Weekend Escapes from San José
San José sits at the centre of a country with remarkable range. Two hours in any direction reaches something worth the drive — cloud forest, coast, volcano, or highland valley.
🌊 Waterfalls
Catarata La Fortuna
A dramatic 70-metre waterfall, tropical rainforest, wildlife, and swimming
La Fortuna
💎 Hidden Gems
Río Celeste Azul
Impossibly blue river deep in Tenorio Volcano
Bijagua, Alajuela
🌊 Waterfalls
Cataratas Nauyaca
Two-tier 45-metre falls, three hours deep in the jungle south of Dominical
Dominical
🌊 Waterfalls
La Paz Waterfall Gardens
One of Costa Rica’s most famous eco-attractions, located in the cloud forest between Poás Volcano and Sarapiquí
Heredia Province
🔭 Viewpoints
Volcán Poás Active Crater
A famous and accessible active volcano
Poás Volcano NP
🚗 Scenic Drives
Valle del Río Orosi
A 37-kilometre valley loop through coffee terraces, colonial churches, and four ecosystems
Orosi
🥾 Hiking
Savegre Valley Trail
Network of cloud-forest hiking trails around San Gerardo de Dota and the upper Río Savegre
San Gerardo de Dota
🏊 Swimming
Nacientes Palmichal
Crystal springs and natural swimming pools
Acosta
☕ Scenic Cafés
Café Finca Los Sueños
Espresso on a working coffee farm with valley views
Naranjo
👨👩👧 Family Friendly
Termales del Bosque
Thermal pools in old-growth forest, best after the sun goes down
Ciudad Quesada
🥾 Hiking
Laguna Botos
A beautiful crater lake located inside Poás Volcano National Park
Poás Volcano NP
🔭 Viewpoints
Mirador del Volcán Arenal
One of the southern-facing viewpoints around Arenal Lake and the lava flow side of the volcano.
La Fortuna
🦜 Wildlife
Savegre Valley
Cloud forest river valley at 2,200 metres — primary quetzal habitat, trout in the river
San Gerardo de Dota
🥾 Hiking
Cerros de Escazú
Cloud forest directly above San José — brujas legend, 18th-century hilltop church, mountain trails
Escazú
☕ Scenic Cafés
Dota Coffee Region
One of the most beautiful and prestigious coffee-growing areas
Valle de Dota
🏊 Swimming
Tabacón Thermal Region
Volcanic-heated rivers on the flank of Arenal — the free access is at the public river bend
La Fortuna
💎 Hidden Gems
Zarcero
The highland town where the town square is a topiary garden — and has been since 1964
Zarcero
🚗 Scenic Drives
Grecia
The all-metal red church imported from Belgium in pieces — pineapple and sugar cane country
Grecia
🥾 Hiking
Naranjo
Coffee highlands town off the tourist circuit — colonial church, gateway to Bajos del Toro
Naranjo
👨👩👧 Family Friendly
Dino Land
Journey back in time at where lifelike animatronic dinosaurs roam misty forest trails in the heart of Bajos del Toro.
Sarchi
🔭 Viewpoints
Laguna Río Cuarto
The deepest natural crater lake, where emerald and sapphire waters are framed by lush rainforest and steep volcanic walls.
Río Cuarto
💎 Hidden Gems
Los Tenideros río Celeste
The exact spot where two clear rivers merge and turn the water an impossible turquoise
Tenorio Volcano National Park
🔭 Viewpoints
Finca Libertad Pura
A family-run mountain retreat where rural life, scenic landscapes, and authentic agritourism come together.
San Ramon
🌊 Waterfalls
Blue Falls of Costa Rica
Six turquoise pools of volcanic mineral water — each a different temperature
Bijagua