The Perfect 7 Day Costa Rica Itinerary
Are you planning a week-long vacation to Costa Rica? If so, this article is for you.
Costa Rica has so many interesting natural attractions, and regions to consider visiting. I recently spent over a week exploring the country, and have put together my 3 favorite regions in this 7 day itinerary.
With 7 days, you have the perfect amount of time to explore the rainforest of La Fortuna, cloud forest of Monteverde, and amazing beaches and wildlife watching in Manuel Antonio.
This itinerary will cover some of the best things to do in each region and tips for getting around so you can maximize your time on vacation.
Here is the perfect 7 day Costa Rica itinerary to pack your days full of fun and adventure.
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Day 1–3: La Fortuna: Hot Springs, Waterfalls, Sloths
Day 1 – Airport to La Fortuna
Spend your first days in La Fortuna, the lush green rainforest town known for its famous waterfall, natural hot springs, sloths, and volcano views.
When you arrive in Costa Rica, you’ll either land in the San Jose or Liberia airport.
For this itinerary, it’s most convenient to fly out of San Jose, being that the last destination (Quepos) is around a 2 hour drive from the SJO airport.
La Fortuna is around a 3 hour drive from San Jose, and 2.5 hour drive from Liberia, so it’s the perfect place to stay first regardless of which airport you fly in.
I landed in San Jose, and spent 10 days driving to La Fortuna, Guanacaste (Tamarindo, Rincón de la Vieja), Monteverde, and Quepos. In this itinerary, I’ve only included places that I found the most awe-inspiring and memorable. Additionally, these 3 regions have dozens of nearby attractions and activities, so you don’t need to go off the beaten track to have fun.
Renting A Car In Costa Rica
To get around Costa Rica, I recommend renting a car to have the flexibility to go wherever you’d like at your own time. A 4×4 isn’t necessary, but it will be much more comfortable to drive when getting to Monteverde, especially during the rainy season.
Most of the roads are well-paved in Costa Rica, but I’ve experienced HUGE potholes when driving to Rincon de la Vieja, Tenorio National Park, and to beaches in the Guanacaste region. That is why I omitted them from this itinerary!
When you rent a car in Costa Rica, almost all companies require you to pay both 3rd party and LDW (damage insurance) for the vehicle. If you book online, it may seem cheap. This is because they often exclude damage insurance from the price, and have you pay for it when you pick up your car.
I highly recommend purchasing the full coverage plan so you don’t have to worry about the rental being damaged/stolen throughout the trip.
Once you pick up your rental car, begin the drive to beautiful La Fortuna!
Tip: Download WAZE for directions and Whatsapp for phone calls! I found that WAZE works the best in Costa Rica (in settings you can easily change the voice to English, and km to miles).
Visit Waterfalls On The Drive To La Fortuna
Between San Jose and La Fortuna, there are some of the country’s most beautiful waterfalls. As a detour, you can visit Catarata del Toro, or the seven Blue Falls.
Catarata del Toro is an impressive 300 ft waterfall that flows into a volcanic crater that I stopped at on the way to La Fortuna. It’s located at the same entrance to the Blue Falls, which are seven bright turquoise blue waterfalls you can hike to and swim in!
If you plan on visiting either, keep in mind it will take around 2-3 hours, so make sure you have enough daylight to make the drive back. The roads leading up to the waterfall are paved and accessible without a 4×4, but make sure to watch out for potholes.
Another popular stop on the drive over is the La Paz Waterfall gardens, a 110 foot cascading waterfall. You can see the waterfall for free off the side of the bridge, or buy an entrance fee to their zoo and gardens to hike to the waterfall.
Stroll Around La Fortuna Park
Once you settle into your accommodation, head to La Fortuna Park in the center of town. This is a beautiful park with a church, lined with restaurants, cafes, bakeries, and souvenir stores.
It’s the perfect place to stop for coffee or a meal, and it’s very walkable.
Relax In La Fortuna’s Hot Springs
Relax after a long day of driving in natural hot springs heated by Arenal Volcano. La Fortuna is home to a variety of amazing hot springs, with the Tabacon resort being the most popular.
The Tabacon hot springs have 20 heated natural pools, cascading waterfalls, and a lovely view of Arenal Volcano. You can purchase a day pass for the hot springs ($89/adult), and they’re open daily till 10 pm.
La Fortuna only has one free hot spring, El Choyin, which is located under a bridge adjacent to the Tabacon resort. This is a great option if you’re on a budget, but keep in mind there’s parking attendants here that may try to overcharge you as a tourist.
If you plan on visiting, don’t keep any valuables in your car, and bring a few dollars for parking.
Day 2: La Fortuna
Swim In La Fortuna Waterfall
Start your first full day in La Fortuna by swimming in the iconic La Fortuna waterfall. This is a 200 ft waterfall that flows into a stunning teal blue pool that you can swim in!
There’s over 500 stairs leading down to the pool, and a wheelchair accessible viewpoint on the top.
It’s one of the most breathtaking waterfalls I saw on my trip, and there’s restrooms and showers on site. For the best weather and least amount of crowds, it’s best to visit it early in the morning.
If you plan on swimming, make sure to bring water shoes, as there’s large rocks surrounding the pool. Entrance to the waterfall is $18/nonresident.
Spot Sloths In Their Natural Habitat
La Fortuna is one of the best areas of Costa Rica to spot sloths in their natural habitat. You can do a self-guided hike at the Bogarin Trail ($20/person) to try spotting sloths on your own, but they can be difficult to spot since they hide far up in the trees.
I hiked the Bogarin Trail and had no luck seeing sloths on my own, so I went on a sloth tour the next day.
On the sloth tour, we were accompanied by a guide that used binoculars and telescopes to spot sloths hiding in the trees. Our group also got to see 3 sloths, owls, toucans, birds, and other diverse wildlife, so I highly recommend going with a guide!
The cheapest tours start at $45/person at Sloth’s Territory, $45 at the Bogarin Trail, and $50/person at Sloth Watching Trail.
Hike At Mistico Hanging Bridges
Explore the lush rainforest of La Fortuna while walking over suspension bridges at Mistico Park. The park has six suspension bridges in total, and is home to everything from spider monkeys to poisonous dart frogs.
It’s one of the best places to spot wildlife in town, and I saw a group of coatis (Costa Rican raccoons) on the side of the road leading up to the park! Entrance to the park is $28/nonresident.
For the best views of Arenal Volcano, however, hike at Arenal Volcano National Park.
The Arenal 1968 Volcano Trail is an excellent trail to see the park’s main highlights, with old lava fields, lakes, and a spectacular view of the Arenal Volcano peeking out of the clouds. Entrance to the park is $15/nonresident.
Take A Dip In La Fortuna’s Hot Springs
The best way to end the day in La Fortuna is to take a dip in natural hot springs heated by Arenal Volcano.
The Tabacon has the most popular hot springs ($89/day), while the Springs Resort offers a 2 day pass for $105 so you could relax both nights in La Fortuna. Here are some of the best hot springs in La Fortuna to consider getting a day pass at:
- The Springs Resort (2 DAY PASS): $105/person, open till 10pm
- Los Lagos (CHEAPEST): $25/person, open till 10pm
- Baldi Resort: $47/person, open till 10pm
- Ecotermales: $47/person, open till 10pm
- Hotel Arenal Kioro Suites: $33/person, open till 8pm
- El Choyin: (FREE) Natural hot springs located under a bridge. Bring a few dollars for parking, and don’t leave any valuables in your car. No street lighting at night.
Day 3: La Fortuna to Monteverde
The next destination is Monteverde, a charming cloud forest town on top of a mountain. The actual town of Monteverde is Santa Elena, and although small, it has many restaurants and natural attractions.
La Fortuna is around a 3 hour drive to Monteverde, so I recommend leaving town by noon so you have enough daylight while driving.
Take A Refreshing Swim In El Salto (Rope Swing)
On your last day in La Fortuna, hop in El Salto for a refreshing morning swim. El Salto is an amazing natural swimming pool with cascading waterfalls and cool blue waters, just minutes from downtown.
To get here, you’ll park alongside the bridge that runs directly above it. It’s completely free to visit, but make sure to bring a few dollars, as there’s often parking attendants directing traffic here.
Go On A Coffee And Chocolate Tour
Go on a coffee and chocolate tour to learn how coffee’s made from seed to cup, and chocolate’s made from bean to bar!
In La Fortuna, Don Olivo’s offers a coffee and chocolate tour where you’ll get to sample chocolate, coffee, and a variety of local tropical fruits.
In both La Fortuna and Monteverde, Don Juan’s also offers a chocolate and coffee tour where you’ll get to make your own chocolate bar, press sugarcane juice, and enjoy many samples.
Monteverde also has many amazing cafes in town. I stopped at Cafe Monteverde while in town, and they make excellent coffee and vegan pastries.
If you’re a coffee lover, they offer coffee farm tours Mon-Sun (8:30am, 9:30am, and 2pm), where they’ll walk you through their farm, let you sample different roasts, and make you a traditional Costa Rican lunch.
Visit Monteverde’s Ficus Root Bridge (Ficus La Raiz)
Once you arrive in Monteverde, you’ll likely only have a few hours of daylight. Since the Monteverde Cloud Forest closes at 4pm, it’s best to save the hike for the next day.
However, Monteverde’s Ficus Root Bridge is an interesting little attraction that you can visit anytime of day!
It’s a woody ficus tree with sprawling branches that formed a natural bridge after falling over. There’s a small $2 fee to visit, and a large parking lot located right by the trailhead.
Watch The Sunset At The Mirador de Valle
During golden hour in Monteverde, head to the Mirador de Valle Escondido Preserve for the best sunset view in town. This is an incredible viewpoint on top of the hill with benches, overlooking the mountains above the clouds.
There’s no designated parking here, but it’s within walking distance from stores down the street that you can park at safely.
Day 4-5: Monteverde Cloud Forest, Night Walk
Explore Monteverde’s Cloud Forest
As soon as you arrive in Monteverde, you’ll notice its unique atmosphere, often referred to as an “eternal spring”. The town of Monteverde is resting in the clouds (altitude of 4,600 ft), giving it its misty, cool environment.
This climate makes it home to a variety of diverse plant species and insects that you wouldn’t be able to see anywhere else in the world!
To explore this fascinating environment, go hiking through the cloud forest! Monteverde has two cloud forests, the Monteverde Cloud Forest (2,595 acre), and Santa Elena Cloud Forest (765 acres).
The Monteverde Cloud Forest is the most famous and expansive cloud forest, with the iconic red and green hanging bridges. Entrance is $26/nonresident plus $5 for parking.
The Santa Elena Cloud Forest is the smaller, less visited cloud forest that’s slightly cheaper to visit ($18/nonresident, free parking). It doesn’t have hanging bridges, but it has an observation tower where you can see the clouds.
If you want to walk over the hanging bridges and feel like you’re in the clouds, I’d recommend hiking the Monteverde Cloud Forest.
It will take around 1-2 hours to hike the reserve, and you can go on a guided tour if you want to spot wildlife and learn about the ecosystem.
Go Birdwatching At Reserva Curi Cancha
If you want the best chances of spotting wildlife without a guide, hike at Curi Cancha Wildlife Refuge (Reserva Curi Cancha). This is a small private 265 acre reserve that’s home to everything from quetzals to hummingbirds and toucans.
Although it’s much smaller than the cloud forest, it has the highest concentration of birds, so you can easily spot wildlife without a guide!
Other fun things to do in Monteverde:
- Visit El Tigre Waterfalls: Hike to a series of 9 waterfalls (5 miles roundtrip), walk over hanging bridges, and go for a refreshing swim in natural pools.
- Go ziplining: Climb through a hollow tree, soar through the cloud forest, and rappel down on the Tarzan swing if you’re seeking an adventure.
- Tour the Bat Jungle: Tour a small habitat and learn all about these nocturnal creatures
- Go on a coffee tour: Don Juan’s and Cafe Monteverde both offer coffee tours
- Visit the Monteverde Butterfly Gardens: Tour a butterfly habitat and learn about the diverse insects found in Costa Rica
Go On A Night Walk At Monteverde’s Wildlife Refuge
End the day in Monteverde by doing a night walk tour through a small local wildlife refuge. You’ll get to observe nocturnal animals like two-toed sloths, bats, tarantulas, snakes and more with a guide.
The tours start around 5:30pm and 8pm, so they’re the perfect activity, as most businesses close early in town.
Day 5-7: Quepos/Manuel Antonio National Park: Beaches, Wildlife Watching
Day 5: Monteverde to Quepos
The drive from Monteverde to Manuel Antonio (Quepos) is around 4 hours, but there’s a few interesting stops along the way. On the way from Monteverde to Quepos, you’ll pass by the famous Crocodile Bridge and the surfing beach town of Jaco.
For your last days, I recommend staying in Quepos or Dominical, as they have the cleanest and nicest beaches.
See The Crocodile Bridge
Stretch your legs after a long drive by stopping at the Crocodile Bridge along Route 34. This is a bridge over the Tarcoles River that’s become a popular tourist attraction for viewing crocodiles. The river is home to over 2,000 crocodiles, which you can view from the side of the bridge!
You can park along the street before crossing the bridge, and walk on the sides of the bridge to spot crocodiles swimming in the murky waters.
If visiting, make sure to bring a few dollars, as there’s a parking attendant here that will ask for cash.
If you’re up for an adventure, you can go on a crocodile boat safari to see these creatures up close. The tours depart near the bridge, and last about 2 hours.
Stop At Carara National Park Or Jaco Beach
Another great stop on the way to Quepos is Carara National Park. This national park is located right off of Route 34, and home to everything from scarlet macaws to tree frogs and lizards.
To visit this park, you’ll need to buy tickets online at SINAC. Entrance fee is $10/nonresident, and there’s no parking fee.
As you drive to Quepos, you’ll pass by Playa Jaco, the popular surfing beach town lined with palm trees. Although it isn’t as nice as some of Costa Rica’s other beaches, it has the perfect waves for surfing.
You can take surfing lessons at the beach, stop in town for food, or get a beautiful view of the coast from El Mirador de Jaco.
Relax On A Beach In Quepos
Once you get settled into your accommodation, visit one of the many beautiful beaches in Quepos.
If you’re arriving in Quepos in the afternoon, you likely won’t be able to visit Manuel Antonio Beach, as the park closes daily at 4pm. So, relaxing on a beach during sunset is the next best thing to do!
Here are some of the best beaches to relax at in Quepos:
- Playa Biesanz (Quepos): White sand beach with gentle waves, just outside of Manuel Antonio Park
- Playa Espadilla (Quepos): Sandy surfing beach with chair/umbrella rentals, horseback riding, and beautiful sunsets
- Playa Linda (30 min from Quepos): Peaceful, non-touristy long stretch of sandy beach lined with palm trees
Day 6: Quepos
Visit Manuel Antonio National Park
Start your last full day in Costa Rica exploring Manuel Antonio National Park. This national park is amazing for spotting wildlife, and I saw monkeys, birds, lizards, deer, and a sloth without a guide.
It takes around 2 hours to hike the entire park, and it has well-marked trails, a cafeteria, and restrooms and showers by the beach area.
You can’t bring any food inside of the park, but the cafeteria sells everything from smoothies to sandwiches and pizza.
It’s also home to Manuel Antonio Beach, a lovely white sand beach where you’re almost guaranteed to see a capuchin monkey!
To visit Manuel Antonio National Park, you’ll first need to purchase an entrance ticket online at SINAC. Entrance is $18.08 USD/person.
When you arrive at Manuel Antonio, there’s many parking attendants that will try to have you park far from the entrance. The actual park entrance is located at the end of Calle Parque Nacional, right by Hotel La Posada Jungle.
There’s parking attendants right in front of the park entrance that will charge around 3000-4000 colones ($6-$8 USD) to park at their lots. As long as you park at one of the private lots here, it’s relatively safe, and a short walk to the entrance.
Just avoid parking by Manuel Antonio Beach, as it’s around a 10 minute walk to the entrance.
Swim In Nauyaca Falls
After exploring Manuel Antonio, visit Nauyaca Falls, just an hour drive south. This is an amazing 200 foot cascading waterfall, with a large natural pool you can swim in.
It’s a 5 mile round trip hike to the waterfall from the main entrance (Don Lulo’s), and there’s restrooms and showers on site. It took me around 2 hours to hike to the waterfall and back, but it’s really beautiful, and one of the highlights of my trip!
Entrance for the hike is $10/person, and their ticket office closes at 2pm, so make sure to arrive at least an hour beforehand to purchase tickets.
If you don’t want to hike, they also offer 4×4 tours and horseback riding to the waterfall. Check out our complete guide to visiting Nauyaca Falls for more details on how to get there!
Go On A Night Jungle Tour At Rainmaker Park
If you’re looking for something fun to do at night, go on a night time jungle tour at Rainmaker Park. This is a private nature reserve that’s home to dozens of species of frogs, including the red-eyed tree frog!
Their night time tours last around 2 hours, and include a traditional Costa Rican dinner at the end of the tour.
Day 7: Quepos to San Jose
The drive from Quepos to San Jose is around 2-2.5 hours. If you have the time, stop in San Jose to grab a meal, shop for souvenirs, and visit a museum before leaving Costa Rica.
The best place to shop for souvenirs is San Jose’s Central Market, a large outdoor market with souvenir shops, food vendors, restaurants, and cafes. Here are some places worth checking out near the airport if you have the time:
- National Museum of Costa Rica: Culture and history museum with a butterfly garden, $11/person
- Metropolitan Cathedral of San José: Beautiful cathedral built in 1871, free to visit
- Pre-columbian Gold Museum: Archaeological museum with gold artifacts, $16/person
- Museo del Jade: Art museum (5 levels) with the largest collection of jade, $16/person
Airport, Rental Car, Sim Card, and Currency FAQS
What’s the best airport to fly in?
The best airport to fly in for this itinerary is San Jose, because the first destination (La Fortuna) is a 3 hour drive from the airport, and the last destination (Quepos) is around a 2.5 hour drive.
If you fly into/out of Liberia, it’s a 2.5 hour drive from La Fortuna and 4 hour drive from Quepos. In this case, you may want to rearrange the itinerary so you first visit Manuel Antonio, then Monteverde, and then La Fortuna for the last few days.
Or, you can follow this itinerary, but stay in Guanacaste for the last night. There’s a variety of good beach hotels in Guanacaste (Playa Hermosa, Playa Potrero, Tamarindo) around an hour drive from the Liberia airport. This will help reduce driving time on your last day when you need to get back to the airport.
What’s the best sim card to buy?
The easiest way to buy a sim card in Costa Rica is directly from an agency store like Claro, Kolbi, or Liberty.
Here you can purchase a prepaid sim card with enough data, and phone calls/texts needed for a 7 day trip, and they’ll help you install it. For a week, I recommend purchasing a plan with at least 3gb of data, so you don’t have to worry about recharging it.
There’s a small Claro stand at San Jose and Liberia airport that’s open till 9pm on weekdays (11pm on weekends). If it isn’t open, you can drive to any of the nearby agency stores, which often offer cheaper plans than the kiosk at the airport.
For the most convenience, however, I recommend purchasing an eSIM from Airalo, and installing it as soon as you arrive. They offer a 30 day plan with 3gb of data, 30 minutes of phone calls, and 30 SMS for only $22.50 USD, which should be more than enough for 7 days.
Just make sure to call your wireless carrier to ensure that your phone is unlocked, as eSIMs only work on unlocked phones.
When I arrived in Costa Rica, I made the mistake of buying a sim card plan from Claro with only 1gb of data, and I quickly ran out of internet. If you buy a prepaid sim card, you can add more credit at most supermarkets or agency stores by paying with cash.
To buy more credit, you’ll need to give them the number attached to your sim card. I was able to find this number in my settings, but I recommend taking a photo of your sim card’s # when you first get it.
What’s the currency in Costa Rica?
The currency used in Costa Rica is the Costa Rican Colón (CRC), which has an exchange rate of 1 USD = 510.11 Costa Rican Colon.
Although US dollars and credit cards are accepted at most places, I highly recommend paying with colones for most purchases.
If you’re unaware of the exchange rate or aren’t paying attention to your bill, you can easily be overcharged as a tourist. Using local currency will help avoid this as much as possible.
You can exchange your currency at any bank (bring your passport), or withdraw local currency from an ATM.
The bills used in Costa Rica are 1,000, 2,000, 5,000, 10,000, 20,000, and 50,000. A 1,000 colones bill is around $2 USD, whereas 50,000 colones is around $100.
When paying, the bills are pronounced as “[Number in Spanish] mil colones”. For example, 2000 colones is dos mil colones, and 50000 colones is cincuenta mil colones. Additionally, 1000 colones is often referred to as “un rojo” or the red bill.
Do you need to convert USD to colones?
No, you don’t need to convert USD to colones, as dollars are accepted everywhere, including by toll booths, parking attendants, and locals.
But, I found it most convenient to pay with colones throughout my trip, so I didn’t have to double check the conversion rate with every purchase. No matter which currency you use, it’s best to keep some cash on hand for parking and tips.
Costa Rica 7 Day Itinerary Map
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