Central America
Costa Rica
Province of San Jose
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San Jose
Things to do in San Jose
Outdoor activities in San Jose

THE 10 BEST San Jose Outdoor Activities

Outdoor Activities in San Jose

  • Traveller favourites
    Tours, activities and experiences bookable on Tripadvisor, ranked according to revenue made by Tripadvisor on those bookings, plus the number of page views by Tripadvisor users, and the quantity and quality of reviews
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1. Full Day Poas Volcano, La Paz Waterfall Gardens and Coffee Plantation Experience

102
By ASSISTTOURS
Full-day Tours
6+ hours
Free cancellation
Not sure? You can cancel this booking up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund.
Recommended by 97% of travellers
This number is based on the percentage of all Tripadvisor reviews for this product that have a bubble rating of 4 or higher
from
C$218.34
per adult
Reserve

2. Arenal Volcano Full-Day Combo Tour with Lunch and Dinner

1,773
By Go Tours Costa Rica - Day Tours
Bus Tours
6+ hours
Free cancellation
Not sure? You can cancel this booking up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund.
Recommended by 99% of travellers
This number is based on the percentage of all Tripadvisor reviews for this product that have a bubble rating of 4 or higher
from
C$230.62
per adult
Reserve

4. Day Tour to Poás Volcano, Café Doka and La Paz Waterfalls

35
By Marbella Tours
Bus Tours
6+ hours
Free cancellation
Not sure? You can cancel this booking up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund.
Recommended by 91% of travellers
This number is based on the percentage of all Tripadvisor reviews for this product that have a bubble rating of 4 or higher
from
C$191.04
per adult
Reserve

6. Visit toTortuga Island with Lunch from San José

13
By Inside Tours Costa Rica
Full-day Tours
12–15 hours
Free cancellation
Not sure? You can cancel this booking up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund.
Recommended by 100% of travellers
This number is based on the percentage of all Tripadvisor reviews for this product that have a bubble rating of 4 or higher
from
C$150.11
per adult
Reserve

7. La Paz Waterfall Gardens & Wildlife Refuge day tour from San Jose

35
By Destiny Travel Costa Rica
Bus Tours
6+ hours
Free cancellation
Not sure? You can cancel this booking up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund.
Recommended by 94% of travellers
This number is based on the percentage of all Tripadvisor reviews for this product that have a bubble rating of 4 or higher
from
C$177.40
per adult
Reserve

8. Zip Line La Carpintera. Half day Tour ZipLine+ Rappel +hiking in San Jose

115
By Canopy La Carpintera
3 hours
Free cancellation
Not sure? You can cancel this booking up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund.
Recommended by 100% of travellers
This number is based on the percentage of all Tripadvisor reviews for this product that have a bubble rating of 4 or higher
from
C$69.99
per adult
Reserve

9. Arenal Volcano Experience Full-Day Tour from San Jose

442
By Go Tours Costa Rica - Day Tours
Bus Tours
6+ hours
Free cancellation
Not sure? You can cancel this booking up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund.
Recommended by 98% of travellers
This number is based on the percentage of all Tripadvisor reviews for this product that have a bubble rating of 4 or higher
from
C$203.33
per adult
Reserve

11. Coffee Experience, Poas Volcano and La Paz Waterfall Gardens

85
By Expediciones Tropicales Day Tours
Full-day Tours
6+ hours
Free cancellation
Not sure? You can cancel this booking up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund.
Recommended by 92% of travellers
This number is based on the percentage of all Tripadvisor reviews for this product that have a bubble rating of 4 or higher
from
C$215.61
per adult
Reserve

13. Day Trip from San Jose to Irazu Volcano National Park, Cartago City and Orosi Valley

13
By Destiny Travel Costa Rica
Bus Tours
6+ hours
Free cancellation
Not sure? You can cancel this booking up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund.
Recommended by 92% of travellers
This number is based on the percentage of all Tripadvisor reviews for this product that have a bubble rating of 4 or higher
from
C$177.40
per adult
Reserve

16. All inclusive package 2 nights 3 days in Tortuguero from San José

21
By Vlintrip Costa Rica
Adventure Tours
3 days
Free cancellation
Not sure? You can cancel this booking up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund.
Recommended by 90% of travellers
This number is based on the percentage of all Tripadvisor reviews for this product that have a bubble rating of 4 or higher
from
C$596.32
per adult
Reserve

18. Day trip from San Jose to Wildlife Refuge La Paz Waterfall Gardens

14
By Destiny Travel Costa Rica
Bus Tours
6+ hours
Free cancellation
Not sure? You can cancel this booking up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund.
Recommended by 100% of travellers
This number is based on the percentage of all Tripadvisor reviews for this product that have a bubble rating of 4 or higher
from
C$177.40
per adult
Reserve

23. Combo Tour Arenal: Hanging Bridges + Hot Springs + Waterfall from San José

28
By Summer Travel Costa Rica
Bus Tours
6+ hours
Free cancellation
Not sure? You can cancel this booking up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund.
Recommended by 96% of travellers
This number is based on the percentage of all Tripadvisor reviews for this product that have a bubble rating of 4 or higher
from
C$332.19
per adult
Reserve

24. Poas Volcano waterfalls and coffee tour from from San Jose

10
By Costa Rica Itinerary
Full-day Tours
8–12 hours
Free cancellation
Not sure? You can cancel this booking up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund.
Recommended by 100% of travellers
This number is based on the percentage of all Tripadvisor reviews for this product that have a bubble rating of 4 or higher
from
C$203.90
per adult
Reserve

27. Poas Volcano + Coffee Plantations & La Paz Waterfall Gardens Trip from San Jose

11
By Destiny Travel Costa Rica
Bus Tours
6+ hours
Free cancellation
Not sure? You can cancel this booking up to 24 hours in advance for a full refund.
Recommended by 90% of travellers
This number is based on the percentage of all Tripadvisor reviews for this product that have a bubble rating of 4 or higher
from
C$231.98
per adult
Reserve
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Showing results 1-30 of 233
*Likely to sell out: Based on Viator’s booking data and information from the provider from the past 30 days, it seems likely this experience will sell out through Viator, a Tripadvisor company.

What travellers are saying

  • Alexis P
    Vancouver, WA2 contributions
    Beautiful sites, excellent tour!
    Fantastic trip!! The tour was well organized and very convenient. The tour guide Ollman was kind and helpful, full of fun facts. Even the driver was awesome. The sites were beautiful, perfect day trip if you only have a short time here. Couldn’t recommend it more.
    Review of: Full Day Poas Volcano, La Paz Waterfall Gardens and Coffee Plantation Experience
    Written June 9, 2023
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
  • Kevin M
    3 contributions
    Arenal Volcano Tour
    We had a great time with the experience Juan P. provided. Along the way he gave us historical facts that made us more knowledgeable about Costa Rica. The zip lining was the highlight of the tour! We made it to the location on time without any issues. The volcano was clear and Juan allowed us to get all the best pictures.
    Review of: Arenal Volcano Full-Day Combo Tour with Lunch and Dinner
    Written June 9, 2023
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
  • R V
    Victorville, CA400 contributions
    Great Job Don Jose! Great tour guide, excellent at his job, bilingual! Very accommodating
    Experience was great, well informed tour guide and excellent choice of restaurants both for lunch and dinner. Anything you get additional is at you cost, be aware.
    Review of: Arenal Volcano & Baldi Hot Springs + lunch & dinner From San José
    Written May 26, 2023
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
  • Carl U
    Whitehorse, Canada2 contributions
    Unforgettable Costa Rica family trip
    Wonderful trip with my adult daughter and niece. Our tour guide Carlos was very knowledgeable. His insights and commentary about the agriculture, geology and animals was very helpful.
    We booked tours with him to Manuel Antonio and Vista de los Sueños and were never disappointed by Carlos.
    We enjoyed our trip immensely and are considering returning in February 2024. Thank you for an amazing experience!
    Review of: Day Tour to Poás Volcano, Café Doka and La Paz Waterfalls
    Written June 10, 2023
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
  • Marlon S
    4 contributions
    Amazing experience
    That was one of the best tours we had, Charton was so funny and energized.
    This was one of the best tours we had, Charton was so funny and full of energy it made the trip worth so much more
    He shared a lot of important information with us and you could tell how happy he was to be doing this job.
    He was very solicitous all the time and helped us with everything, it was amazing.
    Review of: Day Trip from San Jose to Manuel Antonio National Park
    Written April 9, 2023
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
  • Heather C
    Pasadena, CA2 contributions
    Beautiful island worth visiting. Tour leader and boat captain were excellent. Hint: pickup times were very early.
    Island worth visiting, tour leader and boat captain were excellent. Beware of morning pickup. Very early 4:15 (we were first) and made 15 stops over 2 hours before departing for beach. Suggest finding out last pickup and Uber there. We did this upon return.
    Review of: Visit toTortuga Island with Lunch from San José
    Written June 5, 2023
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
  • BevHolt
    Colorado Springs, CO6 contributions
    Beautiful and Worth the Trip
    I had an awesome time hiking to the 3 different falls with my teenager. I’m 60 years old and in moderate shape. If I can hike it, others can as well. We really enjoyed the animal rescue that was part of the tour.
    Review of: La Paz Waterfall Gardens & Wildlife Refuge day tour from San Jose
    Written June 1, 2023
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
  • Jeremy K
    1 contribution
    Zipline
    It was great. A real thrill seeking adventure dani ,diango and the rest of the crew were amazing fun and careful
    Review of: Zip Line La Carpintera. Half day Tour ZipLine+ Rappel +hiking in San Jose
    Written June 10, 2023
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
  • Adelita S
    1 contribution
    A full and fun day!
    This was a full day of beautiful sights, lovely things to eat, interesting facts about Costa Rica and one of its indigenous communities, zip lining, and hot springs. I can’t pick a favorite thing and I have no complaints. Our guide Harlem was funny, considerate, and engaging, and he really made the whole experience. Definitely do this tour if you have the chance. You will end the day pleasantly worn out and satisfied.
    Review of: Arenal Volcano Experience Full-Day Tour from San Jose
    Written June 5, 2023
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
  • Danica
    Lauderdale Lakes, FL2 contributions
    Amazing
    This was truly an amazing experience. Food was great, excursions was amazing, everything on this adventure was on point. I definitely recommend this
    Review of: One Day Adventure Tour all included from San Jose
    Written May 26, 2023
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
  • Natalya
    2 contributions
    Fun one day tour
    Our guide was Martin and he is an excellent tour leader, funny and charismatic. He is knowlegeable about anything we saw and educated us a lot about coffee growing process in CR and flora and fauna of the places we visited. He is easy going and supported the group in helping find rain ponchos, taking photos for us , etc
    Martin is definitely one of the best.
    My thanks also go to the driver Henry who was at the wheel all day long.
    Review of: Coffee Experience, Poas Volcano and La Paz Waterfall Gardens
    Written May 30, 2023
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
  • evelin
    2 contributions
    Great tour through a biodiversity hub
    Very good tour through an amazing, lush tropical rainforest. The guide (Kenny) was excellent, the team was strong both in English and Spanish, and very open to explaining & communicating. Excellent experience, highly recommended.
    Review of: White Water Rafting Pacuare River Full Day Tour From San Jose
    Written June 8, 2023
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
  • MightyJo
    Belgrade, Serbia15 contributions
    Great whole-day tour
    This was a great day trip, not far away from San Jose. Having the ability to visit Irazu volcano from a near distance, enjoy the views from over 3400m, and hear interesting stories from our guide Freddy, you can't ask for more. During the trip, we visited the old cathedral in Cartago and enjoyed lunch next to a lake in Orosi Valley. This was our first tour in Costa Rica, and we were not disappointed. Not to mention how Freddy literally had answers to every question we had. We truly enjoyed this tour and would recommend it to anyone.
    Review of: Day Trip from San Jose to Irazu Volcano National Park, Cartago City and Orosi Valley
    Written May 16, 2023
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
  • Beau T
    1 contribution
    You’ll love this tour!
    This was my second tour with Inside tours. I had the same driver as the first tour (Junior) who is very skilled behind the wheel and made me feel safe while we traveled. In Manuel Antonio, Beto was our guide. As we toured the national park it was clear he had a ton of knowledge about the animals and other wild life living there. Even the plants! There wasn’t a question he could not answer. Along the four he gave history of things we passed by. They did a great job at providing an excellent experience.
    Review of: One day tour Manuel Antonio National Park from San José
    Written May 28, 2023
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
  • AgnieszkaTraveler
    8 contributions
    First trip to Costa Rica
    Wonderful visit to Poas Volcano and the Doka Estate Coffee Plantation! I also enjoyed the humor and overall knowledge of our tour guide Pedro, even though we got caught up in some heavy rain after seeing the volcano and lagoon on the way back to our tour bus (but that’s to be expected during the rainy season).
    I recommend this tour to other travelers.
    Review of: Coffee Experience and Poas Volcano Half Day Trip from San Jose
    Written June 2, 2023
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
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