Costa Rica Travel News – Although most people are only in San Jose a couple of days on their vacation to Costa Rica there are many thing to experience in the area. We are going to delve into some of the activities you can take part in before the sun goes down……..after it goes down, anything goes.
San Jose, Costa Rica, is fun no matter what your budget is. There are sights to see and things to do even if you are traveling through on a budget.
Walk through the Central Market. You can spend $5 trying new fruits and veggies that you’ve never seen before. I suggest a mamon chino and a pejibaye. The market’s open sunrise to dusk, closed Sundays.
Visit one of the many museums found in this small city. The Children’s Museum has interactive ways to learn about the culture. The Gold Museum has gold jewelry, figurines, and primitive Pre-Columbian tools. Museums cost $2-$10.
Explore the Simon Bolivar Zoo which costs only $4.50. You can see monkeys, turtles, a lion, and more. The park’s open from 9-4:30. In the area there are many coffee shops and art galleries to check out, as well.
On a sunny day, take photographs at the Spirogyra Butterfly Farm. There are morpho, owl, dutchman’s pipe, and passion flower butterflies. It’s an oasis in the middle of the busy city. They are open from 8-4 and the entrance is $7.
Picnic in La Sabana. Weekends are a bit crowded with families and soccer games. There’s a large pond to sit around and some boats and horses for rent. There’s also a rollerskating rink, tennis and basketball court, and a free Costa Rican Art Museum in the park.
Take a coffee farm tour. This costs around $30 but it’s worth it. The coffee farmers were the backbone of this country. They created the government and the education system. Cafe Britt is the most popular coffee tour. It is a $4 taxi ride away from San Jose. Speaking of coffee, try a cup in the National Theater. This theater was built by a self-imposed tax on coffee growers who desired to create a cultural center. Every Tuesday at 12:10 the theater is open for a show by local and foreign artists. It only costs $2.
Take a walking tour around the city. Two-hour guides cost $15 and will show you interesting sights and tell you facts about buildings and how places got named. You can walk through the artisan market on your own. It’s in front of the National Museum. There are crafts and souvenirs of all types found there.
My last suggestion costs 75 cents. Take a bus from the city to the last stop in Escazu and walk up. You will find a dirt road followed by one of the best hiking paths. It has breathtaking views of the city and pastures from above.
By Kerry La
