San José travel guide
San José Tourism | San José Guide
You're Going to Love San José
With 335 007 inhabitants, San José is the most populous city in Costa Rica. It is the most popular tourist destination in the country. We recommend you stay at least 4 days in order to fully appreciate everything San José has to offer.
Where to Eat in San José
If you’re looking for affordable options, Restaurante enBoca (c/70 Nunciatura, Mata Redonda, Sabana oeste frente al Estadio Nacional contiguo a Mc Donalds) and L’ile de France (First floor Residence Inn Marriott, Avenida Escazú) are great picks. For delicious green meals, Ilha da Costa (Ciudad del Este Centro Comercial) and Doma Escalante (#1146, esquina sureste de la rotonda El Farolito) are recommended spots to get vegetarian or vegan food in San José.
When to visit San José
Looking for warm weather? Then head to San José in April, when the average temperature is 69.8 °F, and the highest can go up to 78.8 °F. The coldest month, on the other hand, is January, when it can get as cold as 57.2 °F, with an average temperature of 64.4 °F. You’re likely to see more rain in September, when precipitation is around 11.8″. In contrast, February is usually the driest month of the year in San José, with an average rainfall of 0″.
How to Get to San José
Plane
San José is served by 2 airports: San José Tobias Bolanos Intl (SYQ) and Juan Santamaria Airport (SJO). The closest to downtown San José is San José Tobias Bolanos Intl, which is located 6 km from the city center. Further away is Juan Santamaria Airport, 14 km from the center of San José. Juan Santamaria Airport is the most popular, with regular flights from JetBlue, Air France, Delta and other airlines departing from the United States. The shortest flight to San José from the United States departs from Fort Lauderdale and takes around 2h 45m.
Car
Another option to get to San José is to pick up a car rental from Liberia, which is about 166 km from San José. You’ll find branches of Hertz and Budget, among others, in Liberia.
Bus
The most popular bus station is San José Terminal Buses, located 0.8 km from downtown San José. San José Tralapa is also a commonly used station, and is 1.1 km from the city center.
Airlines serving San José
Where to stay in San José
Average rates range from around $67 per night for a double room in a 3-star hotel to $130 and up for a 5-star experience. If you’re on a budget, well-reviewed accommodations include Hotel Sura B&B and Hotel Puerta del Sol. There are also lots of vacation rental options in San José, with prices from $13 to $376 per night. Mata Redonda is the neighborhood with the highest amount of rentals to choose from. On average, vacation rentals in San José are about 19% more expensive than a hotel room in the city.
Pavas - In San José’s most popular neighborhood to stay, recommended hotels include Isla Verde Hotel, Mango Boulevard Hotel and Colours Lgbtiq Boutique Hotel & Hostal Coliving.
Hospital - Here you’ll find travelers’ favorites such as Grano de Oro Hotel, Park Inn by Radisson San Jose, Costa Rica and Hotel del Paseo. The average nightly price for a double room in Hospital is $21.
Mata Redonda - Hotel Suites Cristina, La Sabana Hotel Suites Apartments and Rincon del Valle Hotel & Suites have some of the best reviews among hotels in this area. A 3-star room in Mata Redonda will cost you about $40 per night.
Where to stay in popular areas of San José
Most booked hotels in San José
Renting a car in San José
Renting a car in San José costs $28 per day, on average, or $110 if you want to rent if for 4 days. Enterprise Rent-A-Car, Alamo and Thrifty are the agencies with the best reviews in the city. The most popular location to rent a car in San José is the Deal Mobility Rent a Car branch at Provincia de Alajuela, Alajuela, Costa Rica, which is 12 km from the city center.
It’s generally cheaper to rent your vehicle outside the airport: locations in the city are around 4% cheaper than airport locations in San José.
Expect to pay $5.49 per gallon in San José (average price from the past 30 days). Depending on the size of your rental car, filling up the tank will cost between $65.87 and $87.82. Intermediate (Honda CR-V or similar) is the most popular car type to rent in San José, while also 79% cheaper than other types, on average.