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, here is some important information about when to go, what to wear, and what to pack.
Contents
- When to go to San José
- Important essentials for San José
- San José in January: weather and what to pack
- San José in February: weather and what to pack
- San José in March: weather and what to pack
- San José in April: weather and what to pack
- San José in May: weather and what to pack
- San José in June: weather and what to pack
- San José in July: weather and what to pack
- San José in August: weather and what to pack
- San José in September: weather and what to pack
- San José in October: weather and what to pack
- San José in November: weather and what to pack
- San José in December: weather and what to pack
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 esssentials 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.
IMPORTANT COVID-19 PACKING ESSENTIALS
- proof of COVID-19 vaccination if you have it
- vaccine card protector
- N95 masks for top protection
- kids' KN95 masks
- hand sanitizer
- touchless thermometer
- travel disinfecting wipes (for plane, etc)
- A plug adapter that supports outlet types A and B. This one should be sufficient for most areas, but you may want to check with your hotel.
- A portable power bank, like this one
- A SIM card that works in San José. A good global SIM card works in most countries, but check the country list before buying. In some locations you may need a satellite phone. We recommend this satellite phone
- If you plan to visit a church, make sure to bring appropriate clothing
- Theft can be a problem, so pack theft protection, including locks for luggage and a money belt or pouch. We recommend this one
- Appropriate museum wear
- Bicycle friendly attire, if you plan on biking anywhere
- Emergency water purifier
- For families with young children:
- Desamparados visitors may do a lot of walking, so a lightweight backpack like this is essential
- Airplane or car necessities:
- Photography items that we like:
- cell phone photography gimbal
- camera drone for outdoor shots
- extra batteries
- extra memory cards
What to wear/what to pack for San José, Costa Rica by month
January
January is warm 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:
- Dresses
- Sandals
- Bug repellent
- Shorts or short pants
- Light footwear
- Sunscreen lotion
- Skirts
- Long and short sleeve shirts
- If you're going to the beach,
February
February in San José is a perfect temperature 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:
- Sunscreen lotion
- Bug repellent
- Skirts
- Shorts or short pants
- Dresses
- Long and short sleeve shirts
- Light footwear
- Sandals
- If you're going to the beach,
March
If you go to San José in March, you will notice that it is warm and dry with little rain. Daytime temperatures are in the high 70s F (mid 20s C).
What to wear/what to pack:
- Long and short sleeve shirts
- Dresses
- Bug repellent
- Skirts
- Shorts or short pants
- Sandals
- Sunscreen lotion
- Light footwear
- If you're going to the beach,
April
If you visit San José during April, you are likely to 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 low 60s F (mid 10s C).
In terms of precipitation, you can expect it to rain sometimes.
What to wear/what to pack:
- Skirts
- Sandals
- Dresses
- Shorts or short pants
- Light footwear
- Sunscreen lotion
- Long and short sleeve shirts
- Bug repellent
- If you're going to the beach,
- A rain coat to layer with another jacket
- Waterproof footwear. We like these:
- A waterproof phone bag; we like this one
- Wind resistant umbrella. This one is a perfect one to buy.
- A waterproof luggage cover so your belongings stay dry. We like: this one
May
May 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:
- Shorts or short pants
- Skirts
- Sunscreen lotion
- Light footwear
- Dresses
- Sandals
- Bug repellent
- Long and short sleeve shirts
- If you're going to the beach,
June
Traveling to San José in June, you will notice that it is a perfect temperature and somewhat 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:
- Sandals
- Long and short sleeve shirts
- Light footwear
- Skirts
- Bug repellent
- Sunscreen lotion
- Dresses
- Shorts or short pants
- If you're going to the beach,
- A rain coat to layer with a jacket
- Waterproof footwear. We like:
- A waterproof phone bag; we like this one
- Umbrella. This one is an excellent one to buy.
- A waterproof luggage cover so your belongings stay dry. We recommend: this one
July
July is a perfect temperature 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:
- Sandals
- Shorts or short pants
- Skirts
- Long and short sleeve shirts
- Sunscreen lotion
- Light footwear
- Dresses
- Bug repellent
- If you're going to the beach,
- A rain jacket to layer with a jacket
- Waterproof footwear. We recommend:
- A waterproof phone bag; we like this one
- Wind resistant umbrella. This one is an excellent option.
- A waterproof luggage cover so your suitcases remain dry. We recommend: this one
August
August here 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:
- Light footwear
- Skirts
- Dresses
- Sandals
- Bug repellent
- Long and short sleeve shirts
- Sunscreen lotion
- Shorts or short pants
- If you're going to the beach,
- A rain coat to layer with a jacket
- Waterproof footwear. We like these:
- A waterproof phone bag; we like this one
- Windproof umbrella. This one is a perfect choice.
- A waterproof luggage cover so your suitcases stay dry. We recommend: this one
September
September 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:
- Bug repellent
- Dresses
- Skirts
- Sandals
- Long and short sleeve shirts
- Sunscreen lotion
- Shorts or short pants
- Light footwear
- If you're going to the beach,
- A rain jacket to layer with a coat
- Waterproof footwear. We like these:
- A waterproof phone bag; we like this one
- Windproof umbrella. This one is a perfect one to buy.
- A waterproof luggage cover so your bags remain dry. We suggest: this one
October
In October, San José is warm and very rainy. Temperatures routinely are in the high 70s F (mid 20s C) range.
At night, lows are in the high 50s F (mid 10s C). This is also a rainy time for San José, with more than half of the days of the month having rain.
What to wear/what to pack:
- Light footwear
- Sandals
- Bug repellent
- Sunscreen lotion
- Dresses
- Skirts
- Long and short sleeve shirts
- Shorts or short pants
- If you're going to the beach,
- A rain jacket to layer with a jacket
- Waterproof footwear. We suggest:
- A waterproof phone bag; we like this one
- Wind resistant umbrella. This one is an excellent choice.
- A waterproof luggage cover so your bags remain dry. We recommend: this one
November
November in San José is a perfect temperature. Temperatures average in the high 70s F (mid 20s C) during the day. It rains a bit less than half of the time.
What to wear/what to pack:
- Dresses
- Long and short sleeve shirts
- Sandals
- Shorts or short pants
- Bug repellent
- Light footwear
- Sunscreen lotion
- Skirts
- If you're going to the beach,
- A rain poncho to layer with a coat
- Waterproof footwear. We use:
- A waterproof phone bag; we like this one
- Umbrella. This one is a perfect one to buy.
- A waterproof luggage cover so your belongings stay dry. We recommend: this one
December
December in San José is warm. The rain can amount to several inches/centimeters. During this time, temperatures average in the 60s F (high 10s C) to low 70s F (low 20s C).
What to wear/what to pack:
- Bug repellent
- Skirts
- Dresses
- Sunscreen lotion
- Long and short sleeve shirts
- Sandals
- Light footwear
- Shorts or short pants
- If you're going to the beach,
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