Costa Rica attractions

With its incredible biodiversity, Tortuguero National Park (Parque Nacional Tortuguero) is among Costa Rica’s most visited attractions. The park is best known for its sea turtles, with clusters of green, hawksbill, leatherback, and loggerhead turtles who lay their eggs in the sand. You can also spot more than 160 mammal species and countless birds.

Costa Rica’s largest lake is also its most famous. Taking its name from the neighboring Arenal Volcano, which looms over its eastern shore, the lake affords a prime view of the active volcano, as well as providing plenty of fun for outdoor adventurers. Lake Arenal is more than a pretty face, too: the human-made reservoir is also a hydroelectric dam that provides sustainable power for Costa Rican residents.

Costa Rica is one of the most biodiverse places on the planet, and few locations showcase that diversity like Palo Verde National Park. A must-visit destination for nature lovers, the Guanacaste park offers a wetland alternative to Costa Rica’s rainforests. Its river channels, mangroves, and open wetlands draw abundant birdlife, alongside some of the most impressive crocodile sightings in the country.

Home to the highest active volcano in Costa Rica, Irazu Volcano National Park serves up some extraordinary panoramas. Think lush tangles of forest, gnarly cliffs of volcanic rock, and emerald-green crater lakes, all beneath an ethereal canopy of clouds.

Costa Rica is famous for its amazing biodiversity, and Sarapiqui is a place where you can experience the thrill of the rain forest firsthand. Whether that’s ziplining through the trees at high speed, rafting along the river, or wildlife-spotting, the area is packed with natural wonders.

High-adrenaline thrills, wildlife encounters, and Costa Rican culture make Diamante Eco Adventure Park one of Guanacaste’s most popular family-friendly attractions. Rescued jaguars, toucans, and sloths thrive alongside a rainbow of butterfly species within a sanctuary where habitats mimic wild environments, and travelers can explore a network of trails by horseback or ATV. Plus, the almost 1-mile (1.6-kilometer) “Superman” zipline offers sweeping views of the Pacific Ocean.

Tumbling downhill from Costa Rica’s central mountains, the Sarapiqui River (Rio Sarapiquí) is a jungle-fringed playground. Alternating flat water and big waves mean there’s something for nearly every group here—boat trips on the Sarapiqui River range from family-friendly wildlife cruises to rafting on Class III–IV whitewater rapids.

Located north of Jaco along the Pacific coast, Carara National Park is at the confluence of two important ecosystems—the steamy jungle of the southern coast and the dry tropical forest of Guanacaste. Deemed a birdwatcher's paradise, the park is home to hundreds of bird species, including a large population of the colorful scarlet macaw, as well as sloths, monkeys, anteaters, deer, and crocodiles.

Bountiful produce stalls, local-approved cafeterias, and vendor stalls selling everything from coffee beans to cowboy boots give visitors to San Jose’s Central Market (Mercado Central) a taste of real Costa Rican culture. Visit as part of an epic souvenir spree, a snack run, or for a chance to experience a slice of everyday life in Costa Rica. The largest market in the city, Central Market is known for its low prices and high hustle and bustle.

Modelled after the Paris Opera House, the National Theater in San José’s Catedral district is a neo-classical masterpiece representing Costa Rica’s greatest era of extravagance and sophistication. The historic building has been the epicenter of the city’s fine arts scene including opera, symphony, and other performing arts since its inaugural performance by Fausto de Gounod in 1897.

Jaco is a lively beach famous for water sports, partying, and its welcoming atmosphere. Located on some of Costa Rica’s most developed coastline—and an easy, under 2-hour drive from the capital—it’s a popular escape for San Jose residents, as well as backpackers, snowbirds, and North American retirees. While you should watch out for riptides, Jaco Beach has some of the best surfing in the country.

The quaint town of Sarchí is famous throughout Costa Rica for its handicrafts. From the brightly painted oxcarts that were once used in the coffee industry to decorated bowls, handmade jewelry, leather goods, and furniture, visitors looking for memorable souvenirs should plan to visit the town, only an hour’s drive from San José.

Costa Rica has no shortage of thermal springs, but few enjoy a backdrop as dramatic as the Tabacón Hot Springs, surrounded by dense rainforest with the famous peak of Arenal Volcano on the horizon. The luxury complex is home to several natural hot springs, where you can bathe in steamy, mineral-rich pools and waterfalls alongside a river, then head to the spa for a massage or check into the 5-star resort.

The cloud forest of Curi-Cancha Reserve creates a habitat for flora and fauna such as colorful quetzals and monkeys. Visitors can explore the private reserve via several nature trails. Plus, the private reserve’s daily 50 person cap means you’ll see more wildlife without having to battle the crowds.

Flowing through the dense Costa Rican rain forest on its way from the Talamanca Mountains to the Caribbean Sea, the Pacuare River is known for scenic white water rafting. A true gorge at some sections, the river is surrounded by walls of thick greenery dotted with waterfalls and tropical plants and teeming with wildlife.

The vast protected forest of Braulio Carrillo National Park is a natural for toucans, eagles, armadillos, sloths, monkeys, and jaguars. Catch a glimpse of its rugged beauty from the comfort of your car, or hike along the trails that lead to thundering waterfalls, towering mountains, and rapid rivers.

Hidden away in a rocky cove and reachable only on foot, Conchal Beach (Playa Conchal) is one of Guanacaste province’s prettiest seashores. Famous for its white and pink-hued sands—made almost entirely of crushed seashells—it’s a popular spot to swim, snorkel, and stroll. Check into one of the two luxury resorts that front the undeveloped beach or walk over from neighboring Brasilito Beach (Playa Brasilito).

Selvatura Park is a popular nature-adventure park in the cloud forests of Costa Rica. Located just outside Monteverde, the park contains over 850 acres (344 hectares) of ecologically diverse forest. Attractions include zipline and suspension bridge tours, hummingbird and butterfly gardens, natural history walks, and reptile exhibitions.

Brimming with wildlife, orchids, and ferns, the Reserva Bosque Nuboso Santa Elena (Santa Elena Cloud Forest Reserve) is consistently covered in tree-level clouds, which result in the rich biodiversity that sets this forest apart from others. The reserve spans mountains, valleys, and rivers, and offers many wildlife-watching opportunities.

Towering above Costa Rica’s northwestern plains, Miravalles Volcano is the highest peak in the Guanacaste province. The dormant peak’s microclimate makes it one of the best birdwatching spots in Costa Rica, while its refreshingly cool air offers respite from the tropical humidity of the nearby beaches.

Once undiscovered in Costa Rica’s northwest, Tenorio Volcano National Park is now a destination thanks to its valley and mountain landscapes teeming with biodiversity. The park’s star attractions include its twin volcanoes (Tenorio and Miravalles), and the otherworldly Rio Celeste and waterfall, which runs a luminous shade of blue.

Home to more than 200 speices of rare bird, Caño Negro is one of the most biologically rich wetlands in the world. Many mammals and reptiles can also be spotted around the freshwater lagoon, making it one of Costa Rica's best wildlife-watching destinations.

Brimming with lush forest, wildlife, and waterfalls, Rainmaker Park provides a quieter alternative to the often-crowded Manuel Antonio National Park. As well as being home to animals such as dart frogs, snakes, and butterflies, the off-the-beaten-path attraction offers great forest views from a set of swinging bridges.

Broad pathways wrap an elegant, Versailles-inspired gazebo at Morazon Park, which is a hub of cultural events and activities in San Jose’s El Carmen district. The compact park offers welcome shade and greenery for travelers exploring San Jose, and it’s a short distance away from some of downtown’s most important landmarks.

Orosi River Valley is a tranquil, secluded area filled with rural charm and scenic landscapes, not far from the hustle and bustle of San José. With the silhouette of the volcanoes as a backdrop, the mountainous area has green forested hills covered by coffee plantations, natural hot springs, andxa0 colorful colonial towns in the middle of the lush vegetation.

Travel back to a time when dinosaurs roamed the earth at Costa Rica’s one-of-a-kind amusement park, where animatronic dinosaurs inhabit the leafy jungle. Moving, life-size replicas of the giant creatures are a hit with kids and the young at heart, while a nearby hot springs resort offers a way to relax after your prehistoric adventure.

The Lankester Botanical Garden (Jadín Botánico Lankester), in the outskirts of Cartago, is a research center operated by the University of Costa Rica—and a fabulous place to see orchids. The garden is a center for botanical research and is also open to visitors who want to get out into nature and see tropical flowers and plants.

Housed in a historic building and managed by the Central Bank of Costa Rica, the Pre-Columbian Gold Museum holds one of the largest collections of gold artifacts in Latin America. In total, the museum holds more than 1,600 pre-Columbian items, including Costa Rica’s very first coin, handmade ceramics, jewelry, and religious icons dating from 500 AD to 1500 AD.

Costa Rica is famous for its above-ground attractions, including rainforests and volcanoes, but the Cavernas del Venado prove that the small Central American country’s beauty isn’t just surface-level. The subterranean caverns—whose name means Deer Caves—contain waterfalls, stalactites and stalagmites, an underground river, and some weird and wonderful wildlife. They can be explored on guided tours.

Housed in the barracks of the Bellavista Fortress, the National Museum (Museo Nacional), displays indigenous and pre-Columbian artifacts, religious artwork, and geological and archaeological pieces linked to Costa Rica’s rich and colorful history since 1950. Separate rooms explore ancient cultures dating back some 12,000 years, as well as collections of ornate jewelry, medallions, and gold statues.