Whether you're a foodie, history lover, urban explorer or a traveling family. Enjoy San Jose to the max with the best things to do in San Jose with a local expert. The best thing? It's private & personalized - just for you!
Whether you're a foodie, history lover, urban explorer or a traveling family. Enjoy San Jose to the max with the best things to do in San Jose with a local expert. The best thing? It's private & personalized - just for you!
No strangers on your tour. It’s just you and your local host.
100% Customizable
Let your local host tailor the tour completely to your wishes.
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Our tours are designed with people, places & the planet in mind
Top 3 things to do in San Jose
Make your stay in San Jose complete with these things to do
1
Choose your favorite local
City Kickstart Tour: San Jose
15 reviews
2 hours | city highlight tours | San Jose
Welcome to San Jose! Want to know the best places to eat? Cool events in town? Which places to go to and which to avoid? Or simply get some help to navigate the city? Book this private tour with a local and get the perfect introduction to San Jose to start your city trip on the right foot.
Want to see the best of San Jose? We got you covered. But as you can expect from a Withlocals experience, the real excitement is its hidden gems. Join your favorite local and get a feeling of the city's real vibe on a tour that has it all, so you can say: I experienced the real San Jose!
Ready to taste the best food in San Jose? Satisfy your cravings for local food and culture with highlights along the way, together with a foodie host. Enjoy 10 delicious and typical tastings that range from sweet to savory as well as drinks on a tasty food tour in San Jose.
"We had a great time with Alberto. He is kind and engaging, a pleasure to talk to. He chose well for the 10 tastings. Great variety of food and locations, and at a casual pace. We were introduced to many new tastes even though we had been in Costa Rica for two weeks! Highly recommend."
BrendaAbout local AlbertoSan Jose, February 11, 2025
5.0
Fun and fabulous walking tour
"Alberto was very personal. Asked us about ourselves and told us some of his background. He was very knowledgeable about San Jose and showed a real love and passion for his city. He showed us all the highlights as noted in the tour."
MarilynAbout local AlbertoSan Jose, February 4, 2025
5.0
Great tour!
"Maria did an excellent job with our tour. We had only 2 hours one afternoon and had two kids with us. She somehow managed to tell us about history, current events, taught us some cultural tips, and showed us some beautiful spots. She balanced the needs of our children (start with ice cream, stop to run around a park, get balloon animals from a clown) and grown ups (historical, political, geographic questions). We even saw two parakeets and a bobo! Finally, Maria showed us two of her murals. She is such a talented artist!"
JenAbout local María JoséSan Jose, January 26, 2025
5.0
Awesome San Jose Food Tour
"Three friends and I went on the walking food tour in San Jose with Maria as host. We couldn’t have been more pleased in the choices for all local dishes at various eateries. We had a lot of fun and I would recommend Maria wholeheartedly for this tour."
LynnAbout local María JoséSan Jose, November 16, 2024
5.0
María is a rare gem. Local celebrity arist
"María is incredible. I cannot say enough good things about this incredible woman. She is a local artist with murals all over town. Her art is breathtaking/ stunning. She is quiet and kind. She took me to all the local restaurants she eats at and that accommodated my vegan diet.
I would pay 5 times what I paid to go spend a day with this inspirational woman who is making the city beautiful one mural at a time!
"
"We had such an amazing tour of San Jose with Maria! We met her near the National Museum then started our beautiful stroll through the city. Maria took us through the downtown area and pointed out the important buildings and gave us a brief history of the area. We stopped at a restaurant in a beautiful old home where Maria suggested some local foods and drinks. Everything was so good and it was fun trying new foods and eating like the locals. We continued our walk through beautiful parks and stopped at another restaurant for some more tastings. One thing we really enjoyed was finding out that Maria is a local artist and has done several murals in San Jose. We asked her to take us to see the murals and they were fantastic. I got a picture of her and I in front of one of the murals. We would definitely recommend this tour as a safe, fun way to see the city."
"Alberto was amazing. Very knowledgeable and courteous. He showed us beautiful places of San José and the history. Answered all of our questions. Highly recommend. "
SabrinaAbout local AlbertoSan Jose, April 15, 2024
5.0
Special insight
"Alberto did a wonderful job on our tour; he was careful to gauge our interest and accommodate them in real time. He assisted in finding our meeting spot and was on time. Getting a personalized tour from a local resident provides a unique perspective; we asked political questions, history questions, art questions ... Alberto was well informed and careful to couch his personal answers as "his opinion" when appropriate. We even contacted him later in our trip to ask for directions to a place he'd take us and he was quick to respond. Highly recommended. "
DebbieAbout local AlbertoSan Jose, January 24, 2024
5.0
An Unforgettable Experience in San Jose
"Our walking tour with Alberto and Maria Jose, both exceptionally talented artists (Alberto a musician and Maria Jose a painter), was a highlight of our 9-day trip to Costa Rica. We spent only one evening in San Jose but thoroughly enjoyed seeing the important sites and learning about the city and Costa Rican culture. Anyone visiting San Jose should take advantage of this tour and specifically request Alberto and Maria Jose. "
"We struck gold with Maria. She was friendly, knowledgeable and gave us a wonderful taste of San Jose, its landmarks, its culture and history.She’s also a talented muralist and showed us a number of murals around the city. And when we asked if we could see some of hers, she obliged! So impressive and I would recommend her highly to anyone visiting the city. "
DianaAbout local María JoséSan Jose, March 8, 2025
Explore San Jose with our incredible locals
Learn about their personal stories and find out how you can explore San Jose with locals