Top Central Valley Day Trips

Costa Rica’s inland capital is far from the coast but that doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy a day on a white-sand tropical island from San Jose. This full-day guided tour to Tortuga Island simplifies your travel to this Pacific coast island, eliminating the need to stay overnight. After getting there in a comfortable air-conditioned vehicle, spend several hours at leisure on the beach swimming, snorkeling, and looking out for dolphins.

Combine three adventurous activities in a single tour: a hike to Arental Volcano, visit to the Hanging Bridges, and exploration of La Fortuna Waterfall. This full-day tour from La Fortuna, perfect for nature lovers, includes hiking and swimming amidst Costa Rica's beautiful natural scenery. Hotel pickup and drop-off included.

Combine coffee, wildlife, and a volcano on this full-day small-group tour from San Jose with hotel pickup. Travel to San Isidro to learn about coffee production at Familia Vargas plantation. Visit La Paz Waterfall Gardens to see rescued animals and waterfalls with included lunch and entrance fees. Finish at Poas Volcano, admiring the main crater and hiking to Botos Lagoon.

Discover the natural beauty of the La Fortuna region on an action-packed full-day tour that is ideal for people who enjoy outdoors activities. Go on hikes through lush rain forest; visit a butterfly garden and Maleku Indian village; take a dip at La Fortuna waterfall; look for wildlife; and view the Arenal Volcano. Top off the day with a cocktail and a relaxing soak in a natural hot water river.

Visit three Costa Rican highlights in one day on this guided tour from San José. First explore a Starbucks-owned coffee farm, learning all about how your morning brew is grown, harvested, and roasted. Next, visit the Poas Volcano Crater and marvel at its powerful geysers and bubbling lake of aquamarine water. Then, experience La Paz Waterfall Garden–a lush rainforest that boasts spectacular waterfalls and exotic wildlife. Finally, stop by another coffee plantation and enjoy a lunch of traditional Costa Rican fare.

View several of Costa Rica's top scenic attractions in a single day, and leave all the logistics and planning to someone else, on this hassle-free day trip from San José. Traveling via air-conditioned vehicle, head first to Poás Volcano, an active volcano known for its vast crater and bubbling lake. Then, make a scenic stop at La Paz Falls before enjoying a tour and tasting at a local coffee farm.

Experience the sights, sounds, and flavors of San Jose on an evening bus tour. Starting from your hotel, board a comfortable double-decker bus with a welcome drink. See over 25 of the city’s landmarks as you take a bus tour, and stop for bilingual guided tours at key locations, including the Costa Rican Art Museum. Enjoy an included dinner of local cuisine before drop-off back at your hotel.

Embark on a full-day adventure to discover Costa Rica's natural wonders–Rio Celeste, Llanos de Cortes waterfalls, and a sloth sanctuary. Begin by swimming and relaxing at the Llanos de Cortes Waterfall in Bagaces, then hike through Tenorio Volcano National Park to witness the mesmerizing Rio Celeste Waterfall. Conclude your immersive experience with a visit to an organic farm and sloth and frog sanctuary, observing diverse wildlife and tropical flora.

Get out of San Jose on a day tour to the Arenal Volcano region, where you’ll get a glimpse of Costa Rica’s famous biodiversity and natural beauty. Travel through scenic farmland and villages to reach the volcano. Stop at a coffee plantation, waterfall, and look out for wildlife en route. In the shadow of the volcano, soak in natural hot springs for a refreshing experience, before returning to San Jose.

In just one day, it’s possible to visit top Costa Rica attractions including Arenal Volcano, La Paz Waterfall, and Arenal Hot Springs when you book this full-day guided tour from San Jose. All-inclusive private transport smooths over otherwise tricky transportation logistics, and your guide keeps you entertained and informed as you explore. This tour includes hotel pickup and drop-off, all entrance fees, plus two meals, adding up to a great value.

Lace up your hiking boots for this full-day immersion in the wild beauty of Tenorio Volcano National Park. Look for wildlife on the drive from La Fortuna, and feel like a jungle explorer on the trek to Rio Celeste, known for its mystical aquamarine waters. Take a dip in warm volcanic river pools, admire a cascading waterfall, and reward your efforts with a typical Costa Rican lunch.

Escape the city for a day in the wild without the stress of navigating unfamiliar roads on your own on this full-day tour from the San Jose area. Set off directly from your hotel and enjoy an action-packed day with a cruise down the Sarapiqui River, visits to various animal sanctuaries at the Black Madero private wildlife reserve, and a traditional buffet lunch. Make it easy to see Costa Rica’s famous wildlife on this inclusive tour featuring a sample of popular rainforest and river activities in and around Braulio Carrillo National Forest.

Immerse yourself in Costa Rica’s breathtaking rainforest on a full-day visit to La Paz Waterfall Gardens, one of the country’s most iconic nature parks. Walk along lush jungle trails and experience the extraordinary biodiversity of this tropical paradise. Discover the butterfly observatory, home to the stunning blue morpho, and visit wildlife exhibits where you may see pumas, monkeys, toucans, colorful tropical birds, and more native species. Stroll through the enchanting orchid, hummingbird, and frog gardens, and admire five spectacular waterfalls surrounded by dramatic cloud-forest scenery — a dream for nature lovers and photographers. Enjoy a delicious buffet-style lunch featuring Costa Rican favorites and international dishes before continuing your adventure through this magical natural sanctuary. Perfect for families, couples, and eco-travelers, this tour blends wildlife, waterfalls, and rainforest discovery into one unforgettable experience near San José.

Go beyond the city of San José and discover its beautiful surroundings on this full-day tour. Start your day with a Costa Rican breakfast at a local coffee plantation, then learn about the coffee-making process on a farm tour. Afterward, head to the active Poas volcano to explore its massive crater before heading to a nature park to see an animal sanctuary and picturesque waterfalls.

Costa Rica’s capital is located inland but you don’t need a weeks-long vacation to enjoy time at the beach. This day trip to Tortuga Island makes it easy to swim and sunbathe directly from San Jose. After a pickup in the capital and transfers in an air-conditioned vehicle, spend the day on a beach featuring clear turquoise water and surrounded by rainforest. Swim, snorkel, and refuel with the provided lunch.

Spend a day exploring Costa Rica's rich wildlife on this tour to a coffee plantation, waterfall, and volcanic lagoon from San Jose. After learning how coffee is harvested and roasted on a coffee farm tour, head to Poas Volcano National Park and La Paz Waterfall Gardens for a chance to see animals like birds, butterflies, and monkeys in their beautiful natural habitats.

Costa Rica is famous for its coffee, natural wonders, and diverse wildlife, and this full-day tour from San Jose combines all three. Learn how Costa Rican coffee is made on a guided tour of the Doka Coffee Plantation, enjoy magnificent views of the Poas Volcano crater on a scenic walk, and spot wildlife around the La Paz Waterfall, including a visit to the country’s largest butterfly observatory.

Make the most of your time in Costa Rica’s Cordillera Central on an action-packed day trip to three highlights of the region: Poas Volcano, Café Doka, and La Paz Waterfalls. Avoid the hassle of self-driving to these attractions that are hard to reach by public transportation. All admissions are included, as well as breakfast and lunch, so you just sit back and enjoy the well-planned day out from San Jose.

Get deep inside Venado Caves at Arenal Volcano National Park, which are 15-20 million years old! This 1.5 hour tour of the caves takes you to an underground river where you’ll see stalactites, stalagmites, marine fossils, bats, spiders, and crickets! You’ll get wet and muddy when you explore, so keep that in mind!

This sampler adventure tour from San Jose fits the best of Costa Rica's rivers and rainforests into one action-packed day. En route, go croc-spotting at a famous overlook on the Tarcoles River. Then head to the jungle adventure park where you can choose two activities from a list of thrilling options, including ziplining, horseback riding, surfing lessons, an ATV adventure, and a mountain bike tour.

Discover the beautiful natural attractions of Costa Rica on this all-day tour from San Jose. Fly over the rainforest canopy via a zipline course and rappel down 150 feet (50 meters) at an adventure park. Visit two waterfalls and admire the local wildlife including iguanas. Stop at a coffee plantation where you'll learn how it's cultivated and harvested. Finally, relax in thermal mineral hot springs at the base of Arenal Volcano.

Explore San Jose on this guided half-day sightseeing tour. Great for first-time visitors to the city, the tour includes stops at historic and cultural sites such as the Costa Rican Art Museum in La Sabana, the city center, the National Theater, the University of Costa Rica, and the arts and crafts market. Plus, enjoy lunch at a local Costa Rican restaurant.

Safely immerse yourself in Costa Rican nature and wildlife on a 7-hour tour to La Paz Waterfall Gardens. Leave the busy streets of San Jose behind in comfortable air-conditioned transportation from your hotel. Discover more than 100 species at the sanctuary, including titi monkeys, 2-toed sloths, pumas, and toucans. You can even feed hummingbirds by hand. Have your camera ready for the cloud forest, waterfalls, and aviary.