costa rica 7 day itinerary

The BEST Costa Rica 7-Day Itinerary (2024)

Looking for a 7-day Costa Rica itinerary? You’re in the right place.

Seven full days (not including flight days) is enough time to see the highlights of Costa Rica. It’s a bit of a crunch to see all of them, but it can absolutely be done in a one-week time frame, assuming you don’t include the arrival and departure days.

We did the below itinerary almost exactly, except we spent 10 days instead of 7. We were also travelling in Costa Rica with a baby, which slowed down our pace quite a bit – based on that, you’ll have no problem seeing Costa Rica in 7 days, especially if you plan in advance.

Costa Rica waterfall

This itinerary will allow you to experience:

  • Costa Rican volcanos, rainforests and waterfalls
  • Native wildlife – sloths, monkeys, tropical birds
  • Family-owned working farms where chocolate, coffee and fruit are produced
  • Beaches on Costa Rica’s, sandy Pacific coast

I don’t assume that what I prioritize is necessarily the same as what you would like best. So, I will provide you the other options in each place in case you want to swap out an activity I recommended for something you’re more interested in

Most people choose to rent a car for an itinerary like this, but we (my husband and myself) have done it with a car, and without a car. The one you choose affects the itinerary, so I’ve provided options below for both.

So, let’s jump in – an amazing 7 days in Costa Rica itinerary

Costa Rica Itinerary: 7 Days (With a Car)

I didn’t include the fly-in day as a part of the itinerary – it’s designed to give you a full week in Costa Rica.

Fly into the San Jose airport, and pick up your rental car. From there, drive to La Fortuna, which is a 2.5 hour drive.

The whole process of landing, going through customs, and picking up your car can take 2-3 hours, depending on the time of year you travel. (Super popular months like December and March can be even busier.)

landing in san jose

All in all, except to arrive in your La Fortuna accommodation around 5-6 hours after landing.

We rented our car from Budget, which is x from the airport, but there are many to choose from.

Accommodation Suggestions in La Fortuna

  • Budget: Hotel Villas Vilma – swimming pool, hot tub, views of the volcano, free parking, and great restaurants right across the street (we stayed here with our kids and loved it)
  • Mid-Range: Sangregado Lodge – located close to Mistico Arenal National Park, which I recommend as the first activity tomorrow morning. Has restaurants on site, and some of the best volcano views of all the La Fortuna hotels
  • Luxury: Arenal Manoa Resort & Hot Springs – hot springs on site, free breakfast, stunning jungle views

Most La Fortuna accommodations are located just outside the town rather than right ‘in’ the town – but don’t worry – this is where you want to be. Surrounded by lush rainforest, and volcano views

1. Grab breakfast

Grab breakfast at your hotel, or at many of the other options in La Fortuna:

  • There are a few bakeries in town: Ramirez Bakery Fortuna or Musmanni La Fortuna
  • The ‘soda’ restaurants are some of my favourite places to go for a traditional Costa Rican breakfast

If your hotel serves breakfast, you’ll probably be more than happy with it. Regardless of where you go, don’t forget to pair it with some Costa Rican coffee.

breakfast costa rica

2. Mistico Arenal Hanging Bridges Park

Time needed: 2-3 hours

There are two things that make Mistico really special:

  • it’s hanging suspension bridges – there are only a handful of other parks in Costa Rica that have hanging bridges
  • the views you can get of Arenal volcano on a clear day (when it’s cloudy unfortunately it’ll be hard to see)
mistico view of arenal volcano

Choose between either a self-guided or a guided tour at Mistico.

Self-guided tours allow you to go at your own pace, while guided tours increase your chances of seeing wildlife (and they provide equipment like telescopes for you to look at the wildlife.)

3. Lunch

On the way back from Mistico to the La Fortuna area, there are a few different places to stop for lunch. We stopped at Restaurante El Novillo del Arenal (great food – we were there on a cloudy day, but on a clear day, you can see the volcano.)

Manata Coyote Beer
My husband’s Manada Coyote, a Costa Rican beer, from Restaurante El Novillo del Arenal

2. Soak in one of the many hot springs

Time needed: 2 hours

La Fortuna is a haven for hot springs; it is one of the area’s most unique qualities. A few of the upper-scale hotels in La Fortuna have hot springs built into them, but there are also several that you can visit.

Many of them are large with different areas – some quiet and relaxing areas for adults, but some kid-friendly sections with waterslides and swimming pools.

hot springs

Here are a few suggestions for hot springs in La Fortuna:

  • Tabacon Hot Springs – most popular by far (can be very busy during high season) has little waterfalls and a very lush feel that looks like you’re in the middle of a jungle (which you are!)
  • The Spring’s Resort – has separate areas and a monkey slide that is open certain hours. Book here
  • Baldi Hot Springs – has caves, music and waterslides. Great for all ages
  • Kalambu Hot Springs – there are swimming pools and waterslides

Other options for things to do in La Fortuna

I picked the 2 activities that I thought were the most worthwhile and unique to La Fortuna. However, here are some other amazing things to do in La Fortuna (unless you want to replace one of the above OR if you have time to squeeze in a 3rd activity)

  • Bogarin Trail – a trail through a young and small privately owned forest that is a haven for wildlife. We did this trail with a guide and saw lots of sloths, and a toucan. Easy trail, very friendly staff and a great tour for families.
  • Don Olivo Chocolate Farm – Guided tour of a family-owned farm that produces mainly chocolate, but also fruits.
  • Night walk in the rainforest -going into the rainforest at night allows you to see nocturnal animals when they’re most active
  • La Fortuna Waterfall (this is on the schedule for tomorrow, but you can switch it with something else)
chocolate farm in costa rica
Don Olivo Chocolate Farm Tour

1. Check out of La Fortuna accommodation, and get breakfast

Check out of your accommodation, and then drive to the La Fortuna Waterfall as early as possible. It’s a beautiful waterfall, but a popular site that many people want to see.

Give yourself 10-15 minutes to get to La Fortuna Waterfall from your accommodation.

2. La Fortuna Waterfall

Time needed: 2-3 hours

Similar to Mistico, and other nature-based attractions in Costa Rica, at La Fortuna Waterfall, you can choose between:

  • a guided hike (around $60 per person)
  • a self-guided hike (buy tickets on their website here)

Regardless of whether you do a self-guided or guided hike, getting to the waterfall can be quite the climb – around 1,000 stairs (500 to get down, and another 500 on the way up.)

la fortuna waterfall

The benefits of a guided hike are that it makes it easier to spot wildlife, and they provide water bottles. (They also provide hotel pick up, so if you want, you could swap this out for Mistico, and do it on day 1 and do Mistico on your way out of La Fortuna.)

Many people choose to swim in the water below the waterfall; so be sure to bring swimsuits and towels in case you want to do that.

3. Drive to Monteverde

Time needed: 3-4 hours

The drive to Monteverde from La Fortuna takes about 3-4 hours and isn’t the easiest drive if you don’t take the highway – but it’s incredibly scenic as you drive up into the mountains.

monteverde
A photo I took from the car on the way to Monteverde

There are likely places you’ll want to stop along the way, which is why I suggest up to 4 hours. We stopped in a small town to buy some baked goods, and there were also a few places I wanted to stop and take pictures at.

I do recommend making sure that you arrive in Monteverde before dark (which starts around 5:30 pm) because it’s not the most well-lit area, and driving in the mountains in the dark would be challenging.

Accommodation Suggestions for Montverde

  • Budget: Casitas de Montaña Cabuya – beautiful mountain views, all rooms have a patio and free breakfast
  • Mid-Range: Vistaverde Lodge – on-site restaurant, breakfast, rustic decor and amazingly scenic views
  • Luxury: Hotel Belmar – has a restaurant and spa, plus on-site yoga, and a great breakfast
Driving in Costa Rica

I want to be honest that, while its still very possible to see both La Fortuna and Monteverde with only a week in Costa Rica – it will be a bit rushed and you may prefer to just choose one over the other. Read my post about choosing between Monteverde and La Fortuna.

1. Monteverde Biological Cloud Forest Reserve

The Monteverde Cloud Forest is likely one of the most famous attractions in Costa Rica, because of how rare a cloud forest as an ecosystem is – they only exist in 1% of the world.

They’re very vulnerable to climate change, and many people believe that cloud forests will eventually disappear.

For the Monteverde Cloud Forest, be sure to wear long pants, closed toes and long sleeves to protect against bugs.

hanging bridge through the rainforest in Costa Rica

At Montverde Cloud Forest, you’ll be able to choose between a guided or self-guided hike.

If you go guided, then I recommend the morning walk, because they include some high-tech equipment for seeing wildlife.

The morning walk tour doesn’t include entrance into the park though, so you would still need to buy tickets on their website.($26 for adults, and $13 for kids.)

Check availability for guided morning walk in Monteverde Cloud Forest (about $40 per person, and 2-3 hours long) here

2. Grab lunch

Monteverde doesn’t have a ton of restaurants, but there are a few options in the main town.

We chose to eat at the Treehouse Restaurante. It’s quite large with amazing decor, and some views of the town from the top floor. They have both Costa Rican and some international options.

casada from tree house monteverde

I don’t see a menu on their website at the time of writing, but you can check here.

3. Monteverde Coffee Farm Tour

One of the most memorable things we did in Costa Rica was a tour of the Monteverde Coffee Farm.

It’s a 10-minute drive from the village of Monteverde, and afternoon tours are at 2 pm. It’s recommended to book in advance on their website here.

monteverde coffee farm
A view of the landscape surrounding the Monteverde coffee farm

We enjoyed the Monteverde coffee farm so much, that I’ve ordered their coffee several times since we’ve come home. (They ship worldwide.) So if you like it, I recommend buying some on the spot to take home.

They also sell their own branded souvenirs; hoodies, caps, and traditional Costa Rican coffee-makers.

coffee from monteverde coffee farm
Coffee from Monteverde Coffee Farm

Other options for things to do in Monteverde

Like La Fortuna, Monteverde is such an amazing place. Here are some other things to do in case you want to swap out one of the activities I recommended

  • Zip-lining – offered at several different parks; Monteverde and Selvatura are two of the main ones
  • Butterfly Conservatory, and the Sloth Sanctuary (they’re right beside each other, and across from the zip-lining at Selvatura Park.) Great activity especially if you’re in Costa Rica with kids
  • Children’s Eternal Rainforest – less busy than the Monteverde Cloud Forest
  • Spend some time in the village, shopping for Costa Rican souvenirs
  • Catch some live music at the Tree House Restaurant in the evening
butterfly sanctuary in monteverde

1. Drive to Manual Antonio

Time needed: 3.5 hours + optional stop at Crocodile Bridge

In the morning, check out of your Monteverde and start making your way south. You’ll be heading to a much warmer territory, and will notice a temperature drop as you get out of the mountains and travel further south.

2. (Optional) stop at Crocodile Bridge

Time needed: 10 minutes – 1 hour (if you have lunch there as well)

About 2.5 hours into your journey, you could stop at the famous Crocodile Bridge.

The bridge is just a standard traffic bridge over a river, and you can see several crocodiles hanging out in the river below. (It is quite far – a decent 100 metres below – I took the photo below with my DLSR camera.)

crocodile bridge

At the Crocodile Bridge, there’s a restaurant, an ice cream place, and public washrooms which you need to pay to use.

The restaurant is called Hacienda Nosavar; it’s buffet style and you can check their menu here. We ate there and enjoyed it.

Pro Tip: We didn’t have any issues at Crocodile Bridge, but I’ve heard that it’s a prime area for thefts; especially in high season. Be sure to lock your vehicle and don’t have any valuables in plain sight.

I want to add that if for whatever reason you don’t want to stop at Crocodile Bridge today, there’s time to do that on the way back from Quepos too.

Check into your Quepos Accommodation

There are many resorts in the Quepos area – many of them are some of the most family-friendly hotels in Costa Rica, and almost all of them have views of the Pacific ocean.

We chose to stay at Parador Resort and Spa, and you can review our review of Parador here. (I can save you the time and say it was great – good swimming pools, delicious food, nice spa.) We aren’t big on resorts, but we really enjoyed it.

Here are some other places to stay in the Quepos area:

  • Budget: Suenos de Amor – near a beach, has free parking, AC, and is only 5 km (3 miles) from Manuel Antonio National Park
  • Mid-Range: Hotel Playa Espadilla & Gardens – breakfast included, has a swimming pool and is also near a beach
  • Luxury: Si Como No Resort & Wildlife Refuge surrounded by jungle near Manuel Antonio National Park, its its own little oasis. Has restaurants, swimming pools with a view, includes breakfasts
Costa Rica Hotel Parador
Parador Resort

1. Manual Antonio National Park

I highly recommend a tour of Manuel Antonio National Park while you’re in Quepos. It’s very popular, but also unique, because of the amazing beaches it has attached to it.

Some bats we saw through a telescope at Manuel Antonio

Here are all your options for visiting the national park:

  • Option # 1: 2-2.5 hour guided tour of Manuel Antonio offered through the park. Includes pick up at your hotel, but no return. (This is what we did, so we had to figure out our way back home.) However, it allows you to spend as much time as you like at the beach afterwards.
  • Option # 2: Book a 4-hour tour that includes pick up AND drop off from your hotel (depending on the hotel.) Costs about $50 per person
  • Option # 3: Make your own way to and from the park, but get a guided tour and some time at the beach on this tour ($30 per person.)
  • Option # 2: For a self-guided tour of the park without a guide, you can simply book an admission ticket on their website here. You make your way to the park, and your own way back

2. Enjoy the beach at Manuel Antonio National Park

After you walk through the park (whether you do a guided or non-guided tour) be sure to visit the beach.

I’m not a huge beach person, but this was one of the nicest beaches I ever went to, and my daughter had so much fun swimming in it. If you’re there at the right time, you might see some howler monkeys.

Family-friendly beaches in Costa Rica
Manuel Antonio Beach

In addition to the Manuel Antonio Beach, there is also another beach in the park called Espadilla South Beach (not to be confused with the Playa Espadilla North that is also in the area but not inside the park.)

Other things to do in the Manuel Antonio area

  • Have a full beach day. There are others in the area, such as Playa La Mancha, Palo Seco, or the other Playa Espadilla – called Playa Espadilla Norte. Check my recommendations for some of the most family-friendly beaches in Costa Rica
  • Eat in a real airplane turned into a restaurant at El Avion Restaurant (has beautiful views of the ocean)
  • Catch a sunset around 4-5pm in the evening. The sunsets in the Quepos are beautiful, I had never seen the sky so pink
  • Take a surf lesson (90 minutes long, and about $65 per person.)The pacific coast provides good waves and is a great place to learn
Monkey in Costa Rica

1. Head to San José

2 hours, 45 minutes

Check out of your Quepos accommodation, and drive to San Jose. The trip will take about 3 hours with traffic.

If you didn’t stop at Crocodile Bridge on the way here, you have another chance to stop at it today.

There are also some beaches you could stop along the way too, such as Jaco Beach.

Accommodation Suggestions for San Jose

  • BudgetHotel Casa 69 -includes breakfast, and is right downtown, short walk from attractions
  • Mid-RangeLa Sabana Hotel Suites Apartment offers 24 hour front desk service, has a swimming pool, serves a great breakfast
  • Luxury: Grano de Oro Hotel only a 10-minute walk from all of San José’s major attractions, and has a famous restaurant that serves gourmet food
downtown san jose
The main square in downtown San Jose

One of the best day trips from San Jose is La Paz Waterfall Gardens and Poas Volcano, an active volcano where you can look into the largest crater in the world.

They are right across the street from each other, so you can visit them in the same trip.

map of la paz waterfall and pos volcano from san jose

To make today a bit more relaxed (or if you already dropped off your rental car) then book this tour which includes Poás Volcano, La Paz Waterfall and a nearby coffee farm. It’s 10 hours, and costs $200 per person (includes breakfast and lunch.) If you’d rather not book the tour, then read below on how to do this day trip on your own.

la paz waterfall
La Paz Waterfall
Poas Volcano
The crater of Poas Volcano

1. Visit Poás Volcano

Time needed: 1-2 hours

Book your ticket for Poás Volcano on their website here in advance (they don’t sell them at the door.) When you get to the parking area, you will be asked to pay around 2000 colones (less than $4 USD) to park there.

The hike to get to the crater of the volcano is quite easy; there’s a gondola that takes you part of the way up (and then back the same way you came) and then you walk the rest.

Pro Tip: I should note that being able to see the crater depends on the visibility of that day. If it’s too cloudy, you wouldn’t be able to see it – in which case, I would skip this activity and instead spend the day at La Paz Waterfall Garden. However, getting hear early is your best bet (to avoid clouds and crowds) as both become more prevalent throughout the day

2. Visit La Paz Waterfall Gardens

Time needed: 2 hours

Right across the road from the Poas Volcano National Park is the beautiful La Paz Waterfall Gardens. It has trails, and a small zoo, and 5 different waterfalls (La Paz being the most famous.)

la paz waterfall
La Paz Waterfall

You could spend hours at the waterfall garden, especially if you want to see all 5 waterfalls, and walk through the zoo.

The hiking trails can amount to a solid two hours, and require good shoes. Other than the hiking trails, the whole garden resort area is very walkable, suitable to all ages/ability levels.

Spend your last day in Costa Rica exploring San Jose. It’s a nice city, and safe. There are a lot of things to do in Costa Rica’s capital, that most tourists often miss when they visit Costa Rica.

San Jose Costa Rica
SJO Vive sign in downtown San Jose

Here are some of the most fun and interesting things to do in San Jose:

  • Walk around the main square, and get your photo taken in front of the SJO sign
  • Walk through the Mercado Central (Central Market) a large food market in the city centre
  • Do a San Jose food tour which walks you around the city as well (3.5 hours, and about $30 per person.)
  • Visit the Gold Museum (Museo de Oro) which is located underground, directly beneath the market square
  • Do the chocolate-making workshop at Casa de Cocoa
  • Visit the Museo de Niños if you’re travelling with kids
  • The Spirogyra Butterfly Garden, if you didn’t catch the butterfly garden in Monteverde, then this might be worth a visit
Museo nacional de costa rica
Museo Nacional de Costa Rica – another thing to do if you want to learn about the history of Costa Rica (located right down town, you could walk to it in 10 minutes from Market Square

Pro Tip: San Jose also has some pretty decent cuisine options. Here are some suggestions for your last dinner in Costa Rica for this trip

On the departure day, make your way to the airport a few hours in advance of your international flight (especially if its high season.)

We visited in March and the airports are always busy at that time.

I hope you had an incredible time in Costa Rica and found this itinerary helpful and useful!

flying out of san jose

Costa Rica Itinerary: 7 Days (Car Free)

If you’re not planning to rent a car in Costa Rica, you can definitely still get the experience without having to drive.

Tours, shuttles and transportation options catering to tourists are so common, that you can easily rely on these without worrying about renting a car. (Just be sure to book in advance if your itinerary is tight.)

1. Stay in San Jose, book day trips

What we did on one trip was stay in San Jose, and book day trips from our hotel.

All of the destinations mentioned on this itinerary are within 1-3 hours from San Jose; so they can all be done in separate day trips, and there are many tours offered from the city.

san jose costa rica

This might be a good option for some who want to avoid the stress of the car rental process, and having to drive.

2. Take shuttles

You can do the itinerary almost exactly as with a car, the difference is that:

  • From each major destination, you can book a private shuttle
  • Once you’re in the destination, book tours that provide transportation. There are SO many of them that you can find in Viator; often multiple tour options for each destination. Even if you do rent a car, you can save the hassle in each place by booking tours instead of driving
bananas in costa rica

Costa Rica 7-Day Itinerary FAQ

Here are some of the most commonly asked questions about spending a week in Costa Rica

Is 7 days enough for Costa Rica?

One week is the bare minimum amount of time to spend in Costa Rica. If you can, I would spend 10 days in Costa Rica. However, 7 days is enough time to give you a good taste of what this beautiful and diverse country has to offer.

How many days do you need in Costa Rica?

You need at least 7 days in Costa Rica to make the trip worth it, in my opinion. Seven days isn’t enough time to see everything, but it’s enough time to cram all the highlights in and see all that Costa Rica has to offer. I would recommend spending more if you can, but you only have 7 days, you can certainly see the highlights in Costa Rica without being too rushed.

How much is a 7-day vacation in Costa Rica?

the cost for a 7-day trip to Costa Rica greatly depends on what kinds of accommodations you’re staying at, what activities you’re doing, and what kinds of restaurants you’re eating at. There are some very nice luxury accommodations in Costa Rica. On average, budget to spend between $100-$200 USD per person in Costa Rica for accommodation, food and activities. So, a 7-day vacation in Costa Rica would cost between $1,400 and $2,800 not including flights.

costa rica

Final Thoughts of Costa Rica 7-Day Itinerary

By now, I hope that you have an exciting 7-day Costa Rica itinerary more or less planned.

Costa Rica is a diverse country so rich with culture and biodiversity. It’s one of my favourite places to visit purely because of the eco-tourism – I love seeing wildlife in their natural habitat, and the mix of rainforest, waterfalls, rivers, ocean, beaches, volcanoes and mountains is so beautiful.

And then there’s the people – Costa Ricans are lovely, and those that work with tourists speak excellent English. (I speak Spanish and only wanted to practice, which was fine too.)

I hope you have an amazing 7 days in Costa Rica and are able to use this itinerary and make it your own. Buen Viaje!