The best things to do in Costa Rica come down to four experiences: rainforest, volcano, coast, and cloud forest. Most lists of Costa Rica things to do stop at names. We prefer to help you choose.
We are a team of Costa Rican travel designers, so think of this guide as a chat over coffee at our table. First, we sort the country by the experience you want, not by a ranked list. Next, we show how those experiences fit into 7, 10, or 14 days.
In 2025, 2,689,278 visitors arrived by air, according to the Costa Rican Tourism Board (ICT). However, each of them faced the same puzzle: many options and a limited number of days. So read on, and you will finish with a clear plan and a realistic pace. Along the way, we link you to our detailed local guides for each region.
The Best Things to Do in Costa Rica, at a Glance
The best things to do in Costa Rica include walking through rainforest and cloud forest, watching volcanoes, and soaking in hot springs. You can also spot sloths and monkeys, or relax on the Pacific or Caribbean coast. Most travelers combine three or four of these experiences, which keeps the pace comfortable.
- Rainforest: hanging bridges, night walks, and sloth and monkey tours
- Volcanoes: Arenal, Poás, Irazú, and Rincón de la Vieja, with hot springs nearby
- Coast: surfing, catamaran sails, and turtle nesting on the Pacific side
- Cloud forest: Monteverde’s misty trails, birdlife, and canopy walks
- Waterfalls: La Fortuna, Río Celeste, and Nauyaca
By Experience: Rainforest, Volcano, Coast and Cloud Forest
Costa Rica makes more sense when you organize it by experience. A ranked list also hides the differences. Rainforest, volcano, coast, and cloud forest each ask for a different pace, a different region, and a different packing list. Choose the things to do in Costa Rica that excite you most, then build your other days around them.
Rainforest
Rainforest is the heart of the country, and a guide changes everything. For example, guides spot the sloths, frogs, and birds that most visitors walk past. First, hanging bridges lift you to canopy height. Then a night walk shows you what wakes up after dark, and our sloth and monkey tours focus on the animals people ask about most.
Waterfalls are also among the most popular Costa Rica tourist attractions. La Fortuna Waterfall, Río Celeste, and Nauyaca each reward the walk or the drive. Our waterfall experiences pair the walk with a local guide.
Volcanoes
Arenal has rested since 2010, yet its cone still defines the skyline near La Fortuna. The same geothermal heat also warms the area’s hot springs. Poás and Irazú sit within reach of San José, and Rincón de la Vieja anchors the northwest. Because access to active volcanoes can change with volcanic activity, check SINAC before you go. Then browse our volcano tours and hot springs to see how we pair them.
Coast
The Pacific coast brings surf, calm bays, and sunset sails. Our catamaran and ocean tours explore the bays, and our surfing experiences suit the coast you choose. At Ostional, olive ridley turtles come ashore to nest, and local guides lead the visits. The Caribbean coast, however, moves at a slower rhythm, with its own food, culture, and reefs.
Cloud forest
Monteverde sits high in the mountains, where mist feeds a dense green forest. Here you walk, listen for birds, and cross canopy bridges. Our coffee and chocolate tours add a gentler option for the afternoon.
Things to Do in La Fortuna and Arenal
La Fortuna, at the foot of Arenal Volcano, is the easiest place to combine adventure and rest. In a single stay, you can hike to a waterfall, cross hanging bridges, zip through the canopy, and soak in geothermal hot springs. It also sits about three hours from San José by road.
Our local experts shared their favorites in La Fortuna activities recommended by local experts. That guide also covers local festivals, family-run sodas, and the town park. For a tour-by-tour list, read our top eight activities in La Fortuna.
Trade-off: most hot springs here belong to resorts, so decide in advance which one you want. If you plan a longer stay, visit our La Fortuna destination page.
Things to Do in Monteverde
Monteverde is Costa Rica’s cloud forest: cool, misty, and rich in birdlife. Most visitors come to walk forest trails, cross hanging bridges, and look for the resplendent quetzal. Expect cooler temperatures than on the coast, and plan at least two nights, because the forest rewards early mornings.
The Santa Elena Cloud Forest Reserve is also community-managed and has 13 kilometers of trails. After the reserves, night walks, horseback rides, and coffee tours fill your time. From La Fortuna, the 106-kilometer road takes 3.5 to 4 hours, so treat the transfer as a half day. For the full list, read our Monteverde guide or visit the Monteverde destination page.
Things to Do in Manuel Antonio and the Central Pacific
Manuel Antonio pairs forest and beach inside one national park. Sloths and monkeys live along the trails, while calm bays wait at the end of them. The Central Pacific also offers mangrove paddles, catamaran sails, and day trips to the Nauyaca Waterfalls. Before you go, plan about three hours of driving from San José.
Start your park visit early, when animals are most active. Entry tickets for busy parks like Manuel Antonio go on sale online through SINAC, so check availability before you travel. Our guide to what to do in Manuel Antonio explains each activity and who it suits.
Things to Do in Guanacaste and the Northern Beaches
Guanacaste offers sun, dry forest, and wide beaches, usually within an hour or so of Liberia airport. While you are there, you can sail at sunset, surf, snorkel, ride horses, and hike. Choose Las Catalinas for a walkable, car-free town, Conchal for its shell-covered sand, or the Nicoya Peninsula for turtles and quiet surf towns.
First, our Las Catalinas guide lists hiking, biking, and water sports. Next, on the Nicoya Peninsula, explore Sámara and Playa Carrillo or Nosara and Ostional. The Ostional Wildlife Refuge protects 238 hectares, including 15 kilometers of nesting beach. The biggest turtle arrivals happen in the rainy months.
If you have extra days, go further. Puerto Viejo and Manzanillo offer Caribbean culture and the Gandoca-Manzanillo Wildlife Refuge. Finally, Golfito is a former banana port with its own wildlife refuge in the south.
Things to Do in Costa Rica with Kids
Families find plenty of things to do in Costa Rica with kids, from sloth spotting and butterfly gardens to zip lines and calm beaches. So choose one or two bases, keep drives short, and build each day around a single main activity. Children enjoy the country more when the schedule has room to breathe.
- Wildlife: sloth and monkey tours, plus the butterfly garden in Monteverde
- Adventure: zip lines near Arenal, with age limits to confirm before you book
- Beaches: Sámara and Conchal, both popular with families
- Learning: coffee and chocolate tours, which show how local farms work
Staying on the west coast keeps beaches and activities within about an hour’s drive of each other. Read our full family guide for age tips and beach picks. Landing in the capital first? These family activities in San José fit an arrival day.
How to Fit It All Together: Building a Realistic Itinerary
Once you know the things to do in Costa Rica you want, plan one base for every two to three nights. Count any drive over three hours as a half day, because roads are slower than the distances suggest. A 7-day trip fits two regions, a 10-day trip fits three, and a 14-day trip fits four or five without rushing.
Here are the real distances we use when we plan:
- San José to La Fortuna: about 130 kilometers, roughly 3 hours
- La Fortuna to Monteverde: about 106 kilometers, 3.5 to 4 hours by road
- San José to Manuel Antonio: roughly 3 hours
- Manuel Antonio to La Fortuna: about 5 hours
- La Fortuna to the Guanacaste coast: 3 to 3.5 hours
- Liberia airport to Tamarindo: about 67 kilometers, 1 hour to 1 hour 20 minutes
These routes give you a starting point:
|
Trip length |
Route |
Nights |
|
7 days |
La Fortuna, then Guanacaste; depart from Liberia |
3 + 3 |
|
10 days |
Manuel Antonio, La Fortuna, then Guanacaste |
3 + 3 + 3 |
|
14 days |
The 10-day route, plus Monteverde and a final stay on the Nicoya Peninsula |
3 + 3 + 2 + 3 + 2 |
Trade-off: each extra region adds a half day of road time and removes a half day of experiences. San José works best as a first or last night, with museums, theaters, and markets to fill an evening.
When to Go
Costa Rica works all year, but each season changes which things to do in Costa Rica fit best. The dry season, from December to April, brings the clearest skies on the Pacific coast. The green season, from May to November, brings quieter trails and lush forests, usually with afternoon rain.
Then match the season to the experiences you chose above. Our guide to the best time to visit Costa Rica covers every month and region. Traveling in December? See what to do for Christmas in Costa Rica.
FAQS
What are the best things to do in Costa Rica for first-time visitors?
Start with a volcano and hot springs day in La Fortuna. Then add a guided rainforest walk and a beach stay in Guanacaste or Manuel Antonio. Together, these three show the full range of the country. Add a night in Monteverde if you have the time.
How many days do you need in Costa Rica?
Seven days covers two regions comfortably, and those regions hold many of the best things to do in Costa Rica. Ten days covers three, and 14 days covers four or five. Also, longer trips work best with fewer hotel changes.
What are the best places to visit in Costa Rica for wildlife?
Manuel Antonio is known for sloths and monkeys, and Monteverde is known for birds. Ostional hosts nesting olive ridley turtles. Still, a local guide improves every sighting.
Which Costa Rica tourist attractions work best for young children?
Hanging bridges, butterfly gardens, and gentle beaches suit young children well. Las Catalinas is a car-free town, which many parents appreciate. Confirm age limits for any zip line or adventure tour before you book.
What is the best way to get around Costa Rica?
Private transfers and self-drive both work well on the main routes. Roads are slower than they look, so count any drive of three hours or more as a half day. Our team can arrange transfers, or you can explore our self-drive trips.
