Introduction
How to get there
Where to stay
Renting a car

San Rafael travel guide

San Rafael Tourism | San Rafael Guide

You're Going to Love San Rafael

With a population of 8.887, San Rafael is a must-see destination in Heredia, Costa Rica. It is among the most popular tourist destinations in the country. We recommend you stay at least 46 days in order to fully appreciate everything San Rafael has to offer.

How to Get to San Rafael

Plane

When flying to San Rafael, you’ll arrive at Juan Santamaria Airport (SJO), which is located 12 km from the city center. Airlines that fly from the United States to San Rafael include United Airlines, American Airlines and Air Canada. The shortest flight to San Rafael from the United States departs from Orlando and takes around 3h 15m.

Car

Another option to get to San Rafael is to pick up a car rental from San José, which is about 9 km from San Rafael. You’ll find branches of Priceless and U-Save, among others, in San José.

Plane

When flying to San Rafael, you’ll arrive at Juan Santamaria Airport (SJO), which is located 12 km from the city center. Airlines that fly from the United States to San Rafael include United Airlines, American Airlines and Air Canada. The shortest flight to San Rafael from the United States departs from Orlando and takes around 3h 15m.

Car

Another option to get to San Rafael is to pick up a car rental from San José, which is about 9 km from San Rafael. You’ll find branches of Priceless and U-Save, among others, in San José.

Airports near San Rafael

TTQTortuquero
SJOSan José Juan Santamaria Intl
SYQSan José Tobias Bolanos Intl

Airlines serving San Rafael

Lufthansa
Good (8,217 reviews)
KLM
Good (1,565 reviews)
British Airways
Good (8,188 reviews)
Turkish Airlines
Good (4,479 reviews)
SWISS
Good (2,053 reviews)
Delta
Good (8,525 reviews)
Iberia
Good (3,258 reviews)
Air France
Good (1,647 reviews)
Qatar Airways
Good (3,734 reviews)
United Airlines
Good (10,119 reviews)
Air Canada
Good (11,532 reviews)
JetBlue
Good (3,031 reviews)
Alaska Airlines
Good (12,839 reviews)
SAUDIA
Good (691 reviews)
Avianca
Good (2,549 reviews)
LATAM Airlines
Good (1,990 reviews)
Aeromexico
Good (1,471 reviews)
Air Europa
Good (636 reviews)
Air China
Good (161 reviews)
Frontier
Okay (2,649 reviews)
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Where to stay in popular areas of San Rafael

Most booked hotels in San Rafael

Sheraton San Jose Hotel, Costa Rica
5 stars
Excellent (8.6, 1758 reviews)
$108+
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Barceló San José
4 stars
Excellent (8.5, 4856 reviews)
$86+
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Hampton by Hilton San Jose Airport
3 stars
Excellent (8.3, 3736 reviews)
$126+
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DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel Cariari San Jose - Costa Rica
4 stars
Excellent (8.1, 1521 reviews)
$107+
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Dobson Manor
3 stars
Excellent (9.3, 4 reviews)
$85+
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Wyndham San Jose Herradura Hotel & Convention Center
4 stars
Good (7.6, 3577 reviews)
$89+
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Renting a car in San Rafael

Expect to pay $5.87 per gallon in San Rafael (average price from the past 30 days). Depending on the size of your rental car, filling up the tank will cost between $70.41 and $93.88.

Expect to pay $5.87 per gallon in San Rafael (average price from the past 30 days). Depending on the size of your rental car, filling up the tank will cost between $70.41 and $93.88.