Costa Rica is consistently one of the hottest vacation and adventure-travel destinations in Latin America, with more than a million visitors each year, yet remains a place rich in natural wonders and biodiversity, where you can still feel far from the crowds. The country boasts a wealth of beaches that stretch for miles, jungle rivers for rafting and kayaking, and spectacular cloud and rainforests with ample opportunities for bird-watching and hiking.

Take a walk along the Paseo de los Turistas, which feels rather like a Florida beach town out of the 1950s. The hotels across the street range in style from converted old wooden homes with bright gingerbread trim to modern to tasteful Art Deco.

If you venture into the center of the city, be sure to check out the central plaza around the Catholic church. The large, stone church itself is interesting because it has portholes for windows, reflecting the city's maritime tradition. It's also one of the few churches in the country with a front entry facing east, as most face west. Here you'll also find the city's cultural center, La Casa de la Cultura, and the Museo Histórico Marino, a small museum on the city's maritime history, with exhibits in both English and Spanish.

The newest attraction in town is the Parque Marino del Pacífico (Pacific Marine Park), a modest collection of saltwater aquariums highlighting the sea life of Costa Rica. There are 21 separate tanks, with the largest dedicated to re-creating the undersea environment of Isla del Coco.