Costa Rica · Things to do
83 themed guides.
Lists by theme inside each destination: waterfalls, hot springs, plans with kids, what is free. Every guide flags what is open, closed or restricted and the price where it could be confirmed.
13 destinations447 places in the guideOpen, closed and restricted
83 themed guides · 13 destinations
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- 12 places
La Fortuna hot springs
From the resort with a hot river to the free river: day-pass hot springs ordered from best known to lesser known, plus one that only admits guests.
- 12 places
Adventure: rafting, canyoning and ziplines
Adrenaline activities around the volcano; most require a minimum age of 8 and include transport from town.
- 12 places
Volcano trails and viewpoints
All the permitted walks around Arenal, from the national park to private reserves, and the best spots to see the cone and the lake.
- 13 places
Free or nearly free
Plans with no ticket or under $25: rivers, swimming holes, simple hot springs and the national park trails.
- 12 places
For rainy days or after dark
Tours under cover or that don’t need a clear sky, and night outings to see frogs, snakes and sloths.
- 7 places
Day trips from La Fortuna
Places 1 to 2 hours away by road that you can visit and return from in a day, on your own or with a tour.
- 5 places
Closed, prohibited or restricted
Places that still appear in old guides or on social media but cannot be visited today, or only under conditions; each one says what to do instead.
- 6 places
Monteverde’s cloud forest reserves
The area’s protected reserves, from the most famous to the quietest, with trails to do on your own or with a guide.
- 9 places
Hanging bridges, ziplines and adrenaline
Canopy parks, bridges over the treetops, Tarzan swings and bungee: compare before you book.
- 7 places
Night walks in Monteverde
At night frogs, tarantulas, sloths and olingos come out. These are the sites and operators running night tours.
- 5 places
Coffee, chocolate, sugar cane and cheese
Farms and workshops to taste what the mountain produces, plus the Quaker dairy.
- 7 places
For rainy days and with kids
Short or covered animal and plant exhibits that work even when it rains.
- 7 places
Free or cheap: lookouts, waterfalls and hikes
Low-cost plans to round out the trip, from hummingbirds to sunsets over the gulf.
- 2 places
Closed or changed in Monteverde
Places that appear in older guides but can no longer be visited the same way, and what to do instead.
- 7 places
Trails and viewpoints in the park
All are covered by the same SINAC ticket; pair a forest trail with a beach and leave before closing time.
- 7 places
Beaches of Manuel Antonio and Quepos
Inside the park the water is calmer; outside, beaches are free but have bigger surf.
- 11 places
Adventure on water and land
Rafting, kayaking, catamarans and ziplines; check each river’s season before booking.
- 6 places
Wildlife beyond the park
Mangroves, rescue centres and night walks to see animals you won’t meet on the trails by day.
- 7 places
Plans for Tuesday or a rainy day
The park closes every Tuesday: these activities still run and several don’t depend on sunshine.
- 7 places
Free or nearly free
Public beaches, walks and sunsets that cost nothing.
- 5 places
Closed, restricted or seasonal
What you can’t do or only works in certain seasons, and what to do instead.
- 7 places
Calm beaches for swimming
Sheltered bays where the sea is usually calm; even so, none has permanent lifeguards.
- 7 places
Surfing in Guanacaste
From lessons on Tamarindo’s small waves to experts-only breaks in Santa Rosa.
- 8 places
National parks and wildlife
Wetlands, mangroves and dry forest for crocodiles, monkeys, waterbirds and turtles.
- 6 places
At sea: diving, sailing and fishing
Boat trips from Coco, Flamingo and Tamarindo to islands, bays and deep water.
- 7 places
Inland day trips
Waterfalls, caves, history and crafts less than two hours from the coast.
- 8 places
Free or almost free
Public beaches, towns and waterfalls that cost little or nothing.
- 7 places
Closed, restricted or seasonal
Places with access rules, seasons or closures worth knowing before you go.
- 7 places
Surf and wellness
Breaks, schools and yoga studios in Nosara and Santa Teresa.
- 8 places
Calm beaches and family plans
Sheltered bays, tide pools and short trips suitable for families.
- 7 places
Turtles and wildlife
Arribadas, refuges, mangroves and dry forest with monkeys and birds.
- 7 places
Montezuma and the southern tip
Waterfalls, a reserve, islands and small villages between Paquera and Cabo Blanco.
- 5 places
Boat and island trips
Trips out to sea from Sámara, Garza, Montezuma and Curú.
- 8 places
Free on the peninsula
Public beaches, tide pools, trails and a market that cost nothing.
- 5 places
Restricted, closed or seasonal
Access rules, tides and closing days worth checking before you set out.
- 7 places
South Caribbean beaches
From Cahuita to Manzanillo: which beaches suit swimming, which suit surfing and where to find tide pools and reef.
- 9 places
Wildlife, rescue centres and jungle trails
Parks, refuges and rescue centres where you can see sloths, monkeys, macaws and turtles responsibly.
- 9 places
Cacao, Bribri culture and Afro-Caribbean flavour
Chocolate tours, indigenous communities, calypso and coconut-milk cooking: the cultural side of the South Caribbean.
- 9 places
Water and adventure
Snorkelling, dolphins, surf, kayaking and ziplines between Cahuita and Manzanillo.
- 8 places
Free or nearly free
Public beaches, trails with a voluntary donation and town plans that need no tour.
- 7 places
Day trips, seasonal sights and closed places
What depends on the season or has special rules, what no longer opens and the longer outings from Puerto Viejo.
- 8 places
The park’s water trails
Tortuguero’s official canals, which allow motors and which are paddle-only.
- 6 places
Turtles: seasons and tours
When each species nests, how the guided tour works and where to learn more.
- 5 places
Tortuguero at night
What is allowed after sunset and what is not.
- 7 places
Free or cheap
The village, the beach and plans costing a few dollars.
- 6 places
With kids or on rainy days
Short, indoor or family-friendly activities.
- 7 places
Beyond the village
A hill, refuges and coastal villages reached by boat.
- 4 places
Closed or restricted
Rules that limit access to the beach and trails, and alternatives.
- 7 places
Corcovado sectors and their status
Each sector has different access, capacity and rules. Check which are open on your dates, especially in October.
- 8 places
Sea, mangroves and marine life
Boat and kayak trips for snorkelling, whales, dolphins and mangroves from Drake Bay, Sierpe and Puerto Jiménez.
- 7 places
Free or nearly free in Osa
Trails, beaches and towns you can explore without paying for a tour.
- 5 places
Osa at night
Night walks on private reserves and bioluminescence; walking at night inside Corcovado is not allowed.
- 6 places
Adventure and waterfalls
Rappelling, surfing, tough hikes and waterfalls on the peninsula.
- 5 places
Culture and rainy-day plans
Pre-Columbian spheres, cacao, wildlife rescue and gulf towns.
- 7 places
Closed or restricted
Places with temporary closures, mandatory booking or limited access, and what to do instead.
- 6 places
Beaches of Ballena Marine National Park
One ticket covers all four sectors for the day; plan around the tide table.
- 4 places
Waterfalls of Costa Ballena
From the big Nauyaca falls to small, free swimming holes; most need a car.
- 6 places
Ocean trips
Whales, dolphins, snorkelling and diving trips leave from Uvita beach; the sea is usually calmer in the morning.
- 6 places
Wildlife, reserves and rescue
Private refuges, rescue centres and mangroves to see wildlife with a guide, by day or night.
- 9 places
Free beaches and plans
Beaches outside the park, markets and villages with no entry fee.
- 6 places
Seasonal or restricted
What depends on tides, seasons or permits, with alternatives for when it isn’t possible.
- 6 places
National park trails and waterfalls
What you can walk inside the park with a SINAC ticket, sector by sector.
- 5 places
Hot springs and mud baths
Bathing is not allowed inside the park, but several private centres on the volcano sell day passes.
- 7 places
Adventure on the volcano
Canyoning, tubing, ziplines and horses at the lodges of Curubandé and Cañas Dulces.
- 3 places
Waterfalls where you can swim
Swimming is banned at La Cangreja and Escondida; these nearby waterfalls allow it.
- 5 places
Day trips from Rincón de la Vieja
Rivers, wetlands, history and the city of Liberia within two hours.
- 3 places
Closed or restricted because of the volcano
What you cannot do during the 2026 eruptive phase and what to do instead.
- 7 places
Volcanoes: what is open and what is not
Status of the craters and trails at Poás, Irazú, Turrialba and Barva in late September 2026, with current restrictions.
- 5 places
Waterfalls near Poás
From the La Paz trails to the blue falls of Bajos del Toro, under two hours from San José.
- 5 places
Coffee, strawberries and farms
Coffee tours on the slopes of Poás and Barva and the strawberries of Poasito, easy to pair with the volcano.
- 9 places
The Orosi Valley in a day
Lookouts, colonial churches, Lake Cachí, thermal pools and rainforest on a short loop from Cartago.
- 6 places
History and heritage
From pre-Columbian Guayabo to colonial churches and Cartago’s Basilica.
- 4 places
Western Valley towns: Grecia, Sarchí and Zarcero
Free stops on the San José to La Fortuna route: painted oxcarts, a metal church and a topiary park.
- 5 places
Adventure from Turrialba
Rafting on the Pacuare and Reventazón, guided Turrialba volcano and the Braulio Carrillo forest.
- 1 place
Barbilla National Park
A SINAC national park between Limón and Cartago, with a short trail and another to the Dantas River and its waterfalls. Its status is not confirmed.
- 12 places
Museums and theatres in San José
The capital’s museums cover the country’s pre-Columbian, political and artistic history, and most are within walking distance of the centre. Check closing days: several do not open on Mondays.
- 18 places
Historic centre walk
Plazas, churches and heritage buildings in the order of a west-to-east walk, from Avenida Central to Plaza de la Democracia. Do it in daylight.
- 14 places
Neighbourhoods, markets and food
Neighbourhoods to walk, traditional markets, farmers’ markets and the city’s coffee and bar scene.
- 31 places
Free in San José
Museums with free entry, plazas, parks, churches, neighbourhoods and markets you can explore without paying. The National Museum is free at weekends.
- 18 places
San José on a rainy day
Indoor plans for the rainy afternoons that are common from May to November: museums, theatres, covered markets and cafés.
- 14 places
Day trips from San José
Volcanoes, coffee farms, gardens, colonial towns and rafting rivers one to three hours from the capital, on your own or with a tour. Leave early to beat the clouds and the traffic.
- 9 places
Closed, restricted or changed
Places that appear in older guides but are now closed, can only be seen from outside or have limited access, with what to do instead.
- 2 places
Rainforest and lagoons
La Selva Biological Station, in Sarapiquí, and Laguna Hule, in Río Cuarto (Alajuela), which this guide groups here; the lagoon’s status is not confirmed.
A place can appear in more than one selection. The counts of the 83 guides do not add up to unique places; the full catalogue has 447 places.