We have one full day and two afternoons free - what to do? Our first day we get into SJO at 1:30 PM and then from the Osa at 1 PM - So I am trying to make certain that we do not miss anything and wondered if there are any recommendations of must see or do for an afternoon?

For our full day, I am hoping to hire Luis to drive us. Our plan is to visit the areas around Cartago and the Orosi Valley (first time for this area). I know there are preplanned trips, but I am thinking we may prefer a private driver this trip. Any thoughts and/or suggestions on must do and sees on this day?

As for coffee shopping and souvenirs, should I do this on our Cartago day, or should we go into Alajuela and do this in one of our afternoons?

I knew I should have planned another day for the Central Valley!

To get to Cartago, you will more than likely go right through the Centre of San Jose.

If you have time hopefully your private driver will point out some local landmarks for you in San Jose.

At the other end of San Jose, you will pass through San Pedro and the San Jose University area.

When you get to Cartago,there is a "must see" Church here.
The Basilca de Nuestra Senora de los Angeles. ( a rather long name)

Go inside the church, the inside is rather unique in color scheme.

On the right side and the back of the church there is free "Holy Water " if you would like to drink some.'

Also in Cartago and several blocks before the church ( your guide will know) ,there is some Roofless Arches ( Las Ruinas), this is right beside the Parque Central.

Your guide will explain the reason for the ruins but if he does not , then let me add that:

In 1575 the Original Church was constructed here..and an earthquake destroyed it in about 1841...then another earthquake in 1910 ,has left only the present ruins that you now see.

Get out of your vehicle and walk around and take a few pictures....in fact from here you can walk to that lovely church I just mentioned.

From Cartago it is only a skip and a hop to the Lankaster Orchid Gardens.
You do not have to be an Orchid lover to visit this place and just walk around.
The admission fee is about $5.00

From here you pass through the lovely town of Paraiso (Paraiso means Paradise)and you will not be able to argue with that !!!!

From here ask your driver to take you to a very lovely look-out of the Orosi Valley below,as it is on the way to Orosi.

In Orosi there is a nice faded white church dating back to about 1740( paint is peeling in places.)

If you want a nice place for lunch on the way back...then at the Orosi look out point there is a lovely restaurant ,so that you can sit by the window with views of the Orosi Valley.

Your Private Guide will know all about this place I am sure.

Have a good time

Percy

I just hit the wrong button and erased my first answer! Hate it when that happens! You are going to LOVE your Orosi day with Luis! We got an early start from San Jose (about 8:00 a.m.) and saw it all. Irazu, (very different from Poas and a wonderful drive up the mountain), Cartago, Ujarras, where the oldest church ruins (1600's) is, Orosi Valley, Lankaster Gardens, Cachi Lake and Dam--just a fabulous area!

For coffee, there is a huge supermarket on the way through Alajuela to Las Orquideas. Best place for you to buy. Can't ever plan enough time for the central valley, huh? One of the best things about the country!

My daughter and I did this trip with Luis in Sept. Luis will definitely show you the places mentioned. If he doesn't just ask about them. Luis took us to a coffee field where they were harvesting the bean which we enjoyed. There is a wonderful small place near the lake that Luis will know about where we ate lunch. Luis is a wonderful person and is eager to please you with what you want to do and see.

Another thought for an afternoon my daughter and I enjoyed the small zoo in Alajuela. When we arrived off the plane and had the afternoon this was the first thing we did in Costa Rica. Had a guy from the Orquideas to drive us there and then pick us up.

Thanks! Again.

Percy, sounds like you too really enjoy Cental Costa Rica!

Shillmac, I remembered you mentioned a new supermarket in the the area, but couldn't remember where. Great! This year I hope to make certain I buy enough coffee. At this time I am rationing my supply! AND have had to purchase normal grocery store brand! UGH!

I wish I had scheduled one more day for the central valley. But the Osa is quite expensive and I ended up cutting a day from our trip. Oh well, we will be back.

MaryAnne1 - is the zoo you are referring to, the same as Zoo Avenue? I have considered this, but haven't heard too much about it.

Thanks for the tips and suggestions, much appreciated!

Oh, one more thing! For our afternoons is a taxi best for getting into Alajuela, or is there someone at the Inn normally to take you into and back from town?

dfarmer

Yes,I loved the Central Valley when I was there last year.

As you perhaps know by now,I had Oscar drive me around for the whole time.

We really did see all the major places in the Central Valley.
Of course you can never see everything!

If maryanne1 is talking about Zoo Avenue, then I can tell you this is a great place to kill about 1 & 1/2 to 2 hours and just take your time.

Here you will see all the birds and animals that you will perhaps need to be very lucky to see in the wilds.!

There is nothing like being 3 feet away from a Quetzal, even if it is in a Zoo.

Also if you have never seen a Scarlet Macaw, you will see plenty here.

It is near the airport anyway, so is on your way out if you have an afternoon flight.
Admission about $7.00 to $8.00

About San Jose:

Maybe some people say there is nothing to see there, BUT I had Oscar drive me around the city and I visited all the major spots and he also pointed out many places I had only read about.

So I can say that I enjoyed San Jose.

Maybe for one afternoon to Alajuela a Taxi would be best.

Percy

You can't miss the supermarket. it is huge. You will pass it on the way to Orquideas.
If you decide to go to Zoo Ave and take a taxi be sure to ask for Zoo Ahbay. Ave is bird and not avenue. They might not know where you are talking about. It is a good place to see some of the great birds of CR up close and personal. I was thrilled to see that they sold popcorn. I blissfully munched my way through 2 bags while looking at the birds and other critters. It only took us about an hour or so to go through it. If you haven't seen a quetzal yet, they do have at least one.

Percy is the one that told me about the zoo avenue Zoo. A good place to kill an hour or 2. You get to see the bird mentioned if you don't get to see them in the wild.

Again - GREAT info!

Percy, I have always wanted to do a city tour of SJ, however we have never been in or near SJ early enough to do a prearranged tour. In 2004, we stayed a few nights in SJ, walked around one afternoon to do some exploring on our own, however I can't say we found too much! Thus, the reason for wanting a private driver this year.

I am very pleased to read the remarks made by all about Zoo Avenue. I will definitely fit this in one afternoon.

Thanks Jessie - Zoo Ahbay - got it!

Thank you so much - all of you!

dfarmer

Having a private guide to help you tour San Jose is a great idea.

You should see:

1.The Gold Museum.
I thought I might not like the Gold Museum but I spent an hour and forty minutes here and could have spent another 20 minutes.

2. National Theater
( This is almost right behind the Gold Museum.)

3. The Culture Plaza:
( you can walk around here or sit and people watch for a while).

4. The Central Market (Mercado Central)
( Another place to people watch)

5. Jade Museum:
If I am not mistaken this is in an Insurance building and on the 11th floor...look out the window from here, nice view isn't it.!!

6. There is a Zoo here also with Scarlet Macaws.. the Zoo is near the Jade Museum.
Price of Admission is $6.00( probably higher now).

7. I also went to the National Museum.

Then you can ask your driver to take you to see Hotel de Oro,since you are near by.
I wanted to see this place as there were posting done about this place.

8. You want to see some nice historic building !! ..then ask your driver to take you to the neighborhoods of Amon and Otoya.

9. Have you read about these mystery spheres that were found in the Southern part of Costa Rica a very long time ago.

If you want to see one , then ask the driver to take you to the La Merced Church...it is almost right along Central Avenue..so it is not out of the way.
They still wonder how these spheres were made with almost 100 % accruacy of being perfectly round. !?!

Of course you will want to take a picture beside the sphere with the nice white church steeple in the background!!

10. See the Music Temple:

This is straight north from the Gold Museum.
Across the street is a double layered water fountain with cherubs circled around it.!
Again, you can take a picture by the water fountain with the Music Temple in the background .

I will stop at 10 but if you are going to tour San Jose,...

Then do what I did. Make a list and have it with you, because you will never remember all the places.

All you need is a good guide like I had.

Percy

Well, thanks Percy! Now we have a few more reasons to head back into the city! You mentioned a few places we've not seen--gotta check em out! The city does have quite a bit to offer--it just doesn't have the aesthetic appeal that others Central American cities may have. Kind of an ugly duckling! We thought the Museo de Oro was excellent. The one time we had planned to visit the Jade Museum, it was closed and being redone. Haven't had a chance since.

Hi shillmac

Yes,I had a lovely tour (twice ) in San Jose.
I agree it is not the greatest of Central American cities, that is why you have to make a list and pick and choose what you want to see.

Of course having Oscar along was an added bonus..it would have been tough to have been on my own.....but I did have my list with me.

Percy

Percy, thank you very much for the detail lists that you have provided.

I will certainly work some of these in our trip this year. And will save the lists for future trips.

Percy,
One of the neatest things we've done in San Jose was to catch a performance at the Teatro Nacional. We saw the opera "Carmen" a couple of years ago--for about $10 per. It was very interesting. I love the interior of the teatro. And we LOVE to people watch outside El Gran Hotel Costa Rica on the Plaza de la Cultura. Every now and then I might wander inside and drop 100 colones into a slot machine. I won 100 colones last time! Decided to take my loot and mosey on.. . .

shillmac

Lucky you to have seen Carmen at the Theater.

I have seen Carmen twice but never in a lovely place like Costa Rica.

Isn't that theater just absolutely gorgeous inside!!
( Oscar told me they spent about a million on renovations about a dozen years ago.

I agree people watching is great.

Sometimes you just have to see the city also.

Every time I go to Cuba I go to see Havana.
Well Havana is a city ...but how can you go to Cuba and not want to see Havana over and over again.

Although to be fair to Havana, San Jose is not Havana !!!.. sorry about that Ticos.

Take Care ( it is cold here!!)

Percy

Percy, how lucky that you can go to Cuba! It has been something we have wanted to do for ages. Buena Vista Social Club is one of my favorite foreign groups, we have their video and cd. Unfortunately, they are all pretty old and dying off. I hope we can get there while it still looks like the old Havana. We have thought about sneaking through your country but friends of friends tried that and got into trouble so we will wait.

As usual your copious notes are helping people have a wonderful idea of what there is to see in CR. I am sure we have all learned a lot from your postings. For as many years as I have been traveling there I still learn things through others eyes. I am a firm believer in traveling to a place and learning everything you can before moving on. This philosophy has given us wonderful opportunities to speak to people in many other countries and to learn so much from them. We have spent many rewarding evenings in homes that are so far from ours and yet so similar.

Hi Percy! Cold here as well--low teens. Ice. Wind. And the Ticos thought they were cold a few weeks a couple of weeks ago!

Keep your blankets handy!

Can anybody tell me how long it would take to drive from the Orquideas Inn to downtown San Jose (let's say to the El Pueblo area of downtown San Jose, or to the downtown area near the Hotel Don Carlos?

dfarmer, good luck with your trip planning.

I would allow at least an hour. 10-15mins from Orquideas to the main road by the airport. 1/2hr from the airport to San Jose plus time to get to El Pueblo. It could take considerably longer depending on the traffic.