Costa Rica (Lonely Planet, 9th Edition) - Matthew Firestone [72]
Pavas (Map; Av 1 btwn Calles 20 & 22)
Santa Ana (Map; Calle 16 btwn Avs 1 & 3)
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Car
It is not advisable to rent a car just to drive around San José. The traffic is heavy, the streets narrow and the meter-deep curb-side gutters make parking nerve-wracking. In addition, break-ins are frequent and leaving a car – even in a guarded lot – might result in a smashed window and stolen belongings. Hire one of the plentiful taxis instead.
If you are renting a car to travel throughout Costa Rica, you will not be short of choices: there are more than 50 car-rental agencies – including many of the global brands – in and around San José. The travel desks at travel agencies and upmarket hotels can arrange rentals; you can also arrange rentals online and at the airport. Within Costa Rica, you can check the local yellow pages (under ‘Alquiler de Automóviles’) for a complete listing. Note that there is a surcharge of about US$25 for renting cars at Aeropuerto Internacional Juan Santamaría.
One excellent local option is Wild Rider (Map; 2258-4604; www.wild-rider.com; Paseo Colón btwn Calles 30 & 32; 8am-6pm), run by a charming trio of Germans. While their specialty is motorcycles, they have a fleet of about 40 small sports utility vehicles. Prices are reasonable (from US$300 per week in high season) and some of the newer vehicles even have stereos with iPod hookups. Reserve well in advance.
For general information on rental agencies, Click here.
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Motorcycle
Given the apparent homicidal nature of most San José drivers, renting a motorcycle to get around the city is recommended only to those who are truly qualified. Rentals are usually small and rates start at about US$50 per day for a 350cc motorcycle and climb from there. Plan on paying more than US$150 a day or more for a Harley.
Wild Rider (Map; 2258-4604; www.wild-rider.com; Paseo Colón btwn Calles 30 & 32; 8am-6pm) rents sports bikes like the Honda XR-250 or the Suzuki DRZ-400S. Prices start at US$420 per week in high season (including insurance, taxes and helmets). They organize on- and off-road guided tours as well.
For Harleys, see Harley Davidson Rentals in Escazú.
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Taxi
Red taxis can be hailed on the street day or night, or you can have your hotel call one for you. You can also hire taxis at the stands at the Parque Nacional, Parque Central and near the Teatro Nacional.
Marías (meters) are generally used, though a few drivers will tell you they’re broken and try to charge you more – especially if you don’t speak Spanish. (Not using a meter is illegal.) Make sure the maría is operating when you get in, or negotiate the fare up front. Short rides downtown cost ₡1000 to ₡2000. A taxi to Escazú from downtown will cost roughly ₡4500, while a ride to Los Yoses or San Pedro will generally cost about ₡2000. There’s a 20% surcharge after 10pm that may not appear on the maría.
You can hire a taxi and a driver for half a day or longer if you want to do some touring around the area, but rates vary greatly depending on the destination and the condition of the roads. For these trips, it is best to negotiate a flat fee in advance.
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AROUND SAN JOSÉ
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Over the years, as San José’s urban sprawl has crawled up the hillsides of the Central Valley, the boundary lines have blurred between the heart of the city and the villages that encircle it. Here you will find a little bit of everything: from crowded slums filled with immigrant workers to stylish residential neighborhoods where modernist houses hide behind 3m-high walls. Within this belt, there are a number of areas that offer an appealing alternative to staying in the city proper.
Just a few hundred meters east of San José’s downtown are the contiguous neighborhoods of Los Yoses and San Pedro, home to a number of embassies as well as the most prestigious university in the country, the Universidad de Costa Rica (UCR). To the west, about 7km away, is Escazú, where Americanized housing developments