"San Jose, Costa Rica" Top 5 Page for this destination San José by penumbra
San José Travel Guide: 613 reviews and 822 photos
Most travelers arriving in Costa Rica head for the beaches or the jungles. When you do run across tourists in downtown San Jose, it’s in small groups quickly engulfed by local pedestrians. However, since most adventures to Costa Rica begin and end in San Jose it pays to be aware of the many opportunities available in the city.
No need for weather stations, the temperature is always the same, hovering around 25C during day with showers in the afternoon. Get up early and enjoy walking around while the sun is out. When the rain starts, head for the museums or a late lunch. It’ll clear up in the evening, but you may need to carry and umbrella to fend off light sprinkles.
Downtown San Jose is a grid… Avenidas run east-west, while Calles run north-south. The streets are NOT numbered sequentially, but increase from Avenida Central in odd numbers going north and even numbers going south or from Calle Central in odd numbers going east and even numbers going east.
Reviews (53)
Lottery, Chances, Tiempos
Local Customs
(4)
You’ll see (and hear) street vendors downtown with lottery tickets pinned to their wooden tables. Lotería nacional... more travel advice
Pedestrian Mall - Avenida Central
Things to Do
(19)
From dawn until well into the evening, there are vendors selling their goods to the people walking up and down the... more travel advice
Theatre Melico Salazar
Things to Do
(19)
Built in the 1928, this 1000 seat theatre has gone through numerous remodelings and changes in function. Currently, it... more travel advice
Spyrogyra
Off The Beaten Path
(14)
You don’t have to go into the country to experience a butterfly garden, there’s one located centrally in San Jose.... more travel advice
Travelogues (2)
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San José Travel Guide
Member Travel Pages
- "San Jose, Costa Rica"
- "Three (Green) Weeks in San José"
- "San Jose, Capital City of Costa Rica"
- "San Jose"
- "Pleasant, but don't dawdle here"
- "the capital..."
- "Where the Streets Have No Names"
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Badges & Stats in San José
- 53 Reviews
- 133 Photos
- 0 Forum posts
- 18 Comments
- 13,671PageViews
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Friends
Latest San José hotel reviews
- Garden Court Airport Hotel And Casino
- 136 Reviews & Opinions
Latest: May 24, 2012 - Melia Cariari
- 237 Reviews & Opinions
Latest: May 23, 2012 - InterContinental Real Costa Rica
- 143 Reviews & Opinions
Latest: May 19, 2012 - Courtyard by Marriott San Jose Escazu
- 91 Reviews & Opinions
Latest: May 5, 2012 - Barcelo Rincon del Valle Hotel
- 30 Reviews & Opinions
Latest: Apr 26, 2012 - Marriott Costa Rica
- 350 Reviews & Opinions
Latest: May 23, 2012 - Tara Resort Hotel Spa & Casino
- 6 Reviews & Opinions
Latest: Apr 6, 2012 - Ramada Plaza Herradura San Jose
- 98 Reviews & Opinions
Latest: May 18, 2012 - Hotel Indigo San Jose Forum Costa Rica
- 31 Reviews & Opinions
Latest: May 17, 2012 - Gran Hotel Costa Rica
- 204 Reviews & Opinions
Latest: May 15, 2012 - Palma Real Hotel San Jose
- 59 Reviews & Opinions
Latest: Apr 23, 2012 - Hotel La Amistad San Jose
- 152 Reviews & Opinions
Latest: Apr 23, 2012 - Apart Hotel Plaza Real
- 9 Reviews & Opinions
Latest: Apr 2, 2012 - Balmoral Hotel
- 94 Reviews & Opinions
Latest: Apr 11, 2012 - El Rodeo Country Inn
- 24 Reviews & Opinions
Latest: May 3, 2012

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Hiking and Walking
Comments (18)
Try the chocolate doughnut filled with caramel. Best thing ever!
Nice page!
We were at this restaurant on Feb. 13. It was our only stop in San Jose and the only place that we used our Visa card. Someone at that Restaurant took our # and charged over $1100 worth of merchandise. We want to notify the manager of that Restaurant.
Thank you for your comment on my Copenhagen page. Yes The Lakes are a nice place.
Great San Jose tips! It is 18 years since I visited San Jose and reading your tips brought back good memories.
Thanks for sharing your SJ page:) It is definitely an interesting place.
Great pages, didn't get to see them all, be back later to enjoy the rest. Thanks for sharing.
Hi! Thanks for stopping at my Maniago page. There are so many nice places like Maniago in Italy, which are worth visiting... :) Happy travelling! Francesca
Hey there, what an excellent SJ page!!! I definately need to head back to CR & spend some more time in the city! Thanks 4 checking out my Amsterdam page!
Hi Penumbra, Thanks for dropping by. I liked browsing through your tips. San Jose sounds great....Especially the weather report on your H/Page. The ideal place for a holiday.:~))
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