Costa Rica - San Jose, La Fortuna & Rincon de la Vieja NP
View of the jungle from the Mistico Hanging Bridges
Overview:
Costa Rica had been on our list for a long time and I had heard so many great things about it. It is a leader in eco-tourism, has an incredible range of biodiversity, and is very accessible from the USA.
What I Did:
Our whole trip was built around going to see Paul McCartney play in the capital of San Jose, and we only had about 4 days after that. We had a very, VERY hard time figuring out where to go in those 4 days and everytime we did more research on options it got harder. In the end, we spent 2 days in San Jose, and then went north to La Fortuna/Arenal, and then Rincon de la Vieja National Park before flying home out of Liberia in the north.
San Jose
Areas
San Jose
I really enjoyed San Jose, but felt that 2 days was the perfect amount of time for us. The main downtown area was very walkable and accessible from our hotel and it was a great introduction to the country. It’s interesting that even with Costa Rica’s heavy reliance on tourism, the capital and main port of entry don’t really cater to tourists in a way that seems overdone. There is plenty to do and find if you want to look for it, but it isn’t presenting itself as a caricature of the nation in the ways that I’ve seen other places become. It is first and foremost focused on being a working, functioning, livable city for its residents.
While I felt that 2 days was the right amount of time for us, I should also say that I think I would feel different if I was fluent in Spanish. We didn’t do some things - like visit the National Museum - because we aren’t fluent.
La Fortuna
I was worried that La Fortuna would be too touristy because it showed up on literally every guide that I saw. While it is certainly more catered towards tourists than San Jose, I didn’t think it was too sterilized. The town itself is small and nice to walk through, and it is a great jumping off point for lots of excursions, tours and activities. It should be noted, though, that some of the places that you might come across listed as free attractions might have “attendants” at their parking areas trying to get you to pay.
Rincon de la Vieja
This area was so much more remote than La Fortuna and San Jose. The towns are small, the roads are windy and nature is the primary attraction. The area we were in has lots of hot springs and waterfalls, which is why we went, but even the waterfalls in the National Park have additional entry costs to them. I had been really excited to go swimming in the picturesque waterfalls and pools, but between the added cost and the wet weather we had, it didn’t happen.
Arenal Volcano from La Fortuna
Attractions
San Jose
Parque Nacional
Municipal Crafts Market
San Jose Central Market
La Paz Waterfall (not in San Jose, but closer to there than it is to anywhere else on our list).
La Fortuna
Rincon de la Vieja National Park
Las Pailas Trail
Waterfalls
Food & Drink
San Jose
Cafe Rojo
Silvestre
Tizate Coffee Shop
La Mancha Coffee Shop
Kam Breakfasts & Bakery
La Fortuna
Soda Mimi & Soda Viquez
Arabigos Coffee House
Liberia
Casa Liberia
La Paz Waterfall
