(2021) 30 Touristy Things To Do In Costa Rica And Where To Do Them

Tour a cacao farm

If you crave chocolate, book a Costa Rica chocolate tour immediately. The experience is fascinating; not only will you discover how chocolate is made, but you’ll also learn how store-bought chocolate differs from pure cacao. Most chocolate tours in Costa Rica allow you to sample chocolate at various stages of processing and take home your own homemade chocolate treat!

Touristy areas that offer chocolate tours

For recommendations for chocolate tours run in less popular, less busy areas, see our related blog post Costa Rica Off The Beaten Path: Where To Go And What To Do.

Tour a sugarcane mill

Take a scenic boat or canoe tour

Winding through Costa Rica’s lowlands are several rivers, swamps, canals, marshes, and mangroves that are best explored by watercraft. Boat tours and safari float tours, which can be experienced in a canoe, kayak, or raft, provide an immersive nature experience and an opportunity to spot birds and other wildlife that reside among wetland ecosystems. On the northeast and southwest sides of the country, the Pacific Ocean and Caribbean Sea invite open-water exploration. Several boat tours, including sailing tours and catamaran tours, provide a chance to spot active marine life, see a beautiful sunset, and take in views of scenic stretches along the coast.

Touristy Costa Rica boat tours and canoe tours

For recommendations for less popular, less busy boat tours and canoe tours, see our related blog post Costa Rica Off The Beaten Path: Where To Go And What To Do.

Surf or paddle the coast

Surf culture in Costa Rica is vibrant and widespread. No matter which section of the Pacific or Caribbean coast you center yourself at, you won’t be far from a social surf town where surf shops line the main drag, you can rent a board of any size or shape, and surfers line-up in the water to ride waves from dawn to dusk. If you’d prefer to surf in solitude, remote and less visited surf communities are spread out along both coasts.

Touristy Costa Rica surf spots

For recommendations for less popular, less busy surf spots, see our related blog post Costa Rica Off The Beaten Path: Where To Go And What To Do.

Watch sea turtles nest

One of the most miraculous scenes you can witness in Costa Rica is a mass arribada (arrival) of sea turtles on a turtle nesting beach. These experiences can be difficult to catch, and they often require a ton of patience, but if you’re lucky enough to spot the event, we guarantee it will amaze you. Most turtle nesting tours take place on beaches inside protected land spaces and require a government-approved tour guide.

Touristy Costa Rica beaches to see sea turtles

For recommendations for less popular, less busy turtle nesting beaches, see our related blog post Costa Rica Off The Beaten Path: Where To Go And What To Do.

Practice yoga

Costa Rica is a burgeoning yoga destination, thanks to the country’s numerous yoga-centered hotels and resorts. There are many ways you can practice yoga in Costa Rica depending on your level of interest; you can attend a one-time yoga class at an in-town studio, stay at a yoga resort, or sign-up for a brief or long-term yoga retreat. If you’re a seasoned yogi looking to become a yoga teacher, several properties in Costa Rica run yoga instructor workshops and certificate programs.

Touristy Costa Rica yoga destinations

For recommendations for less popular, less busy areas to practice yoga, see our related blog post Costa Rica Off The Beaten Path: Where To Go And What To Do.

Go canyoning

Want more of the adrenaline that popular adventure tours like zip-lining and white-water rafting provide? Try canyoning (sometimes called “canyoneering” or “waterfall rappelling”), if you dare. This activity will have you suit-up in harness, strap-on a helmet, and rappel down rock faces, usually beside rushing waterfalls. Like zip-lining and white-water rafting, some canyoning experiences are tamer are welcome children to participate.

Touristy areas that offer canyoning tours

For recommendations for less popular, less busy areas to try canyoning, see our related blog post Costa Rica Off The Beaten Path: Where To Go And What To Do.

Visit a museum

To appease your cultural side, step foot in one of Costa Rica’s museums. Most cluster around San Jose, Costa Rica’s capital city, but all promise to deliver a helping of humble pie. Learn about Costa Rican customs and traditions; legends and Indigenous groups; precious metals, stones, and ceramics; historical battles; the local economy; and so much more on a walk through one of Costa Rica’s beloved (and surprisingly modern) museos (museums).

Touristy Costa Rica museums

Marvel at a church or ancient ruins

If you like roaming around outdoors, check out one or more of Costa Rica’s architectural works of art. Churches and ancient ruins will impress you with their unique construction, ornate finishes, and interesting stories. Some are even said to be haunted! This is one of the best things to do in Costa Rica if you’re traveling on a shoestring… the activity type is free!

Touristy Costa Rica churches and ancient ruins

Tour an archaeological site

If you’re a history buff, you simply cannot miss the incredibly rare finds housed inside Costa Rica’s most prized archaeological sites. There are relics, unearthed communities, petroglyphs, spheres, and more evidence of pre-Columbian Indigenous groups to discover. Also provided to supplement your learning are informative placards that detail the archaeological findings and paint a picture of what Costa Rica was like many years ago.

Touristy Costa Rica archaeological sites

For recommendations for less popular, less busy archaeological sites, see our related blog post Costa Rica Off The Beaten Path: Where To Go And What To Do.

Stroll around a garden

Low-key exploration of Costa Rican flora is best conducted at one of Costa Rica’s well kept gardens. You can admire everything from tiny, native Costa Rican orchids to tall, exotic shoots of bamboo and just about everything in between. Most gardens are easy to walk around, if not wheelchair accessible, making this activity one of the best things to do in Costa Rica for senior or mobility-impaired travelers, in addition to botanists and nature lovers.

Touristy Costa Rica gardens

For recommendations for less popular, less busy gardens, see our related blog post Costa Rica Off The Beaten Path: Where To Go And What To Do.

Go scuba diving or snorkeling

If you enjoy exploring open water, you’ll love the scenes and marine life that beautify Costa Rica’s protected marine spaces. Dive trips and snorkel tours to popular islands and offshore sites run on the regular, though opportunities to spot marine life (especially whales and sea turtles) vary by season. To scuba dive in Costa Rica, you’ll need a PADI certification, otherwise you’ll need to take a Discover Scuba Diving course through an accredited dive shop. If you’re not qualified to dive, give snorkeling a go. The experience type doesn’t require previous experience or certification.

Touristy Costa Rica dive sites and snorkel spots

Cool off at a swimming hole or in tide pools

Costa Rica is hot! Sometimes, you need a place to cool off at, and two of our favorite locales that offer this are swimming holes and beaches with tide pools. At the former, you can jump in a refreshingly cool river or pool and kick back among nature. At the latter (usually around low tide), you can find our own private place on the beach where water forms a shallow pool perfect for wading in. Both spots are pure heaven.

Touristy Costa Rica swimming holes and beaches with tide pools

---

Explore caves

Think caves are cool? If so, sign-up for a guided tour through one of the country’s few underground caves (skip this activity if you’re claustrophobic). If you’d rather stay above ground, don’t miss Costa Rica’s beach caves, which are free to explore on your own.

Touristy Costa Rica caves

Cave / Beach Name	Region	City / Town
Terciopelo Cave (inside the Barra Honda National Park) *underground cave	Nicoya Peninsula	Barra Honda
Ventanas Beach (Playa Ventanas) *beach cave	Central Pacific	Ojochal
Venado Caves *underground cave	Northern Zone	Venado

---

Ride an aerial tram

Several of the best things to do in Costa Rica involve being active. Aerial tram rides, however, do not. Great for kids, senior travelers, and individuals with limited mobility, aerial tram rides provide an opportunity to experience Costa Rica’s rainforest and cloud forest ecosystems from the comfort of your seat.

Touristy Costa Rica aerial trams

---

Ride the ferry

As the old adage goes, it’s not the destination that’s important, it’s the journey. Consider turning an ordinary city-to-city transfer service into an enjoyable and photo-worthy experience. If you plan to travel between the Nicoya Peninsula and Costa Rica’s mainland, consider using one of a few ferries that connect the two destinations. Not only will you save yourself some hours spent driving in a vehicle, but you’ll get to experience a one-hour cruise across the beautiful Nicoya Gulf. Look for dolphins and whales in the water, snap photos of islands you pass along the way, and let rays of sunshine and the breeze of salty air warm and cool your skin.

Touristy Costa Rica ferries

Ferry Name	Region	Ferry Departure / Arrival City / Town
Naviera Tambor	Central Pacific / Nicoya Peninsula	Puntarenas -> Paquera and Paquera -> Puntarenas
Coonatramar	Central Pacific / Nicoya Peninsula	Puntarenas -> Playa Naranjo and Playa Naranjo -> Puntarenas

---

Eat at a soda restaurant

Sodas are informal, inexpensive, Costa Rican family-style restaurants that serve traditional Costa Rican cuisine. They’re a big hit with many travelers, and dining at the establishment type should be a part of your Costa Rica experience as much as exploring nature, seeking adventure, and seeing wildlife. This activity is one of the most convenient things to do in Costa Rica because sodas are everywhere here: in large cities, in small towns, and even along roads and highways. To dine like a Tico (a Costa Rican), grab a chair, a bar stool, a picnic table, or a bench at one and enjoy a delicious, authentic meal that only a good soda can provide.

For recommendations for other places you can get authentic Costa Rican food and drink, see our related blog post Costa Rica Off The Beaten Path: Where To Go And What To Do.

---

QUESTION TO COMMENT ON: What are your favorite things to do in Costa Rica?

Pura vida!

Summary

Article Name

30 Touristy Things To Do In Costa Rica And Where To Do Them

Description

We detail our top 30 things to do in Costa Rica (with photos) and describe the attractions, beaches, cities, and towns that offer them!

Author

Nikki Solano

Publisher Name

The Official Costa Rica Travel Blog

Publisher Logo