About: This is a beautiful and well-sized botanic garden with trails for walking and a variety of different areas to enjoy. It is a great place for relaxing, taking pictures, and connecting with nature. It is easy and relatively quick to get to, while still providing a respite from the bustle of the city. They…
Author: Ultimate Guide
Chapulitour
About: This is a fairly unique cultural tour that is not common in the tourism industry in Costa Rica. It is a tour through the rural towns of San Ramon via tractor and trailer wagon, known in Costa Rica as chapulin and carreta. There are designated stops along the route where you will visit different…
Cañon de Mordor y Quemaderos
About: This is an extremely advanced and technical hike located on the slopes of the active Poas Volcano. It can only be done with certain groups that are experienced with the route as it can be very dangerous due to its proximity to an active volcano and because it traverses private property. It requires the…
Bosque Municipal de Atenas
About: While these trails are open and available to the public, there is no official entrance and there are no workers to help you. The good part is that it is free. The entrance is just off the side of the road and you can park at the restaurant across the street. There is no…
Balneario Las Musas
About: This park used to be just a swimming pool with a natural waterfall and surrounding green areas including a short trail system, but it has now expanded to include more adventures including zipline, canyoning, tarzan swing, and a zipline bike. In addition there is a larger trail system. There is also a waterslide into…
500 Steps
About: This is a sort of urban hike in the middle of the city where an old and abandoned hydroelectric dam is. It follows a long set of stairs, around 405 so not quite 500, that parallels a giant water pipe. There used to be a cable to at least hold on to while you…
Downtown Alajuela Food Tours
Options for food tours in Downtown Alajuela:
Trapiche Hermanos Arias
About: This sugar cane farm offers cultural experiences, rather than official tours, on certain days of the week where they grind the sugar cane and process it into various products. The experience is free, but they offer their products for sale. It is a very typical Costa Rican culture that you don’t want to miss….
Tio Jose Coffee Tour
About: This small, family-run coffee plantation offers a tour that explains in-depth how their coffee is grown and processed. It is informative and interactive, and you will get to try their coffee and other products as part of their tour. In addition they farm cacao, sugar cane, tumeric, and bananas which you will also learn…
Organic Strawberry Tour Costa Rica
About: While Costa Rica is known for their coffee tour and even chocolate tours, strawberry tours are much less common, which makes this experience even more valuable. This area of Costa Rica is known for its strawberries and you will not be disappointed to visit this local organic strawberry farm and learn all about how…