Things to do in San José

San José is Costa Rica's capital and the country's main gateway, but it sits roughly 3 hours (about 125 km) from La Fortuna over mountain roads, so it works better as a bookend than a side trip. Most visitors pass through only at the start or end of a trip, around flights into or out of the country.

The city itself is a working capital rather than a resort town: museums, the Mercado Central, and a walkable core around Avenida Central are worth a half-day if you already have hours to spare before a flight, but they are not worth the round trip on their own from La Fortuna.

Traffic through the Central Valley can add well over an hour at peak times in either direction.