20 cheap or free places to visit in Costa Rica with kids
Costa Rica is amazing! But, it is also very expensive. That’s why I put together this awesome list of cheap or free places to visit in Costa Rica. Plus, if you have kids, all of these places are kid-friendly as well. So, gather the whole family, you won’t be disappointed.
Our family is nearing the end of our two-month visit to beautiful Costa Rica. Since we have five kids, we tried to find inexpensive activities and places to visit. Many of the tourist attractions in Costa Rica can be super expensive. If you want to do a night tour, white water rafting or ziplining, it costs anywhere from $30-$100 per person! With a family of five, we just can’t afford activities like that every day. So, I put together a list of activities that cost $15 or less per person. And believe it or not, these places are the ones that my kids ended up liking the most! Check it out!
Verde Malakita
- Cost: $6 per person (kids ages 5 and younger are free)
- Duration: 10-minute hike then lots of play time
- Hours: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. (open every day)
- Website: www.facebook.com/verdemalakita
This waterfall was a favorite with my kids. There is rope swing right next to the waterfall that isn’t too scary but super fun. There are tiny pools of water that you can swim in as you approach and cool trails to explore. Charlie, the landowner is super friendly. He runs a delicious restaurant that you can enjoy for lunch after you take a swim.
Montañas de Cariblanco hike and waterfall
- Cost: $4 per adult, $1.50 per child
- Duration: 2 hours
- Hours: 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. (must make a reservation if coming on a weekday)
- Website: www.facebook.com/montanascariblanco
This is a beautiful hike to a hidden waterfall tucked behind a huge coffee plantation resting on the mountainside. You’ll hike about 2.5 miles into the waterfall and then come back the way you came. It’s kind of steep and slippery right before the waterfall. Wear good shoes. The water is too rough to swim in but you can take lots of pictures.
Playa Mantas and Playa Blanca
- Cost: $4 per adult, $1.50 per child
- Duration: 2 hours
- Hours: 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. (must make a reservation if coming on a weekday)
- Website: www.facebook.com/montanascariblanco
These two beaches are the closest beaches to San Jose. As a favorite among locals, there’s plenty of space for everyone. Both times we went there we saw lots of scarlet macaws and even a couple of sloths in the trees. Playa Blanca has whiter sand and calmer waters but you have to cross over the hillside next to Playa Mantas at low tide in order to access it.
Rancho Samana
- Cost: $1.50 per person (optional fee for feeding animals, horse rides, etc.)
- Duration: 2-3 hours
- Hours: Wed-Fri 9 a.m. – 8 p.m., Sat & Sun 8 a.m. to 8 a.m.
- Website: https://www.facebook.com/miradorranchosamana/?rc=p
Every family with kids should come here. They have a restaurant, huge playground, $5 horse rides, petting zoo where you can feed the animals, an old airplane to explore, trout pond and hiking trails. Plus the view of San Jose is gorgeous. One of our favorites.
Minas del Aguacate
- Cost: Free!
- Duration: 2-3 hours
- Hours: Open 24 hours
At this hidden oasis, you can waterslide off of a waterfall! You can see the waterfalls from the parking lot and it’s a short 1/4 mile walk to the top where you can jump off or slide down the waterfalls into a big pool of water. Plus, there is an abandoned mine that is about 250 meters deep that you can explore if you are feeling adventurous.
Crocodile Bridge
Cost: Free!
Duration: 30 minutes
Hours: Open 24 hours
This is a quick stop along your way to Jaco or Manuel Antonio but well worth it. This is a bridge that crosses the Tarcoles River where you can look down to the river below to see wild crocodiles hanging out in the water. Sometimes there can be up to 15-20 crocodiles just hanging out and they are huge! It’s an easy, fun stop that you won’t soon forget.
Los Jardines Restaurant in Grecia
- Cost: Just the cost of food
- Duration: 1-2 hours
- Hours: Tuesday – Sunday 11:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.
- Website: https://www.instagram.com/losjardinesgreciacr/
Of all the cheap or free places to visit in Costa Rica, I had to add a restaurant to the list and this one doesn’t disappoint. Located in Grecia, this restaurant used to be a garden that was converted during the pandemic. The bright and colorful surroundings are an added bonus to an also delicious meals. You’ll love this place.
Strawberry Tour in Vara Blanca
- Cost: $6.50 adults, $6 kids
- Duration: 1 hour
- Hours: Reservation only
- Website: https://www.facebook.com/fresasymasVaraBlanca/
With over 40,000 strawberry plants, this tour offers an explanation of planting, production and harvesting process for the strawberries. Plus, you get to pick your own strawberries to take home. Super fun for kids and adults alike.
Dinoland and Rio Agrio Waterfall
- Cost: $12 for adults, $7 for kids ages 4-7
- Duration: 2 hours
- Hours: Daily 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. (reservations recommended on the weekends)
- Website: https://www.facebook.com/cataratarioagrio88870310/
If you were to take a walk through Jurassic Park in real life, this place is what it would be like. With 25 animatronic life-size dinosaurs, you feel like you took a step back in time. My husband and I loved it just as much as the kids. Plus, after you’ve seen all the dinosaurs, you take a short walk through a rainforest canyon that ends with a breathtaking waterfall. You don’t want to miss this place.
Santa Elena Cloud Forest Reserve
- Cost: $15 for adults
- Duration: 2-3 hours
- Hours: Daily 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. (guided walks available)
- Website: http://www.reservasantaelena.org/
Of all the tourist attractions in Monteverde, this reserve is the most affordable and some argue that it is the best (I agree). Plus, it’s way less crowded. With many well-maintained trails, you can wander through this dense forest and see so many creatures and animals. We even saw the resplendent quetzal, which is one of the most beautiful birds in the world. It’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to walk through a cloud forest like this in the heart of Costa Rica.
University for Peace Park
- Cost: $5 per person
- Duration: 1-2 hours
- Hours: Saturdays and Sundays, 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.
- Website: http://www.reservasantaelena.org/
Tucked away from the hustle and bustle of the city, this beautiful park near Ciudad Colon is the perfect day trip to enjoy the outdoors. It has multiple ponds, playground, soccer field, picnic areas and walking trails. Bring a lunch and stay for a while.
Farmer’s Markets
- Cost: Free!
- Duration: 1-2 hours
- Hours: Santa Ana – Sundays, 7 a.m. to 1 p.m., Escazu – Saturdays, 8 a.m. to 1 p.m., San Jose Central Market – Monday to Saturday, 6:30 a.m. – 6 p.m.
Of all the cheap or free places to visit in Costa Rica, you need to stop by one of the many ferias. Here you can buy affordable fresh vegetables and fruit and sample local cuisine. This is a great way to get a feel for Tico lifestyle and contribute to the local economy.
Hacienda la Chimba Trail
- Cost: $12 per person
- Duration: 2-3 hours
- Hours: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. (must arrive before 2 p.m to hike the trail)
- Website: https://haciendalachimba.com/mantra-trail-chimba/
Similar to Montañas de Cariblanco, this gorgeous 3-mile hike takes you through the rolling hills of a Costa Rica coffee plantation. You can pose for pictures next to landmarks such as a giant Buddha and a butterfly along the way until you reach the final destination which is an outstretched hand that you can walk on. It was super awesome.
Los Chorros Waterfall
- Cost: $3 per person (plus $4 for parking)
- Duration: 1-2 hours
- Hours: 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
- Website: https://quebuenlugar.com/en/lugares/los-chorros-grecia-2/
This giant waterfall is accessed via a 1/2 mile trail down the mountainside. Bring your swimming suits because you can play in the pools of water below the waterfall. Although, during the rainy season, the water might be a bit rough. This is yet another amazing waterfall hidden in the heart of Costa Rica. Picnic tables and bathrooms are available near the base of the waterfall.
Oxigeno Human Playground
- Cost: Free!
- Duration: 1-3 hours
- Hours: Daily, 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.
- Website: www.oxigeno.com
Costa Rica doesn’t have to be all about rainforests and sloths. This futuristic shopping mall includes a kids’ climbing structure, outdoor running track & rooftop views. It’s a great destination to do some window shopping, get a bite to eat and snag a panoramic of the city. My kids loved it.
Del Toro Waterfall
- Cost: $14 adults, $7 kids
- Duration: 1-2 hours
- Hours: Monday – Saturday, 7 a.m. to 5 p.m.
- Website: https://www.catarata-del-toro.com/
Voted as Costa Rica’s most beautiful waterfall several years in a row, this is a destination you don’t want to miss. This is a waterfall spills into an extinct volcanic crate and makes you say, “Wow!” when you see it. The hike down to the base of the 269-foot waterfall has 350+ steps which are made of concrete. Although you cannot swim at the bottom of the falls, you can take plenty of memorable photos right next to the base. Although steep, my kids handled the trail just fine.
Hot springs in La Fortuna
- Cost: $7 for parking
- Duration: 1-3 hours
- Hours: Daily 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Just across the street from Tabacon Thermal Resort and Spa, you can park your car and walk down the hill to the free hot springs in La Fortuna. With tiny pools of perfectly warm water sectioned off by rocks, there is plenty of space for everyone to find a spot and relax. We loved soaking in the warm water while the heavy Costa Rican rains fell on it. It was super cool. Keep an eye on your belongings though, since this is a highly-trafficked tourist attraction.
Santa Ana Windmills
- Cost: Free!
- Duration: 1-3 hours
- Hours: Open 24 hours
Located on top of the mountains near Santa Ana, these humongous windmills are a sight to see up close. Plus, getting to the windmills is half the fun. The roads up to the mountainside are some of the steepest hills I have ever driven on. Make sure you head up on a clear day to get the best view with clear skies. You don’t be disappointed, plus, it’s free!
Ficus tree root bridge
- Cost: Free (donations accepted by landowner)
- Duration: 1 hour
- Hours: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Located within walking distance of downtown Santa Elena in Monteverde, you can hike down to an old ficus tree root that has formed a natural bridge. It’s an awesome free pit stop during your stay in Monteverde for some fun photo opportunities.
Cartago Ruins
- Cost: Free
- Duration: 1 hour
- Hours: Open 24 hours
Located in front of the main square in Cartago, these romanesque ruins are the remains of an old half-built church. They are the remnants of the construction of the Iglesia Santiago Apóstol Church, whose process was interrupted because of the Santa Mónica earthquake, which struck on March 4, 1910. You can wander through the ruins and enjoy the gardens.
Bonus cheap or free places to visit in Costa Rica
I hope these ideas help you save a little bit or money during your next visit to beautiful Costa Rica. But don’t forget, just because they are affordable, doesn’t mean they are any less amazing. You’re going to love it.
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As a Costa Rican, this is a reaaally good list and blog post! You nailed it! Thanks for sharing, there’s a few I haven’t been but will now add to my bucket list. Thank you and I hope you enjoyed my beautiful country.
Thanks! We have definitely enjoyed Costa Rica it is so beautiful.