Best of Costa Rica Vacation: Volcanoes, Hot Springs, Cloud Forest, and Beaches

San Jose shines with a unique ambiance of Central American culture and neoclassical grandeur. The neighborhood of Amón emanates the prominence of plantation owners of the 19th and early 20th century through the mansions lining the streets. Many of the former prestigious buildings have been converted into hotels and restaurants, with gorgeous art deco and Victorian architecture offering a pleasant ambiance through which locals of San Jose can stroll. Your flight lands at Juan Santamaria International Airport where your private transfer greets you and escorts you out of the Central Valley.

You pass colorful markets and homes. School children walk alongside the street wearing uniforms connoting their class year. The buildings become more sporadic along the roadside as the road winds through the mountainous terrain along emerald trees and precipitous cliffs. Large, light brown, ring-tailed coatis scour the underbrush in search of food. The green ridges slope into the banks of Arenal Lake and bougainvillea drapes across houses and restaurants. Periodically, clouds drift overhead, drawing your eye to the spectacular view of the perfect cone-shaped peak of Arenal Volcano. You check-in to your luxury hotel and take the time to relax in the rushing water of the natural thermal springs heated by the subterranean volcanic activity. Our travelers' Costa Rica travel reviews can tell you more about what to expect.