Costa Rica scenic drives are as follows:
- The old Pacific highway winds along the
sea from the west of San Jose via Priscal. This route
follows the
central Pacific and offers views of the ocean throughout
the journey. Along the central Pacific there are several
national parks, including the infamous
Manuel Antonio. This route rewards travelers with views
of coffee, sugarcane and banana plantations. The central
Pacific route includes travel highlights such as Quepos.
- The La Fortuna to Lake Arenal route leads
to the perfect cone of Arenal
Volcano. This travel region was known for farming and ranching but
has slowly become a baby boom retirement resort. The
Arenal route is charming and highlights the Arenal Volcano,
numerous hot springs, waterfalls, Laguna Arenal, a rainforest
reserve, several gardens and charming villages.
- The
Braulio Carrillo highway is the main highway from
San Jose to the Caribbean. The drive is scenic and leads through
tunnels, a mountain and emerges in a primeval wilderness. The
central valleys and highlands around San Jose are often
overlooked as a travel destination, and instead, visitors focus on the beaches of the
Pacific coast and rainforests of the north. This driving route
highlights an aerial tram ride with a view of Braulio Carrillo.
- San Jose to Monteverde is a premier scenic
route in Costa Rica and climbs to the Continental Divide. The
Monteverde Cloud Forest is one of Costa Rica's main travel
attractions. Not only is the cloud forest a highlight, but there
are other fabulous travel and tourist attractions on this route. This includes
outstanding ecological facilities, gardens and a fabulous cheese
factory.
- The Costanera highway is one of the
best-maintained highways in Costa Rica. It leads from Dominical
to Cortes and provides unparalleled views of the Pacific and a
wonderful backdrop of jungle-covered mountains.