Private day trips from San Jose to places you'll never forget
Discover handpicked day trips from San Jose to the most picturesque villages, captivating landscapes, and cultural highlights in the region. All in the comfort of a private car with a friendly English-speaking local expert to spark your sense of wonder.
Discover the best day trips from San Jose
See more of Costa Rica in a day, from popular sites to quiet corners, all with ease and comfort.
San Jose to La Fortuna Waterfall: Private day trip
San Jose to Britt Coffee Tour: Private day trip
San Jose to Los Chorros Waterfall and Britt Coffee: Day trip
San Jose to Macaws and Rainmaker Forest: Private day trip
San Jose to Rainmaker Forest: Private day trip
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What to expect on your
day trip
Know more about your day trip
The best time to visit San Jose is during the dry season from December to April when rainfall is minimal and temperatures are comfortable. June and July are also popular months with many international tourists despite being in the rainy season. The rainy season from May to November brings lush green landscapes and waterfalls but expect afternoon showers. Temperatures in San Jose remain pleasant year-round.
Costa Rica's official currency is the colon (CRC), divided into 100 centimos. US dollars are widely accepted throughout the country, especially in tourist areas and larger establishments. Most hotels, restaurants, and tour operators accept both colones and dollars. It's recommended to have local currency for small purchases at markets and local shops, as change may be given in colones.
Spanish is the official language of Costa Rica, spoken by the majority of the population. English is widely spoken in tourist areas, hotels, and by tour guides throughout San Jose. Costa Ricans are referred to as "ticos" and are known for their friendly, welcoming nature. Learning basic Spanish phrases like "hola" (hello) and "gracias" (thank you) enhances your travel experience and is appreciated by locals.
La Fortuna Waterfall offers a spectacular natural wonder surrounded by lush rainforest, perfect for nature lovers. The Britt Coffee Tour provides an immersive experience into Costa Rica's world-renowned coffee production process. Rainmaker Forest features pristine cloud forest, hanging bridges, and diverse wildlife in a protected reserve. Poas Volcano, an active volcano with a stunning sulfur water caldera, is the most popular volcano day trip from the city.
San Jose is located in the Central Valley, about 3,800 feet above sea level in the middle of Costa Rica. The Pacific coast beaches are approximately 2-3 hours away by car, depending on the specific destination. The Caribbean coast is slightly farther, typically requiring 3-4 hours of travel time.
San Jose is generally safe for tourists who take standard precautions, though petty theft and pickpocketing can occur in crowded areas. Avoid walking alone in isolated areas, especially at night, and always use licensed taxis or Uber. Keep valuables secure and never leave them unattended on beaches or in vehicles. The areas around major hotels and tourist attractions are well-patrolled and considered safe during daytime hours.
San Jose is Costa Rica's capital and cultural center, home to excellent museums including the Gold Museum and Jade Museum. The National Theater, an elegant 19th-century building, showcases the country's architectural heritage and cultural performances. The city serves as the main gateway to Costa Rica's natural wonders, from volcanoes to rainforests. San Jose's Central Market offers authentic local food, crafts, and a vibrant atmosphere reflecting Costa Rican daily life.
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I used this service for a transfer from Split in Croatia to Perast Montenegro. My experience was exceptional. My driver Bojan was helpful, informative and ensured my journey was comfortable and enjoyable. I highly recommend the service.
We were extremely satisfied with the quality of service we received from Day Trip. We had two Day Trip rides on August 31 from Athens to Lefkada and September 7 from Lefkada back to Athens. Both trips included stops at scenic sites in Greece. Both drivers were excellent and accommodating. However, weâd especially like to recognize Panos Peppas, who was our driver from Lefkada to Athens. Panos was incredibly nice & pleasant and delivered outstanding customer service, which included handling all of luggage, providing us with cold waters throughout the trip, providing us protein bars, providing us with printed materials on the Corinth Canal (one of scenic stops), looking up and providing us with terminal & gate info for our flight back home and providing us with a recipe for tzatziki.
We absolutely love this company and have used it many times over the years to get from A to B without the hassle of hiring a car ourselves. Excellent drivers every time. Efficient and professional. Itâs worth every penny and we can honestly recommend Day Trip to everyone. Itâs 5 star rating is well deserved.
We traveled from Nuremberg to Munich in a beautiful Audi. Driver picked us at our hotel at the exact time requested. Got us to Munich in plenty of time for our next tour. Driver made sure we were comfortable
Gonzalo from daytrip was our driver and he was absolutely amazing. He went over and beyond trying to locate us as our service wasn't so good on our phones. He patiently awaited our arrival to the lobby so he could take us from Tulum Dreams Resort to our other hotel in cancun an hour and a half away near the airport prior to our departure flight home. He was polite, respectful and kind. Made sure we were comfortable during our long ride. Fast and to the point. I recommend this company as finding a one way ride from Tulum to Cancun isn't easy or cheap and this company provides a great service for a great price. I will definitely be using them again whenever I'm in the Cancun/Tulum area. Thank you DayTrip and Gonzola.
We were picked up by Marianna to drive us from Heraklion to Chania. The weather was terrible & due to this Marianna arrived a few minutes late. She contacted me to advise of this. Marianna lives in Chana and she made our trip very interesting by informing us of local things to do and see in Chania. Marianna is a safe driver and we all felt comfortable with the speed she drove at and how good her driving was in heavy rain. She is a lovely person with fluent English. We highly recommend Daytrips and if you are in Heraklion or Chania please make sure you ask for Marianna.
Used the service to go from Luxor to Hurghada, Egypt. Ahmed H was our driver and he was perfect. The car was new, clean, he had water and snacks for us, and accommodated our stops. Great service from him and would recommend it.
Used Daytrip for two rides in Mexico, which were both great. So comfortable, and we arrived at each of our destinations at a great time. Both were incredible drivers, and we felt so safe. One of our drivers, Miguel, also played the best music! Will definitely use Daytrip on our next trip to Mexico.
We did not know what to expect with this trip and booked from Australia. We were initially looking for an easy way to travel from Granada to Malaga. We decided not to waste the opportunity to see something additional on our way. Miguel certainly exceeded our expectations. His English was excellent (unfortunately we speak very little Spanish), and he was very friendly and helpful. We thoroughly enjoyed hearing about the regions as we passed through and also discussing some of the local ways. Miguel took us to Antequera as planned and ensured we were able to easily get our tickets to the attractions without any sense of rushing us. We were picked up and dropped off punctually and really enjoyed our trip. Hopefully we will return to Spain and we can use this service again sometime.
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