Top Costa Rica Art & Culture in 2026

Combine learning to cook with learning to dance with this combo experience. You'll learn how to make traditional Costa Rican food and sit down to eat your creation. Once you're done, you'll work off your meal with a dance lesson focused on Latin dance styles such as salsa, merengue, cumbia, and bachata.

Visit two of the most popular attractions near La Fortuna with the full-day excursion to the Arenal Mistico Park and La Fortuna Waterfall. First, walk along a 2-mile (3.2 kilometers) hanging-bridges circuit up to 200 feet (60 meters) above the rainforest floor. Afterward, swim and relax at La Fortuna Waterfall before having a traditional lunch and returning to La Fortuna.

Learn about Costa Rican cuisine on this hands-on tour in Quepos. First, visit a farmers’ market to browse and select ingredients for lunch. With the help of local cooks, you’ll learn how to make corn tortillas from scratch, “ceviches” with plantain or banana, picadillos, and more. Along the way, find out about the origin of the organic ingredients, how they are prepared, and how you can recreate the dishes at home.

With this pre-booked admission ticket, breeze through the potential entrance or admission lines at Baldi Hot Springs. That leaves you with more time and peace of mind to explore the park’s 25 mineral pools at the base of Arenal Volcano. One of the largest hot spring facilities in the region, Baldi Hot Springs are ideal for relaxing after hiking in Arenal Volcano National Park.

Learn how to navigate Tamarindo’s waves during this roughly 1.5 hour surf lesson. Choose the group size that works for your budget, with private, small-group, and larger group options. Practice paddling, popping up, and riding with guidance from your instructor. More experienced surfers can also practice their technique by surfing alongside an instructor.

Costa Rica is famed for its lush coffee plantations and rugged volcanoes—but seeing one of each in the same day requires serious planning, and often your own rental car. Ideal for travelers who like leaving the complicated logistics to someone else, this small-group excursion takes in a behind-the-scenes tour at Hacienda Daka and a visit to Poas Volcano National Park, home to an active crater.

Whether you’re an art collector or enthusiast, you’ll enjoy this tour that explores the contemporary Costa Rican art scene. Visit galleries featuring indigenous works, fashion, paintings, sculptures, furniture, and more, and possibly meet the artists. Along the way, you’ll also catch sight of the local graffiti and learn about the history of the city and its current events.

Visit the impressive crater of Poas Volcano and go behind-the-scenes at a large commercial coffee farm on this full-day tour from San Jose. A guide shares fun facts about one of Costa Rica's most-visited volcanos and biggest exports on a field-to-cup tour of the coffee farm. Plus, private transportation and included lunch make this tour a breeze.

Arrange your round-trip airport transfer in advance and skip the hassle of booking a service at the Liberia airport. This convenient form of transport takes you from Daniel Oduber Quirós International Airport to your hotel or private residence, and then back again. It means you spend more time enjoying your trip and less time puzzling out the logistics. Transportation is in an air-conditioned minibus that accommodates up to six people.

Experience the best of Costa Rica’s adventure in one action-packed day at a private 850-acre river valley near Jaco. Ride horseback through lush jungle, soar across zip lines, rappel beside waterfalls, and rev up on an ATV ride—all led by expert English-speaking guides. Watch for monkeys and macaws, then enjoy an authentic Costa Rican lunch in a Jurassic Park-like setting.

Arenal Volcano National Park’s massive size and unique natural setting can make it an easy place to get lost in, if you don’t already know the area. This Arenal Volcano National Park Hiking Tour from La Fortuna allows you to explore one of the park’s beautiful trails with a guide who can navigate the steep slopes and volcanic landscape well. Plus, take in views of Lake Arenal, while your guide talks about the volcano’s history and forest formation processes.

Discover the incredible birds and biodiversity of Palo Verde National Park on this boat tour with lunch. Spot native wildlife such as crocodiles, iguanas, monkeys, and a colorful parade of bird species during a 1-hour and 20 minutes cruise down the Tempisque River led by a naturalist guide. Afterward, discuss your sightings with fellow travelers over a traditional Costa Rican lunch at a local restaurant.

Get closer to nature while still experiencing thrills during a fun-filled day in the jungle at the Rainforest Adventures Costa Rica Atlantic eco-reserve. Your multi-pass gives you access to six different activities, so you can ride an aerial tram, encounter native critters at a butterfly and frog garden, cross a hanging bridge, and explore the jungle on a nature hike at your own pace. Get your adrenaline pumping as you soar through the treetops on ziplines, including one of the longest and fastest in the country.

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.

See the vast diversity of Costa Rica on a 3-day tour that includes hiking at Arenal Volcano, exploring the Monteverde cloud forest, and enjoying the tropical white-sand beaches of Manuel Antonio National Park. This expertly organized all-inclusive tour covers all of your transportation and accommodations, so busy travelers can maximize their time and not worry about any of the logistics.

Travel from Liberia International Airport (LIR) to your chosen location in comfort with a private transfer service for just your party of up to four people. Travel in a well-equipped, air-conditioned vehicle with Wi-Fi and enjoy a 35-minute courtesy stop if needed. Free wait time for flight delays is up to 2 hours. See the "drop-off points" under "Meeting and Pickup" for all serviced locations.

La Paz Waterfall Gardens showcases Costa Rican wilderness at its most picturesque, with lush tropical rain forest, thundering cascades, white rivers, and a rich variety of wildlife. This tour provides round-trip transportation from San José and allows you to see the highlights of La Paz in a single day. Your guide navigates through the park’s many trails and takes you to White Magic Waterfall, the butterfly observatory, and other attractions.

Get active, have fun, and learn more about Costa Rican culture with a 90-minute small-group dance class in La Fortuna. Various different styles of dancing are taught, including salsa, bachata, merengue, and more. Receive personalized attention from your teacher and learn the steps and moves you need to continue dancing with confidence.

This is a unique tour that gives you the opportunity to enjoy the humid tropical forest like never before. Once we arrive at the Cahuita National Park, our guide will be in charge of showing you all the beauties within the park. We will walk for approximately 2 hours in search of wild animals. Once this time was over, we headed to the Bribri community to share the experience of making chocolate in a traditional way. We will arrive at a local family, where we will share for about 2 hours about the history, the way of life, the language and we will also have the opportunity to make 100% organic chocolate in a traditional way. To finish, we will enjoy a delicious traditional lunch prepared with local ingredients. Then we go to the waterfall where we will walk for approximately 10 minutes until we reach the waterfall where you can enjoy a refreshing swim and to finish we will have a delicious tropical snack.

San José is characterized by its Spanish colonial buildings, Victorian mansions, and rich historical sites. This zero-emission bike tour allows you to see the city up close, avoid car traffic, and cruise through San José’s vibrant neighborhoods—past notable buildings, parks, and squares. Your guide navigates through the city and provides useful background information as you stop to appreciate local highlights.

Experience the thrill of hiking near an active volcano on a full-day trip from Guanacaste. Get an up-close view of Costa Rica's Arenal Volcano and the surrounding tropical landscape from a network of hanging bridges at Mistico Park. Rejuvenate after with a dip in volcanic hot springs and enjoy stellar views of the volcano. Round-trip hotel transport from Guanacaste, breakfast, and a Costa Rican lunch are included.

Spend a day exploring nature and learning about coffee production with this group tour from San Jose, which includes breakfast, lunch, and hotel transfers. You'll start at the Doka Coffee Estate, where you'll learn about the lifecycle of coffee, from bean to cup. You'll then visit Poas Volcano National Park for some hiking, wrapping your tour up with a stop to observe flora and fauna at La Paz Waterfall Gardens.

At Playa Jacó, this wellness ritual combines the warmth of a home spa with personalized massages guided by Cindy, a therapist with more than 10 years of experience in luxury hotels. Travelers receive exclusive techniques such as aromatherapy, hot stones, facials and different types of massages; which relieve stress and improve circulation, in an intimate and relaxed atmosphere. Ideal for couples after a day of surfing, families seeking calm or any traveler who wants a conscious break and self-care learning.

Many Costa Rican coffee and chocolate experiences require long travel days, but this hands-on tasting experience takes place near Playas del Coco, within easy reach of most hotels. Visit artisan producers, learn about and taste local products, try your hand at traditional grinding methods, and make your own coffee and chocolate.