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How to Spend 10 Days in Costa Rica

The trick with 10 days is not adding a fifth stop. Costa Rica’s roads are slow. Four bases give you time to actually enjoy each one instead of watching it through a van window.

Here’s how the days fit together:

Day	Where	Highlights	Getting There
Day 1	San José	Mercado Central, museums, Barrio Escalante	25 to 40 minutes from the airport
Days 2 to 4	La Fortuna	Waterfall, hot springs, Arenal, Rio Celeste	About 3 hours by car, 3.5 to 4 by shuttle
Days 5 to 6	Monteverde	Cloud forest reserve, night walk, coffee farms	Jeep-boat-jeep, 3 to 3.5 hours
Days 7 to 9	Manuel Antonio	The national park, a catamaran, Rainmaker	About 4 hours by shuttle
Day 10	Sarchí or San José	Painted oxcarts, last shopping, flight home	3 to 4 hours back to San José on day 9

Book the timed things before you fly: Manuel Antonio park tickets, your Monteverde reserve slot and Tabacón or EcoTermales. Only have a week? Our 1-week Costa Rica itinerary trims this route down.

Getting Around Costa Rica in 10 Days

Shared shuttles are the easy way to do this route without driving. They pick you up at your hotel and drop you at the next. The four main legs cost about $190 to $240 per person in total.

A rental car pays off for two or more people. It also makes the Rio Celeste day and the Sarchí stop much easier. A sedan costs about $400 to $650 a week in high season, mandatory insurance included, and $200 to $450 in low season.

Monteverde is the tricky drive, with narrow mountain roads and some gravel near hotels, so a higher car helps May to November. Our guide to renting a car in Costa Rica covers the insurance and real costs.

Day 1: Arrive in San José

Day one is a soft landing. San José won’t be the highlight of the trip. Still, a market lunch, one good museum and a nice dinner make it a pleasant first day.

Getting From the Airport

Juan Santamaría International Airport (SJO) is in Alajuela, about 20 km from downtown San José. The orange airport taxis use the meter, and the ride downtown costs about $25 to $40. Uber or DiDi costs about $15 to $25.

Either way, the ride takes 25 to 40 minutes, depending on traffic. Skip anyone offering rides inside the terminal, and grab some colones from an ATM before you leave.

Lunch: Mercado Central

Mercado Central is the place for a first lunch. It’s been running since 1880, it’s open Monday to Saturday, 6 AM to 5 PM, and it closes on Sundays.

Inside, small sodas serve casados, the everyday plate of rice, beans, plantain, salad and meat or fish. Soda Tala is known for its talapinto, a twist on gallo pinto. La Sorbetera de Lolo Mora has served its cinnamon ice cream here for over a century.

Bring colones in small bills. The smaller stalls often want cash.

Afternoon: The National Theater or the Gold Museum

San José’s two best stops are on Plaza de la Cultura, so pick one today and save the other for day 10. The National Theater opened in 1897, and guided tours run every hour, 9 AM to 4 PM, for about ₡3,500, roughly $8.

The Gold Museum is right under the plaza, with about 1,500 pre-Columbian gold pieces. Entry costs ₡8,800, about $19, and it’s open daily, 9 AM to 4:30 PM. Kids under 12 get into both for free.

Look up inside the theater. The ceiling mural of the coffee and banana harvest is the one printed on old Costa Rican banknotes.

Evening: Dinner in Barrio Escalante

End the day in Barrio Escalante, the neighborhood locals point to when you ask where to eat. Most of the restaurants are packed into the streets around Calle 33, a short taxi ride from downtown.

Isolina does relaxed family-style plates, and Olio serves Mediterranean tapas and wine. Agüizotes Gastro Pub puts a modern spin on Costa Rican food. Make it an early night, since you leave for La Fortuna in the morning.

Day 2: San José to La Fortuna

Day two takes you over the mountains to the town at the foot of Arenal Volcano. You’ll arrive around lunch, swim under a waterfall and finish in a hot spring.

Morning: The Drive to La Fortuna

La Fortuna is about 130 km from San José, and it takes about 3 hours by car. The route runs through San Ramón on paved roads. A sedan is fine for this leg.

Shared shuttles cost $65 to $95 with hotel pickup and take 3.5 to 4 hours. The direct bus from San José to La Fortuna costs about $10. It leaves Terminal Atlántico Norte in the morning, with 8:40 AM the most popular time.

Leave before 6 AM or after 8:30 AM to skip the morning rush out of the city. Our guide on how to get from San José to La Fortuna compares every option.

Afternoon: La Fortuna Waterfall

After lunch, head 10 to 15 minutes out of town to La Fortuna Waterfall. Entry costs $20, and kids under 8 go free. It’s open 7 AM to 5 PM, with the last entry at 4 PM.

About 530 steps lead down to the 70-meter falls and a deep green pool. Swim in the marked areas downstream, where lifeguards keep watch, since the current right under the falls is strong.

The climb back up is the hard part, so take water. Water shoes help on the slippery rocks.

Evening: Hot Springs

La Fortuna’s hot springs are heated deep under Arenal, and there’s one for nearly every budget. After the waterfall stairs, this is the best part of the day.

Tabacón is the splurge, at $115 for a day pass, with a natural hot river running through landscaped gardens. Book ahead, since your card is charged 15 days before the visit. Baldi costs $51, with 25 pools and waterslides for kids.

Want it free? El Choyín, the warm river by the Route 142 bridge near Tabacón, costs nothing. But there are no facilities, and theft is common. Our guide to the best hot springs in La Fortuna compares eight of them.

Day 3: Arenal Volcano and the Hanging Bridges

Day three is trail day, so set an alarm. Arenal is clearest in the morning, and clouds often cover the top by midday.

Morning: Hike Near Arenal Volcano

Arenal Volcano erupted almost nonstop from 1968 until it went quiet in 2010, and its near-perfect cone still towers over town. You can’t climb it, but two trails get you close.

Arenal Volcano National Park opens at 8 AM and costs $15 plus tax, about $17, cards only. The private Arenal 1968 reserve costs about $25 to $28, with a longer walk over the old lava flow. Both take 2 to 3 hours.

Wear real shoes, not sandals, since the lava rock is sharp. Our guide to Arenal Volcano tours covers the guided hikes.

Afternoon: Mistico Hanging Bridges

After lunch, drive 25 to 30 minutes to Mistico Hanging Bridges near the Arenal dam. Afternoon tickets are cheaper, at $28 plus tax, against $32 plus tax in the morning, and the last entry is 3:50 PM.

The 3.2 km loop crosses 16 bridges, 6 of them long suspension bridges through the treetops, and takes about 2 hours. Howler monkeys, toucans and the odd sloth live along the trail.

A guided walk costs $44 plus tax. Without a guide, you’ll walk right past half the wildlife.

Evening: Sunset Over Lake Arenal

Mistico is close to Lake Arenal, so stay out west for sunset. It’s the biggest lake in Costa Rica. It tripled in size when the dam went in back in 1979, flooding the old towns of Arenal and Tronadora.

On a clear evening, the volcano turns gold over the water. Pull over by the dam or at a lakeside café on Route 142. Then drive back to town before it gets fully dark.

Day 4: Rio Celeste or a Big Activity

Day four is your free day, and you’ve got two good ways to spend it. Rio Celeste is the best day trip from La Fortuna, while rafting or ziplining keeps you close to town.

Option 1: Rio Celeste Day Trip

Rio Celeste is the bright blue river from all the photos, and it really looks like that in person. It’s 1.5 to 2 hours from La Fortuna, in Tenorio Volcano National Park.

Tickets cost $13.56 with tax and are sold online only, through SINAC. The park opens at 8 AM, but the last entry is 2 PM, so leave early. The hike is about 6.4 km round trip, and swimming isn’t allowed inside the park.

Tours with pickup, lunch and the park fee cost about $89 to $141. Our Rio Celeste guide covers the trail and the drive.

Option 2: Rafting or Ziplining

Prefer adrenaline? The Balsa River has Class II and III rapids, fun for first-timers and kids from age 8. Trips cost about $73 to $85 plus tax with transport and a meal.

For ziplining, Sky Trek in El Castillo costs $93 plus tax, with seven cables and big views of the lake and volcano. At Arenal Mundo Aventura, the 7-cable course with its 980-meter line costs $65, and the 12-cable course costs $83. Both parks take about half a day.

Afternoon: A Chocolate Tour

Back in town, a chocolate tour makes an easy afternoon. Most cost $30 to $45 and take about 2 hours. You’ll see cacao pods growing on the trunk, grind the beans and taste the chocolate warm.

Don Olivo starts around $30, and North Fields charges $38 plus tax with transport. They’re family-friendly, and a nice backup on a rainy day.

Day 5: La Fortuna to Monteverde

Day five is the travel day everyone remembers, since you cross Lake Arenal by boat. Then you swap the hot lowlands for a cool, misty cloud forest.

Morning: Jeep-Boat-Jeep Across Lake Arenal

The jeep-boat-jeep is really a van, a boat and another van. It costs about $35 to $45 per person and takes 3 to 3.5 hours door to door. Departures are around 8 AM and 2 PM.

Take the morning one. You’ll get the best shot at a clear volcano from the water and reach Monteverde around lunchtime.

Driving around the lake instead takes 3 to 3.5 hours. The last climb from Tilarán is rough, so a 4×4 helps in rainy season. Our La Fortuna to Monteverde guide covers every option.

Afternoon: Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve

The reserve dropped its old day pass, so you now book one of three timed circuits. Each costs $29 for foreign adults and $16 for kids 6 to 11, and kids under 6 go free.

The Essence Trail is 1.4 km, about an hour. Heart of the Forest is 2.8 km, about 1.5 hours, and the Continental Divide Trail is 4.1 km, about 2.5 hours. Your visit ends when your circuit does.

Check in first at the reserve’s information center, about 1.6 km below the entrance, then ride the free shuttle up. Late arrivals lose their slot, and a rain jacket is a must, even on sunny days.

Evening: Night Walk

Monteverde’s forest is busiest after dark. Night walks cost about $28 to $35 plus tax, start around 6 PM and last about 2 hours.

Guides carry strong flashlights, so you’ll see tarantulas, sleeping birds, frogs and, with luck, a sloth. Wear long pants and a warm layer, since nights up here get chilly.

Day 6: Monteverde Hanging Bridges, Ziplines and Coffee

Day six is your full day in the cloud forest. Pick a morning in the canopy, then slow down with a coffee farm in the afternoon.

Morning: Selvatura Hanging Bridges or a Zipline

Selvatura has 8 hanging bridges on a 3 km trail, the longest stretching 157 meters, and the walk takes about 1.5 hours. The trail is easy, and the bridges put you right up in the treetops, where the mist hangs.

Selvatura also runs a zipline with 13 cables, one about 1 km long. A combo with the bridges costs about $89 at full price, with free hotel pickup.

For more speed, Extremo has two Superman cables, one through a tunnel, plus a Tarzan swing. Sky Trek costs about $99 and brakes for you. Monteverde ziplines cost about $60 to $99.

Afternoon: Don Juan Coffee Tour

Don Juan is one of Monteverde’s best-known farm tours, and it covers three things in one visit: coffee, chocolate and sugarcane. It costs $45 for adults and $20 for kids 5 to 11, and takes about 2.5 hours.

Tours start at 8 AM, 10 AM, 1 PM and 3 PM. The 1 PM slot fits nicely after a morning zipline. El Trapiche and Café de Monteverde run similar tours for about $45.

Raining hard? The Monteverde Butterfly Garden in Cerro Plano makes a good rainy-day backup.

Day 7: Monteverde to Manuel Antonio

Day seven is the longest travel day of the trip, so keep the rest of it light. You’ll trade sweaters for flip-flops by lunchtime.

Morning: The Drive to the Coast

Shared shuttles leave Monteverde at about 8 AM, take about 4 hours and cost about $53 to $69 per person. The mountain road down is narrow and winding, then the coastal highway is smooth.

Driving? Stop at the Tárcoles River bridge on Route 34 to see the crocodiles below. Fill up before you leave Monteverde, and arrive before dark, since the sun sets about 5:15 to 6 PM.

Buy your park ticket for tomorrow online tonight, through SINAC. Manuel Antonio National Park is closed on Tuesdays, so plan around that.

Afternoon: Quepos and Playa Espadilla

Manuel Antonio is basically one hilly road, about 7 km long, between the port town of Quepos and the park entrance. The local bus runs it every 15 to 30 minutes for less than a dollar.

Spend the afternoon on Playa Espadilla, the public beach right outside the park, or walk the marina area in Quepos. Check for red flags before you swim, since the currents can be strong.

Evening: Sunset Dinner at El Avión

El Avión is built around a real Fairchild C-123 cargo plane tied to the Iran-Contra affair. Its decks look out over the jungle and the Pacific. It’s touristy, and you’re paying for the view, but it’s a great one.

Get there before 5 PM for a table by the railing. Keep an eye on the trees, since monkeys pass through.

Day 8: Manuel Antonio National Park

Day eight is the big wildlife day, and it’s worth the early alarm. The park is coolest and liveliest when the gates open.

Morning: Manuel Antonio National Park

Be at the gate at 7 AM with your ticket and the passport you booked with. Tickets cost $18.08 for foreign adults and $5.65 for kids 2 to 12, sold online only through SINAC.

A guide at the entrance costs about $25 to $40 per person for about 2 hours. Their spotting scopes find sloths, capuchins and the small squirrel monkeys you’d never pick out alone.

Food and single-use plastic bottles aren’t allowed, and there’s only one entry per ticket. The Punta Catedral trail is closed for now, so the flat main trail and the beaches are the focus.

Midday: Swim at Playa Manuel Antonio

After the trail, head to Playa Manuel Antonio inside the park. The cove is sheltered, so the water is calmer than on the open beaches outside. The trees along the back give you shade.

That shade is also where the capuchins and raccoons hang out, waiting for an open bag. Zip everything up. SINAC lists a 3 PM close, so most people head out around lunchtime anyway.

Afternoon: Catamaran or Zipline

Catamarans leave at about 2 PM, with snorkeling, a meal and drinks, and a good chance of dolphins. Ocean King costs about $90, Sunset Sails $88.50 plus tax and Planet Dolphin about $97.

May to November, Sunset Sails and Planet Dolphin only sail in the morning. That makes the Canopy Safari zipline the safer afternoon pick then. It costs $90 plus tax with pickup and lunch. Our guide to tours in Manuel Antonio compares them all.

Day 9: Rainmaker and Back to San José

Day nine gives you one last morning in the forest before the drive back to the capital. Pack the night before.

Morning: Rainmaker Conservation Park

Rainmaker is about 30 minutes inland, with four hanging bridges over the forest and a waterfall pool you can swim in. It opens at 7:30 AM, and a self-guided ticket costs ₡12,000 plus tax, about $26.

A guided walk costs $60 plus tax. Bring a towel and dry clothes, since the swim is the best part.

Afternoon: The Drive Back to San José

Manuel Antonio is about 170 km from San José, a 3 to 4 hour drive on Route 34 and Route 27. Interbus leaves at 12:30 PM and takes about 4.5 hours with drop-offs. Shared shuttles to the airport cost about $60 to $95.

Sleep near the airport in Alajuela if you fly early on day 10. Our list of the best hotels near San José airport has good options.

Day 10: Sarchí and Fly Home

Your last day depends on your flight time. With a free morning, you have two easy choices close to the airport.

Morning: The Painted Oxcarts of Sarchí

Sarchí is about 7 km off Route 1 near Grecia, the same highway that passes the airport. It’s the home of Costa Rica’s hand-painted oxcarts, a tradition UNESCO recognized in 2005.

In the central park, the giant oxcart built in 2006 won a Guinness record as the world’s largest. The church behind it is a pretty one. Workshops around town sell painted carts and woodwork, and some let you watch the painters at work.

Bring cash, and leave space in your bag. A small painted oxcart is the classic souvenir.

Or: A Last Morning in San José

Staying in the city instead? Visit whichever of the Gold Museum or National Theater you skipped on day 1. Then pick up coffee and souvenirs at Mercado Central, which is closed on Sundays.

Allow at least 3 hours before an international flight. The ride from San José to the airport can take 40 minutes or more at rush hour.

Where to Stay for 10 Days in Costa Rica

Where you sleep changes how each day feels. Stay in La Fortuna town or Santa Elena to walk to dinner. Stay near Playa Espadilla to walk to the park and the beach.

These are good picks in each stop, with rough nightly rates for two:

Town	Budget	Mid-Range	Splurge
La Fortuna	Hotel Monte Real, from about $73	Arenal Observatory Lodge, about $110 to $320	Nayara Gardens, from about $440
Monteverde	Cabinas Eddy B&B, about $60 to $100	Trapp Family Lodge, about $135 to $200	Senda Monteverde, about $300 to $800
Manuel Antonio	Hotel Verde Mar, about $55 to $150	Hotel Playa Espadilla & Gardens, about $130 to $340	Tulemar, from about $380

December to April costs the most, so book 3 to 6 months ahead for those dates. Our lists of the best hotels in La Fortuna, Monteverde and Manuel Antonio have more.

How Much Does 10 Days in Costa Rica Cost?

Costa Rica costs more than its neighbors, but you can control a lot of it. These are the main costs per person for this itinerary, before flights:

• Shuttles for the four main legs: about $190 to $240
• Entry fees and activities: about $530 to $730
• Mid-range hotels: about $110 to $340 a night for two
• A rental sedan instead of shuttles: about $400 to $650 a week in high season, or $200 to $450 in low season

The activity total covers the waterfall, a hot spring, the volcano, Mistico and Rio Celeste. It also covers the cloud forest reserve, a night walk, a zipline, a coffee tour and the park with a guide. The catamaran and Rainmaker are in there too. Many tours add 13% tax.

Cut costs by eating at sodas and swapping Tabacón for El Choyín. You can also drive to Rio Celeste as a group instead of booking a tour.

What to Pack for 10 Days in Costa Rica

You’ll move between hot springs, a chilly cloud forest and a humid beach. Pack light layers rather than lots of outfits. Here’s what you’ll use:

• A light rain jacket, even in the dry season
• A warm layer and long pants for Monteverde
• Hiking shoes with grip for Rio Celeste and the volcano trails
• Water shoes for the waterfall and hot rivers
• A swimsuit and a quick-dry towel
• Reef-safe sunscreen and bug spray
• A reusable water bottle, since single-use plastic is banned in the national parks
• A dry bag for boat trips

Bring your passport on park days and a credit card for the parks that don’t take cash. Carry colones in small bills for buses, parking and sodas.

10-Day Costa Rica Itinerary FAQ

Is 10 Days in Costa Rica Enough?

Ten days in Costa Rica is enough for four stops at a relaxed pace: San José, La Fortuna, Monteverde and Manuel Antonio. You get the volcano, the cloud forest and a beach park, plus a free day for Rio Celeste.

Skip the Caribbean and the Osa Peninsula on this trip. Each needs at least two extra days.

How Much Does a 10-Day Costa Rica Trip Cost?

A 10-day Costa Rica trip costs about $720 to $970 per person for shuttles, entry fees and activities on this itinerary. That’s before hotels, food and flights.

Shuttles run about $190 to $240, and activities about $530 to $730. Mid-range hotels add about $110 to $340 a night for two, and many tours add 13% tax.

Do You Need a Car for 10 Days in Costa Rica?

You don’t need a car for 10 days in Costa Rica. Shared shuttles cover every main leg for about $190 to $240 per person, and most tours include hotel pickup.

A car helps for Rio Celeste and Sarchí, though. A sedan costs about $400 to $650 a week in high season with mandatory insurance.

Can You Add a Beach Town to This 10-Day Itinerary?

You can add Uvita by swapping day 9. It’s about an hour south of Manuel Antonio, and a shared shuttle costs about $45.

Uvita has the whale tail at Marino Ballena National Park and whale watching for about $95. The drive back to San José then takes 3.5 to 4 hours. Our 2-day Uvita itinerary lays it out.

Can You Visit Poás Volcano on This Trip?

Poás Volcano isn’t in this plan, but you can add it. Entry is by timed ticket, about $15 plus tax, sold online only through SINAC. Poás is an active volcano, and it can close at short notice. Check the SINAC site the day before.

It can still close at short notice when the volcano acts up, so check the SINAC website the day before. It’s about 1.5 hours from San José, so it fits best on your last morning.

When Is the Best Time for 10 Days in Costa Rica?

The best time for 10 days in Costa Rica is the dry season, late December to April. That’s when you get the clearest volcano views and calm seas. It’s also the busiest and priciest time.

May to November brings afternoon rain and lower prices, and September and October are the wettest months. Our best time to visit Costa Rica guide goes month by month.