Ciudad Quesada (San Carlos)

Highway signs point you to "Ciudad Quesada," but this friendly hub city is simply "San Carlos" in local parlance. The lively mountain market town–provincial capital is worth a stop for a soak in the soothing thermal waters, but most visitors push on to La Fortuna and Arenal. Its huge bus terminal is where you'll make connections to almost anywhere in the northern half of the country.