15 Wonderful Things to do in Costa Rica

To wrap up the Costa Rica blog series, I’m providing a concise rundown of the 15 absolutely fabulous things to do in Costa Rica. Trust me when I say none of these you’d want to miss. And we haven’t even covered the Caribbean Coasts and Guanacaste yet. This country really has so much to offer. Unless your trip is over a month-long, one visit is certainly not enough!

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Soak in the hot springs of La Fortuna

Starting off in La Fortuna Costa Rica, my absolute favorite town in the country so far. From the colorful little town area itself to the hot spring resorts and the variety of wildlife tours available, it’s such an exciting spot!

Packed with volcanos, Costa Rica is so famous for its hot springs because the geothermal activity in the ground naturally heats these pools. These hot springs help relieve stress, clean your skin, and relax your muscles.

You can either visit one of the natural pools or stay at one of the hot spring resorts. The resort pools are man-made but filled with naturally heated geothermal water as well.

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Swim in the pool of La Fortuna Waterfall

Another must-do in La Fortuna is to visit the waterfall! Catarata Río Fortuna sits at the base of a dormant volcano, which means you’ll be hiking down into the valley and back up. The waterfall drops from about 75 meters at a speed of 300 kph (187 mph), so swimming anywhere near it is forbidden. But you can definitely swim in the pool if you keep your distance, so bring a swimsuit!

Hike the Arenal Volcano

While we’re still in La Fortuna, make sure not to miss out on hiking the Arenal Volcano as well! The Arenal is ACTIVE. It last exploded in 1968, only 54 years ago at the time of writing. And no one knows when it will decide to have another round of fun…

The trail is strangely beautiful, riddled with both wildflowers and black volcanic rocks. If you search well, maybe you’ll find tiny pieces of volcanic gems and diamonds along the way. I did!

Take a walking tour of San José

This bustling capital city is so much more than buildings and traffic. Each building, monument, park, or even sign, has its own history. And to walk by them without knowing would be a real shame.

I did my walking tour with San José A Pie (San José on Foot). They’re a small tour company operating through Airbnb Experiences. The guide was very knowledgeable and made the experience very enjoyable.

Try Lolo Mora’s vanilla ice cream

While you’re still downtown San José, stop by the Central Market and look for Lolo Mora Ice Cream Palor, pictures below. They only sell ONE flavor, vanilla cinnamon. And there’s a reason why they’re that confident about it. It tastes SO GOOD! You don’t want to miss this one!

Either take a scoop to go, or find a seat and have the ice cream on top of their blended juice selections.

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Go snorkeling at Tortuga Island

If you’re going to Costa Rica, then you must love nature! Take it a step further by hanging out with marine life of the coast of Tortuga Island for an hour or two. Either book a tour with my favorite people at Bahia Rica, or check out one of the selections from Viator below.

Dive around the shipwrecks of the Santa Catalina Islands

If you’re an avid diver, the Tortuga Island and Montezuma area are also home to 3 famous shipwrecks that you can dive to. The Caroline Star, the Coronel Alfonso Monge, and the Franklin Chang Diaz. I don’t dive myself, but I’ve heard the best things, and I bet they’re a sight to behold.

Learning how to dive is on my life bucket list, so rest assured I’ll be returning to these wrecks soon!

Take the bioluminescence tour in Paquera

After spending the day chilling around Tortuga Island, what’s a better way to end it than taking advantage of the dark and watching bioluminescence glitter on your hands and feet?

Once again, my favorite people at Bahia Rica can get you covered at a very nice price. You also have the option to combine this tour with their Tortuga Island tour as a package.

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Visit the National Theater

From the outside, this unsuspecting building is almost just like any other in San José. But as soon as you step inside, everything screams elegance, even the way their tours are given. The guides dress up and act like people from old-time Costa Rica, and they tell all the stories while staying in character!

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Take a coffee tour with Britt

Did you know that Costa Rica is like the Italy of the Americas in terms of coffee? For decades, they’ve planted and produced gourmet coffee for people all over the world. The high altitude and mostly volcanic soil yields harder coffee beans, which means a much more even roast.

And why does it have to be Britt Coffee Tour? Well… after producing gourmet coffee for exports while leaving the locals to make do with what they have, Britt stepped up to be the first producer of gourmet Costa Rica coffee FOR Costa Ricans. Starting in 1995, and still going strong!

Visit the Toucan Rescue Ranch

If you’re an animal lover, this experience is for you! Unlike a generic zoo, this ranch was first established to help save injured and abandoned Toucans, then they’ve expanded it to include other species of wildlife as well. Yes, sloths too…

Every animal that arrives at the Rescue Ranch is nurtured until they’re healed. Then they will go through a training program that prepares them for the wild, from elementary through university. Isn’t that cute? And if they fail any of these levels, meaning they’ll be in danger if set free, they will become a permanent resident of the ranch.

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Zipline at the Monteverde Cloud Forest

This is something I wish I had time for on my trip, and it came highly recommended by my classmates at the Spanish school. It’s the next time for me!

Monteverde Cloud Forest is exactly what it’s called. You walk into a lush, green forest enveloped in low-hanging clouds. It will feel like stepping into heaven. It’s also home to the countless famous hanging bridges of Costa Rica.

The opportunities are ample here. You can take a zipline tour, a bird-watching tour, a sloth-watching tour, or even a hanging-bridges tour. Don’t be like me, visit Monteverde!

Visit the Museum of Jade

No, it is not an entire museum with JUST pieces of jade! It’s named that way due to the influences jade had on the Pre-Columbian Costa Rican culture.

There is a LOT of jade here indeed, but the point of this museum is to showcase the indigenous way of life and how it evolved over time. And they’ve done an amazing job! There are 4 floors of gorgeous exhibition rooms, each with its own theme.

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Visit Cartago

Only less than an hour’s drive southeast of San José is Cartago, the former capital city of the country. Standing and booming with trade from 1563 until 1823, it’s packed full of beautiful architecture and rich with history for you to explore

The most famous attraction (but obviously not the only one…) is the Basilica of Los Angeles.

Take a chill afternoon at La Mancha

No, it’s not just your average café! First off, because we’re in Costa Rica, you’re guaranteed to have the best-tasting coffee in the Americas. Secondly, their pastries are to die for. And lastly, it’s hidden INSIDE a building, in this cutest little courtyard in the middle of the bustling San José.

You can barely hear the traffic outside when you’re in here, and the vibe will give you the break you’d never expect in the middle of a capital city!

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Are you convinced to visit Costa Rica yet? No? Check out my other blog posts below!

Oh, you’re already convinced? Check them out anyway to help with your planning 😉

Other Costa Rica Blog Posts

• The Culture of Costa Rica
• La Fortuna Waterfall and Arenal Volcano
• Tortuga Island and the Bioluminescence Tour
• Studying Spanish in Costa Rica
• Driving in Costa Rica
• How to take the Paquera Ferry