Nightlife

The nightlife in Costa Rica is not only lively, but has wonderful variety. Major cities in the country, such as San Jose and Cartago, have much to offer its visitors from art galleries, restaurants, live music and dance, to unique shopping. Since every town and city and San Jose, it is best to look into your nightlife options before embarking on your oversea trip.

Tourists in San Jose have a wide range of nightlife activities from which to choose. Lively bars in the city include Bajarse al Moro ( very trendy), Jazz Café (which has live jazz on Tuesday and Wednesday nights), and Pub Olio (which features music from the 60’s to the 80’s). The very young crowd (under 30) of San Jose migrates to dance clubs like Friends and Planet Mall. Shoppers who are interested in average souvenirs can find them all over the city, while those who would like to check out original art should visit Galeria Namu, which sells colorful folk art created by Costa Rican natives. While in San Jose, a great place to get information regarding activities is the ICT Information Building near the Plaza de la Cultura.

The city of Cartago also offers a wide array of nightlife activities to take advantage of. Restaurants are especially numerous in the city, Numerous restaurants can be found throughout Cartago and serve a diverse menus. Here you’ll be able to find local Tico dishes as well as Chinese and Italian cuisine. Most restaurants in this region of the country serve mainly meat and fish, including chicken and beef.

Like the rest of Costa Rica, the restaurants in Cartago also serve an array of food ranging from the ever-popular continental Chinese and Italian dishes to delicious local Tico fare like casado (a meal of rice, beans, salad, fried plantains, and a tortilla). Chicken, beef and fish are served in most restaurants, with some places now even serving vegetarian meals. Many hotels, lodges and inns in the Heredia also have eateries and restaurants on their premises to serve their guests as well as tourists who are just passing by.

Similar to restaurants of Costa Rica are establishments called “sodas,” which primarily serve local Tico food. However, some sodas now sell quick items like burgers for those in a hurry. Due to Costa Rica’s plentiful water and fishing, Freshwater fish is especially common on some Tico menus, especially in Turrialba.

While it is wise to do some research before touring Costa Rica in order to prepare yourself for what lies ahead, it is also a good idea to explore the cities a bit on your own. The nightlife you will encounter in Costa Rica will greatly vary from the kind you may be used to in the United States, so in this case it would be a good opportunity to take advantage of the foreign culture. Traveling abroad puts the traveler out of their element, but it also can be an enlightening and learning experience. The most important things to keep in mind are to stay safe and keep an open mind.