Things to do in Alajuela

Start with a pickup from your hotel and travel by minibus along the Panamerican Highway until you reach the base of the Irazú Volcano. Travel up the winding road through fertile farmlands where many types of fruit and vegetables are cultivated.  Enjoy spectacular panoramic views of the surrounding hills and valleys. At the summit of the volcano, on a clear day, marvel at the spectacular view of both the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. Next, descend to the city of Cartago and stop at the Virgin of the Angels Basilica. Discover this local pilgrimage site which has large vaulted ceilings and exquisite examples of stained glass windows.  Continue the tour through the Orosi Valley, an area of magnificent natural beauty. Visit one of the few remaining colonial churches in the region and stop for a tasty typical lunch at one of the local restaurants. Finally, be returned to your hotel to complete the tour.

Explore the protected Tortuguero National Park in the Limón Province, reachable only by airplane or boat. Take in the wealth of biodiversity in its eleven different habitats, including rainforest, mangrove forests, swamps, beaches, and lagoons. Trip itinerary: Day 1: After an early morning hotel pickup, admire the biodiversity of a primary forest through the window as you drive past Braulio Carrillo National Park. Sample a delicious Costa Rican breakfast during the drive. Mid-morning, board a comfortable boat and travel along the Tortuguero Canals. Be enchanted by the surrounding paradise and its varied flora and fauna. Then, enjoy a refreshing cocktail and a delicious lunch at the hotel. After lunch, tour the canals and take incredible photos for the rest of the afternoon. Arrive at Pachira Lodge (or similar) for a delightful dinner and a restful night's sleep. Day 2: Discover the flavors of Costa Rica with breakfast at the Lodge. Then, hike along the Lodge's private trail and work up an appetite for lunch. After lunch at the Lodge, visit the Sea Turtle Museum, the beach, and the picturesque village of Tortuguero. In the evening, enjoy dinner at the Lodge again. Day 3: After breakfast at the Lodge, head back to San José, stopping for lunch at El Ceibo in Guápiles on the way. Arrive back in San José in the afternoon.

Experience Costa Rica's nature and culture on this full-day tour from San José. Your first destination is the Doka Estate coffee plantation, where you'll learn all about the ancient techniques of producing some of the best coffee in Costa Rica and around the world. Experience the careful process involved in the cultivation, harvesting, and roasting of the Golden Bean before tasting the delectable product. After your coffee tour, continue to Poás Volcano National Park, where there is a noticeable change in temperature and beautiful scenery in a cloud forest. Climb up Poás Volcano, an active stratovolcano that most recently erupted in 2017. The crater of the volcano is over a mile across and 1,050 feet deep, making for breathtaking views. Hike on a trail to the beautiful Botos Lagoon as you learn about the different ecosystems in the park. Then, continue to La Paz Waterfall Gardens and enjoy a buffet lunch of traditional Costa Rican dishes. After lunch, explore the lush tropical rainforest. See the flowing white rivers, spectacular waterfalls, birds, butterflies, monkeys, and hummingbirds before returning to San José.

Tour the best locations in Costa Rica and learn about local life and culture from those who live there. Visit a coffee plantation, zip line, and soak in the hot springs at the base of the Adrenal Volcano. Take the scenic route to the Arenal Volcano and visit a coffee plantation along the way. Gain an insight into the world of Costa Rican coffee and taste one of the best coffees in the world. Arrive at the "La Paz" and "San Fernando" waterfalls and admire the exotic tropical birds of Costa Rica, including many species of hummingbirds and rare emerald toucanets. Take in the views at the San Fernando Waterfall observation point before heading to the "Iguana Bridge", where you will have the chance to spot iguanas, sloths, monkeys, and toucans. Stop for an authentic Costa Rican lunch in a restaurant located in "La Fortuna." Then, prepare for a zip-lining adventure in the local rainforest jungles with 9 canopy cables and a 50 meter (150 feet) rappel on the Arenal River. Learn about the culture while listening to a "Maleku" Indigenous tribe presentation from locals. Relax for a couple of hours in the Paradise Hot Springs at the base of Arenal Volcano, surrounded by tropical gardens followed by dinner.

Visit the Poás Volcano, the picturesque La Paz outdoor waterfall, and the one-and-only Starbucks coffee farm on a day trip from San José, Costa Rica. A wonderful choice for coffee aficionados and nature lovers alike, this tour includes a hotel pickup and lunch at a local restaurant. Enjoy a convenient pickup directly from your accommodation in San Jose and make your way to your first stop for the day, the Poás Volcano. Travel in an air-conditioned van and admire coffee plantations as well as flower and strawberry farms along the way. Poás is one of Costa Rica's most active volcanoes and last erupted in April 2017. The volcano and the surrounding park were closed for close to 17 months and a safety perimeter of nearly 2.5 kilometers was established around the erupting crater. At the volcano, you'll have time to enjoy the impressive main crater with its sulfur fumaroles. Then, follow a trail to the Botos Lagoon, a crater lake located inside the Poás Volcano National Park. As you hike, learn about the different ecosystems in the park. After your trek, refuel with a delicious lunch of local fare at one of the restaurants in the area. Then, head out to your next destination, the La Paz Waterfall. Discover La Paz waterfall as you stroll along paved trails through cloud forests and rainforests. Make the most of excellent photo opportunities as you visit these falls and see them from different vantage points Then, head to your final stop for the day, the Hacienda Alsacia coffee farm, the first and only Starbucks coffee farm. See the visitor center and learn what Starbucks is doing to empower farmers, promote sustainable practices, and develop the next generation of coffee. At the end of your Costa Rica adventure, enjoy a convenient transfer back to your hotel in San José.

The day begins with pickup from your accommodation in San Jose, Heredia, or Alajuela at 6:00 AM. On your way to breakfast, drive past rolling coffee plantations and admire the mountains of Braulio Carrillo National Park. At around 7:15 AM, stop for a traditional Costa Rican breakfast to set you up for the day's adventure. Enjoy fresh fruit juice, coffee, eggs, and the popular gallo pinto (a typical Central American rice and bean dish.) After breakfast, visit a local banana plantation and learn about the process of growing and exporting fruit. At around 10:00 AM, leave the bus behind and hop onboard a boat as you cruise into the jungle of Tortuguero National Park. Surrounded by tropical rainforest, which covers over 29,000 hectares, soak up the magic of this luscious green landscape. As you sail along the jungle canals, see native green sea turtles, as well as other endangered animals such as sloths, monkeys, and manatees. There are also countless colorful butterflies, toucans, herons, crocodiles, and more. Learn about each of the animals and their habitat in the jungle, as well as about local conservation efforts to protect them. Once you’ve worked up a bit of an appetite, enjoy a hearty buffet lunch. After lunch, take a relaxing stroll through Tortuguero Village where you’ll discover local life and learn about the history of the town and its residents. At the end of an unforgettable day, get back on the bus at around 3:30 PM and begin the return journey back to San Jose.

Enjoy a stress-free transfer between Juan Santamaría International Airport and your hotel. Choose from either a hotel to airport transfer or an airport to hotel transfer depending on whether you are departing or arriving in the city. Relax on a private airport-hotel transfer and enjoy quality service. Take advantage of private service between Juan Santamaría International Airport and your San José hotel. Experience a relaxing transfer where transport units are authorized to load and unload passengers at the airport with proper tourism permits, and modern transport units. Take comfort in the provided insurance policy in case of an accident for the transfer of tourists. Be met at the airport or your hotel by a driver with extensive experience and a sign with his name to better locate you, and then proceed to your destination. Provide flight details for arrival or departure upon booking to ensure the transfer is properly scheduled to arrive on time.

The day begins with pickup from your hotel in San Jose and heads to the stunning La Paz Waterfall Gardens. This private nature reserve has been designed to educate visitors and provide sanctuary for rescued wildlife through a variety of gardens and exhibits. Enjoy a stroll through the park's luscious green landscapes and see rescued jaguars, colorful butterflies, exotic birds, and unique plants. Theres's also plenty of tropical cascades to admire and snap photos of for your vacation album. Later, discover the wonders of the Sarapiqui River on a relaxing boat cruise. Soak up the tranquility of the river and surrounding rainforest as you listen to the sound of bird’s chirping and trickling water. At the end of an unforgettable adventure, be dropped off back to your accommodation.

Your day of adventure and cultural immersion begins on the Peñas Blancas Safari Float, the perfect spot for everyone from the very youngest to the very oldest nature lover in your group to get close enough to hear the sounds of the wildlife. After a short drive from La Fortuna to the river dock, your guide will supply life jackets and help you aboard the raft for your two-hour float down the Peñas Blancas. Your guide will share his love of Costa Rica and the knowledge and history they know from living in the region. On this relaxing float down the Peñas Blancas River, you move slowly and stealthily so you won’t disturb the ambiance, which greatly improves your chance of seeing the abundant life that inhabit this river. Monkeys, the Long-Nosed bat, iguanas, Jesus Christ lizards, owls and much more reside along the banks of the Peñas Blancas River. After returning to the dock, you will depart for the Doña Mara Tortilla Making Experience, and visit with a local family. This time at Doña Maras home will give you a better understanding of the meaning of “Pura Vida” (pure life) experienced by rural Costa Ricans. This authentic cultural experience should be a part of everyone’s visit to Costa Rica! You will be welcomed with a tropical drink (pineapple, orange and coconut water) at the “rancho” (like a gazebo) and enjoy a delicious typical lunch prepared on Doña Mara’s rustic wood-fired stove. While lunch is cooking, you will get an opportunity to try your hand at making tortillas from freshly ground corn “masa.” You will learn how to flatten the dough into perfect circles, ready for cooking – and for the best part – you will get to enjoy the fresh home-made tortillas served with lunch! Guests are encouraged to practice their Spanish and learn about the Costa Rican culture while eating lunch with the family. At the end of the tour, your driver will take you back to your La Fortuna area hotel.

Get to know San José on a guided walking tour. Get picked up from your hotel in Alajuela, then head to the most popular attractions to learn about the city’s history and culture. Visit Central Park, the National Theater, and more. Round off your day with lunch at a local restaurant. Begin your tour by getting picked up directly from your hotel by your bilingual guide. Arrive at San José's outdoor Central Market, where the walking tour will start. Take in the atmosphere, buy local goods and food (not included in the price), and mingle with the locals. Next, wander over to Central Park. Witness the famous National Monument, a statue of five women that symbolizes the five Central American nations that resisted having their countries recolonized. Continue walking and pass by the National Museum as well as the Supreme Court. Head over to the National Theater and see San José's most impressive structures. Follow your guide around the lavish lobby in European design, which was constructed with money from taxes on coffee exports. Continue on to the Pre-Columbian Gold Museum, and marvel at the building from the outside. At the end of the tour, stop off at a nearby eatery for lunch and chow down on some traditional Costa Rican dishes. Use the opportunity to ask your guide any questions you may have about the city’s history and culture. Finally, hop back on the bus and get dropped back at your hotel.