The centre economically, physically and politically of Costa Rica, San José is place we passed through several times on our travels. The city itself feels very laid back and not too large, so you can take a walk around and see most things. In fact most of the tours are walking tours of the city. The people there are fiercely proud of their city, even to the point where they will happily tell you all the faults and how exactly they should be fixed. There are several museums in the city and one of the most popular and recommended include the Children’s Museum which has several interesting displays for both parents and children. There are plenty of other quality museums like the Gold Museum, the Jade Museum and the Insect Museum. You can also go visit the Simon Bolivar Zoo and see the local wildlife of the country and nearby regions. There is quite a collection of local foods available at relatively cheap prices, and plenty of cheap goods (some better quality than others). San José is also a good place to take trips to the regions around the city. Some of these include trips to the coffee plantations, river rafting and there are daily buses that take you to the volcanic mountain of Poas.
