San José, Costa Rica: What to pack, what to wear, and when to go [2022]

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Traveling to San José, Costa Rica? If you're planning to go to San José, this article contains some important information about when to go, what to wear, and what to pack.

Contents

About your travel guide

Hi! I'm Dev. I've traveled all over the world and in my travels, I have made many packing lists. In this series, my team and I have compiled the most useful information, as well as things we couldn't live without, to help you plan your trip.


When to go to San José, Costa Rica

Based on the climate and weather in San José, the best time to go is March. See below for details.

Important essentials for San José, Costa Rica

Here are some general tips on what to wear in San José, as well as several items to remember to pack when traveling there.

COVID-19 ESSENTIALS FOR 2022


  • A vaccine card protector

    Vaccine cards can get worn. An unreadable vaccination card can cause severe consequences. This vaccine card protector helps stop that.


  • Travel disinfecting wipes

    Use these to sanitize plane and hotel surfaces.


  • N95 masks to use in crowded airports

    These N95 masks provide the best level of COVID-19 protection available.


  • Kids' KN95 masks

    N95 masks aren't sold for kids. These are a good alternative (and can also be used by adults if N95 masks are not available).


  • Hand sanitizer

    This hand sanitizer is an easy-to-carry TSA-friendly option.


  • Travel insurance

    If you or a companion get COVID-19, your amazing trip can be ruined. Good travel insurance can help. See plans

General health necessities

Don't forget these

What to wear/what to pack for San José, Costa Rica by month

Already know when you're traveling?

January

January in San José is a perfect temperature and very dry with almost no rain. Temperatures average in the low 70s F (low 20s C) during the day.

What to wear/what to pack:

If you go to the Museo de Oro Precolombino, wear museum-appropriate clothing and take:

February

February here is warm and very dry with almost no rain. Temperatures average in the 70s F (mid 20s C) during the day.

What to wear/what to pack:

If you go to the Museo de Oro Precolombino, wear museum-appropriate clothing and take:

March

March in San José is warm and dry with little rain. Temperatures average in the high 70s F (mid 20s C) during the day.

What to wear/what to pack:

If you go to the Museo de Oro Precolombino, wear museum-appropriate clothing and take:

April

April in San José is a perfect temperature. The rain can amount to several inches/centimeters. During this time, temperatures average in the high 70s F (mid 20s C).

What to wear/what to pack:

If you go to the Museo de Oro Precolombino, wear museum-appropriate clothing and take:

May

May in San José is warm. The rain can amount to several inches/centimeters. During this time, temperatures average in the high 70s F (mid 20s C).

What to wear/what to pack:

If you go to the Museo de Oro Precolombino, wear museum-appropriate clothing and take:

June

June in San José is warm and somewhat rainy. Temperatures average in the high 70s F (mid 20s C) during the day. It rains about half of the time.

What to wear/what to pack:

If you go to the Museo de Oro Precolombino, wear museum-appropriate clothing and take:

July

In July, San José is a perfect temperature and somewhat rainy. Temperatures routinely are in the high 70s F (mid 20s C) range. At night, lows are in the low 60s F (mid 10s C). This is also a rainy time for San José, with several of the days of the month having rain.

What to wear/what to pack:

If you go to the Museo de Oro Precolombino, wear museum-appropriate clothing and take:

August

If you vacation in San José during August, you will probably see that it is a perfect temperature and somewhat rainy. Temperatures tend to hover around the high 70s F (mid 20s C) during the day, while at night they can dip into the low 60s F (mid 10s C). In terms of precipitation, you can expect it to rain about half of the time.

What to wear/what to pack:

If you go to the Museo de Oro Precolombino, wear museum-appropriate clothing and take:

September

If you are traveling to San José in September, you will notice that it is warm and very rainy. Expect it to rain about half of the time. Daytime temperatures are in the high 70s F (mid 20s C).

What to wear/what to pack:

If you go to the Museo de Oro Precolombino, wear museum-appropriate clothing and take:

October

October here is a perfect temperature and very rainy. Temperatures average in the high 70s F (mid 20s C) during the day. It rains about half of the time.

What to wear/what to pack:

If you go to the Museo de Oro Precolombino, wear museum-appropriate clothing and take:

November

If you vacation in San José during November, you will probably see that it is warm. Temperatures tend to hover around the high 70s F (mid 20s C) during the day, while at night they can dip into the high 50s F (mid 10s C). In terms of precipitation, you can expect it to rain a bit less than half of the time.

What to wear/what to pack:

If you go to the Museo de Oro Precolombino, wear museum-appropriate clothing and take:

December

December for San José is a perfect temperature. Temperatures average in the low 70s F (low 20s C) during the day.

What to wear/what to pack:

If you go to the Museo de Oro Precolombino, wear museum-appropriate clothing and take:

Activities for San José, Costa Rica

Here are some activity recommendations and activity-specific packing tips for San José.

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