, the most beautiful bird of Costa Rica. This hike is approximately 3...

  Booked this tour on GetYourGuide in San Jose. Was such a nice day tour out of San Jose. Juan speaks very good English and was a great guide, he was attentive, friendly, helpful but also respected our own space. Monteverde was amazing - there was a local guide who led us on the hike and he was very knowledgable and the hanging bridges and the the rainforest were simply breath taking. Other people on the tour were super friendly and nice too. The lunch was at a really nice restaurant providing high quality local cuisine. Not like a typical tourist spot. This is a must-go experience!

  Reviewed by Ali, China, 2/27/2020
• 

  6. Rafting Class 3-4 "Jungle Run": Río Sarapiquí, Costa Rica

  Take an exciting break during your travels to your new vacation destination! Bring on the adrenaline and enjoy the "Jungle Run" on the Sarapiqui River. This is the perfect rafting trip for adventurous paddlers! Get piked up from your hotel and travel through small Costa Rican villages to the quaint town of San Miguel de Sarapiquí. There, your professional rafting guide will give you the 101 on rafting including safety tips and technical instructions before heading on your 2 hour journey down one of Costa Rica’s most exuberant rivers! During your descent down the river, you will experience over 30 exciting rapids along 10 km of lush, vibrant rainforest. As you make your way through exciting rapids like "The Pipeline," "The Terminator," and "Dos Locos", you will get your adrenaline pumping! About half way down the river, you’ll stop and watch the rapids from the shore, while enjoying re...

  This was expected a 8 hours activity and it took around 5 hours. The rafting part was not long enough. But we have seen very nice views along the way.

  Reviewed by Stephane, 1/22/2018
• 

  7. San Jose: Doka Estate Coffee & La Paz Waterfalls Garden Tour

  Immerse yourself in Costa Rican coffee, nature, and wildlife on a guided tour to Doka Estate coffee plantation and La Paz Waterfall Gardens. Begin your adventure with a hotel pickup and a relaxing private drive through the Costa Rican countryside. Pass by coffee plantations, sugar cane and citrus plantations, diverse fruit stands, and rural farming communities. Your guide will point out these sights of interest to you. After a 45-minute drive to Alajuela Province, enter the grand Doka Estate. Explore the lush surroundings before commencing the coffee tour. Learn about the step-by-step development process of plants up to the final point of grain collection. Find out about the estate’s history, its owners, the plant varieties, and the area’s geography. Get an insight into the ancient techniques used by the experts to produce some of the best-tasting coffee. Continue to your next destina...

• 

  8. San Jose: Sarapiqui Class 2&3 Rafting Adventure

  The Sarapiqui River is famous for its lush rainforest scenery. Enjoy it up close rafting down the Jungle Run – a section of river that is home to monkeys, iguanas, and other amazing Costa Rican wildlife. Start with pickup from select hotels and travel to El Roble de Sarapiquí, where the adventure begins. Your guide will fit you with the proper gear and go over safety instructions before hitting the river. Duck, dodge, paddle, and laugh your way down the river. Along the way, the "paparrazzi" photographer will be around to catch the best action shots as your Costa Rican river adventure unfolds. About halfway down the river, stop to enjoy a refreshing tropical fruit snack, take a swim, and relax. This area is known for its variety of birdlife, so keep an eye out for interesting tropical species.  Finish the rafting adventure at the Red-Eyed Frog Restaurant, located right next to the riv...

  we had so much fun. our guide Braulio was amazing. for first time rafting we really enjoyed it

  Reviewed by Da, United States, 8/7/2021
• 

  9. From San José: Sarapiquí Boat Ride & Tirimbina Reserve Tour

  Travel to the Sarapiquí region of Costa Rica on a day tour that’s perfect for thrill-seekers and nature lovers. Embark on an exciting river cruise down the Sarapiquí River. Check out the different flora and fauna around you at the Tirimbina Biological Reserve. Navigate a unique suspension bridge. Begin your adventure early at your hotel where your naturalist tour guide will meet you. Hop on a luxury air-conditioned vehicle for a relaxing drive through the wonderful Costa Rican countryside. On the way, experience the beauty of the second-largest national park in Costa Rica, the Braulio Carrillo. The highway divides the park into 2 big sections, so you can enjoy breathtaking views of the pristine rainforest. Once on the Caribbean slope, learn about the local culture, the unique architecture of the Caribbean, the most important crops including bananas, cassavas, pineapples, heart of palm,...

• 

  10. San José: Food and Culture Small-Group Night Tour

  Follow an expert local guide and explore San José at night on a small-group, food-themed walking tour. See important cultural sites and feast on a traditional dinner with wine or beer pairings. Get up close and personal with the nightlife in San José, starting with Morazán Park where we will learn post-colonial Costa Rican history. From there, the appreciation for San José’s historical architecture continues, with a walk by the Metallic Building, then on to Spain Park for a fantastic view of the Yellow House (now the Ministry of Foreign Affairs). Continue to the harming Barrio Escalante, one of the oldest residential areas neighborhoods in San José. Nowadays, Barrio Escalante has reinvented itself and is now home to many up-and-coming restaurants and at night is a favorite meeting spot for locals and visitors alike. The evening will end with a contemporary traditional meal with wi...

  I was hoping to do more tasting along the way but the meal at the end was absolutely delicious and worth the wait! It was nice to sit and talk with our guide, Gladys—a local full of knowledge and passion about Costa Rica, about life in Costa Rica. It was a special and unique experience.

  Reviewed by Anonymous, United States, 12/13/2019