San Jose is the capital city of Costa Rica and its economic and cultural center. The city and its surrounding metropolitan area is home to more than 2 million Costaricans. Most tourists probably ignore the city as they travel to the beaches and mountains that attract so many travelers in the country, but don’t be fooled by its low popularity, San Jose is still totally worth a visit! The city of San Jose is a lot of fun and there are a ton of things to do. Here we will list the top 5 things you can do while staying in San Jose!
- Visit the museums: The capital city is home to a number of cool museums ranging from the National Museum of Costa Rica, to the Jade Museum, and even to the Pre-Columbian Gold Museum. The National Museum has exhibitions on Costa Rican history, pre-Columbian artifacts and even some colonial art. The Jade Museum has a collection of more than 7,000 pieces of jade and the Gold Museum has a collection of around 1600 pre-Columbian gold artifacts.
- Spend a day in Sabana Metropolitan Park: The Sabana Metropolitan park is basically the Central Park of San Jose with an area of 72 hectares and located in the heart of the city. The park has many attractions from relaxing next to the lake to playing sports or even renting a paddle boat to explore the lake. The park is also home to the National Stadium of Costa Rica and the Costa Rican art museum.
- Explore Barrio Escalante: Barrio Escalante is a trendy and vibrant neighborhood located in eastern San Jose. Known for its bohemian atmosphere, artistic flair, and lively dining scene, Barrio Escalante is a popular destination for locals and tourists alike. One of the main attractions of Barrio Escalante is its culinary scene. The neighborhood is home to some of the best restaurants in San Jose, offering a wide range of international and fusion cuisines. The area also boasts a number of trendy bars and coffee shops, making it a popular spot for a night out.
- Party in La California: Barrio La California is a neighborhood in eastern San Jose which is known as the heart of Costa Rican nightlife. The neighborhood is packed with bars and clubs that cater to all tastes and is probably the most popular place to party in the city. The place is normally packed starting on Thursdays and you can party till the morning in some of the best clubs of the country.
- Plan a road trip: Since San Jose is located in the central valley the city is surrounded by mountains that are perfect for a road trip. I would recommend to plan a road trip to either Irazu volcano or Poas volcano or even both if you have time. They are relatively close to the city center of San Jose and are two destinations worth exploring. Check out our pages on Irazu volcano and Poas volcano for more information.
Visit our main page on San Jose to learn more about this fascinating city!
