Poas Volcano/LaPaz Waterfall Gardens/Chubasco/Doka Coffee Farm

This may be a lot to do in a day, so start the day early , but all these sites are along the same route so pick and choose which you’d like to see. Poas Volcano National Park allows you to drive all the way to the top of the mountain where you can park your car and walk up to a viewing platform and look into the bubbling crater of an active volcano. It’s a beautiful ride up the mountain through the multiple thermal zones with much to see. Your drive will first take you up through large coffee fincas and as you climb, eventually through pine forests and dairy farms with amazing vistas along the way. Pack a jacket or sweater because it can be chilly and windy at the top. There is a gift shop and facilities at the park.

After leaving the volcano, drive towards Vara Blanca to La Paz Waterfall Gardens which is a park consisting of a series of 4 magnificent waterfalls with trails that lead along side them. At $45/pp, it’s not cheap, but it’s a gorgeous nature reserve with a butterfly garden, hummingbird gardens, and some animal enclosures. It’s a bit touristy, but it’s laid out beautifully and allows people to see many of Costa Rica’s wonderful wildlife up close. It’s perfect for people who don’t want to trek through the jungle. La Paz has a large cafeteria to eat at if you’re hungry, but for a trip to one of our favorite Costa Rica restaurants, hop back in the car and head back down the hill to Chubasco. It’s closed  on Tuesdays so check the hours on it’s site.