I got lost while driving in San Jose and found navigating the city a bit challenging but the cab drivers, throughout the city were more than helpful, given that it was rush hour. I was pleasantly surprised at how easy it was to resolve the problem.

San Jose was predominantly an agricultural city prior to the last world war. Since then, it has become a sprawling city with large office towers, shopping malls and modern restaurants. San Jose continues to grow and some of the large city unpleasantness includes a growing crime rate.

Travel highlights in San Jose

• Pre-Columbian Gold Museum: A wonderful collection of gold and jade displays of indigenous ornaments and artifacts are housed in this museum.
• Parque Nacional: This is the setting for the Monumento Nacional, a massive monument commemorating the War of 1856. The statue depicts the spirits of the Central American nations defeating the American adventurer William Walker.
• National Theater: A beautiful architectural building, this building was recently restored and gleams.
• Central Market: A great place to buy Tico products, this is an incredible experiences of tight-packed stalls and stores. Travelers should be sure to guard your wallet.
• Fidel Tristan Jade Museum: A collection of pre-Columbian jade ornamentation is exhibited in displays throughout the facility.
• Barrio Amon: Stroll through this pleasant neighborhood and see some of the few remaining colonial districts in San Jose. This neighborhood has many of the city's mansions and some have been converted into cafes, restaurants, and hotels.

Travel sights in San Jose

• Museo de Formas, Espacios y Sonidos: An interactive museum geared to small children is in the old San Jose Atlantic train station where visitors can check out antique locomotives and old rail cars.
• Muse Nacional de Costa Rica: The National Museum is located inside the Bellavista Forest which was the old army headquarters during fighting in 1931 and 1948. It's also the site that Costa Rican President Jose Figueres announced in 1949 that he was abolishing the country's military. The museum has a wide range of pre-Columbian artifacts and a wing dedicated to natural history.
• Museo Para la Paz: The Peace Museum has exhibits and catalogs of Nobel Peace Prize laureate and President Oscar Arias. Arias made extensive efforts to bring peace to Central America. Other laureates are also displayed at this museum, including Dalai Lama, Jimmy Carter and Lech Walesa.
• Teatro Nacional: The National Theater is considered one of San Jose's most impressive public buildings. It was built in 1897 and was recently restored. For information about performances, please consult the Tico Times.
• Museo de Oro Precolombino y Numismatica: A collection of pre-Columbian gold is well presented at this museum. A small exhibits details the history of Costa Rica's currency and there is a display for local art.
• Plaza de la Cultura: Ticos refer to this as the geographical heart of Costa Rica. The travel and tourist information center is located here.
• Parque Central: San Jose's central park has an art installation donated by former Nicaraguan dictator Anastasio Somoza. There's a cathedral on the east side of the square and the Teatro Meico Salazard on the north side.
• Parque Metropolitano La Sabana: Home to two museums, a lagoon, a fountain, and a variety of sports facilities, San Jose's Parque Metropolitano park used to be the airport but was repurposed into a park. The Museo de Arte Costarricense has a permanent collection of Costa Rican art from the 19th and 20th century. The Museo de Ciencias Naturales La Salle has an extensive collection of stuffed animals and butterflies.
• Mercados: The Central Market located at Avs Central and Calles 6 and 8 in San Jose offers fresh produce, organic coffee, meat, and souvenirs. A second Market at Ave 3 and Calle 8 is packed with similar vendors. The walking tour listed below highlights the Central Market.
• Museo Posta, Telegrafico y Filatelico de Costa Rica: The stamp museum has an interesting collection of Costa Rican stamps.
• Museo de los Ninos & Galeria Nacional: Displays for children on science, music and geography. Also the gallery has displays on modern art.
• Spirogrya Jardin de Mariposas: A small butterfly garden with over 30 different species of butterflies and five species of hummingbirds on display.
• Zoologico Nacional Simon Bolivar: A zoo giving travelers a chance to see what might be in Costa Rica's wild.
• Barrio Amon: A pleasant neighborhood of San Jose and is one of the few remaining colonial districts in San Jose. Popular with travelers and tourists, Barrio Amon offers restaurants, cafes, hotels and a pedestrian walkway.
• Museo de Jade: A famous museum housing the world's largest collection of American jade where the craftsmanship is outstanding.
• Museo de Arte y Diseno Contemporaneo: The contemporary art & design museum show cases contemporary work of Central American artists.
• Parque Nacional is one of the nicest parks in San Jose. It is located between Avs 1 & 3 and Calles 15 & 19. Located in the center of the park is the Monuemnto Nacional. This monument depicts the Central American nations driving out the American William Walker.

Walking tour of San Jose

1. Start with Plaza de la Cultura.
2. Head north for two blocks to Parque Morazon (during the day only).
3. Museo de Jade is on the northeast and located at the top of the Instituto Nacional Seguros building.
4. Key Largo is a popular night club just across from the Museo de Jade. Return to Plaza de la Cultura and walk west for three blocks.
5. Turn left and walk south for two blocks to the Parque Central.
6. Grab a bite to eat at the food mall.
7. Backtrack to the boulevard and continue to head west for three blocks where you'll find the Mercado Central. Guard your valuables as this is the number one place in San Jose for getting robbed.

Start: Plaza de la Cultura
Finish: Mercado Central
Distance: 2-km (1.25 mi)
Duration: 30 minutes

Accommodations in San Jose, Costa Rica

• Adventure Inn Reasonably priced hotel near airport.
• Apartotel El Sesteo Five minutes from downtown in a residential neighborhood.
• Ara Macao Inn Convenient safe location on quiet street.

Learning in San Jose

Dance classes are available where all types of Latin dancing are offered.

• Academia de Bailes Latinos: Next to Pizza Hut in Barrio Escalante.
• Malecon: Av 2 between Calles 17 & 19.

Language courses are offered at numerous schools and institutes. Some of the possibilities are listed below:

• Universidad Veritas: Offers one-month courses with home stay.
• Intensa: Offers courses with home stay and provides travel opportunities to go on field trips to national parks and beaches.
• Academia Latinoamericana de Español: Caters to groups of less than six students and is staffed with linguists.
• Instituto Universal de Idiomas: This institute offers a wide range of courses including survival to business and medical Spanish.
• Institute for Central American Development Studies: Month-long programs that are offered in combination with lectures and activities focused on environmental and regional sociopolitical issues.
• Personalized Spanish: Course are offered with or without home stay for travelers.

Tours in or near San Jose

If you only have a few hours and would like to take a tour, there are several companies that cover the San Jose basics.

• Costa Rica Art Tour: Tour emphasizes painting, sculpting, printmaking, ceramics, jewelry-making and mixed media. Lunch and hotel pickup included in price.
• Lava Tours: Offers biking and multi-sport adventure travel tours around San Jose.
• Swiss Travel Service: Reputable travel agency for travel and tours throughout Costa Rica. 

Festival & events in San Jose

• Festival de Arte: On even years, San Jose is host to the biennial art showcase featuring music, dance, film and theater. It is held for two weeks in March.
• Dia de San Jose: Held on March 19 and marks the patron saint San Jose.
• Festival de las Carretas: An ox-cart festival every November that celebrate the agricultural history of Costa Rica. There is a parade of ox-carts down Paseo Colon.
• Fesitval de Luz: The Christmas parade held in December.
• Las Fiestas de Zapote: A weeklong holiday celebration from Christmas to New Years. It celebrates all things Costa Rican including rodeos, cowboys, carnival rides, and food. Thousands of Ticos participate in this celebration.

Live music in San Jose

San Jose features a number of Latin American spots where travelers can listen to live music.

• Los Balcones is a small bar that has folk music and regular acoustic musicians.
• El Cuartel de la Boca del Monte: A bar and restaurant is a club at night and offers live music on some nights.
• Cafe Boruca: Mellos location offering folk and acoustic music.
• Tarrico: Popular with josefinos, there is usually a crowd at this bar.

Casinos in San Jose

Several of San Jose's larger and more expensive hotels have casinos. Expect a dress code at this facilities and be aware of the possibility of being targeted by a damsel of the night.

• Aurola Holiday Inn at Calle 5 & Av 5
• Casino Club Colonial Av 1 between Calles 9 & 11.
• Gran Hotel Costa Rica at Calle 3 between Avs Central & 2.

More travel information on destinations in Costa Rica

Learn more about other travel destinations in Costa Rica.