I don't know how to talk about Costa Rica.
Since my trip, I've put content for it on the back burner. Why? Because I felt like I failed at travel.
For years, the country was pretty high on my list. So when all of the pieces - the full-time, remote gig, the house all fell together, I decided to reward myself a little with a quick trip.
I found a cheap flight to San Jose via Spirit Airlines, through Fort Lauderdale, and booked it. In the weeks before the trip, I was excited, but distracted. I tend to not get really excited about travel until I'm actually on the road, so this didn't exactly set off alarm bells for me.
I bookmarked a few places to check out. But other than finding places to stay, I didn't plan a lot. I figured it would all come together - my typical laissez faire attitude.
But about a day into my trip to Costa Rica, everything started to go wrong. I got lost in the city and lost my debit card (or it was stolen, still not sure) and found myself in the middle of a foreign country with little Internet access and only $60 in cash.
Cue the crippling anxiety.
It's not the first time I struggled with anxiety abroad. In Northern England, I went through a terrible bout of depression. I was house-sitting at the time, and got panic attack after panic attack. It finally subsided when I left the country, and moved on to Paris, where I was visiting a family friend.
But the best adventures teach us something, and those lessons aren't always delivered to us on a silver platter.
The things that happened with I was in Costa Rica were my fault. Not only did I neglect to prepare an alternative plan for finances, I didn't do critical research that would have better prepared me.
While that trip was equivalent to really bad food poisoning, it helped me grow as a traveler. I gained a lot of insight about how I take trips and prepare for them.
(I know that doesn't directly correlate about traveling to Costa Rica, but I hope it helped anyway.)
But don't let any of that get in your day. I will someday return to Costa Rica, and explore even more of what the country has to offer.
(And this time, I will be bringing at least 2-3 credit cards.)
In my experience, here are some of the best spots to check out.
Wander Through City Parks
I used to live in Philadelphia, and I love cities. Though not a lot of city parks can rival New York, I found the little parks in San Jose to be really quiet and peaceful. One rainy afternoon, I strolled up and down the streets exploring some of the parks near my hostel, coming across a little one called Parque Nacional.
Another great local (and well-known one) park I discovered while walking was Central Park (Parque Central).
It was a nice place to sit and be still for awhile, just enjoying the slight breeze and overcast sky.
I didn't have time for it, but the largest park in San Jose is called La Sabana Metropolitan Park (Parque Metropolitano La Sabana.) It would be a nice (free) place to hang out for an afternoon, perhaps with a towel, blanket or picnic basket.
Throughout the city, go before dusk.
Explore The Jade Museum
I think Jade is one of the most beautiful types of minerals. I love that vintagey dark color green. San Jose is home to The Jade Museum, which has the largest collection of pre-Columbian jade, with over 7,000 pieces in house. And it's conveniently located in downtown San Jose.
This is a good place to burn a couple of hours, since there's five floors of displays for prime Instagram pics. There's also a nifty place to get souvenirs, or grab lunch and a coffee.
Calle 13 y 13 bis, Provincia de, Av Central, San José Province, San José, Costa Rica
Check Out The Costa Rican Film Production Center
I was pleasantly surprised to learn that Costa Rica has a long love affair with film.(One of my favorite things to do when I'm traveling is to catch a flick at a local indy theater.)
So one night, I ventured out to the Costa Rican Film Production Center, (El Centro de Cine) a small theater located in a big pink house. I had discovered the center early that afternoon, aimlessly walking in after visiting a coffee shop nearby.
After looking around for a minute and trying to communicate with the guard (who spoke no English), he called someone on his cell phone who did speak English to tell me they were screening a movie later.
For the record, Eisenstein in Guanajuato is by far, one of the strangest movies I've ever seen. But spending a night watching a strange movie amongst strangers was actually the perfect way to spend an evening out in San Jose.
Hours later, I emerged, with that satisfied, artsy pride in tow, and (safely) walked down the long, dark streets back to my hostel.
Go To Mora Books
A small bookstore squeezed between a few other storefronts, this place is easy to miss. I enjoyed the stroll there, a walk that led me through some quiet, residential areas of the city. The local architecture was beautiful, with stately buildings, and walls of creeping ivy.
The actual bookstore is chock full of English and Spanish titles, in no real order. I didn't end up getting anything, but I spent some time wandering through the (extremely) narrow shelves, and listening to the undistinguishable chatter between the shopkeep and an eager customer.
Between Av. 5 and Av. 7, on Calle 5.
Smoke Some Cigars
I'm not a big smoker, but I love cigars. I picked one up on my way back to the States (cause stress), and gleefully smoked it one of the first nights I was back home. And let me tell you - it was flawless. I don't know a lot about cigars, but I know when they're good. This one was great.
There's a ton of places to get them in San Jose - Havana Humidor Room, Mundo del los Puros, or if you're venturing out of San Jose, The Cigar House, to name a few. I don't think Costa Rica is known for cigars or anything, I just like this story.
Grab An Espresso At Café Miel Garage
One afternoon, I went over to Café Miel to grab my first coffee in the city. It's one of a few of their locations, and their garage one was the closest to my hostel. And with it's garage door/open air front wall, it's a lovely spot to sit and relax for a bit.
The coffee shop was reasonably crowded, (which is always a good sign), and the actual coffee was amazeballs. I went back a few times during my stay - not because it was in the same neighborhood as my hostel, however, but because the good vibes and good drinks were abundant.
Avenida 9 13, Calle 11, San José, Costa Rica
Get Green Juice At KULA Healthy Bar
KULA is a local spot with a lot of great vegan and vegetarian friendly snacks - such as homemade arepas, spring rolls, and vegan noodles. Plus, green juice. I'm a big fan of green juice (celery, spinach, etc.), but in a weird twist of fate, the BEST green juice I've ever tasted was homemade, by an old roommate. So I'm always on the hunt for comparable, and better green juice when I visit new places.
So I went to KULA twice. Once with my boss, (who was being dope and living in Costa Rica at the time), and once alone to snag some of that previously mentioned juice.
The only thing I ran into here was a lack of physical space. The tables were extremely small (even by my standards), and it was difficult not to nudge someone while eating. Otherwise, it was a really pleasant place to snag food - wide open windows, friendly service. Pretty much what you'd expect from Costa Rica.
Avenida 7A Calle 15, San José, Costa Rica
Buy Coffee Beans At Cafénauta
"You're staying at Selina, right?"
I look up. The barista, cup in hand, is smiling at me and I try to place him.
"I am," I say carefully. I'm quiet for a moment, then burst out with: "How did you know that?"
(I've gotten less subtle with age.)
Turns out, he hung out at my hostel after his shift at the coffee shop, and had seen me there. In other situations, this could be off-putting, but in CR, everyone is pretty friendly and eager to please. So I smiled, asked how he was doing, and proceeded to order an iced tea.
This coffee shop is lovely, and looks like it's in an old house. You can also buy coffee there to bring home. It's also on the same block as the Costa Rican Film Production Center, and a great spot to snag an iced tea or coffee before a show.
Check Out Live Music At La Uvita Perdida
If you're looking for a bougie night out, La Uvita Perdida is the spot. Head over to this cozy restaurant, where they specifically match types of wine with a fixed menu. While the wine menu isn't expansive, the wines are selected based on the food, so every pairs really well.
If it's a weekend, reservations are strongly recommended - the spot fills up quickly.
150m este, 25m sur del BCR, Barrio Escalante, San Jose, Costa Rica
Grab A Snack At Café de los Deseos
A perfect spot to grab coffee or a quick snack, Café de los Deseos (Coffee of Desires) is a neat little place in a brightly colored house. If you're looking for an authentic Costa Rican coffee experience, there's a ton of different varieties and types of coffee here.
I didn't spend as much time there as I would have liked. I imagine it would be a lovely place for a late, boozy dinner with close friends.
Calle 15, San José Province, San José, Costa Rica
Crash At Selina Hostel
I love hostels, and I always recommend them to solo travelers. But in the past few years, I've gotten a little tired of the bunk bed experience and desired a little more privacy during travel. The challenge for me is always finding a private room that's not necessarily a costly hotel.
So - one of my favorite things to do when I'm getting drifty is to get a private room in a hostel. You get the social benefits being at a hostel without needing to be around people all the time. It's easier to make friends and meet locals. People that work at hostels seem more laid back and conversational than in hotels, not a personal bias but just something I've noticed during trips.
And The San Jose Selina will go down as one of my favorite hostels, ever. It's a part of an excellent chain of these hostels in Costa Rica, so you can easily find one closer to the beach or mountains if you want to. This particular location was perfect for when you fly into the country. It's quiet, with a great eat-in coffee place and restaurant (I ate there all the time.)
There's a lot of little spots to sit and read. I saw a woman painting with acrylics on the top roof patio, and another engrossed in a book. The hostel is tucked away in a part of San Jose I lovingly called, "mi pequeño bolsillo", or "my little pocket."
The hostel also offers a lot of amenities, such as a free day pass to their co-working space (across the street.) There's for pay shuttles available that go back and forth between some of their locations. So if you're looking to safely explore the whole country, this would be a great way to venture around.
Calle 15, San José, Costa Rica
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